Craving a European getaway but lack the vacation time and funds to jet across the pond? Savor art-house coffee in sidewalk cafés, peruse racks of vintage Gucci and Vuitton, and free your mind at highbrow cultural festivals (and all without hefty travel fees and jet lag) in Montreal, North America’s own little slice of old-world Europe.
Where to stay:
Trendy and Tranquil: Hotel Nelligan. After a day of nonstop shopping, eating, and sightseeing, you’ve certainly earned a rest, and you’ll find an A-list retreat in Hotel Nelligan, an übertrendy boutique hotel in historic Old Montreal. Cap off your day with a visit to the hotel’s daily wine and cheese tasting before sinking into your bed to watch What Not to Wear on your suite’s 32-inch LCD screen. Not ready to call it a night? Sweat off the day’s croissants with the hotel’s on-staff personal trainer. Rooms from $190 per night. 106 Saint-Paul Street West; 514.788.2040; www.hotelnelligan.com
Old Meets New: Le Square Phillips Hotel and Suites. Enormous rooms abound at this 160-room hotel, located on a quaint side street in downtown Montreal. It’s within walking distance of Montreal’s best shopping and sights, but it’s also tucked away enough to give guests a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Rooms from $197 per night. 1193 Place Phillips; 514.393.1193; www.squarephillips.com
Where to eat:
Fancy French: Café Cherrier. As traditional French bistros go, Café Cherrier is the real deal: an expansive wine list; an outdoor wraparound patio populated by artists, actors, and politicians; lively chatter; and Edith Piaf wafting through the air. Sample generous servings of quiche, salade verte, mussels, or Bloody Caesars. Don’t forget your beatnik chapeau and turtleneck sweater. 3635 Rue Saint-Denis; 514.843.4308
Breakfast to Go: St. Viateur Bagels. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, St. Viateur Bagels is bustling. Tucked away in a historic Jewish neighborhood, St. Viateur is world-renowned for its sesame seed bagels, thousands of which pass through its wood-burning oven each day. Perfect for a post-clubbing 2 a.m. bite or a Sunday-morning picnic atop Mount Royal. 263 Saint Viateur West; 514.276.8044; www.stviateurbagel.com
Caffeine Fix: Caffe Art Java. Starbucks who? The chains are all there if you need them, but the best coffees in Montreal are served up in independent cafés, which range from the quaint to the state-of-the-art. We heart Caffe Art Java, where plasma screens line the walls and cute barista boys serve up strong but soothing coffee beverages (we so enjoyed the coffee art on top of the foam). Bonus: Fresh, flaky croissants are well worth the dangers to your waistline. 837 Mont-Royal East; 514.527.9990
Where to shop and play:
Viva la Vintage: Friperies of Rue Saint-Denis. Fashion is très importante in Montreal—where the urban sidewalk is a living, breathing fashion catwalk—and vintage-clothing shops (known as “friperies” to Montrealers) are plentiful. Dedicate a couple hours to scouring the friperies of Rue Saint-Denis and you could end up with some delectable finds (mine: a 1940s film-noir-esque hat). Mix the best of the old with the boldest of the new and keep your eyes peeled for cutting-edge fashion boutiques (many staffed by local designers) interspersed among the friperies. Starting at Rue Sainte-Catherine and moving northward into the heart of Mount Royal.
Designer Heaven: Holt Renfrew. If you’re thinking about Montreal in European terms, this luxury department store (think personal shoppers and high-end brands) is Galleries Lafayette with a Canadian twist. (Translation: Your dollar is gonna go a lot further here than overseas.) After dropping a bundle on Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Jimmy Choo, recoup in swanky in-house restaurant Café Holt before round 2. 1300 Sherbrooke Street West; 514.842.5111; www.holtrenfrew.com
Hit the Town: Old Montreal. Bistros, clubs, locals, tourists, antique shops, and street vendors (and perhaps a well-coiffed homme or two with a penchant for wildly sophisticated women) converge in Old Montreal. Though a fabulous place to spend a day (even for those with kiddies) and drop a bundle, Old Montreal truly comes alive after dark. www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca
