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| - Location: I guess I'll state the obvious just in case... it's in the old port. Start walking down University or St. Urbain and just on keep going until you reach Notre-Dame or St. Paul. The closest subways are Champ-de-Mars and Square Victoria, both on the orange line. If you get the bright idea of driving, you're going to spend most of your day trying to find a parking spot. If you're lucky enough to find one, you will then have to remember to feed the meter OR pay ridiculous prices for day parking in a lot. Personally, I refuse to park my car in those lots - they're tiny and your car is sandwiched in, making it easy to scratch or dent.
The place: Yes, it's touristy as some reviewers have stated. But what big city doesn't have touristy areas? You can't sh*t on Old Montreal for being touristy when it's such a beautiful part of town and offers so much history. The architecture and lovely cobblestone streets alone make it worth a visit. If you want to avoid tourist traps like restaurants and souvenir shops, then just don't go into those places. No? Anyway, I personally love to go into the old town to shoot pics or people watch. It's got a very European feel to it and like I said, the architecture is fantastic. If you're a first-time visitor to Montreal, you SHOULD add this to your list of places to visit, even if it's only for an hour to do a quick walk-through. Unlike what one of the reviewers said, there ARE local shops and restaurants - you just need to do your research and find them. That said, as with any touristy area, you will find many over-priced restaurants and stores - some may be worth visiting while most won't.
What to know:
If you're staying in the downtown core, it's very easy to walk down into the port. Depending on where you're staying, it might take between 20-30 minutes. For example, if you start walking from the McGill campus, you'll be there in 20 minutes. No need for a car or transit!
In the summer, the place is overrun with tourists so bring your patience!
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