Results tagged “Montreal” from Intelligent Travel Blog

All through December we're showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Montreal and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up-to-date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

We've talked a lot about Montreal lately: It has gorgeous architecture, is the second-largest French-speaking city after Paris, and was the first to sign our Center for Sustainable Destinations Geotourism Charter. That's all well and good. But the reason I really love Montreal is the beer.

The Quebec region is nationally famous for its beautifully crafted bières artisanales, but for some reason, few of them make it big in the U.S. As something of a beer lover, I have come to regard Montreal as my holy beer grail. In fact, it's host to the World Festival of Beer, "the most important international beer festival in North America," held annually in early June.

To make a good thing better, most of the city's brewpubs are within walking distance of each other near the city's vibrant Latin Quarter. On a recent weekend trip, I went microbrasserie-hopping, hitting up some old favorites and making new discoveries. I was not disappointed. Here are a few top finds:

Unibroue - This microbrewery is located in the town of Chambly, but the beer is available all over Quebec, including Montreal. This is the producer of my favorite beer ever - La Fin du Monde (which translates as The End of the World). One of the region's trademark breweries, Unibroue brews strictly according to centuries-old European traditions, which means that no artificial chemicals are used in its production. The beers are fermented right in the bottles, and because of their quality, they have an extremely long shelf life ("Flavour evolves to a port wine after ten years," says the website). With eight different year-round beers to choose from, Unibroue has something everyone can enjoy. Most of them are available in U.S. specialty beer stores.
Recommended beers: La Fin du Monde, La Raftman

Check out the complete list after the jump.

The city of Montreal does plenty of things well. Its European architecture melds seamlessly into modern design, its expansive green spaces encourage both athletic endeavors and peaceful meandering, and its lengthy list of cultural attractions easily fill up a weekend getaway, as I found out last month. What was also all-too-easily filled up was my stomach, be it with poutine, brunch at the hip Bagels, Etc..., or luscious Quebecois beer. Or chocolate, another area where the multi-talented Montreal truly shines.

Enter Juliette et Chocolat, a Latin Quarter establishment that causes cocoa-lovers' hearts to quiver. Upon stepping inside (and waiting for a coveted table), red-and-white clad servers with bow ties taunt you with a parade of plates piled with chocolate in all forms. Brownies. Cake. Crepes. Ice Cream. Hot Chocolate. Mousse. Fondue. Fondants. An occasional panini disrupts the theme, as it's also a bistro with a  nice assortment of salty dishes.

Listen up, Franco-Canada-philes. Montreal, the first urban center in the world to sign National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations' Geotourism Charter, is now accepting nominations for CSD's next MapGuide endeavor.

Now through January 15, the general public is encouraged to participate in creating the Montreal MapGuide, which is set to launch in spring 2009. 

MapGuides, poster-sized maps chock full of suggestions that define a sense of place, aim to highlight "sustainable tourism choices to international and domestic tourists."  Categories include culture and traditions, nature and environment, and historic and archaeological sites. This will be the third project of its kind: CSD released the "Yellowstone and Montana" and "Crown of the Continent" MapGuides earlier this year.

To submit your nominations and favorite photos of Montreal to CSD and Montreal's own Geotourism Council, go here.

Photo: Sparkling Montreal via Djof's Flickr.

Traveler researchers (and Francophile foodies) Ashley Thompson and Kristen Gunderson embarked on a long weekend getaway to Montreal, and offer up a few highlights as they quite literally ate and drank their way through the city. First up: A snack bar with class.

Before my all-too-quick weekend jaunt to Montreal, I was skeptical about sampling the region's staple snack food, poutine. French fries, gravy, and cheese curd? I now admit shamefully that I imagined white creamy sausage gravy spooned over wilted, greasy fries and clumps of gooey cheese. Boy, was I wrong.

For some of the best poutine Montreal's Latin Quarter has to offer, La Paryse is your place. Don't let the hole-in-the-wall (albeit eclectic and colorful!) appearance and inevitable lunchtime lines deter you. And don't fear the poutine here. Mellow brown gravy with shredded mozzarella topped nearly grease-free fries, nothing at all like the scary concoction I had stirred up in my head.

Take the advice of our friend and host Anna, who's living and studying in Montreal for the semester, and sample more than just La Paryse's poutine perfection. Several dozen varieties of burgers and sandwiches greet upon entering the self-proclaimed "snack bar," including three gourmet veggie burgers. I noshed on the delicious mushroom-flavored patty topped with finely sliced peppered potatoes, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and blue cheese, all nestled between toasted wheat buns.

As a multi-year vegetarian and a fake meat "expert," I can say with confidence it is the best I've ever had. Down the deliciousness with a glass of locally made beer (Boréale pictured to the right), and you just may consider becoming a Canuck. Don't say I didn't warn you.

La Paryse is located at 302 rue Ontario Est in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Most burgers are under $7.

Photo by Ashley Thompson