You cannot do justice summarising Montreal in one blog post.
The capital of Canada's french-speaking Quebec province will blow your socks off! The urban, European energy of this city is a huge contrast to the laid-back atheleisurewear you will know from BC. Pack some stylish hats, decent sun cream and a sense of adventure before you head over east.
One of the best weekends to visit is over the famous Montreal Jazz Festival where streets come alive with free toe-tapping outdoor concerts. Give yourself at least three days to get a taste of some of the coolest neighbourhoods in this incredibly hip city. There is public art everywhere and you will easily get lost in the beautiful architecture. The humidity takes no prisoners so be sure to plan plenty of rest and hydration stops.
Staying in the Latin Quarter or Little Portugal will give you access to hundreds of eclectic restaurants and entertainment options. Downtown is very busy at this time of year but the festival streets are mainly closed to cars. While you are in the city be sure to check out views from Mount Royal Park and the historical Old Port area where there are a host of museums and monuments.
If you have a bit of extra time rent a car (availability is low so don't be late for a reservation) and head to the captivating 'Eastern Townships' towards Sherbrooke. The region is steeped in history and you can see old stone houses, gently-flowing rivers and cute farm stays. There are hundreds of wineries specialising in ice wine. I really enjoyed chatting to the owner of Union Libre who explained that due to freezing temperatures all vineyards require plastic coverings in winter. They serve excellent crisp whites and speciality ciders too.
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