I was 84,000 steps into a 100k step day in Montreal, fading fast. The humidity was beating me from…read morepillar to post. Roshe runs were a horrendous choice of footwear. Both achilles tendons were begging me to stop. Clips of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Tyrese Haliburton brutally ripping their achilles off the bone flashed through my mind. "It's not worth it... don't finish... 84k steps is plenty... what are you even doing this for?" It was just then, as I was toying with breaking the contract I inked with myself in blood, that I turned left onto Queen Mary Ave and saw Saint Josephs Church sitting on top of a hill. It was breathtaking. It felt like something out of the Legend of Zelda. My own Temple of Time. I love when the works of my own species inspire me. I began my ascent to the top. The sun was checking out for the day, and I realized this may be an all-time sunset view from the summit. I got half way up, turned around, and boom. A jolt of energy injected straight into my soul. Half the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, with warm vibrant colors blasting into the cotton candy sky. It was a top 10 sunset of my life, and I've been SPOILED with some great sunsets over the years. When I reached the staircase that led to the summit, it felt like the whole city of Montreal was out there. The city was ALIVE. I couldn't help but forget about the pain in my legs, my existential dread, and the most humid day of 2026 in Montreal. God's creation was on full display, and it felt like his way of telling me to keep pushing. If you're in Montreal, this is the best place to watch the sunset. THANK YOU ST JOES I NEEDED THAT! IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo

It wasn't on our radar to visit this towering Catholic shrine, but Jamie W and I had lunch at…read moreSnowdon Deli and planned a trip to the Kondiaronk Belvedere on top of Mount Royal. As luck would have it, this landmark was at the midpoint of the public bus route, so we found a valid reason to hop off and explore the grounds. The view was quite impressive from Queen Mary Road as the structure represents both Canada's largest church and Montreal's highest point. Consequently, there were quite a few stairs to climb, though we discovered later there was a series of escalators that we could've taken if we weren't wearing our FitBits. By contrast, we saw the more devout pilgrims climbing the stairs face down on their knees. There were three major sections to explore. The cavernous Crypt Church was a broad, low-ceiling worship space supported by the barrel vaulting of steel-reinforced concrete arches (Photo 10). The adjoining Votive Chapel held 10,000 candles surrounding the statue of St. Joseph and other pious figures (Photo 8). The Shrine was the tallest place of worship dominated by the largest church dome in Canada (Photo 7). Lastly, the upper panoramic terrace not only affords impressive views of the city but also spotlights an imposing sculpture, Timothy Schmalz's "Angels Unawares" depicting a crowded boat of migrants and refugees (Photo 6). RELATED - Exploring Montreal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/QZeiLs9KtS

Good work out to the view! Wear sneakers! Went first week of October and it was a crisp and chilly…read moreFall day.

Geologically speaking, it seems unfair that cities like Rome, Lisbon, and San Francisco each have…read moreseven hills from which there is a plethora of panoramic cityscape views. Beyond a Ferris wheel and a clock tower, Montreal has just one hill, Mount Royal, so of course, they have to maximize the scenic overlook with a semicircular plaza that accommodates hundreds of tourists at the same time. Jamie W and I didn't have any trouble getting up to the viewpoint. We took the local bus 11 and strolled on a gentle incline for five minutes. We were so overwhelmed by the number of people clinging to the stone wall for selfies that we could barely make it through a crack of an opening for ours. It amounted to no more and no less than a picture postcard view of Downtown Montreal. As luck would have it, it started to rain, so we scurried into the cavernous historic chalet to take advantage of the cafe (Photo). It was time for an afternoon snack, so on rustic Adirondack chairs, we sipped C$4.75 Iced Lattes and shared a C$2.90 Boston Beignet until the rain stopped (Photo). We then took a leisurely walk down the Grand Staircase and found ourselves facing down Leonard Cohen. RELATED - Exploring Montreal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/16ntO9tQIF

Even with the viewing tower closed for renovations during our visit, Parc Olympique de Montréal was…read morestill a great stop. The Olympic history is front and center, and it's pretty special to walk around a site that once hosted such a major event. They've done a nice job turning the grounds into a peaceful, scenic park space that feels welcoming and easy to explore. The surrounding area, including the Biodôme and other museums, adds even more to do if you have time.

I'm sort of a history guru, so when I planned my trip to Montreal, I penciled in a few hours to…read morevisit Olympic Park. I was shocked at how well kept the area was and that there were still activities going on at the facility (swimming, food trucks, music, play areas for children, etc etc etc). I visited Olympic Park in Munich 3 years ago and I could see that it's been fairly neglected over the years. Nice job, city of Montreal.

My family and I visited while on a road trip to Quebec City last year. We were there in the evening…read more(around 6-7:30pm). We parked in Mont Royal Park's main parking lot and walked to the Chalet. The Chalet (the building, itself) has some stunning architecture. It was pretty empty (at least at the time we visited). There is a cafe/restaurant with pretty typical drinks, snack and food. The outside area was a good look out area to see Montreal skyline and building from above. It was a little busy and crowded (mainly by the stone wall).

This is a must see visitor location. It's simply amazing the view that you get here. It's not…read morecrowded. It can accessed bus 11 W. During the summer months, you may need to figure out where the reroute is the stations because it does not stop at the typical metro station. Breathtaking views of the city simply priceless. Up at the top there's also a nice gift shop and coffee shop. There's very helpful individuals to give you information.

Parking is easy but pricey. The beach was small but clean and there was music blasting. The view is…read morebeautiful both of the old town area and also across the river. We were able to walk to all the festivities and old Montreal from the beach.

I couldn't tell you if climbing the Clock Tower was worthwhile because it was locked shut when…read moreJamie W and I approached it during our walkabout in the Old Port area. No big whoop for us since we just got our elevated panoramic views from the Ferris wheel nearby, La Grande Roue (review: https://yelp.to/CeOSE9UnPo). A bit of an anomaly laid out under the tower, Clock Tower Beach, a manmade waterfront oasis that looked somewhat out of place against the Montreal skyline. Yet, the relaxing Adirondack chairs provided a flimsy excuse to have a margarita at the beachside taqueria. Otherwise it was a nice stroll on the surrounding boardwalk. RELATED - Exploring Montreal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/68VrcJ643-

Montreal is one of my getaway weekends. It's an escape! I can speak French, eat crepes at "Creperie…read moreChez Suzette, and soak up the ambiance on Rue Saint Jacques in the Vieux-Port de Montreal. Old Town Montreal is like stepping into a European city. It's picturesque neighborhoods and buildings dating back to 17th-19th century surround you at every turn., Cobblestone streets with flower gardens everywhere, history & science museums, shops you will not find in the States and a promenade along the Saint Lawrence River add to the Old Town Montreal experience.. This is where Montreal had it's beginnings with the fur trade in the 1600's. From Old Town Montreal you can access the Gates of Chinatown, the Latin Quarter and Mount Royal. These are neighborhoods with their own charms. In the summer there are boat tours, ziplines, a giant Ferris wheel and a man-made beach at the base of the clocktower.

We were here to attend the Festival de Street Food Festival and enjoyed the variety of options!…read moreThere was an entry fee to enter into the festival. They were many different types of cuisine, desserts and drinks available. A DJ was present as well. In the flip: Since this was an outside food festival, there were port-a-potty's available that ran out of bathroom paper so it helps to check the potty's guest and cone ready - have your own available in your purse ladies stocked for occasions like this. (Me 1 - port-a-potty = 0) There were water buffalos and soap available to wash your hands. It was a nice area for the festival. We had beautiful weather that day. There were various activities. There was a Ferris wheel and we saw someone do the bungee as well. Neat shops were around the port. Nice spot.

From the outside, I think most people will find that this tower looks incomplete and quite ugly…read more However, Star Trek fans might imagine this as the USS Enterprise NC-1701 being under construction, with the tower being the neck, and the stadium being the saucer portion. Maybe I'm a just a crazy nerd...indeed... $23 gets you a ride up the glass slanted elevator. The observation deck provides some nice sweeping views of Montreal, obviously. There's also some exhibits about the history of the 1976 Olympic games, which this city seems to be overly obsessed about. Not sure if this is worth $23 alone, but entry is covered by the Montreal Passeport($99 for 72hrs), so it was worth it for me.

Want an incline and a view without shelling out nearly $25 for 10 minutes?…read more Go skiing instead. They have package deals where you can go to the observatory and the planetarium thing, but it'll cost you like $70 per person. Total waste of money since the Olympic park is boring. Having been to the Beijing Olympic Stadium I can say that this one is boring and outdated. But, it's a piece of history, hence the 3 stars.

The Short Version: Urban square by the Palais des Congrès…read morewith trees, park benches and a beautiful fountain. The Long Version: This park/urban square is named after Montreal artist Jean-Paul Riopelle. In the park there is a sculpture of Jean-Paul Riopelle created by artist Roseline Granet. There is also a fountain created by Jean-Paul Riopelle himself, called La Joute (The Joust). This fountain was created in 1969 and was originally at Olympic Park but was relocated to Place Jean-Paul Riopelle in 2003/2004 when this urban square was created. Apparently there was some controversy over the move. The fountain is absolutely beautiful. I was there during the summer months so got to see the water spurting from the fountain. There are also jets that spray a mist around the base of the fountain creating an eerie fog which was kind of cool. I wasn't there at night but apparently at night there's a ring of fire that lights up around the fountain. The park has lots of trees of different species and also lot of park benches. There are bistro tables around the fountain as well. A great place to eat your lunch outside when the weather is nice. I love urban squares and I especially like this one because it has a lot of trees so you get a bit of greenery amidst the tall buildings. Review #139 (2026)

This is a medium-sized park that is rectangular in shape. At the south end is a statue of Jean-Paul…read moreRiopelle, who is a Quebecois artist and sculptor. The most interesting part is a water fountain at the north end. It is quite ornate with water coming out like an umbrella from the center part. There are interesting little sculptures surrounding the center part in a shallow circular pool of water. At the centre is a sculpture by Jean-Paul Riopelle, titled "La Joute". The fountain is also lit up at night. Of course it only operates in warm weather, not during the winter when I visited. A circle of fire appears on the surface of the water along with a smoke show during summer evenings (every hour from 19:00-23:00). In the middle are rows and rows of park benches. I'm never seen such a density of park benches in a park. The colourful wall of the Palais des Congres de Montreal on the east side of the park gives it a nice backdrop. Review 2022-036 You can also find me on Instagram @chuan_chee. Thanks.