Ever dream of visiting a European city but are afraid to fly? Look no further than Montréal, our friendly northern neighbor’s second most populated city with just over 3.5 million inhabitants. Montréal mimics your typical European city in terms of culture, style, language, and atmosphere. It even has a river that runs through it. There is no better time to take a vacation up north, especially while it is warm, and the Canadian dollar remains weaker than the US dollar. The current exchange rate is 1USD = 1.10 CAD.

Just an eight hour drive from New York, Montréal is located in the southwestern corner of the province of Québec. The city offers a wide range of cultural activities and is home to many historical sites. Some of the nice attractions worth visiting are Old Montréal, Musée des Beaux-Arts (Montréal Museum of Fine Arts), the Olympic Stadium, Basilique Notre Dame, and Casino de Montréal, just to name a few.

Old Montréal, located south of rue Saint-Antoine, is a popular tourist attraction. The cobblestone streets date from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The neighborhood has several museums including Marguerite Bourgeois, Pointe à Callière, and George Étienne Cartier and is filled with local street artists and musicians as well as great restaurants.

Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is located downtown on Sherbrooke. There are a wide range of exhibitions on display and entrance to the museum is free.

Host of the 1976 Summer Olympics, Montréal boasts an impressive Olympic Stadium which is said to be the tallest leaning structure in the world. Take the two-minute elevator ride to reach the observation deck and admire the overwhelming view of the city. Tours start at C$14.

Basilique Notre Dame is considered as the most remarkable church in Montréal. Located in Place-d’armes, the church is open to the public daily and service is given at 5:00. The entrance fee is C$4 and donations are encouraged. The interior is grand and colorful and the ceiling is colored deep blue and decorated with golden stars. The organ playing is not to be missed.

Casino de Montréal is conveniently located on the Ile Notre Dame. The entire casino consists of three buildings and offers the regular gambling games including 3200 slot machines. Smoking is prohibited and alcoholic beverages cannot be consumed in the playing areas. Entrance is free and you must be aged 18 or over to play.

Montréal is also world renowned for its festivals including the annual film and jazz festival. The World Film Festival runs from late August to early September and has free outdoor viewings. The International Jazz Festival is one of the world’s largest festivals and features indoor concerts and many free outdoor shows by at least one major act. The festival is from late June to early July.

Finally, Montréal is most worthwhile for its nightlife. Bars, nightclubs, and concert venues are scattered throughout this metropolis. And now that summer is here, the young, hip crowd won’t be shied away because of the cold.

The best way to experience any city is to walk through it. However Montréal does have a reliable, safe, and clean subway which runs throughout the city as well as a bus system. Regular fares for the subway and bus are C$2.50 while reduced fares offered to students, children and senior citizens are C$1.50.

Prices for food and hotels are not significantly lower, but Montréal, technically a French city, is still worth a visit if you want to get a taste of Europe without traveling overseas. Additionally, the stronger US dollar in comparison to the Canadian dollar will work to your advantage.