Montréal

Introducing Montréal

Cities like Montréal don't happen very often. By day, it bubbles with Eurocharm and North American pizzazz. After dark, its nightlife sizzles with creativity and abandon. It's the city of a hundred nations, all lured by Montréal's intoxicating mix of Gallic tradition and joie de vivre rubbing up against North American innovation and optimism. It's one of the most fascinating urban cultures in the world - and we've barely even started.

It may seem strange that it all works so well, but it does. French, English, immigrants from all over the world…somehow it all sticks together despite the occasional frictions and flare-ups. Perhaps it's all the great food, cutting-edge culture and enduring thirst for wine that keeps the whole machine humming. Whatever it is, every Montrealer knows deep down that despite the problems the city may have, it is the epicenter of fabulousness and fun in all of Canada.

The frighteningly delicious mix of influences has turned the city into a 24-hour cultural and culinary all-you-can-eat banquet. Montréal, the cultural chameleon, has a kaleidoscope of identities: Latin capital of the north, culinary paradise, hub of hipdom, mosaic of cultures, Paris without the jet lag, to name but a few. And now the international accolades are flooding in, for everything from its culinary prowess and foodie culture to its indie music scene. Its film industry is on fire and everyone from the city's artists to actors are getting international acclaim.

Nor has Montréal's cultural pull gone unnoticed by the powerful shapers of the city's future. Montréal may never compete economically with Toronto, but when it comes to the arts, the glory days for this city lie ahead. However, the city's greatest asset is its laid-back attitude and how Montrealers manage to be sophisticated, friendly and tolerant of visitors as well as of each other. The result is a bubbling economy and a city sparkling with more energy and mischief than ever before.

Perhaps the most rewarding way to explore it all is to just throw yourself into the mix and let the crowds carry you along. No matter what you do, certainly you'll end your stay with one overwhelming desire: to return.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009