Why Montreal tourism... the Very Best of
All Canadian Cities

Montreal Tourism

It's simple, really. Montreal is the best of all Canadian cities because of what it is (and has)... and what it is not.

Let's start with what Montreal is not and does not have...

• Boring -- most festivals in the world? check, most restaurants per capita in the world? check.

• Generic -- "this looks exactly like where we live," is not something you'll catch yourself saying here. Montreal is unique: a 250 year old fusion of English and French cultures makes for a European city populated with North American citizens. The second largest French city in the world, Montreal has its own style that contrasts sharply from all the English speaking, GAP-and-Starbucks North American cities. Montreal tourism is booming.

• Racial tension -- the people here are so warm, the smiles genuine. Unlike in northern U.S cities like Boston and New York City, slavery was never legal in Montreal. The Late Canadian Prime Minister and fellow Montrealer Pierre Elliot Trudeau championed a multinational culture and Montreal ranks as one of the most multi-ethnic cities in the world. Not coincidently, Montreal tourism is also highly multi-ethnic.

• Crime -- you're safe, no matter where you are, or when. Quebec has the lowest crime rate in Canada. How violent is Canada, you ask? Well put it this way; Washington D.C has more crime per year than all of the Canadian provinces combined! Of course, don't push it. If you walk down a deserted downtown alleyway at night with a 'please rob me' T-shirt on...good luck!

• Applebee's -- Montreal has its ownfoods and flavors. Those who hesitate from entering a McDonald's, Tim Hortons, or Subway will be rewarded by the city's fresh outdoor markets, Montreal smoked meat, Montreal bagels, and poutine.

• Tropical Climate -- oops. The only drawback. Montreal can be downright chilly. But no problem -- it has the largest underground city in the world. Like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, you can go shopping, see a movie, go to work and head back to your hotel -- all without stepping foot outside. But don't succomb to stereotypes: in the summer Montreal can get hotter than Arizona!

  We're #1, We're #1

  

  So that's what Montreal is not, but what isit?

  Please click here and explore a very special page...it's all about the little things that make Montreal, Montreal.(insert link)

  "But Josh," you say, "Please give me more info on Montreal."

  Your wish is my command...

  ---

  Montreal Tourism

  I found some interesting statistics on Montreal tourism. I've written down some highlights.

  Me and my visiting friends

  Source: Montreal Tourism Statistics of May, 2006

  - 8 million Montreal tourists stay at least 1 night - 7 million visit but don’t stay 1 night

  Expenditure: 2.5 billion$ for tourists who stayed at least 1 night. 321 million$ spent for tourists who stayed less than 1 night.

  Average Montreal tourist stays 3 days Average tourist spends 114$ per day

  Tourist pays an average of

  • 32% a day on accomodation, or 36$ per day

  • 27% a day on meals, or 31$ per day
  • 10% on recreation, or 10.50$ per day
  Montreal tourists paid total of 2.5 billion$ in one year! (that's still less money than Bill Gates has).

  Number of rooms available in 2005: Greater Montreal had 525 establishments and 26,620 rooms

  Location

  Welcome to Montreal...

  
  
  Montreal is located at 45°30 N / -73°36 W. It is the largest city in Quebec and the second largest in Canada, with a population of 3,400,000.

  Many people don't know that Montreal is an island.

  Its highest point, Mount Royal, is 761 ft/ 232m high.

  Climate

  "Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. All you have to do is call..." - James Taylor

  My friends and I through the year

  

  Montreal has a climate of extremes and its citizens seem to follow suit. In the winter the city slows down,
  people stay indoors. They read, watch tv, and relax with friends.
  In the spring the trees drip ice rain and frowns thaw. New
  moms take to the streets with babycarriages and wet dogs...

  Summer is when Montreal explodes. A sweet,
  humid sun lights the island and festivals topple over
  each other like dominoes.

  Montreal tourism peaks during festival season.

  Average temperatures vary from 10-25°F (-13°-5°C)
  in January to 65-80°F (18°-27°C) in July.

  ---

  Currency

  Montreal uses the Canadian dollar for currency. Also, many Montrealers trade English or French lessons as cash.

  Americans like to joke that
  we have Monopoly money...

  Our money is very similar to American money, just more colorful. It's also worth a little less. But what we lack in value we make up for in color ;)

  The valuations are

  • $5 (blue),
  • $10 (purple)
  • $20 (green)
  • $50s (red)
  • and $100s (brown)

    Some stores are cautious about accepting bills larger than $20 because of counterfeits. Holograms and codes have made counterfeiting harder.

    Downtown stores are usually happy to accept U.S. currency and will often post the exchange rate they are offering.

    TIP: Stores offer lousy exchange rates. Use Canadian money or travellers cheques when possible.

    Most stores and restaurants accept Visa and MasterCard and often accept American Express.

    If you use your credit card, be prepaired to get ripped off by your bank...

    There are many currency exchange centers throughout the downtown area that tailor to Montreal tourism. They either charge a fee or take a couple of percentage points off the exchange rate for their services.

    ---

    Tipping

    When people visit me from Toronto, Boston, Seattle, Florida, etc, they always are shocked by how much tax and tip is added to their meal and purchases.

    A tip of 15% is customarily left for waiters and waitresses at the table, calculated on
    the pre-tax total of your bill.

    Yes, you just read that correctly, but I'll write it again...

    The taxis 15% of your meal/purchase!

    Which means...

    You should be prepared for a meal to
    cost 30%more than advertisedon the menu.

    Language(s)

    Last week I was walking to work when...

    
    
    I was "stopped" by an Arret sign.

    Then another, and another...

    I turned "gauche,"

    - then droite --

    and walked down Renee-Levesque, Rue. Colonialle, and finally St. Laurent, having successfuly nagivated a mazeof French signs. I was now back in my Anglophone haven, speaking to my American customers in English, by telephone and email.

    But make no mistake. Between French and English, Montreal
    is definitely more...

    French.

    Don't speak French? Don't worry.

    Everyonein Montreal speaks English, too.

    Quebec's language laws make it all but impossible to post outdoor signs in languages other than French so you will see few signs in English, but in the parts of Montreal with Montreal tourism, services are available in English.

    When someone French speaks to you in English, say
    "merci" --which means thank youand they'll appreciate the effort.

    ---

    Drinking and Smoking

    After a few drinks...

    

    I did what any literature lover would do...

    

    and began reading poems to my beer...

    

    As my friends, Greg and Elodie, looked on.

    

    Hey, now that I'm sober, I just noticed that they look embarassed.

    Anyways, I firmly stand by my convinction that a merry poetry-reading drunk is way better than a violent drunk. Don't you agree?

    -- overall, Montreal tourism is positively affected by the city's drinking laws. The legal drinking age is 18, a major selling point for Americans who live close to the border and are used to 21 being the minimum age.

    This is one reason why Montreal is called the Amsterdam of North America!

    -- And in true European fashion, cigarette smoking was legal in all restaurants and bars. However, since the summer of 2006 smoking is now illegal in all public places. Hallelujah!

    Video From Don

    I love this! I'd like to share with you a video that Don Pugh put together about his adventures in Montreal.

    Don is a man who sounds like the grandfather you wish you had. His voice is warm and gray, like a sunday morning porridge.

    He's a grizzled veteran of the Montreal tourism experience.

    But I think he says that the year he last visited Montreal was 3003!

    What do you hear? It's at the beginning of the video...

    Secret link to the homepage