As the site of the original city of Montréal, Vieux-Montréal (accessible from the Orange Line's Place-d'Armes and Champ-de-Mars métro stations) is the hub of the city's history.

The beautiful limestone-clad 18th- and 19th-century buildings have been rescued from demolition and restored despite the city's rapid urbanization. Horse-drawn carriages traverse cobblestone streets and trot past such notable sites as Notre-Dame Basilica, Montréal City Hall, built in 1878, and the monumental Bonsecours Market, a restored heritage building that houses art, design and craft stores.

Adorned with intricate statues, colorful stained-glass windows and the famous 12-ton Jean-Baptiste bell, Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal is one of the city's most visited sites. In addition to welcoming tourists and worshippers, it also hosts an evening light and sound show that serves to highlight its spectacular architecture.

Canada’s first Gothic Revival church was constructed in 1829, designated a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989. The site of many state funerals including, former Prime Minister Pierre-Elliott Trudeau, notable weddings like that of Celine Dion, and memorable musical performances, such as those by Luciano Pavarotti, the basilica is much more than a church. Among the church's highlights are a 7,000-pipe Casavant organ, its stained-glass windows, which were designed by Québec artist Jean-Baptiste Lagacé and tell the story of Montréal's history, and the interior decor, which is carved, painted and adorned with gold leaf.

This 761-foot hill from which Montréal got its name is the highest point in the city. Towering over central Montréal, Parc du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Park) is frequented by joggers, picnickers, dog walkers and bicyclists throughout the year, and it's one of Montréal's largest green spaces. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (who's also the credited architect of NYC's Central Park).

During the warmer months, you can rent rowboats on the park's Lac aux Castors (Beaver Lake), while the Chalet du Mont-Royal offers breathtaking park and city views any time of year. You can also take a stroll through one of the park's three cemeteries (one English, one Jewish and one French).

U.S. News Insider Tip: There is a free electric shuttle to take you around the garden grounds during the summer months. – Debra Smith

Thanks to 10 large greenhouses – each tailored to a specific theme – this 190-acre botanical garden offers a scenic year-round respite from the metropolis' downtown core and a seasonal home to more than 20,000 species of flora.

Montréal's most prestigious museum has been building its collection of fine arts for more than 150 years. Visitors will find its more than 45,000 paintings, sculptures, graphic artworks, photographs, multimedia installations and decorative art objects divided among six sections and spread across the museum's five pavilions.

In addition to an impressive collection by Canadian and Quebec artists, there are four floors containing works by such renowned artists as Rembrandt, El Greco, Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso. The museum's noteworthy decorative art collection includes pieces from 1400 to 1900, including jewelry, ceramics, glass, and textiles by international artists as well as several pieces of furniture designed by Frank Gehry. The state-of-the-art Cinéma du Musée presents independent and international films with English subtitles, and lectures and performances are presented regularly at Bourgie Hall.

Sitting on the eastern edge of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Mont-Royal is St. Joseph's Oratory, the largest shrine in the world dedicated to St. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father and Canada’s patron saint. It welcomes several million visitors each year. Even if you don't consider yourself religious, past visitors said it's worth adding to your Montréal itinerary for its timeless beauty and the incredible views that can be seen from its perch above the bustling city.

St. Joseph's Oratory was designed in an Italian-Renaissance style with a copper dome rising 318 feet high. There are many areas of the oratory to explore, including a museum of religious art and artifacts. The Crypt Church below the basilica is decorated with intricately-carved murals, and thousands of candles Illuminate the art deco-style Votive Chapel.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Always greet a shopkeeper with a cheery hello or "bonjour" upon entering a shop or store. It’s appreciated and considered good manners. – Debra Smith

In a world dominated by overly refrigerated, fluorescently lit supermarkets, the Jean-Talon Market brings a breath of fresh air to your shopping experience. It’s one of the largest public markets in North America and one of the oldest, (established in 1933) with a flavor all its own.

U.S. News Insider Tip: If you purchased a Montréal Museums Card, you can use it at all five of the Espace pour la vie Montreal locations. – Debra Smith

Not to be confused with the Biosphere on Île Sainte-Hélène, the Biodôme is located in the Olympic District and is part of a complex that includes the insectarium, planetarium, and Montreal Botanical Garden. A favorite for families, the Biodôme features five distinct ecosystems that house plants and animals. With the way each of the ecosystems are set up, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy a more immersive experience with the animals compared to a conventional zoo.

Many say that this museum is the best place to go to begin exploring Montréal. While the modern architecture may not be typical of a history museum, the real reason to come here is to hop in the elevator and head underground. Here, visitors can look through a glass floor that sits on top of the remains of Fort Ville-Marie unearthed during archaeological digs overseen by the museum from 2002 to 2015. 

You can also follow the development of Montréal from its days as a fledgling colony and on up through the present day with a 17-minute multimedia program called "Generations MTL" that’s projected onto the archeological site and narrated by six historical characters.

Two islands in the St. Lawrence River make up Parc Jean-Drapeau, a sports, culture and entertainment mecca for locals and visitors alike. Located just five minutes from downtown Montréal via the Jean-Drapeau metro stop (Yellow line), the former site of Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics now boasts several attractions that are sure to appeal to a variety of different interests.

Culture hounds will appreciate the collection of public art that's sprinkled throughout the park as well as the Biosphère, a museum dedicated to the environment housed in the iconic Buckminster Fuller-designed geodesic dome. There are also miles of hiking trails and the Floralies Gardens for outdoors lovers. Meanwhile, families will be delighted by La Ronde amusement park on Île Sainte-Hélène, the Aquatic Complex – specifically the outdoor pool, which has a cushioned rubber bottom – and Jean-Doré Beach. Though the park's outdoor pursuits are most popular in the summer, it’s a wonderful place to visit in early spring too, when the park’s bistro converts to an urban sugar shack.

Montréal’s largest park, Parc-nature du Cap Saint-Jacques sprawls across more than 800 acres and sits between Lac des Deux Montagnes and Rivière des Prairies on the southwest tip of the island of Montréal. It offers year-round activities, sandy beaches and water views.

In the winter, make use of snowshoe paths, cross-country ski trails and a sliding hill, and in the summer, explore the miles of hiking and biking trails before cooling off at the beaches that line the shores of Lac des Deux Montagnes. There’s also a small organic farm, two welcome centers and free all-terrain wheelchairs and sit-skis that can be reserved in advance.

A Montréal institution for more than 65 years, St.-Viateur Bagel is flourishing under the watchful eye of Joe Morena and his three sons. There are now four bagel cafes under the St.-Viateur banner, but for the original experience you must visit "La Maison du Bagel," or "Home of the Bagel," at 263 Rue Saint Viateur in Mile End.

Follow the delicious aroma of bagels simmered in honey water and baked on a hardwood plank in a wood-burning oven and join the line that forms day or night. Hand-rolled bagels come in classic sesame or poppy seed, all dressed with onion and garlic, or on the sweet side with cinnamon raisin or blueberry. While you’re waiting, check out the photographs of famous customers, from hockey greats to prime ministers, that line the walls.

Enjoy a thrilling view of Old Montréal, the city center and the St. Lawrence River on the highest Ferris wheel in Canada, La Grande Roue de Montréal. Forty-two climate-controlled cabins gently lift riders up nearly 200 feet and go through three revolutions on this 20-minute ride. Choose from cabins that seat up to eight, or splurge on a spacious VIP cabin, which is equipped with a glass floor and Italian leather seating for four riders. The view through the tempered glass windows is perfect for photographs during the day. At night, the wheel lights up as well as the giant cross on the top of Mount Royal and the Jacques Cartier Bridge bringing additional romance to the ride.  

Visitors recommend a ride at sunset and consider it a must-do while in Montréal that’s worth the splurge. They report that wait times are usually short and the ride is long enough to enjoy all the sights.

A watery wonderland in the heart of Montréal, the Lachine Canal National Historic Site runs for nearly 9 miles from the entrance at Lock No. 1 in the Old Port to Lock No. 5 at Lake Saint Louis in Lachine. The canal originally opened in 1824 to provide a source of hydraulic power and contributed to Montréal's industrial and commercial development as a major trade port. Today, it's a popular spot for a stroll and a picnic (stop at the nearby Atwater Market to pick up provisions before your visit to the canal).

From mid-May to mid-October, rentals of all kinds are available, including stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and small electric boats to swan-shaped pedal boats. Fishers can toss a line to catch six different fish species including perch, pike and carp, which cyclists can ride from one end of the well-maintained canal trail to the other in about an hour.