I'm a New Yorker who went to Montreal for the first time, and 5 things surprised me

Business Insider

a day ago

I spent 24 hours in Montreal in August 2022.
It was my first time visiting the French-Canadian city, and I was surprised by the architecture.
I didn't expect my trip to Canada to feel like a European adventure.
After a 10-hour train ride, two hours on a bus, and another five hours on the rails, I finally made it from my home in NYC to Montreal, the largest city in Canada's eastern province of Quebec.
The journey was long, but the trip was short. Although I only spent 24 hours in the city, my single day in Montreal was packed with surprises.
The first thing that shocked me about Montreal was how much green space I saw, even in the most urban areas.
Montreal is home to more than 1,495 parks, according to the Government of Canada.
Throughout Downtown Montreal, I spotted greenery in every direction, from unique landscaping on buildings to lines of trees. In between blocks of skyscrapers, I also found shaded squares to cool off.
West of downtown, I also enjoyed visiting the lush Mount Royal, a small mountain in the middle of the city with 400 stairs leading to a viewpoint overlooking Montreal.
The entrance to the park was a 30-minute uphill walk from my hotel. Climbing the stairs along the mountain took me another half hour.
The walk was tiring, but when I got to the top of Mount Royal, I thought it was totally worth it for the all-encompassing views.
I didn't expect to see such a wide variety of architecture.
While wandering through the downtown area and Old Montreal, I noticed another cool thing about this city: the contrasting modern and historical architectural styles, from Art Deco to Gothic Revival.
Downtown, I also spotted historic structures that stood out next to modern skyscrapers, like Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral and the Sun Life Building.
I didn't expect to feel like I was in Europe.
Heading east from downtown, I could tell I had reached Old Montreal when the streets turned cobblestone, which made me feel like I was in Europe.
The stone streets date back to the 1800s, according to the Montreal Gazette. Historical architecture added to the European vibe.
I had never heard of the Underground City before my visit.
Another area I found fascinating was the Underground City, which is a horizontal building full of shops and passageways that connect to underground metro stations over a 20-mile radius, according to Montreal Tourism.
The Underground City is meant to save pedestrians from the outdoors during harsh winter months when temperatures drop to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Since I visited on a beautiful day, I found it mostly empty.
I didn't expect poutine to taste like Thanksgiving dinner.
My last stop before leaving Montreal was La Banquise, a poutine restaurant where I tried the Canadian delicacy of fries, cheese, and gravy for the first time.
The fries were crispy and greasy — just like I like them. I thought the gravy was reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner, and the curds added a unique texture without adding too much flavor.
In one bite, I could see why this dish was so popular and comforting. It was warm, filling, and nostalgic, transporting me back to November.
When I left Montreal, I thought my trip was too short.