Attractions

From the balcony of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), French president Charles de Gaulle gave his controversial "Vive le Québec libre" speech in 1967. From May through October, the Hôtel de Ville offers a free 45-minute guided tour. Wander through the opulent Hall of Honour, which contains portraits of Montreal's former mayors. Also in the hall is a bronze and glass chandelier that weighs over 2,000 pounds. Adding to its elegance is the hand-carved ceiling and stained-glass windows.

One of Montreal's most visited attractions, the Basilique Notre-Dame is Canada's first Gothic Revival style church. The church is home to the 11-ton Jean-Baptiste bell and a 100-year-old organ with nearly 7,000 pipes. There is a fee to enter the church as a visitor, but if you attend a service, relish the opportunity to see the ornate wood carvings, statues, vaulted ceilings, and stained-glass windows free of charge.

Across the street from the basilica is the Musée de la Banque de Montreal, housed in the city's oldest bank building. Dating back to 1847, the bank features six Corinthian columns. While the exterior mostly has remained untouched, the interior was revamped in the early 20th century. The interior columns are made of granite from Vermont, the pink marble walls are from Tennessee, and the counter's marble comes from Italy. Check out a gold nugget from the Yukon and learn how to recognize counterfeit money.

You'd have to travel over 4,000 miles to see the real deal, but Montreal offers a replica of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Bishop Ignace Bourget oversaw the construction of Basilique-Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde, completed in 1894. The dome is a scaled-down version of St. Peter's, but nonetheless stands at an impressive 249 feet. Even the interior is modeled after St. Peter's, with one major difference: Donated by church parishes in Montreal, the 13 statues atop Montreal's basilica represent patron saints of each donor parish, while St. Peter's has the 12 apostles.

Located near McGill University in the heart of Montreal's business and shopping district, the 1859 neo-Gothic Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is frozen in time as modern skyscrapers go up around it. While the church choirs host various concerts throughout the year, you can enjoy their music on Sundays at either the 10 a.m. service or the Choral Evensong at 4 p.m.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., the Centre Bouddhiste Kankala offers free guided meditations.