Montreal

Entry/Visa
Depending on which country you come from you might need a visa, however when coming from most European countries a visa is not required to enter Canada. One has to bring a valid passport.

Vaccines
Other than the standard vaccinations, when travelling to Montreal there are no special vaccinations needed.

Climate
Montreal has four very distinct seasons with a climate known to be humid continental. Summers are warm with an average temperature of 27°C, winters get quite cold with heavy snowfall and an average temperature of -5°C. During spring the weather is mild and it is possible that drastic temperature changes occur, however on average in spring there is a temperature of 17°C. Autumns are a little warmer than spring, but quite similar also reaching an average of 15°C to 20°C.

Currency
The currency in this city is the Canadian Dollar.

Language
The local language spoken in Montreal is French, however most locals also speak English.

Airports / Car rental
Montreal has two main airports the primary airport is “Montréal-Mirabel International Airport” and the secondary one is “Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport”. Both these airports receive international and domestic flights coming and out on a daily basis. From the airports there are many public transportation services which rotate to the city Centre. It is also possible to hire a car at both airports; it is advised to order them in advance.

Public transport
Due to Montreal being a major city, just like many others it has high traffic congestions. However there is a variety of public transportation services available. These include the “Société de transport de Montréal” and the “Montréal Metro”. These two services provide a network of buses, subways and trains which rotate in and around the city.

Taxis / Infrastructure
Taxis can be found at taxi stands, at the airport, on the road or can simply be ordered via the hotel or by calling the central taxi service.

Events
Needless to say, Montreal has a great variety of events, festivals and celebrations. There are various different music, film and regular festivals. Amongst these are:
- Shakespeare in the Park
- Festival Mondiale de la bière
- Montreal International Fireworks Competition
- Montreal International Jazz Festival
- POP Montréal International Music Festival
- World Film Festival
- Fantasia
- Festival du nouveau cinema de Montréal
- Les Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal

Culinary Specialities
Montréal was recently ranked as the 2nd best city to dine in, in North America. The city is a culinary mecca with a great variety of different foods. There is a specialty called beef brisket which are sandwiches consisting of huge smoked meat which comes from the Jewish population. A Quebecois specialty is a split pea soup and a very popular dish called “Poutine”. “Poutine” consists of French fries with a lot of gravy topped with cheese and on the side it includes either chicken, beef, vegetables and much more.

Sights
Montreal offers a variety of different things to see and do. Amongst these are “Old Montréal” where beautiful historic building lay and many museum including the “Dome of the Marché Bonsecrous”. “Le Plateau”, “Downtown” museums, churches and skyscrapers, “Parc Jean-Drapeau”, “the Olympic Stadium”, “Insectarium”, “Jardin Botanqiue”, the “Biosphere”, the “Rialto theatre” and much more.