Experiencing Montreal on a budget
Here are five activities that will cost you less than $50
There are great ways for travellers to save money in Canadian cities. Here we look at five things to do for less than $50 in Montreal.
Museum of Fine Arts
This is a vast complex, with several buildings connected via underground tunnels (handy in winter). There’s a wide array of thought-provoking art of all varieties from just about everywhere on the planet here; other bits at the various buildings include dangly earrings from the early 1800s, Iranian carvings from the 13th century and works by Canada’s Group of Seven. There’s a controversial Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit on until Jan. 22, 2017, with some of his most erotic works. It costs $20 for adults 31 and up and $12 for ages 13 to 30. mbam.qc.ca/.
Botanical Garden
Most of the fall colours have come and gone, but there are still plenty of things to see outside. Better yet, make your way to the indoor greenhouses. You’ll find tropical displays with arching ferns and stunning, delicate orchids in gorgeous shades of purple and mauve. They also have huge rocks and tumbling waterfalls, and the whole place has a deep, wonderfully earthy smell. There’s a desert zone with weird and wonderful yellow-green cacti with fuzzy bits, spiky oval leaves, and brilliant red flowers in season. There’s a lovely indoor Japanese garden, including a 75-year-old pomegranate. It’s $19.75 for entry to the Botanical Garden and Insectarium for tourists and $15.50 for adults who live in Quebec. espacepourlavie.ca/en/botanical-garden.
Dining
I was blown away by the food at East, a restaurant inside the new Renaissance Hotel Montreal. The siu mai had huge chunks of lobster and a nice lemon grass sauce, and the black cod was sensational — tender bits of fish with steamed bok choy, ginger, sake and white miso. The lobster siu mai is listed at $18 and the black cod at $22. Most cocktails for $12. eastpanasiatique.com/.
Pointe-a-Calliere
This is a museum dedicated to the colourful history and archeology of Montreal. Start things off with a video called Montreal Yours Truly. Along the way, you’ll get clips from the two World Wars, Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics, not to mention hockey legend Rocket Richard. There’s a permanent exhibit called Pirates or Privateers, where visitors can see how they measure up against old-time St. Lawrence River explorers. Entry is $20 for adults, with discounts for families, students, children and seniors. pacmusee.qc.ca/en/.
The Big Anniversary
Montreal turns 375 next year, and the city is abuzz with elaborate plans for the big party. They’ve already scheduled more than 175 events, kicking things off in early winter with the IIHF World U20 Championship from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2017. Illuminart will run from Feb. 23 to March 12 as part of Montreal en Lumiere, a free event with “illuminated, interactive and immersive avant-garde creativity.” Starting in May, the iconic Jacques Cartier Bridge, east of downtown, will be lit up with a project featuring LED lights and patterns determined in part by weather, traffic and even social media activity. No charge for viewing. www.375mtl.com/en/.