Montreal: Explore the culture

While the matches at Uniprix Stadium will take up some of your agenda in Monteral this week, a visit to this lively Québécois city should also include doses of delicious food, fine wine, diverse culture and urban exploration. When you can tear yourself away from the courtside action, here are some ideas for how to best spend your time.

1

Jacques Cartier Bridge

One of Montreal’s most famous landmarks, this bridge crosses the Saint Lawrence River and will feature a changing line-up of LED lights in different colors and designs—reflecting the changing seasons, special holidays and even big sports victories—during the 375th-anniversary celebrations.

2

Pointe-à-Callière Museum

(Photo by Stéphan Poulin)

Built on the site where Montreal was originally founded—Fort Ville-Marie—the museum debuted a new pavilion this year which made the city’s birthplace accessible to the public for the first time. The work involved restoring a historic sewer system.

3

La Balade pour la Paix

Through October 27, Sherbrooke Street transforms into an open-air museum, with 67 works of art united by a message of peace. La Balade pour la Paix—a walk for peace—is a collaboration between the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, McCord Museum, Concordia University and McGill University.

Canada Pride: August 11–20

Enjoy free concerts, a sports tournament and a parade celebrating the country’s LGBTQ community.

Montréal Symphonique: August 19

Classical music-lovers, listen up: three major Montreal orchestras will perform together on the one stage, at the foot of Mount Royal.