Just five hours away from Toronto is a Europe-like getaway that has something for everyone, including the baby boomers and millennial siblings accompanying me on a week-long trip to Montreal.
A cosmopolitan city, Montreal is conflux of French, Quebecois and English culture, along with the more recent influx of Arab, Italian and Chinese culture. A vibrant city that celebrates and embraces diversity, it is home to a dynamic arts and culture scene and architectural structures akin to those found across Europe. These are just some of the reasons that make Montreal a must-visit destination on your next trip to Canada.
Explore the city
With most places accessible by foot and via the public transportation system, it is definitely worth spending a few days immersing yourself in the vibe of the city. Owing to the large youth population, the city has a hip and bohemian vibe that adds to the experience. Plan a visit during the summer and you are sure to witness, in its entirety, what Montreal has to offer — music festivals, cultural events and fireworks galore.
The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, held from late June to early July, brings together jazz, rock and pop artists and is touted as North America’s top music festival. The Grand Prix du Canada, also held over the summer, is one of the most anticipated and crowd-packed Formula One races in the world.
If that is not your thing, visit one of Montreal’s many roof-top cafés and, amid stunning views of the city, sample some of the best food in the country. For art connoisseurs, there is a plethora of art galleries, such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts or the Fashion Museum.
Marvel at the city’s architectural delights
It is a city where the old and new coexist together. Montreal is characterized by narrow streets, cobblestone roads, skyscrapers and age-old cathedrals. Take a horse-cart ride around the French colonial Vieux-Montreal and marvel at historical structures like the Old Port of Montreal, Victoria Square, the Gothic Revival-style Notre-Dame Basilica or the city’s oldest bank building, the Bank of Montreal Museum. Fun fact, filmmakers in Montreal often use the area as a setting for period films and documentaries that depict Europe.
Walk further down Saint Jacques Street, a financial and commercial hub that headquarters some of Canada’s biggest banks, or visit the RÉSO, commonly referred to as The Underground City, a complete city with shopping complexes, restaurants and an interconnected transit system built entirely underground. To the northeast, the Jean-Talon Market is one of the oldest public markets in the city. It sells seasonal produce, fresh meats, artisanal cheese and baked goods and is perfect for a day of enjoying the sights, smells and tastes of products from all over Canada.
Be at one with nature
The city is home to many green spaces, parks and lakes. The Mount Royale (after which the city is named) peak and park is perhaps the most famous. Ride a bike, take a hike or plan a picnic in the beautiful surroundings. Montreal also boasts one of the largest botanical gardens in Canada, with thematic spaces, including the serene Chinese and Japanese gardens. The Montreal Biodôme showcases ecosystems, natural heritage and animal life in North America. It houses animals and birds from varying ecosystems such as lush tropical rainforests and subpolar regions. The Insectarium, the largest insect museum in North America, is an opportunity to learn about the natural habitat of insects. This summer, there is a new exhibit that curates insect delicacies for visitors to try out. So, are you feeling adventurous?
Montreal is full to the brim of joie de vivre and well-worth a visit if you are keen to explore nature and enjoy art, food and music galore.
Explore Montreal, a European-style getaway in North America
Explore Montreal, a European-style getaway in North America
Russian cyclist finds warm welcome on Saudi Arabia’s roads
- Anna Rodnishcheva’s ride through Kingdom is defining chapter in solo expedition
- Rodnishcheva cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh
MAKKAH: Solo adventurer Anna Rodnishcheva, 27, has undertaken an ambitious journey that spans countries, climates and cultures — on a bicycle.
Born and raised in Moscow and trained as a biologist before becoming an event photographer, she now finds herself pedaling thousands of kilometers across unfamiliar landscapes in pursuit of discovery, connection, and the simple joy of movement.
In her conversation with Arab News, Rodnishcheva offered a detailed account of her ongoing route in Saudi Arabia, describing how the expedition is her third major cycling adventure.
After previously riding from Moscow to Sochi and later from Vladivostok to Sochi — a route that stretches across the entirety of Russia — she felt compelled to explore foreign lands by bicycle.
She set off from Moscow heading south last June, passing through Russia, Georgia, and Turkiye before flying from Antalya to Amman. She cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh.
Rodnishcheva explained that physical preparation played only a small role in her planning. She began slowly and allowed her body to adapt naturally over the first month.
The true challenge, she said, was in the mental and financial preparation. She spent a year and a half planning the journey, even though she originally intended to postpone it for several more years.
Ultimately, her belief that “life is short” convinced her to start with the resources she already had. Although she sought medical evaluations and additional vaccinations, she was unable to complete them all and decided to continue regardless.
Her journey through Georgia and Turkiye presented unexpected difficulties. Simple tasks such as finding groceries or locating bicycle repair shops became more challenging outside of Russia, where she knew how to navigate on a budget.
She also encountered language barriers, though the situation improved when a local cyclist joined her in Georgia. The intense midsummer heat added another layer of difficulty, but she had prepared herself for such conditions.
One of the most striking moments of her trip occurred as she crossed from Jordan into Saudi Arabia. She described the experience as surreal and emotionally overwhelming, likening it to the adventures of a literary hero traveling across the Arabian Peninsula.
Her anxiety eased unexpectedly when she got a flat tire at the border, bringing her back to the present.
Despite being warned that crossing by bicycle would be prohibited, the process went smoothly, and she was struck by the friendliness of both Jordanian and Saudi officials. She expressed particular surprise at meeting a female Saudi passport officer, an encounter that challenged her previous assumptions about women’s roles in the Kingdom.
Rodnishcheva said the hospitality she had experienced in Saudi Arabia surpassed anything she had encountered on previous journeys. Drivers frequently stop to offer her water, fruit, or sweets, and several families have generously hosted her in their homes or guest flats.
She emphasized that she feels completely safe traveling across the Kingdom, especially on the open roads between cities, noting the strong and visible security presence.
She has also observed significant differences in weather. While the stretch from the border to Jeddah was hot despite being winter, the climate changed dramatically after climbing Al-Hada in Taif, turning cooler and windier — a climate she compared to Russian summers.
Rodnishcheva documents her travels primarily through Russian-language platforms such as VK and Telegram. Although she maintains YouTube and Instagram accounts, she explained that her schedule left little time for frequent updates.
Offering a message to women around the world who dream of embarking on similar adventures, she said such journeys were “not as scary as they seem before you start,” though they may not suit everyone.
Her closing advice? “Listen to your heart.”
