The currency in Canada is the Canadian Dollar. US dollars are generally accepted everywhere. Check the exchange rate prior to your trip. Some places may charge you an exchange rate of 2-5%.

When the exchange rate is close to par it is best not to convert your cash to Canadian. If you did not bring cash, ATM’s will give you the best exchange rate, airports and exchange kiosks close to the border give the least favorable exchange rates.

US credit cards and ATM cards work almost everywhere. Most will charge you a small “international exchange rate” (check with your bank). It is also best to inform your bank of your travels so they don’t accidentally put a hold on your card.

In regards to tipping, the general rule is to tip around 10% of the bill. For more information about tipping visit: Tipping in Canada.

Montreal experiences four distinct seasons. Snow cover can be expected from early December until late March, though this is changeable year to year. January and February are bitterly cold, with temperatures often hitting -4°F or below. You will need a sturdy pair of boots and thick socks when visiting Montreal in the winter, as well as a warm winter coat and hat, scarf, and gloves.

Spring tends to be short, with a warm May leading into hot, humid summer where you can expect daily temperatures well above 70°F, and sometimes above 85°F. Fall is beautiful with color, with orange and brown leaves covering Mount Royal and the large parks dotted around the island.

Montreal is the second largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris. However, most residents in Montreal are bilingual – especially in downtown. The official language of Montreal is French, but you won’t have many issues if you’re an English speaker. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook or app on your phone and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Montreal has the highest number of restaurants per Capita in Canada and the second in North America after New York. Montreal’s restaurant scene is very cosmopolitan with menus from around the world, with an often added French touch.

Poutine is a must-try food while visiting Montreal. There are three basic ingredients: French fries, cheese curds, and brown, meaty gravy. Like other local delicacies across the world – consider pizza or stew – poutine was established by using a mixture of seemingly unappetizing leftover foods and throwing them together, with surprisingly delicious consequences.

The sizable Jewish community has left its mark on local cuisines, with smoked meat (viande fumée) a particular favorite. Schwartz’s on St-Laurent is the center of the smoked meat world, or so it would appear from the seemingly permanent line of people around the block waiting to get in.

Montreal is world famous for its nightlife. Whatever your budget or music taste, Montreal provides a seemingly endless range of options, from small bars to upscale nightclubs. It is truly the entertainment capital of Canada. Bars are allowed to serve alcohol until 3 am. The legal drinking age in Quebec is 18, a year earlier than most of Canada.

There are three main strips for bar-hopping:

Crescent Street on the western side of downtown caters mostly to anglophone (English-speaking) and tourists, though the adjacent Bishop St has more of a local clientele.

Boulevard St-Laurent on the edge of the Plateau – particularly the stretch from Sherbrooke Street to Avenue des Pins, where you’ll find stylish bars and clubs with a more French-speaking clientele. This area gets extremely busy when the University students are back in session.

The Latin Quarter on St-Denis comes into its own during the summer, when large outdoor patios line the stretch between de Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke.

More local scenes can be found in the Village, Mont-Royal Avenue in the Plateau, Monkland Avenue in NDG, and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

There are events and festivals that take place in Montreal every month of the year. In the summer months, there is so much happening around the area of Place des Arts where you’ll find free shows all afternoon and evening.

The largest jazz festival in the world occurs from late June into July, with some of the most renowned acts on the planet entertaining locals and tourists. Montreal is also home to the world’s largest comedy festival, Just for Laughs (Juste pour rire), which occurs just after the jazz festival. The Osheaga music festival is a weekend-long summer jamboree on Île Sainte-Hélène, with multiple stages hosting some of the most recognizable artists in the world.

Emergency dial 911

Most major tourist hotels have in-house doctors who can provide medical care. Hotels can also arrange appointments with local physicians.

If you have travel insurance, contact the local number you may have been given or the assistance center in Canada to ask for a referral.

If you need urgent care, the best option is often the nearest hospital.