Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is the metropolis of the province of Quebec. Quebec City is the political capital but Montreal is the cultural and economic capital of Quebec and the main entry point to the province. The second largest city in Canada, it is a city rich in culture and history and a well-deserved reputation as one of the liveliest cities in North America.

Montreal is the second-largest French-speaking (as a mother language) city in the world, behind Paris. The population of Montreal is about 1.9 million, with 4 million in the metro area. Montreal is sometimes referred to as The Paris of Canada.

Montrealers use an unconventional compass, using the river and the mountain as cardinal points. When you are downtown, the St Lawrence River is “south” and Mount Royal is “north”; making the West Island and the East End correct in both their names and orientations. The dividing line between "east" and "west" downtown is the boulevard Saint-Laurent. In downtown, streets slope up "north" toward Mount Royal. This local compass tends to confuse visitors because the “East” End is really to the north and the “West” Island is to the south, and the St Lawrence River runs almost northeast-southwest at this location.

Montreal is an extremely inviting destination for gay and lesbian tourists. Canada's contributions to gay rights have recently become widely known, but Quebec was the first province in Canada to pass a non-discrimination law for sexual orientation and to provide same-sex civil unions (although Toronto was the first municipality in Canada to do so). Same-sex marriage is legal in Quebec (neither residency nor citizenship are required for a marriage license, but there is a three-week waiting period after you receive the licence) as well as in the rest of Canada. Canadian and Quebec immigration law allow residents to sponsor their same-sex partners or spouses.

Montreal itself is a very safe, open, and inviting city. The métro station in the Gay Village, Beaudry, is marked with rainbow pillars.

Things to do in Montreal

■ Explore to Old Montréal
■ Visit Parc Jean-Drapeau
■ Walk the Saint Laurent Boulevard
■ Discover St. Denis Street
■ View the Downtown Skyscrapers

Stay in Montreal

■ Hilton Garden Inn Montreal
■ Parc Suites Hotel
■ Le Petit Hôtel
■ Hotel Omni Mont-Royal
■ Hotel Le St-James

Eat in Montreal

■ La Cage Aux Sports (Chain sports bar and grill)
■ Juliette et chocolat (Chocolate desserts)
■ Mikes (Italian subs and pizzas)
■ Rockaberry (Cakes and pies)
■ Café-bistro Van Houtte (Coffee shop)

Scheduled Flights to Montreal (from Kuala Lumpur)

■ Malaysia Airlines (1 Stop)
■ KLM (1 Stop)
■ Air Canada (1 Stop)
■ Emirates (1 Stop)
■ Qatar Airways (1 Stop)
■ British Airways (1 Stop)