Montreal (Canada) in one day, what is essential to see and do

After our Ottawa visit, around noon we arrived at the hotel in Montreal, although before settling in we looked around for a restaurant.

Finally we decided on one called Jarry- Smoked Meat, where we allowed ourselves to be kindly convinced to try their signature dish, that is smoked meat.

Well washed down with some beers, we ate quite well. Ah! all in French, of course! They also spoke English, but with such a strong French accent that we preferred to communicate in the latter language.

After resting for a while at the hotel, the next stage of our Coast to coast trip through the United States and Canada was visit the Olympic Park.

I remind you that the Olympics They were held in Montreal in 1976 and, among other notable aspects, they will always remain in memory as the games of the great Romanian gymnast Nadia comaneci.

Montreal It is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec.

It is located on the island of the same name, next to the Saint Lawrence River, and is the fourth city in the world for its French-speaking population.

The city has become one of the most important cultural centers in Canada, and among the numerous events it hosts, the Jazz Festival, one of the most important in the world.

This is the experience of visiting Montreal

In our Montreal visit, we toured the central area of ​​this great city where they are located, one next to the other, the Olympic Stadium and the rest of the Olympic facilities, and the Maisonneuve Park.

The latter is a large park of 118 hectares, mostly occupied by the Botanical Garden and the Montreal Insectarium and a nine-hole public golf course.

El Maisonneuve Park It is a unique place to enjoy day or night, where you can walk or bike the trails that extend through the park.

The center of it is a quiet area where people enjoy picnics and tranquility, and it is very popular with young people and families.

El Olympic Stadium It is the largest in Canada, and in its day it was considered an architectural display.

It is a multipurpose stadium that was built as the main headquarters of the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Since 2004 the stadium has no anchor tenant, and with a history of financial and structural problems, it is largely seen as a white elephant.

The tower integrated into the base of the sports area, with its 175 meters, is the tallest leaning tower in the world , is the largest stadium in Canada and, in its day, was a very remarkable display of architecture.

For three hours we were walking through these places that are quite quiet.

Specifically, the park is the large green area in Montreal, equivalent to Hyde Park en London or Central Park en New York.

From there we headed to Old Montreal, or old town of Montreal, next to the river.

It is the historic center of the city of Montreal, where the city's old port is also located.

The exact place of origin of Montreal is the Place d'Youville, and old fortifications that were demolished at the beginning of the 19th century mark the borders of this historic neighborhood.

When you walk through it Old Montreal, you have the feeling of finding yourself in the old quarter of some European city.

Narrow cobblestone streets, with their restaurants and bistro, ancient cathedrals, buildings built two or three centuries ago, the marina and shops and markets around it, with exhibitions and street artists, and corners of the old city with lots of animation, make your visit essential.

After dinner in a small bistro, with the strange sensation of finding ourselves in Paris, we return to the hotel crossing this great and extensive city.