Montreal excursion choices

[sjde]

We will be staying in old town two nights before our cruise and are considering either a bus tour (3 hrs, $40) or a walking tour (1 1/2 hrs, $19). These are offered by cruisecritic, not the cruise line.

Any recommendations?

[alexandra cruiser]

for 2 days ticket.I just googled it and they pick you up from your hotel.Can see the sites at your convenience.Some people love them ,,others not.But good choice for us.;)

[Ephraim]

We will be staying in old town two nights before our cruise and are considering either a bus tour (3 hrs, $40) or a walking tour (1 1/2 hrs, $19). These are offered by cruisecritic, not the cruise line.

Any recommendations?

 

Are you talking about Montreal or Quebec City, because Old Town is in Quebec City, in Montreal we have Old Montreal.

 

Bus 715 in Montreal does most of the route that the bus tour does, except the Olympic basin. Unless you are not mobile, that bus tour is not worth it and the HoHo bus is a giant rip-off.

[sjde]

I meant Old Montreal

[Ephraim]

There are a number of good walking and bicycle tours. All of which are better than anything on a bus. As I said, you can do most of what the bus does with city bus 715. $3 bus ticket.

[wandb]

I have enjoyed reading many of your comments on these Boards. I wonder if you would list your favorite 5 to 10 "must see" sights in Old Montreal (and maybe a couple of sights outside of Old Montreal. We'll have only about 1 1/2 days to see all that we can see!

 

We had originally planned to take a bus tour around Montreal to get "oriented", but just walking around this historic area sounds really good to all of us. It would be a shame to be a block or so away from some hidden gem in the city and miss it because we did not know about it.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Ephraim]

Old Montreal is the must see in Old Montreal. It's a compact area, so just walk around and you will see it. The museums, the houses, the neighbourhood. Notre Dame is probably the biggest of the must-see items, but there are museums every block. The city is over 370 years old. Quebec City is over 400 years old. (Incidentally the oldest city in North America is St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, founded over 500 years ago.

 

Everything else in the city depends on the person and their preferences.

[sebas030]

I have enjoyed reading many of your comments on these Boards. I wonder if you would list your favorite 5 to 10 "must see" sights in Old Montreal (and maybe a couple of sights outside of Old Montreal. We'll have only about 1 1/2 days to see all that we can see!

 

We had originally planned to take a bus tour around Montreal to get "oriented", but just walking around this historic area sounds really good to all of us. It would be a shame to be a block or so away from some hidden gem in the city and miss it because we did not know about it.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi,

 

It depends on what you are looking for.

 

You want art gallery et museum ?

 

You love old building and want to see some old architecture ?

 

You want to see the town from it's highest point of view ?

 

You are a food junkie ? We have tons of typical restaurant.

 

You enjoy walking and taking pics, rather then using bus/taxi ?

 

Give me an idea and I could help you.

 

Have fun !

[wandb]

Hi, sebas030,

 

I LOVE your English! To answer your questions---all of the above (except taxi and bus). Love history, architecture, beautiful parks and plants, beautiful views. Love food (!) but that is the least of our interests. Thanks for any info you have time to provide.

 

B.

[sebas030]

I have only docked at 8 port in my short cruise history.....

 

Last summer I was walking in old Montreal ( old port section ) and I saw what serves as the pier for cruise ship...OMG what an old ugly out of date piece of .... it is...Ok maybe I exaggerate a little but lets say the port I visited while cruising have nothing to envy from Montreal :eek:.

 

That being said, I am ONLY talking about the pier installation that is out of date.

 

Old port and old Montreal are beautiful. Many many big production movies were and still are filmed in the immediate surrounding of the old port. It is a mix of old European and ...old....well it is a very nice mix :p

 

Some streets are still paved with old stones ( rough ride for cars but still good for the horse carriage tours and walking )

 

There is a tour...I have to look it up :o that offers a walking tour of old port and tells you the stories about spirits living in some buildings, ghosts you can see in some windows where suicide or catastrophe have happened. ( if you are in that sort of things )

 

You have the Notre Dame basilica very near the old port. There is also the Oratoire St-Joseph just at the feet of the Mont-Royal mountain ( remaining half of and OLD volcano ). The point of view from a parking area ( made for the view ) on the mountain over downtown Montreal is impressive.

 

When going across the mountain on it's main road you almost circle it, so you have a full view of the island of Montreal. Impressive how far you can actually see from up there.

 

You have, the "main", St-Laurent street splits Montreal from north to south and divides east from west ( there is no wall or nothing really....only a regular street ). St-laurent is the address "0", address on it's left and right are west and east all the way to the end of the island.

 

The street is filled...FILLED...with restaurant, bar and clubs. The famous Schwart's is on St-Laurent also. Then you have, going east to west, Ste-Catherine street. FILLED mainly with stores and a lot of restaurant also.

 

If you go on St-Laurent and go by Schwart's, you have to stop and have a quick ( it is a QUICK restaurant..you will not loose any time there ) taste of there famous sandwiches.

 

You have to taste "poutine".... french fries, bbq sauce of some type of gravy and cheese ( mainly cheddar ). It is DELICIOUS and typical of the province of Quebec.

 

We have the Olympic stadium....it's ugly and old ( '76 Olympics ) but you can use a funicular to go up the mast ( I don't know if that is the correct english word for it ?? ) since it has a retractable roof. Once at the top you can enjoy a great view of Montreal again. I think it is still today the highest inclined tour in the world.

 

The subway system is kinda cool and clean and still looking great ( at least compared to NYC ).

 

I should start my own tour company for fellow cruise addicts like me :D

 

Some more places will pop into mind I am sure.....

 

I'll be back ...

[sebas030]

On the Holland america cruise line web site, if you clic on ports and excursion, then on Montreal, you watch the video and you can actually see a lot of the things I mentionned in my last post.

 

Feel free to ask any questions !

 

I like to be prepared when I go in a port... So if I can help a fellow cruiser to be prepared, then great !!