#Travel Magnets

Hi Guys!

Welcome back, we took a short summer travel break, hope you did not miss us too much. We visited some awesome locations so stay keep an eye out for the next series of travel magnets.

Back to his weeks installment of Travel Magnets, the blog series where I summarize various countries, cities or locations which I have visited in my travels or plan to visit. I provide a breakdown of the destinations must see attractions, great accommodation, some travel tips and finish it off with a local song and a quote from the destination.

This week we cover Montreal Canada,

Enjoy

#1. What I'm Watching

Montreal Vacation Travel Guide

#2. Some Pinterest Travel Inspiration

Some Pinterest Goodies,

Travel Tips

#3. An Airbnb that will inspire you to pack your bags and go!

1. Central chic room downtown McGill ($68 p.n)

2. Downtown Montreal Modern Appartment ($113 p.n)

#4. Five must see attractions in Montreal...

Basilique Notre-Dame

The Notre-Dame Basilica is one of Montreal’s most recognized religious buildings, built in an impressive Gothic Revival style and standing 200 ft high. It is also one of Montreal’s oldest structures. A small parish was first founded in 1657 by the Roman Catholic Sulpician Order who arrived in Montreal, which was then called Ville-Marie. By 1824, the congregation required a larger building and the Irish-American architect, James O’Donnell was commissioned to design a new church. Although Basilique Notre-Dame was dedicated in 1829, it took much longer to complete its interior.

The smaller, more intimate Chapelle du Sacre Coeur was built behind the church in 1888, but was destroyed by arson in 1978. Using old drawings and photographs, architects were able to rebuild the chapel. Pope John Paul II raised the church’s status to basilica during his visit to Montreal in 1982.Visitors are awed by the church’s Gothic Revival architecture and its grand, colorful interior. The deep blue ceiling is dotted with golden stars, while the sanctuary itself is a blaze of colors in blues, reds, silver and azure. The stained glass windows depict scenes from the city’s religious history. Hundreds of wooden carvings and religious statues also grace the interior. You can also view the Casavant Freres pipe organ, an instrument dating back to 1891, which comprises four keyboards and 7000 individual pipes!While an interesting place to visit for its architectural beauty, it should be remembered that the basilica is also an active venue for cultural events, with regular concerts being held throughout the year.

Biosphere Environmental Museum

Built in 1967 as interior exhibition space for the Expo 67 World Fair, Montreal’s Biosphere is now an environment museum offering interactive activities and showcasing fascinating exhibitions about all major environmental issues. The building was designed by the visionary architect Buckminster Fuller and built on Saint Helene’s Island, for the Expo 67, after which it was used for recreational activities. In 1976, a fire destroyed the Biosphere’s outer covering and access was banned to the site until 1990. Five years later, the Biosphere was officially opened in its new capacity – a museum which focuses on the environment, especially water and dedicated to the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence ecosystem. Over the years, the museum has dedicated months on end each time to different aspects of the environment, including the climate, H20 variations, and responsible consumption.

The unique Parc Jean-Drapeau based Biosphere distinguishes itself by its interactive exhibitions, allowing you to truly understand the major environmental issues showcased, such as biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development. Permanent exhibitions includeSpaceship Earth, dedicated to the museum’s architect; as well as the Ecolab. Design the Future allows you to reconnect with the natural environment around us, while Artic: The Turning Point includes a giant outdoor photo exhibit.Tour the Biosphere with a portable media player which highlights points of interest in the museum, or take the GEOTour 67 which invites you to discover the sites of the former Expo 67 pavilions using a hand-held GPS.

Old Montreal

The oldest area of Montreal is known, not surprisingly, as Old Montreal or Vieux-Montreal in French. This historic center was once walled and still boasts delightful cobbled stones from the 17th – 19th centuries and the Old Montreal Port on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. In 1964, the government of Quebec declared Old Montreal a historic district and in recent years, the district has been expanded slightly to incorporate several other streets. The area is considered a major tourist attraction and includes many of Montreal’s most visited institutions, including the Bonsecours Market, the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, Montreal City Hall, the Chateau Ramezay, the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and Canada’s oldest skyscraper, the New York Life Building, dating back to 1888. Old Montreal actually has one of the largest concentrations of historical homes and museums.The Montreal city authorities have done their utmost to retain or restore the look of Old Montreal as it was in its heyday, to offer you the most authentic experience possible.

The Old Port provides recreational space where visitors walk along the shore of the river, as well as a number of museums and attractions. The pedestrian street Place Jacques-Cartier comes to life especially during the summer months, when street performers keep visitors entertained and restaurant terraces are overflowing. During the winter months, visitors can enjoy ice skating at the Old Port, and partake in festivals such as the Igloofest.Old Montreal is the ideal place to enjoy shopping for gifts and souvenirs, at unique places such as Marche Bonsecours.One of the best ways to see Old Montreal is on foot or bike. Take the Walking Tour of Old Montreal, an enjoyable time is guaranteed.

Saint Joseph's Oratory

Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont Royal, built in Italian Renaissance style, is Canada’s largest church. The basilica, dedicated to Saint Joseph, is best known for its link to the legendary “Brother Andre”, one of the most popular Quebecois of the 20th century who reportedly performed miraculous healings on the sick or injured. Brother Alfred Bessette, who was eventually canonized in 2010, began the construction of a small chapel on the slopes of Mont Royal in close proximity to Notre Dame College. As demand for prayer space grew, a larger church was planned and finally completed in 1967 and today the basilica can hold 2,400 seated congregants (or 10,000 standing). The 100 m dome was designed by Father Paul Bellot and is the third largest of its kind in the world.

The diversity of St. Joseph’s Oratory architecture is unique, since it was planned as a crypt church in 1914 but was only completed at the end of the 60s, thus leaving plenty of room for architectural influences over the years. The oratory museum, located on level 5 of the Basilica, showcases permanent and temporary exhibits. Among its most noteworthy exhibitions is its collection of nativity crèches – with 200 works from Quebec and another 100 from other countries.

Take a stroll through the basilica’s gardens which boast colorful flower beds, wide lawns, huge trees and the Gardens of the Way of the Cross – a 200 square foot area designed by landscape architect Frederick Todd.

Botanical Garden

Montreal’s Jardin de Montreal, or Botanical Garden, is a 75 hectares oasis in the middle of the bustling city and has a reputation as one of the most important and established gardens in the world. Declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008, the gardens attract nearly 700,000 visitors each year and boast vast collections and impressive facilities. They are one of four nature attractions under the city of Montreal’s Space for Life (Espace Pour la Vie) umbrella, the others being the Biodome, the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium and the Insectarium.

The Botanical Gardens, established in 1931, comprise outdoor gardens (covered with snow for four months of the year), and a multi-complex of greenhouses which feature plants from all over the world. Take your time to meander through the many themed gardens which make up the Montreal Botanical Gardens, including the Japanese Garden – 2.5 hectares of native Japanese plants. These gardens host ceremonies and shows throughout the year, including a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the summer. The First Nations Garden celebrates the cultures of Canada’s indigenous people, and features native trees such as maple, birch and pine. Impressive totem poles display native artwork. The Chinese Garden offers winding paths, an artificial mountain and houses a unique collection of penjing and bonsai. The Alpine Garden, poisonous plants garden and the flowery brook are all popular among visitors.

The huge 1.4 meter lion statue (Lion de la Feuillee) located at the entrance to the rose garden, makes a great photo-op for visitors.

Botanical Garden is part of the 4-Hour Montreal Half-Day Bike Tour. If you enjoy walking or biking this will be a wonderful experience for you.

Follow this link for the full list of attractions

#5. Some Travel Tunes for the road or inspiration...

Above & Beyond 'Eternal' in Montréal - Official 4K Drone Music Video

#6. Some food for thought....

Quote of the week

#quoteoftheday

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