Montreal
- gingeraaron0
- May 16
- 6 min read
On our first full day in Montreal, we began with breakfast at the hotel lounge, which is one of the perks of being a Marriott member. The hotel lounge had a wonderful coffee maker… although it had a bit of a learning curve, it was definitely a bright spot that morning. Once we figured it out, we were properly caffeinated and ready to pretend we had the day fully under control.
With a full day of things on our list, we decided to utilize the metro system to make our walking a bit less. We were super excited when we learned that there was a metro stop right under our hotel. I think this is the only Montreal hotel with its very own metro stop, and honestly, that felt like a tiny luxury. Bougie convenience, but still practical — my favorite combination.
After purchasing our OPUS cards and a 24-hour fare, we quickly jumped on and headed to our first stop, Old Montreal.
We got a kick out of the pronunciation of each of the upcoming stops as the names were announced over the train’s speaker system. Us in our southern twang trying to pronounce the French street names was laughable. We were giving it our best effort, but let’s just say it French is a hard language.
Once we exited the train, we made our way to Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. We had previously purchased tickets online, so we made our way to the entrance. The gate attendant made note of our ticket, which included the Aura show later that evening, and told us that seating for the Aura show was first come, first served. She also told us we needed to be in line at least 30 minutes prior to show time which was helpful to know because nobody wants to be casually wandering in late and ending up with the “we should have planned better” seats.
The Basilica was really beautiful. Although we aren't Catholic, we very much appreciated the architecture, the design, and the attention to detail. The stained glass windows are impressive, and you can’t see these during the Aura show, so I was glad we visited during the day too.
When I first walked in, the only thing I could say was “WOW.” It is still an active place of worship, so the inside vibe was very quiet and very solemn. It felt like one of those places where even if you don’t fully understand every detail, you know you are standing somewhere special.
From the Basilica we started roaming, checking out all the architecture, the hustle and bustle of local folk, and taking in the history and culture of the city. Before long, we found ourselves at the Old Port. Because it was still early, many of the food and souvenir stands were not yet open, but that almost made it better. It was quieter, calmer, and easier to take it all in without the crowds. We walked from end to end, taking in the fact that Montreal is the largest island in the world surrounded by fresh water.
After Old Port, we made our way to the nearest Metro station and then to our next stop, Jean-Talon Market. We love a market. On most road trips we make time for one or more. It’s a great way to pick up on the local culture, enjoy local food, and people watch. There is just something about a local market that makes you feel like you are seeing the real heartbeat of a city. While there, we enjoyed macarons and a pastel de nata, a small custard tart. This was also where I had my first coffee outside of the hotel, a very hot, very strong Americano. It was delicious and just what I needed on this overcast, cool day.
The Jean-Talon Market is full of food stands, specialized grocers, including meat market, olives, cheese, etc., and fruit and vegetable stands. It is a true market, no overpriced souvenirs, no gimmicky junk, and no crappy offerings. It is just real food, real people, and the kind of place we always love finding when we travel.
If you know us, you know we love bubble tea. So after the market, we did a quick Google search for bubble tea. There were a few nearby, so off we went. Sadly, the bubble tea was not as good as our bubble tea spot near home, which we compare all bubble teas to. Maybe unfair, but true. Nonetheless, it was a fun place to go and rest our feet for a few minutes before our next stop, Mount Royal Park.
Mount Royal Park is one of those places that gives you a little bit of everything: a beautiful walk, a solid climb, and a rewarding view once you make it to the top. It was about a 3/4 to 1 mile walk from the metro stop, not counting the walk to the top. Because of this, April and Avery decided to rest while I made the journey to the top. It had rained the night before, so the paths were a bit wet and muddy, but it was a lovely hike. It took about 20 minutes to reach the top, and it was such a lovely view. Montreal from above was definitely worth the muddy shoes.
While hiking, I wasn’t fully able to understand the posted maps, nor was I really sure what I was walking to. That, added with the fact that my family was waiting for me in the park at the bottom, made me even more excited once I finally made my way to the overlook. I had read that the summit included going up 339 steps. I saw steps and started ascending and counting. After getting slightly over 100, my steps ended... basically at the end of a TV/cell phone tower. Not exactly the grand summit moment I had pictured.
At that point, I realized that I probably wasn’t at the peak, but the lookout from this viewpoint still did not disappoint. Even if I accidentally took the mystery route, the view made it worth it. It took around 45 minutes round trip for this little side excursion while my family waited patiently in the grassy knoll.
On our way back to the metro, we stopped inside a grocery store to get a bag of Lay's Ketchup chips. A friend from New York City suggested we give them a try, so "when in Rome".....
By the way, we LOVED them. (Thanks Michelle for the rec.)
From there our next goal was to visit the Underground, RESO. Honestly, of all the things that confused us in Montreal, the Underground was the biggest confusing spot. We were literally walking in circles, and not in a cute “let’s explore” kind of way. Looking back, I'm not sure if we expected more of a “mall experience” or if we simply didn't see the best parts, but we were all a bit disappointed in the Underground. Once we finally arrived at Grand Central, there was no hustle and bustle....it looked like an abandoned food court. Not exactly the lively underground city we had pictured.
Nonetheless, it was all about the journey and the experience.....plus it gave us an opportunity to explore without being in the cool wind. And honestly, sometimes travel is just that: getting a little lost, laughing about it later, and checking something off the list even if it wasn’t quite what you expected.
At this point we had circled back to our hotel, so we refreshed and recharged before heading to dinner and the AURA experience. One thing on our list was to eat crepes. We've always loved crepes and they are non-existent at home. (In fact we love them so much, we purchased a crepe griddle so we can make our own....but our homemade crepes just aren't the same.) There is a crepe and bagel restaurant near Notre Dame and while it probably does get mostly tourists, we had zero complaints. We all shared a crepe, reuben sandwich, and bagel and it was all delicious. Nearby there were 2-3 souvenir shops. Having some time to spend before the Aura show, we browsed a little.
Heeding our earlier advice, we arrived at the Notre-Dame Basilica earlier than our 8:00 pm show. We got in line around 7:00 pm, and they opened the doors at 7:30. There were buskers in the park in front of the Basilica, so we were entertained during our wait. Being near the front of the line allowed us to pick our seats, which was definitely worth the early arrival. We had read not to sit too close, as that limits what can be seen. We sat about 2/3 of the way back in the center, and it ended up being a great spot.
The show started around 8:05. The Aura experience was amazing. It was a totally different experience than seeing it earlier in the day. The light and sound show was simply breathtaking, and it completely transformed the Basilica into something almost magical. The music, the colors, and the way the lights moved across the architecture made the whole space feel alive. I definitely recommend making this part of your Montreal experience if you can squeeze it into your schedule.
Our step count was at about 30,000 for the day. It was a completely full day of exploring, and wandering....truly taking in the culture of Montreal.
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