Oh those quaint horse-drawn carriages... And the cobblestone streets that fool you into thinking you might be walking around Paris or Prague... And - hundreds of shorts and sandals-with-socks wearing, loud-mouthed, camera-armed tourists?! That's basically what you'll have to deal with if you hit the Old Port on a Saturday or Sunday from about 10-5. Don't do it. Old Montreal is nice, that's true - but you'll hate your time there when you've got to negotiate throngs of (American) tourists gawking at all the sites.
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At Least Do This: Go on a weekday. On a weekend, go early or late. Dinner is always an option, though it will also be pretty packed around the central streets. Remember that to experience the romanticism that is Old Montreal, a dose of intimacy is essential. So choose wisely.
Strolling along the Old Port is another option for when the Old city is crowded. It generally thins out along the boardwalk going East of the IMAX.
Alternative: Consider hanging out in Chinatown, which is on the way to Old Montreal. It's not huge, but you can have an excellent Chinese food buffet at a number of places, sip some bubble tea, maybe do some shopping. For some reason, I don't mind a crowded Chinatown (seems to fit the image) but I really can't stand a crowded Old Montreal.
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on Feb 19, 2007
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