Where will you be heading when Montreal reopens for business?

Montreal has been hit as hard as most other cities in the world by the events of recent months. In fact, it has been subject to multiple periods of lockdowns, a pattern that seems destined to continue over the next few months. However, while it is undeniably frustrating, the old axiom holds true that absence makes the heart grow stronger. Here, we take an optimistic look forward to summer months and the iconic Montreal spots that we’ll be hurrying to revisit when they reopen their doors.  

Parisian charm in Old Montreal

Sure, there’s nothing to stop you visiting Old Montreal right now, but with only essential shops open and rules in place regarding shopping alone, it is better left till summer. The cobbled streets with small independent stores and intimate cafés are like an idealised version of what we always imagine Paris ought to be like. While you are there, make sure you stop off at the magnificent Notre-Dame Basilica. The architectural splendour is nothing short of breath taking.   

Try your luck at the Casino de Montreal

Everyone enjoys a night at the casino for sophisticated adult fun. Over recent months, casino gaming has had to take place in cyberspace, and the best review platform will run through a whole list of sites where you can spin the reels or try different card games online. But even with technology like live game streams with real dealers, there’s nothing online that is quite like the Casino de Montreal. The games are divided into six sectors, and there’s something for everyone, from first-time novices to serious high rollers. After what we’ve been through, we surely deserve a bit of good luck! 

Subterranean fun in the Underground City

Like the Old Town, the Underground City remains open, but purely for functional purposes during lockdown. We can’t wait till it is fully back in action. RESO, as it is also known, is the largest facility of its kind anywhere in the world. In fact, the shops, restaurants, businesses and entertainment facilities are linked by an incredible 20 miles of tunnels.  

Live it up at L’Axe du Mal 

A little like those virtual casino nights we mentioned earlier, Zoom parties and the like definitely have their place, and will remain popular even when the world is back to normal. But getting out for a night of music, dancing and revelry is going to be high on many priority lists, and there is simply nowhere better to do it than at L’Axe du Mal. Rather than being a venue, it is actually an intersection, where Mont Royal Avenue and Saint Dennis Street meet. You will find four very distinct nightspots, one on each of the four corners. Pow Pow is a traditional night club, while Quai des Brumes, L’Escogriffe and La Rockette each offer live music, catering to everything from folk to rock to Francophile contemporary. Why not try them all? We can’t wait to see you there.