No wonder jazz is a top attraction for visitors to Montréal. The largest city in eastern Canada doesn’t just reflect urban culture, it riffs on it, reinterpreting it in endless variations.

Since visiting Montréal as a child, I’ve returned numerous times, always encountering new layers to its creative nature.

Most first-time visitors stay within a compact area around the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where cobblestone streets and picturesque buildings date to the 17th century. Charming though it is, visiting in peak season can give the impression that all 10 million annual visitors have shown up at once.

That’s why I encourage you to explore beyond the core. Oh, I see: Montréal’s summertime pleasures are generously sprinkled all over the city.

Here are five ways to celebrate Montréal’s urban culture. Eco-friendly, art-loving, and community-minded, they’ll make you feel right at home.

1. Do your reading in the park.

In many cities, cooling off on a summer’s day means cranking up the A/C. Montréalers keep cool by heading to the nearest green space. With 19 major parks and over 1,300 green squares, you won’t need a map to find one.

Montréalers’ love of green spaces was formalized in 1874 when Mount Royal became the first protected area in Québec. The design gig for Parc Mont-Royal went to Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed the grounds of New York’s Central Park.

Now Montréal’s green space is on the verge of another growth spurt. Over the next three years, the city will build its largest park yet—four times the size of Parc Mont-Royal—on the urban island’s western tip.

2. Hop to the shop, car-free.

With a dépanneur on virtually every block, shopping for food on foot is easy. Come spring, Montréal’s oldest public markets take off their “winter coats.” Down come the walls that shelter shoppers from 82 inches of annual snowfall.

Which market should you choose, Marché Jean-Talon or Atwater Market? Both—and don’t overlook Marché Maisonneuve:

Don’t make a list. Just wander among artful displays of Québécois produce, charcuterie, wheels of cheese, fresh oysters from the Bay of Gaspé, handmade ices, fresh flowers, herbs, and more.

3. Meet the neighbors.

Whatever your language, it’s easy to meet the neighbors in Montréal. I’ve enjoyed conversations in cafés, bookstores, the Segal Center Theatre, a local swimming pool, and while sitting on the curb of Rue St-Denis waiting for a parade to begin.

Even a short stroll can lead to memorable meet-and-greets. Last Saturday I went out for a newspaper. Two blocks later, I was dancing at a neighborhood barbecue. As for Sunday, I’m unlikely to forget meeting Antoine:

4. Join the circus.

Every year, visitors flock to Montréal’s Jazz Festival, Cirque du Soleil, the “Just for Laughs” Comedy Festival, and other hot-ticket events.

Montréal’s creativity spills onto neighborhood streets, spreads across parks, and splashes across walls. Every summer, the roving Repercussion Theatre makes Shakespeare-in-the-Park accessible to all. Murals have a festival of their own. Meanwhile, Montréal Complètement Cirque scatters magic all around the city.

5. Debate a local hot topic.

But don’t just grab and gobble. Savor the “hole” truth with a lesson from local baker Will Paquet. As my Toronto classmates agree, his bagel-baking class is enriched by culinary science, seeded with local tips, and leavened with humor.

As Paquet guides us through the steps, we learn what makes Montréal bagels distinctive. Smaller and thinner than NY bagels, and with a faster transition between proofing and kneading, they are hand-rolled and poached in honey-water. Unlike NY bagels, they’re also flipped halfway through the baking.

Traditionally, Montréal bagels were baked in a wood-fired oven, but the city is phasing this out for environmental reasons. Even so, under Paquet’s tutelage the results are thrilling—a toothsome crunch followed by soul-transporting, soft-as-a-cloud sweetness.

To buy bagels like a local, says Paquet, order “Sesame, still warm,” consume your bagel within 30 minutes, and don’t bury it under a mound of sandwich fillers. In Montréal, the bagel itself is the star, not the stage.

Extend your urban boundaries

This 377-year old city embraces over two dozen neighborhoods, each with its own personality, flavors, and festivities. Factor in Canadian friendliness, convenient public transport, and a summer sun that stays up late, and you’ve got the perfect excuse to get neighborly with Montréal’s urban culture.

$\"Public$

Wandering leads to discovery in Montr\u00e9al. Murals enliven every neighborhood.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

The Widespread Pleasures of Montr\u00e9al’s Urban Culture<\/strong><\/h2>\n
No wonder jazz is a top attraction for visitors to Montr\u00e9al. The largest city in eastern Canada doesn’t just reflect urban culture, it riffs on it, reinterpreting it in endless variations.<\/p>\n
Since visiting Montr\u00e9al as a child, I’ve returned numerous times, always encountering new layers to its creative nature.<\/p>\n
Most first-time visitors stay within a compact area around the Vieux-Port<\/em> (Old Port), where\u00a0 cobblestone streets and picturesque buildings date to the 17th century. \u00a0Charming though it is, visiting in peak season can give\u00a0 the impression that all 10 million annual visitors have shown up at once.<\/p>\n
That’s why I encourage you to explore beyond the core. Oh, I see:<\/strong> Montr\u00e9al’s summertime pleasures are generously sprinkled all over the city.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Sure, zip around the Old Port, but broaden your circle, too.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Here are five ways to celebrate Montr\u00e9al’s urban culture. Eco-friendly, art-loving, and community-minded, they’ll make you feel right at home.<\/p>\n
1. Do your reading in the park. <\/strong><\/h4>\n
In many cities, cooling off on a summer’s day means cranking up the A\/C. Montr\u00e9alers keep cool by heading to the nearest green space. With 19 major parks and over 1,300 green squares, you won’t need a map to find one.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Montr\u00e9al is on track to increase its canopy cover to 25% by 2025.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Montr\u00e9alers’ love of green spaces was formalized in 1874 when Mount Royal became the first protected area in Qu\u00e9bec. The design gig for Parc Mont-Royal<\/em> went to Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed the grounds of New York’s Central Park.<\/p>\n
Now Montr\u00e9al’s green space is on the verge of another growth spurt. Over the next three years, the city will build its largest park yet\u2014four times the size of Parc Mont-Royal<\/em>\u2014on the urban island’s western tip.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
To shop like a local, buy only what you can carry, cook, and picnic on over 1-2 days.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
2. Hop to the shop, car-free. <\/strong><\/h4>\n
With a d\u00e9panneur<\/em> on virtually every block, shopping for food on foot is easy.\u00a0 Come spring, Montr\u00e9al’s oldest public markets take off their “winter coats.” Down come the walls that shelter shoppers from 82 inches of annual snowfall.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
March\u00e9 Jean-Talon<\/em> has fed Montr\u00e9al families since 1933.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Which market should you choose, March\u00e9 Jean-Talon<\/em> or Atwater Market? Both\u2014and don’t overlook March\u00e9 Maisonneuve<\/em>:<\/p>\n
\n
Atwater Market:<\/strong> The tall clock tower makes it a cinch for newcomers to find, and you can work off that maple sugar pie with a run along the Lachine Canal.<\/li>\n
March\u00e9 Maisonneuve:<\/strong> Test your French fluency, marvel at the 1910 Beaux-Arts building that started it all, and test-ride a self-driving shuttle to Montr\u00e9al’s Olympic Stadium.<\/li>\n
March\u00e9 Jean-Talon:<\/strong> Explore the neighborhood known locally as Petite-Italie. <\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
$\"$
After all that grocery-shopping, you’ll surely need a treat in Little Italy.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Don’t make a list. Just wander among artful displays of Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois produce, charcuterie<\/em>, wheels of cheese, fresh oysters from the Bay of Gasp\u00e9, handmade ices, fresh flowers, herbs, and more.<\/p>\n
\u00a03. <\/strong>Meet the neighbors.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Whatever your language, it’s easy to meet the neighbors in Montr\u00e9al. I’ve enjoyed conversations in caf\u00e9s, bookstores, the Segal Center Theatre, a local swimming pool, and while sitting on the curb of Rue St-Denis waiting for a parade to begin.<\/p>\n
Even a short stroll can lead to memorable meet-and-greets. Last Saturday I went out for a newspaper. Two blocks later, I was dancing at a neighborhood barbecue. As for Sunday, I’m unlikely to forget meeting Antoine:<\/p>\n
$\"Circus$
Better known for balancing on the Russian bar in his family’s Cirque Alfonse<\/strong><\/a>,
Antoine Carabinier makes a genial barmaid at a Montr\u00e9al street festival.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
4. Join the circus.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Every year, visitors flock to Montr\u00e9al’s Jazz Festival, Cirque du Soleil, the “Just for Laughs” Comedy Festival, and other hot-ticket events.<\/p>\n
No ticket? No worries.<\/p>\n
Montr\u00e9al’s creativity spills onto neighborhood streets, spreads across parks, and splashes across walls.\u00a0 Every summer, the roving Repercussion Theatre<\/a> makes Shakespeare-in-the-Park accessible to all. Murals have a festival<\/a> of their own. Meanwhile, Montr\u00e9al Compl\u00e8tement Cirque<\/a> <\/em>scatters magic all around the city.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
A graduate from Montreal’s \u00c9cole<\/em><\/a> Nationale de Cirque<\/em> runs rings around his audience.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
5. Debate a local hot topic.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Montr\u00e9alers have strong opinions about which is better, Fairmount Bagel<\/strong><\/a> or St-Viateur Bagel<\/strong><\/a>. Thus, it behooves you to “research” both.<\/p>\n
But don’t just grab and gobble. Savor the “hole” truth with a lesson from local baker Will Paquet<\/a>. As my Toronto classmates agree, his bagel-baking class is enriched by culinary science, seeded with local tips, and leavened with humor.<\/p>\n
$\"Bagel$
Paquet’s not out to “schmear” NY bagels, just passionate about Montr\u00e9al methods.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
As Paquet guides us through the steps, we learn what makes Montr\u00e9al bagels distinctive. Smaller and thinner than NY bagels, and with a faster transition between proofing and kneading, they are hand-rolled and poached in honey-water. Unlike NY bagels, they’re also flipped halfway through the baking.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, Montr\u00e9al bagels were baked in a wood-fired oven, but the city is phasing this out for environmental reasons. Even so, under Paquet’s tutelage the results are thrilling\u2014a toothsome crunch followed by soul-transporting, soft-as-a-cloud sweetness.<\/p>\n
$\"Bagels$
Making bagels delivers a taste of Montr\u00e9al’s urban culture.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
To buy bagels like a local, says Paquet, order “Sesame, still warm,” consume your bagel within 30 minutes, and don’t bury it under a mound of sandwich fillers. In Montr\u00e9al, the bagel itself is the star, not the stage.<\/p>\n
Extend your urban boundaries
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
This 377-year old city embraces over two dozen neighborhoods, each with its own personality, flavors, and festivities. Factor in Canadian friendliness, convenient public transport, and a summer sun that stays up late, and you’ve got the perfect excuse to get neighborly with Montr\u00e9al’s urban culture.<\/p>\n
Learn more about Will Paquet’s bagel-making classes here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/a> on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":34308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[536,98,109,222],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada-mappoints","category-crossing-culture","category-discoveries-creative","category-hiking-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34297"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34435,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34297\/revisions\/34435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

The Widespread Pleasures of Montréal’s Urban Culture

1. Do your reading in the park.

2. Hop to the shop, car-free.

3. Meet the neighbors.

4. Join the circus.

5. Debate a local hot topic.

Extend your urban boundaries