A Fun and Romantic Weekend in Montreal
I love Montreal. The hubs and I were desperate for a little weekend away, and it also happened to be Valentines Day weekend, so the timing of this trip couldn’t have been more perfect. The last time we went to Montreal was my birthday the first year we were dating. It was so cold that year we went. Despite the cold, we still had the best time. We have yet one day to get to Montreal when it’s actually nice out! Maybe one day
We also wanted to bring our dog-daughter, Daisy. I love traveling, but traveling without Daisy is like traveling without one of the family. Turns out, with some paperwork and a dog-friendly AirBnB, it wasn’t difficult at all to bring her with us. It was perfect!
Old Montreal
We stayed at an AirBnB in Old Montreal. I definitely recommend staying in Old Montreal – everything is very walk-able and there are little restaurants and cafes everywhere.
Daisy loved our AirBnb! There were plenty or large windows for her to sunbathe
Our first stop was Taverne Gaspar for breakfast. The space was originally a 19th-century warehouse and they preserved much of their old-school furnishings. The atmosphere is really cool and funky. Almost everything was cooked in duck fat, so there were limited vegetarian options for John. I got the Breakfast Poutine, and John got the Berry French Toast.
It was my first time having Poutine…ever! Unpopular opinion: Erm. I didn’t love it. It felt really heavy.
We were super spoiled having this Maison Christian Faure right outside of our AirBnB. Our morning routine became: walk Daisy, stop at patisserie for coffee and croissants, and then enjoy said croissants on our walk.
On our last day in Montreal, we actually sat down and had breakfast at Masion Christian Faure. A tiny, beautiful ballerina sized girl was our server. I asked her how she stayed so thin working there. She said that just smelling the croissants every morning she gained 5 kilos. Their croissants are to die for. I have a “salt tooth” and love a good savory croissant, so I ordered the Ham & Cheese Croissant. The almond croissant was unlike any other almond croissant. Seriously, I think you could order anything and your belly would be very happy.
Bar a Beurre
Bar a Beurre is a whimsical little bakery that is famous for the Butterballs and high tea experience. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to the try the tea. Instead, we ordered a dozen Butterballs. It’s also important to note that they were extremely dog friendly! They invited Daisy inside and gave her a treat while we ordered.
Mile End
Mile End could be compared to a Brooklyn, Oakland, or Somerville. It’s the trendy, hip suburb of the Montreal. You can definitely spend an entire day exploring the neighborhood! We stayed in the Mile End district on our first trip to Montreal and it did not disappoint!
Importantly, it’s home to the illustrious St. Viateur Bagel. How amazing are these bagels? We left Montreal with a spilling bags worth of 2 dozen bagels . We wanted to be able to freeze these bad boys. It’s 11:28pm and just thinking/writing about these bagels makes me want to pop one in the toaster right now. Wait… BRB.
Sucrerie de la Montagne
Sucrerie de la Montagne is an authentic “sugar shack” that’s open year round. Had we known in advance that we could have stayed overnight at the sugar shack, we absolutely would have! Apparently, you stay overnight in a traditional log cabin .
We went to the sugar shack for a lunch feast! We weren’t sure what to expect. First, you’re brought into a big hall with live music and lots of long banquet style tables. They seat you, and they bring out the first course which is homemade bread and pea soup. This is not your mothers pea soup people. Unless your mother is Canadian. It was the most delicious soup I think I’ve ever had. Once you’re done with that, they bring out ALL THE MEAT. And then some souffle. You know, to balance it all out. It was a tall order for me to get through all the meat myself (since John is a vegetarian), so we packed it up for Daisy…and then promptly forgot it upon leaving . I mean, how many of you have done that? The last course was pancakes and sugar pie. I like my pancakes sans maple syrup, to which my husband so lovingly replied: “Did you not put syrup on your pancakes? We’re in f*@%ing Canada. What is wrong with you?!”
City Lights Snowshoeing Adventure at Mount Royal
This was SO much fun! It was a great way to burn off all the croissants Mount Royal offered more than just snowshoeing. They have cross-country ski trials, ice skating, and a nice little lodge with food and hot chocolate. They only run the snowshoeing for a few weeks in the Winter time. Check out Mount Royal’s programming here.
Overall, Montreal did not disappoint the second time around! There’s so much to do in Montreal that it’s impossible to do, see, and eat it all in one visit. I’m also so glad we brought Daisy. It was nice to be away from home but have the pack be all together
Other things we did that aren’t pictured:
Sensory Deprivation Tank at the Spa Ovarium
Shopping in Downtown Montreal in the Golden Square Mile area
I highly recommend a long weekend in Montreal! Whether it’s romantic with your partner or a girls trip, there’s a little something for everyone! I can’t wait to go in the Summertime!
