Regarding the Metro, you can easily get a 3-day pass for $21 CAD and you get unlimited access to public transportation for those three days. I was there this past weekend and it was totally worth it!
The advice for maple syrup also applies to maple leaf cookies. You'll pay a lot more at a souvenir shop than at the grocery store for the same cookies.
Correct. Also the maple syrup or cookies they sell at the duty free shop at the airport are also overpriced. You do save the tax yes but on a product you find at a tourist shop instead of the grocery store
@@abrahamdozer6273 your not wrong on that one but as I mentioned before the place to get Maple cookies is the grocery store, hands down. Provigo has the best selection in my opinion
Update : there are no horse-drawn carriages in Montreal anymore since a year ago. With all the controversies surrounding the heat, the noise and the bad working conditions for the horses, this tourist trap has been terminated.
Born and raised Montrealer here! All your tips are totally true! I would add one general "trap" is that tourists always fall into Old Montreal. Don't get me wrong, it's very pretty. But real Montrealers don't hang out there. It's a nice place to see quickly and then branch out to the real Montreal afterwards :)
@@jeanbolduc5818 That's a weird jump to make... A strange negative jump. Montreal is fantastic for both Old Montreal AND Verdun, the Plateau, St Henri, Jean Talon market, etc etc. You don't see Montrealers flooding Old Montreal just as you don't see Parisians flooding the Eiffel Tower. Not because it isn't valued, but because we have experienced it and value it AND the other things the city brings.
@@ashjones7297 i was also born and raised in Montreal. My fave areas of town in which to live are Verdun, Plateau, Mile End and St Henri. Those areas are filled with dozens of restaurants, bars, grocery stores as well as many other services. They are all very well connected also so you will not need a car if you are there.
@@ashjones7297 I have a special place in my heart for Verdun. I lived there for a while and watched the area get a really cool 'makeover' over the past 10 years. Wellington street has so many great bars/pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops, but still retains some of the gritty charm, cool murals, etc.
@@jkinnear81 I am traveling from the US to Montreal (via trains) in mid-July. Not exactly sure where Plateau is but think I am easily within walking distance. My Airbnb is near Laval and Rue Rachel. Any neighborhood cafe's, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores I should check out? Plan to do a lot of walking all over for 3 days. Looks amazing!
If you use bank machines, make sure that you go to a popular bank and use their machine (because any fees they charge will be a lot cheaper). Some bars and convenience stores have "private" bank machines that don't belong to a famous Canadian bank, and these private bank machines often charge outrageously high banking fees.
And that's a good thing! The horse-drawn carriages were not only cruel: they were so fake, and they made the streets of Old Montreal stink of horse piss and manure, which was rather off-putting, I daresay!
Montreal is on our bucket list. We hope to get there sometime in the next 2-4 years. Thank you for the tips, they are always helpful. Passe un bon weekend!!
Just a note about the hors-drawn carriages. They have ceased operations by December 31, 2019. The current administration which was first elected in 2017 passed a bylaw prohibiting horse-drawn carriages for entertainment or transportation purposes. The bylaw was upheld by the Superior Court in September 2020 and again by the Court of Appeals in November 2022.
Montrealer here!! I agree with everything Wolter says! I say stay away from the gift shops in old Montreal! Overpriced and tacky. Plus they sell a lot of “native” stuff that aren’t made by indigenous people nor does it profit the people. Go to Kahnawake, a Mohawk reserve right outside of Montreal if you want to buy and support the local indigenous community
The Underground City is also a life saver when its super hot out in the summer. Was showing some older family members around last summer and they were dying in the direct sunlight, so we used it a lot to stay cool and get around to where we needed to.
The "underground city" is also usefull in summer, when it's very hot - yes, it gets hot in the summer, upwards of 40°C (105°F) with the humudity factor. The shoping malls are air conditionned but the Métro is not. The Métro is well ventilated, so it's not too bad.
@@ashjones7297 Simple. Every downtown Métro stations (Montréal subway) are part of it. It's shopping malls between shopping malls and office buildings. You can live, work and be entertained without setting foot outdoor. There are hotels, movie theaters, concert halls, a Congress centre, 2 train stations, Bell Centre (where the NHL Montréal Canadiens play). Although It's not downtown, but 5 km east, the olympic stadium is also connected to the Métro. Also, several University buildings are connected. Before the Montréal Expos moved to Washington DC, you could sometimes watch a MLB game at the olympic stadium in the afternoon and a Canadiens game in the evening without setting foot outdoor.
Yes or in my case for gifting a cheesy souvenir to the plant sitter. I was totally aware I wasn't so much paying for the leaf as for the concept, but hey, the concept is what I needed 😉
I thought the poutine looked like it was from La Banquise, then I saw the beer & it erased all doubt. I went there for a long weekend in 2018 I stayed in a hotel that was walking distance from that place. So good!
Great video! Id recommend people get a one-month bixi pass if thsyre gonna be here for a few days. Its only 20$ for unlimited rides and it's really worth it, especially if youre gonna be out late when the metro stops running. Plus there are so many beautiful bike commutes like Parc de Dieppe/Expo 67, the Ice Control Structure Bridge, Jean-Drapeau park, etc. The underground city isnt a tourist trap, it's just boring. Its convenient if you need to run errands or if the weather is bad but yeah, just a tourist trap. The best thing you could do is get a bottle of wine and some takeout and go to a park for a picnic (Laurier park is my go-to) Have fun in Montreal!!
I was in old town Montreal in September and had a craving for a soft serve ice cream cone. I saw a sign for cones at one of the Maple syrup places and bought one there. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but my chocolate/vanilla twist cone was flavored with Maple Syrup! It was delicious and unusually smooth and creamy. Would recommend.
One thing to keep in mind with using public transit while traveling is how good you are at navigating -- I get anxious trying to use public transit in areas I'm not familiar with as I've ended up on buses or trams that head way out of town and then I'm kind of stuck. So yes, you can save a lot of money using public transit, but you have to have some sort of navigational ability so you don't wind up clear across town from where you wanted to be! That is one benefit of taxis or rideshares as you are definitely getting from Point A to Point B without having to really think about it. Then again, with buses in particular, you get a nice leisurely way to see a lot of an area without paying a lot of money for it. All depends on your comfort level with navigation.
As a true local... why wait in line at Schwartz for smoked meat?? Walk across the street to The MAIN... less fancy, less rushy and the smoked meat (brisket) is just as good!! Or as an option, head over to REUBEN's (the new downtown location)... shorter line, just as good. If you're travelling to the Western part of the Island... go to Pete's Smoked Meat! ps: if you really need to bring some Quebec Maple Syrup home with you - forget the over-priced Maple Leaf-shaped bottle in the souvenir shops... walk into any supermarket and pick up a CAN of Maple Syrup (2 for the price of the bottle) and you'll have protection from it breaking in your luggage! Enjoy your travels in Montreal...
Montreal rocks - we have been going up from Connecticut every summer since 1999, and now go 3-4 times per year. Always fun! A comment on this video - the horse drawn carriages he shows here are now banned, and have been since the beginning of 2020. While part of me misses seeing them, it’s definitely better for the horses.
A recent (Nov. 2022) Court of Appeal ruling has upheld the ban. As a long time resident, I have always felt uncomfortable seeing those horses being used for entertainment purposes. In 2018, a video of a horse collapsing and dying on the street went viral. That was the final straw that prompted the administration to act.
I can eat in Montreal for half price or less on Ontario at Saint-Denis and enjoy just as much. Schwartz is the exception for me and I always go immediately there on my first night in the city. I’ll go every second day after.
I love that 5 seconds after I posted about La Banquise, you talk about Schwartz's deli... another place I visited on that long weekend! Definitely not the only place to get a smoked meat sandwich, but it must be done.
I've been living here over a year now and had my brother over to visit, and one thing I did notice was the touristy maple syrup when he was shopping for gifts. I mean I bought some magnets and other rubbish for the fridge in there for a laugh but I stopped at the syrup. One other thing I noticed as an Irish man who likes a good pub, is you will get hammered on the import prices for some beers from Ireland or the UK, even if they're only brewed down the road. So you're better off sticking with the local beers. Could be the difference between 8 dollars and 12. I do love this city though.
Right on Wolter, maple syrup comes in a can for 7-8$. My buddy from NYC forgot his decorative syrup that he'd bought in Old Montreal while he was here (so I sent it to him) and when I saw the price - 20$ - I almost died!
One more "tourist trap" in Montréal : going to a Montréal Canadien hockey game at Bell Centre. Tickets cost an arm and expect to pay through the nose for a beer and a hot dog.
I didn't find that to be true. Tickets to see the Toronto Maple Leafs are at least 4 times expensive. I've bought tickets to see the Canadians over the years and found the tickets very reasonable. Of course, it depends on the team they are playing. A Boston-Montreal game would be more expensive, but much less at The Bell Centre than at TD Bank in Boston.
Food at schwartz is great but on my visit they had a pretty bad fly infestation with a bunch of dead ones also lining the walls. Didn't get sick or anything but def not the best dining experience
Great video as always Wolter! To piggy back off what you were sharing, Ubers have gotten recently so overpriced here in Montreal (with fees and taxes); And taxi's tend to "get lost" a lot in Montreal... The Underground city is very much something you can skip. Also the horse carriage are soon going to be banned in Montreal thankfully.
I also wanted to mention the carriages.... There may be 1 still operating, but it won't be for much longer if so. Québec city still has several horse drawn carriages. I'm always confused when visiting friends or family ask to see the underground city.... The best I've found is to show them the McGill metro station. This station connects to several buildings, most with shopping on the basement/ground level, plus you can see down to the tracks and watch the trains - you can even look down the track tunnel and see the next station (Peel)! That's it. Most of the tunnels between buildings are purely functional - low ceilings, not decorated. They are meant to funnel people (workers, students mainly) down to the closest metro station, so you don't have to go outside.
You are correct about the debit card. I never understood why people had to get the cash of the country before or during the trip , just use a bank machine people! Also i cannot tell you about how much i love the city of Montreal, this coming from a New Yorker who has resided in Panama for the last fifteen years. Montreal is the best city in North America, at least to me.
Great, loved it Wolter. There’s an art to knowing what is a tourist trap and what isn’t. It depends! The Eiffel Tower and the Sound of Music tour are NOT tourist traps! They are unique and worth visiting- as opposed to overpriced things you can experience elsewhere and better- maybe the definition of a tourist trap !! Lol thanks much. Happy travels in 23!!
Montrealer here :-). Tourist always go to the old Montreal to eat, Go where the locals go, it's less expensive.... Mont-Royal street, St-Denis, St-laurent... Beaubien and a lot of other streets
You can buy grade A maple syrup in a can (old school), 540ml for between $5 and $10. It will not break in your luggage and so much cheaper than the glass maple leaf bottles and possibly better quality syrup.
1:30 : poutine with smoked meat. Need I say more ? In the sumnmer you can climb the 192 steps to the top if the Bell Tower in the okd port. It's free. The horse drawn carriages are no longer in operation.
If you are at Schwartz's Deli you should also have the chicken. It is so amazing and no one talks about it because of how great the smoked meat. Be warned though, it's a big serving. Like a half a chicken big.
Place Jacques-Cartier in old Montreal was quite a different place in the late 70s, early 80s. Appart from the two cobblestone streets on each side, the central part was mainly grass. Musicians and street artists livened the place up many a summer night. Most were Montrealers, and the tourists got a real taste of our "joie de vivre." Police would look the other way on beer drinking and weed, as long as no one was rowdy. Montreal has much changed since then. Maple Syrup is bought in a can.
Montrealer here: 100% on spot, if you see a line anywhere, just walk elsewhere... no place is worth waiting that long, the place in town are all good and not worth wasting time while on vacations. Really, there's no real tourist trap in Montreal.
The Metro once you get the hang of it is the best! And it is a bit pricey, but if you are there with someone definitely do the ferris wheel at night. Worth the money.
Fairmount and St. Viateur bagels are equally famous, authentic, and old, and offer an equally interesting experience as you can see the bagels being made. I'd argue St. Viateur is more fun because you can see the whole process from the cutting and rolling of the dough, the dipping in honeyed water, and the baking in the wood oven. One touristy thing I always do in cities if they have them is the open bus tours. They are s corny but it's actually really fun and informative to be driven around a city and get an overview while the history and historical sites and neighbourhoods are being narrated. Another cool thing is the small boat ride on the Lachine Canal from neat the Atwater market to the Old Port, it's a beautiful trip, and you learn a lot about the history of the canal, the city that grew up. around and partly because of it, and its importance to the growth of the early colonies and later the economic growth of Canada as a whole.
You'd better reserve quickly as June is typically the beginning of tourism season. Some downtown hotels are already sold out for the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend (June 16-19, 2023).
Although a different Canadian city, what gets me is all the maple syrup sold in tourist shops in Vancouver. Maple syrup is not produced anywhere near Vancouver. The farthest west that it is produced is a line from extreme southeast Manitoba down past Minnesota to Missouri. I understand that the maple leaf is a symbol of the entire country. But still. Now maple syrup in Montreal makes 100% sense given that 70% of all maple syrup is produced in Quebec.
I found a few times...Parking Hotels dinning cost the highest In old Montreal & The plateau You want to get out of the Area And Subway into downtown Try Verdun for food And cafe They have nice beaches and boardwalks near the water Bagel St-Lo is one of my favs Going the other way north along the water front Cabotins Apportez votre vin is a good spot for fine dining. You can also get maple syrup in open markets like the one at Jean Talon market From the person that owns the farm Light And dark syrup Montreal has alot to offer so do some home work on what to see End of may / sept is a good time to go
Honestly your best option is to also get any maple syrup in a can from any grocery stores, lasts longer and might sustain better in your luggage than the pretty leaf shaped bottles. And it's way cheaper.
I'm from Montreal and pretty much everything you said are not traps or scams...maybe except the maple syrup thing. Everything else is pretty much you pay for an attraction or meal at a touristy place or a service like the taxi. Basically here you there's almost no chance to be picked pocketed or someone asking you for signatures on something or trying to tie a dumb bracelet to your hand or fake taxi charging you 4x the price...
Nah some grocery brands also sell maple syrup in a maple leaf bottle, am I a tourist for being born and raised here and going to Maxi for something to eat?
Hi Mark! What do you think about using AirBnB in Montreal? They seem to be a lower cost option for lodging there, but I haven't used AirBnB much, and haven't been to Montreal (yet!). Thanks!
I have never used taxis or Uber in Montreal. The Metro and buses are good and frequent. You are absolutely on point about the food. I have never had a bad meal in this wonderful city.
Our public transport is very safe and clean. Our Métro (subway) runs on tires. This makes for a quieter ride, better acceleration and breaking and it climbs slopes better.
St. Viateur and Fairmount are the best bagels. Get 'em while they're hot out of the oven in the Mile End locations. Just my opinion as a former Montrealer.
For the airport to downtown trip, i wouldn't suggest the bus unless your accommodation is close to the drop off point. As for the metro, this isn't europe, don't drag your luggage into a wagon full of people because you'll just piss people off more than anything else. A taxi is fine as the risk for scams is relatively low compared to european airports.
@@nc8507 that's ok. I'm not a warm weather person at all. It'll be the first half of November that I'm coming. It's also the only time my friend, who's a teacher, has a bit of time off for teachers convention. I also like a quieter, slower pace. But I appreciate your input!
as a life long Quebecer and Montrealer.. 90% agree with your list. except for Smokemeat...and bagles!! Schwartz!! 500% worth it.. they are a 15/10.. most other places are 6-10 as for the bagles... even montrealers still fight over them... Fairmount or St Viateur!! gotta try both and make up your own mind!!
Wolter I have to disappoint you , no more carriages with horses in Old Montreal 👎I am disappointed 😪.They kept talking about animal cruelty ( sometimes I think they go too far🤷♀️ )
0:16 "...but the thing is is, a lot of these tourist traps, you might actually want to do anyway, 'cause they're still worth it, but that doesn't mean they're a tourist trap, ok?" So it is is what it is, but also it isn't.
Next time you are in town, have a look at the Verdun borrough! It's Wellington Street is pedestrian from June to October and it's restaurants are awesome. The area also has a nice beach and a park that follows the River up to the rapids (where you can have a try at whitewater surfing) and a natural reserve!
The maple syrup market in Québec is entirely controlled by the PPAQ (an organization sometimes called a cartel), so it'll be pretty much the same (up to grading) no matter where you go
In fact, Schwartz is the last smoked meat I would eat in Montreal. Lester's being the first. I also consider La Banquise as a trap. There are far better places at better prices
I'm from Montreal and I say to you: listen to Mark! His advice is spot on! Another piece of advice, from a true Montrealer: the truest Montreal experience does not happen in touristy Old Montreal, it happens in the Plateau Mont-Royal and the Mile-End. And remember: every minute spent waiting in line to visit a tourist trap is a minute not spent walking around the cozy and walkable streets of Montreal to discover the REAL VIBE of the city! Last piece of advice: don't come to Montreal from November to March. Our winters are a murky, frigid, sludgy, depressing, miserable ordeal. Come from June to August. Our summers are glorious and festive!
I always go in late September or early October because the tourists have thinned and the heat is gone. I love your city but the humidity can be really stifling!
Schwartz's sounds like Montreal's answer to Katz's in New York. It must be incredible, but (as a New Yorker) the line stretching up Houston Street is a turnoff.
My preferred destination for smoked meat, but it is out of the way for most tourists. Not impossibly out of the way, but you need to plan some extra time to get there and find parking. Bonus for Lester's is that they have vacuum sealed portions to bring home and reheat.
Don't waste your time and $ going on top of the Olympic Stadium Tower. Nothing to see up there unless you're interested about seeing shingle asphalt roofs of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve duplex housing.
Regarding the Metro, you can easily get a 3-day pass for $21 CAD and you get unlimited access to public transportation for those three days. I was there this past weekend and it was totally worth it!
The advice for maple syrup also applies to maple leaf cookies. You'll pay a lot more at a souvenir shop than at the grocery store for the same cookies.
Correct. Also the maple syrup or cookies they sell at the duty free shop at the airport are also overpriced. You do save the tax yes but on a product you find at a tourist shop instead of the grocery store
You can find the same maple cookies at Dollarama for 2,50$/box
@@benoitgratton6395 Anything snack related at Dollarama is not of the highest of quality.
@@jkinnear81 ... nor is it at the airport.
@@abrahamdozer6273 your not wrong on that one but as I mentioned before the place to get Maple cookies is the grocery store, hands down. Provigo has the best selection in my opinion
Update : there are no horse-drawn carriages in Montreal anymore since a year ago. With all the controversies surrounding the heat, the noise and the bad working conditions for the horses, this tourist trap has been terminated.
This ^. No more horse carriages for a year or two now. The double decker busses are a better tour and less expensive too. A nice alternative
That's very unfortunate, it was a beautiful tradition full of charm. Horse-drawn carriages should have regulated instead of forbidden.
Oh I didn't know that!
Born and raised Montrealer here! All your tips are totally true! I would add one general "trap" is that tourists always fall into Old Montreal. Don't get me wrong, it's very pretty. But real Montrealers don't hang out there. It's a nice place to see quickly and then branch out to the real Montreal afterwards :)
@@jeanbolduc5818 That's a weird jump to make... A strange negative jump. Montreal is fantastic for both Old Montreal AND Verdun, the Plateau, St Henri, Jean Talon market, etc etc. You don't see Montrealers flooding Old Montreal just as you don't see Parisians flooding the Eiffel Tower. Not because it isn't valued, but because we have experienced it and value it AND the other things the city brings.
@@ashjones7297 i was also born and raised in Montreal. My fave areas of town in which to live are Verdun, Plateau, Mile End and St Henri. Those areas are filled with dozens of restaurants, bars, grocery stores as well as many other services. They are all very well connected also so you will not need a car if you are there.
@@ashjones7297 I have a special place in my heart for Verdun. I lived there for a while and watched the area get a really cool 'makeover' over the past 10 years. Wellington street has so many great bars/pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops, but still retains some of the gritty charm, cool murals, etc.
@@LauraDBM Tout les magasins de souvenir à Montréal appartiennent à des tamouls.
@@jkinnear81 I am traveling from the US to Montreal (via trains) in mid-July. Not exactly sure where Plateau is but think I am easily within walking distance. My Airbnb is near Laval and Rue Rachel. Any neighborhood cafe's, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores I should check out? Plan to do a lot of walking all over for 3 days. Looks amazing!
Mount Royal Park also has great free views of the city. If your going in summer go in the morning before it gets too hot.
Great place to photograph the sunrise.
Check sunrise time and be there at least 1 hour before.
It's free, but parking is not.
If you use bank machines, make sure that you go to a popular bank and use their machine (because any fees they charge will be a lot cheaper). Some bars and convenience stores have "private" bank machines that don't belong to a famous Canadian bank, and these private bank machines often charge outrageously high banking fees.
Fun fact about Schwartz's : in 2012, it was bought by René Angélil (Céline Dion's husband/manager), so she's now the owner.
Montreal tour guide here just want to rectify something: horse drawn carriages are now illegal here so no longer a problem ❤️
And that's a good thing! The horse-drawn carriages were not only cruel: they were so fake, and they made the streets of Old Montreal stink of horse piss and manure, which was rather off-putting, I daresay!
@@oscarchica5566 could not agree more!
Montreal is on our bucket list. We hope to get there sometime in the next 2-4 years. Thank you for the tips, they are always helpful.
Passe un bon weekend!!
native montrealer here, highly recommend the indian restaurants around decarie on sherbrooke west
every single one a banger
@@H.P.Blavatsky oh good to know. We are hoping to visit in 2024 if not sooner
@@PrimeTimeTravelers ps. dawa chicken!
;)
Hope you guys have fun!
Just a note about the hors-drawn carriages. They have ceased operations by December 31, 2019. The current administration which was first elected in 2017 passed a bylaw prohibiting horse-drawn carriages for entertainment or transportation purposes. The bylaw was upheld by the Superior Court in September 2020 and again by the Court of Appeals in November 2022.
Montrealer here!! I agree with everything Wolter says! I say stay away from the gift shops in old Montreal! Overpriced and tacky. Plus they sell a lot of “native” stuff that aren’t made by indigenous people nor does it profit the people. Go to Kahnawake, a Mohawk reserve right outside of Montreal if you want to buy and support the local indigenous community
The Underground City is also a life saver when its super hot out in the summer. Was showing some older family members around last summer and they were dying in the direct sunlight, so we used it a lot to stay cool and get around to where we needed to.
The "underground city" is also usefull in summer, when it's very hot - yes, it gets hot in the summer, upwards of 40°C (105°F) with the humudity factor.
The shoping malls are air conditionned but the Métro is not. The Métro is well ventilated, so it's not too bad.
Are you kidding me ?! When it is 35C outside , the Metro is UNBEARABLE !!!!!
@@goosevillage I DID say the Métro was NOT air conditionnned
@@ashjones7297 Simple.
Every downtown Métro stations (Montréal subway) are part of it. It's shopping malls between shopping malls and office buildings.
You can live, work and be entertained without setting foot outdoor.
There are hotels, movie theaters, concert halls, a Congress centre, 2 train stations, Bell Centre (where the NHL Montréal Canadiens play). Although It's not downtown, but 5 km east, the olympic stadium is also connected to the Métro.
Also, several University buildings are connected.
Before the Montréal Expos moved to Washington DC, you could sometimes watch a MLB game at the olympic stadium in the afternoon and a Canadiens game in the evening without setting foot outdoor.
Mark, the lil maple leaf bottle is for looking cute on my Texas mantle as a souvenir, not for my eggos 😂 no regrets! 🍁
😂
Yes or in my case for gifting a cheesy souvenir to the plant sitter. I was totally aware I wasn't so much paying for the leaf as for the concept, but hey, the concept is what I needed 😉
@@Snowshowslow Lol I just have a lil $8 mini one. Felt more unique than my usual go to shot glass collection buy. That maple candy is underrated tbh 👀
The Maple 🍁 leaf bottle is cool and worth it.
@@PatricenotPatrick It tastes really nice ^^ it's good I can't get it here, haha
i hope your video about Toronto is about CN tower the worst tourist trap and Niagara falls ....
I thought the poutine looked like it was from La Banquise, then I saw the beer & it erased all doubt. I went there for a long weekend in 2018 I stayed in a hotel that was walking distance from that place. So good!
Great video! Id recommend people get a one-month bixi pass if thsyre gonna be here for a few days. Its only 20$ for unlimited rides and it's really worth it, especially if youre gonna be out late when the metro stops running.
Plus there are so many beautiful bike commutes like Parc de Dieppe/Expo 67, the Ice Control Structure Bridge, Jean-Drapeau park, etc.
The underground city isnt a tourist trap, it's just boring. Its convenient if you need to run errands or if the weather is bad but yeah, just a tourist trap.
The best thing you could do is get a bottle of wine and some takeout and go to a park for a picnic (Laurier park is my go-to)
Have fun in Montreal!!
I was in old town Montreal in September and had a craving for a soft serve ice cream cone. I saw a sign for cones at one of the Maple syrup places and bought one there. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but my chocolate/vanilla twist cone was flavored with Maple Syrup! It was delicious and unusually smooth and creamy. Would recommend.
I live in Montreal and appreciate the snark about the "underground city", as I too call it an underground mall.
One thing to keep in mind with using public transit while traveling is how good you are at navigating -- I get anxious trying to use public transit in areas I'm not familiar with as I've ended up on buses or trams that head way out of town and then I'm kind of stuck. So yes, you can save a lot of money using public transit, but you have to have some sort of navigational ability so you don't wind up clear across town from where you wanted to be! That is one benefit of taxis or rideshares as you are definitely getting from Point A to Point B without having to really think about it. Then again, with buses in particular, you get a nice leisurely way to see a lot of an area without paying a lot of money for it. All depends on your comfort level with navigation.
Just use Google Maps ;)
When you get a Fairmount bagel from the source and it is still warm that is the best bagel you will ever eat
Correction - calèches (horse-drawn carriages) were banned for widespread animal abuse back in 2020. They were very cruel.
As a true local... why wait in line at Schwartz for smoked meat?? Walk across the street to The MAIN... less fancy, less rushy and the smoked meat (brisket) is just as good!! Or as an option, head over to REUBEN's (the new downtown location)... shorter line, just as good. If you're travelling to the Western part of the Island... go to Pete's Smoked Meat!
ps: if you really need to bring some Quebec Maple Syrup home with you - forget the over-priced Maple Leaf-shaped bottle in the souvenir shops... walk into any supermarket and pick up a CAN of Maple Syrup (2 for the price of the bottle) and you'll have protection from it breaking in your luggage! Enjoy your travels in Montreal...
@lechoix88 update - The Main closed down a couple of years ago
@@deborahmurrayfly yes, sadly it's closed nowadays. If you're in the West Island, check out Pete's Smoked Meat (former meat slicer from the Main)...
Montreal rocks - we have been going up from Connecticut every summer since 1999, and now go 3-4 times per year. Always fun!
A comment on this video - the horse drawn carriages he shows here are now banned, and have been since the beginning of 2020. While part of me misses seeing them, it’s definitely better for the horses.
A recent (Nov. 2022) Court of Appeal ruling has upheld the ban. As a long time resident, I have always felt uncomfortable seeing those horses being used for entertainment purposes. In 2018, a video of a horse collapsing and dying on the street went viral. That was the final straw that prompted the administration to act.
I can eat in Montreal for half price or less on Ontario at Saint-Denis and enjoy just as much. Schwartz is the exception for me and I always go immediately there on my first night in the city. I’ll go every second day after.
I love that 5 seconds after I posted about La Banquise, you talk about Schwartz's deli... another place I visited on that long weekend! Definitely not the only place to get a smoked meat sandwich, but it must be done.
I've been living here over a year now and had my brother over to visit, and one thing I did notice was the touristy maple syrup when he was shopping for gifts. I mean I bought some magnets and other rubbish for the fridge in there for a laugh but I stopped at the syrup.
One other thing I noticed as an Irish man who likes a good pub, is you will get hammered on the import prices for some beers from Ireland or the UK, even if they're only brewed down the road. So you're better off sticking with the local beers. Could be the difference between 8 dollars and 12.
I do love this city though.
Right on Wolter, maple syrup comes in a can for 7-8$. My buddy from NYC forgot his decorative syrup that he'd bought in Old Montreal while he was here (so I sent it to him) and when I saw the price - 20$ - I almost died!
Costco in Quebec has true good quality maple syrup.
Best bagels outside of NYC. Some really nice gardens if you are there when its warm. Otherwise see a ice hockey game.
One more "tourist trap" in Montréal : going to a Montréal Canadien hockey game at Bell Centre. Tickets cost an arm and expect to pay through the nose for a beer and a hot dog.
I didn't find that to be true. Tickets to see the Toronto Maple Leafs are at least 4 times expensive. I've bought tickets to see the Canadians over the years and found the tickets very reasonable. Of course, it depends on the team they are playing. A Boston-Montreal game would be more expensive, but much less at The Bell Centre than at TD Bank in Boston.
If the line at Schwartz is too long, go across the street to the Main Deli. Same quality, even better on some days, but without the aggravation
Food at schwartz is great but on my visit they had a pretty bad fly infestation with a bunch of dead ones also lining the walls. Didn't get sick or anything but def not the best dining experience
Keep up the great work 👍
Great video as always Wolter! To piggy back off what you were sharing, Ubers have gotten recently so overpriced here in Montreal (with fees and taxes); And taxi's tend to "get lost" a lot in Montreal... The Underground city is very much something you can skip. Also the horse carriage are soon going to be banned in Montreal thankfully.
Thank you for the heads up!
I also wanted to mention the carriages.... There may be 1 still operating, but it won't be for much longer if so. Québec city still has several horse drawn carriages. I'm always confused when visiting friends or family ask to see the underground city.... The best I've found is to show them the McGill metro station. This station connects to several buildings, most with shopping on the basement/ground level, plus you can see down to the tracks and watch the trains - you can even look down the track tunnel and see the next station (Peel)! That's it. Most of the tunnels between buildings are purely functional - low ceilings, not decorated. They are meant to funnel people (workers, students mainly) down to the closest metro station, so you don't have to go outside.
i had that problem too a lot
i got into the habit of putting on my GPS and putting the speaker on max and actively directing them
Awesome video
A big tourist trap restaurant was Carlos & Pepe's inauthentic Mexican food. Mercifully, it has closed forever.
I'm from Montreal and I approve this message.
The best Lobster Poutine I had in Montreal was from a food truck. Chinatown was great too, found a great local restaurant on a side street.
You are correct about the debit card. I never understood why people had to get the cash of the country before or during the trip , just use a bank machine people! Also i cannot tell you about how much i love the city of Montreal, this coming from a New Yorker who has resided in Panama for the last fifteen years. Montreal is the best city in North America, at least to me.
Excellent advice for Montreal. (PS : horses have been banned since 2019.)
Thanks!
Great, loved it Wolter. There’s an art to knowing what is a tourist trap and what isn’t. It depends! The Eiffel Tower and the Sound of Music tour are NOT tourist traps! They are unique and worth visiting- as opposed to overpriced things you can experience elsewhere and better- maybe the definition of a tourist trap !! Lol thanks much. Happy travels in 23!!
His name is Mark Wolters.
@@siphonsnob yeah thanks
Montrealer here :-). Tourist always go to the old Montreal to eat, Go where the locals go, it's less expensive.... Mont-Royal street, St-Denis, St-laurent... Beaubien and a lot of other streets
It's true you can get smoked meat pretty much anywhere in Montreal, but it won't be as delicious as Schwartz ;)
As a person who lives in Montreal, I need to follow these tips
You can buy grade A maple syrup in a can (old school), 540ml for between $5 and $10. It will not break in your luggage and so much cheaper than the glass maple leaf bottles and possibly better quality syrup.
1:30 : poutine with smoked meat.
Need I say more ?
In the sumnmer you can climb the 192 steps to the top if the Bell Tower in the okd port. It's free.
The horse drawn carriages are no longer in operation.
Agree! Underground is nothing special, might save u from the cold but absolutely nothing to see
If you are at Schwartz's Deli you should also have the chicken. It is so amazing and no one talks about it because of how great the smoked meat. Be warned though, it's a big serving. Like a half a chicken big.
You still have a better 360 degrees view from the observatory of the tower of the olympic stadium
Place Jacques-Cartier in old Montreal was quite a different place in the late 70s, early 80s. Appart from the two cobblestone streets on each side, the central part was mainly grass. Musicians and street artists livened the place up many a summer night. Most were Montrealers, and the tourists got a real taste of our "joie de vivre." Police would look the other way on beer drinking and weed, as long as no one was rowdy. Montreal has much changed since then. Maple Syrup is bought in a can.
Montrealer here: 100% on spot, if you see a line anywhere, just walk elsewhere... no place is worth waiting that long, the place in town are all good and not worth wasting time while on vacations. Really, there's no real tourist trap in Montreal.
The Metro once you get the hang of it is the best! And it is a bit pricey, but if you are there with someone definitely do the ferris wheel at night. Worth the money.
Look for the 540 ml cans of maple syrup - usually one of the major supermarket chains has then on sale for $5 or $6.
Fairmount and St. Viateur bagels are equally famous, authentic, and old, and offer an equally interesting experience as you can see the bagels being made. I'd argue St. Viateur is more fun because you can see the whole process from the cutting and rolling of the dough, the dipping in honeyed water, and the baking in the wood oven.
One touristy thing I always do in cities if they have them is the open bus tours. They are s corny but it's actually really fun and informative to be driven around a city and get an overview while the history and historical sites and neighbourhoods are being narrated.
Another cool thing is the small boat ride on the Lachine Canal from neat the Atwater market to the Old Port, it's a beautiful trip, and you learn a lot about the history of the canal, the city that grew up. around and partly because of it, and its importance to the growth of the early colonies and later the economic growth of Canada as a whole.
There no more Horse carriage ride. The Montréal city outlawed it. It's gone forever.
Good everywhere is true 🙂 but Swartz and Fairmont Bagel are truly unique, original and more expensive 😅.
Awesome 😎👍 best place to stay in? Thinking of going in early June
You'd better reserve quickly as June is typically the beginning of tourism season. Some downtown hotels are already sold out for the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend (June 16-19, 2023).
So exchange houses and tourists shop are more expensive than other options? Like any cities....
The absolute best "Tourist Trap" is Chez Paree, home of the best "Canadian Ballet!!!"
Although a different Canadian city, what gets me is all the maple syrup sold in tourist shops in Vancouver. Maple syrup is not produced anywhere near Vancouver. The farthest west that it is produced is a line from extreme southeast Manitoba down past Minnesota to Missouri. I understand that the maple leaf is a symbol of the entire country. But still. Now maple syrup in Montreal makes 100% sense given that 70% of all maple syrup is produced in Quebec.
All countries do that. Tourists would not buy it to consume maple syrup, but to keep as a souvenir.
I found a few times...Parking Hotels dinning cost the highest In old Montreal & The plateau You want to get out of the Area And Subway into downtown Try Verdun for food And cafe They have nice beaches and boardwalks near the water Bagel St-Lo is one of my favs Going the other way north along the water front Cabotins Apportez votre vin is a good spot for fine dining.
You can also get maple syrup in open markets like the one at Jean Talon market From the person that owns the farm Light And dark syrup Montreal has alot to offer so do some home work on what to see End of may / sept is a good time to go
Maple Syrup rule: if it’s not in a can, if it isn’t from quebec, don’t buy
Honestly your best option is to also get any maple syrup in a can from any grocery stores, lasts longer and might sustain better in your luggage than the pretty leaf shaped bottles. And it's way cheaper.
I love the maple syrup being sold in tourist shops. In Vancouver. Because of Vancouver's wide and established sugar shack culture... heh
What replaced the horse-drawn carriages is Throwback Tours
How's the weather on may? do i need jacket or can i walk around with just a t-shirt?
I'm from Montreal and pretty much everything you said are not traps or scams...maybe except the maple syrup thing. Everything else is pretty much you pay for an attraction or meal at a touristy place or a service like the taxi. Basically here you there's almost no chance to be picked pocketed or someone asking you for signatures on something or trying to tie a dumb bracelet to your hand or fake taxi charging you 4x the price...
Nah some grocery brands also sell maple syrup in a maple leaf bottle, am I a tourist for being born and raised here and going to Maxi for something to eat?
Hi Mark! What do you think about using AirBnB in Montreal? They seem to be a lower cost option for lodging there, but I haven't used AirBnB much, and haven't been to Montreal (yet!). Thanks!
I visited Montreal a dozen times in the 1990s, but haven't been back since. Looks much the same.
I have never used taxis or Uber in Montreal. The Metro and buses are good and frequent. You are absolutely on point about the food. I have never had a bad meal in this wonderful city.
Our public transport is very safe and clean.
Our Métro (subway) runs on tires. This makes for a quieter ride, better acceleration and breaking and it climbs slopes better.
If claustrophobia doesn't get me on Ferris wheel, the height will... But the Pao de Azucar tram didnt bother me for some reason!
Costco has Canadian Maple Syrup in cool quart jugs for less than $13. Yes, Virginia the Canadian origin is clearly labeled.
Good tips 👍
Merci Babs!
Try maple syrup instead of sugar in your coffee...it's really good
St. Viateur and Fairmount are the best bagels. Get 'em while they're hot out of the oven in the Mile End locations. Just my opinion as a former Montrealer.
Hey Wolters i am planning in going to Belgrade Serbia what do you recommend there?
Montreal has banned horse-drawn carriages since 2020
Really? That's awesome!
For the airport to downtown trip, i wouldn't suggest the bus unless your accommodation is close to the drop off point. As for the metro, this isn't europe, don't drag your luggage into a wagon full of people because you'll just piss people off more than anything else. A taxi is fine as the risk for scams is relatively low compared to european airports.
i'm going in november and have started doing my research. i love that your montreal videos have been coming out!
Reach out if you want/need ideas
@@HotBranch thanks!
montreal native here. what kind of trip are you planning? i'd love to recommend some places!
November is literally the worst month to come. It's when all the buzz from the summer and terrace weather has died down, and the sunsets at 4pm.
@@nc8507 that's ok. I'm not a warm weather person at all. It'll be the first half of November that I'm coming. It's also the only time my friend, who's a teacher, has a bit of time off for teachers convention. I also like a quieter, slower pace. But I appreciate your input!
Same for the public markets , atwater maisneuve jean talon , bonsecours , overpriced food
as a life long Quebecer and Montrealer.. 90% agree with your list. except for Smokemeat...and bagles!! Schwartz!! 500% worth it.. they are a 15/10.. most other places are 6-10 as for the bagles... even montrealers still fight over them... Fairmount or St Viateur!! gotta try both and make up your own mind!!
Wolter I have to disappoint you , no more carriages with horses in Old Montreal 👎I am disappointed 😪.They kept talking about animal cruelty ( sometimes I think they go too far🤷♀️ )
0:16 "...but the thing is is, a lot of these tourist traps, you might actually want to do anyway, 'cause they're still worth it, but that doesn't mean they're a tourist trap, ok?"
So it is is what it is, but also it isn't.
Schrödinger's tourist trap😆
Next time you are in town, have a look at the Verdun borrough! It's Wellington Street is pedestrian from June to October and it's restaurants are awesome. The area also has a nice beach and a park that follows the River up to the rapids (where you can have a try at whitewater surfing) and a natural reserve!
Can maple syrup be duty free? I don't wanna check a bag if I dont have to but I'm not buying 100ml of a condiment either!
The maple syrup market in Québec is entirely controlled by the PPAQ (an organization sometimes called a cartel), so it'll be pretty much the same (up to grading) no matter where you go
Bacán el sitios 🎉🎉
In fact, Schwartz is the last smoked meat I would eat in Montreal. Lester's being the first. I also consider La Banquise as a trap. There are far better places at better prices
we call « the old montreal » old port ;) or vieux-port
I'm from Montreal and I say to you: listen to Mark! His advice is spot on!
Another piece of advice, from a true Montrealer: the truest Montreal experience does not happen in touristy Old Montreal, it happens in the Plateau Mont-Royal and the Mile-End.
And remember: every minute spent waiting in line to visit a tourist trap is a minute not spent walking around the cozy and walkable streets of Montreal to discover the REAL VIBE of the city!
Last piece of advice: don't come to Montreal from November to March. Our winters are a murky, frigid, sludgy, depressing, miserable ordeal. Come from June to August. Our summers are glorious and festive!
I always go in late September or early October because the tourists have thinned and the heat is gone. I love your city but the humidity can be really stifling!
Lmao if you buy Maple syrup in grocery stores, you won't have the real deal... It's really not the same as going to the sugar shack.
Schwartz's sounds like Montreal's answer to Katz's in New York. It must be incredible, but (as a New Yorker) the line stretching up Houston Street is a turnoff.
When in NYC, I go to Sarge’s instead. Great Jewish deli and we never encountered a line.
Does Dankoff still exist?
There is no more horse drawn carriages inmontreal
Good to hear
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Lester's Deli!!! Great video as always!
My preferred destination for smoked meat, but it is out of the way for most tourists. Not impossibly out of the way, but you need to plan some extra time to get there and find parking. Bonus for Lester's is that they have vacuum sealed portions to bring home and reheat.
Is there a Liverpool video coming mark?
Yeah I am the first to see this. I love his advice
Don't waste your time and $ going on top of the Olympic Stadium Tower. Nothing to see up there unless you're interested about seeing shingle asphalt roofs of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve duplex housing.