Montreal 375 anniversary - Things to do

Photo of Montreal skyline by andrew welch on Unsplash

For some, it’s a party city famous for its festivals and party scene, for others, it is a highly cultural and historic destination. The metropolis has a European and North American charm, making it unique. Montreal is a cool city to visit for a long weekend, maybe 5 days if you are stretching it but its whole charm really uncovers when you live in it. So, I decided to do a series of posts so you can to be seduced by the city like Montrealers do.

In #BRBinMontreal, you will discover my favourite neighbourhoods, where to eat the famous bagels, great bike paths that will take you off the beaten path and others that will take right to the Old Port, explore parks that are not Mount Royal, and see the great murals and graffiti that embellish our streets. Through this series, you will visit Montreal like a local.

The series will be filled once in a while. The posts will be spaced out in between other travel blogs (keep an eye for the blogs about Bulgaria, Greece and Japan, they are coming up soon-ish).

Latino women in a green shirt in front of a giant blue mural with black invented animals in Montreal (Canada)

Vive 375th

To kick start this series, let’s talk about the festivities related to the 375. In 2017 the city turned 375! To celebrate it we are hosting some extravagant activities. You will have anything from circus on the streets, to a giant open-air museum in the downtown area. To see all the things to that are waiting for you check out the official page.

For 3 days in a row, we had Giants taking over the downtown area.

Giants parading in the streets of Montreal for its 375th

Check out AVUDO! This multimedia show displays the deep relation of the city with the St. Lawrence River going through key moments in history. The light and water show has the city as a unique backdrop. The event runs until September 2nd. You have to reserve your tickets in advance online even though the entrance is free.

Montreal old port during the AVUDO projection

Expo67, forever changed the city and it opened it to the world. Inspired by this, there are several activities and exposition dedicated to the 60’s. Check out Sherbrooke Street while it turns into an open-air museum inspired by these events. The fine arts museum has an exposition tracing the cultural revolution that happened in that era.

Do you sometimes wish that you can live that decade just to wear those beautiful dresses with the hats and gloves? I know that I do! Luckily, the McCord Museum has a whole collection of the outfits worn in the Expo67.