Hey guys!
Last week, I had the pleasure of being invited by Tourisme Montréal to go back to this city I love so much to check out the opening of the Thierry Mugler exhibition at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal.
Even though we went in a tricky time in terms of weather, we could really still see how alive and young Montréal is.
We had an amazing time, and, obviously, I couldn’t help it but write this post for you guys to list all my favorite Instagrammable spots in Montréal that we’ve been to – and talk a little bit about the exhibition, which was the big highlight of the trip.
1 – City Hall or Hôtel de Ville
I know it will sound so simple when you read it first, but the City Hall is such a remarkable building that you’ll definitely want to Instagram it. It’s five stories high (which makes it look extra big on the pictures!), and was constructed in the XIX century. Its architecture really resembles Parisian buildings and even so stands out from the other cute constructions in Old Montréal.
2 – Streets of Old Montréal
I highly recommend walking through St. Paul Street to explore all the corners of the Old Montréal. You’ll find Instagram-worthy spots in every corner. Explore cute cafés, such as Le Dépanneur and Tommy, and definitely check out Notre-Dame and its breath-taking interior.
3 – La Grande Roue
This Ferris wheel is located in the Old Port of Montréal and wasn’t opened to the public until very recently (in 2017). If the heights are not really your thing, you can just enjoy your Instagram moment using it as a backdrop. During the winter, you can also ice skate in that area!
4 – Ssense Flagship Store
Ssense was already one of my favorite online destinations to buy designer items. Following their totally innovative and tech-oriented mindset, they built their first flagship store right in the heart of Old Montréal, creating this insane contrast of historic and modern.
They have a narrow but highly curated product selection in store and work mostly by appointments, meaning you can go online and select up to 50 pieces you want to see IRL or just try on, and then go to the store to see those pieces you picked.
On the 5th floor, they have an amazing and Instagrammable coffee shop that’s so worth going.
5 – Bota Bota Spa
Docked at the Old Port of Montréal, this spa is definitely a must-go, especially if you’re visiting during winter time. The place was constructed in a historical ferry boat and still floats on the Alexandra Basin. They have a wide variety of saunas with different essential oils, and pools and tubs that go all the way from the hottest to the coldest temperatures. So worth it. And, oh, you can see amazing views of the city and of the famous Habitat 67 while you relax in one of the saunas or tubs.
Ok, huge disclaimer here: you actually need to keep your phone and camera inside the lockers when you come into the spa. However, if you’re willing to take ‘mental’ shots (that sounds so cheesy, I know! lol) of the views from this spa, you’ll be just fine.
6 – Place Ville Marie Observatory
If you go to Montréal, you HAVE to see the city from above. And if it’s winter and you don’t really want to go to Mount Royal, this is the best place to get the perfect views. For the complete experience, I 100% recommend having lunch a the restaurant right below it, called Les Enfants Terribles, for some amazing food with even more amazing views.
7 – The Thierry Mugler Exhibition (!!!)
Last but not least is the Thierry Mugler Exhibition at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The setup is just beautiful and I guarantee you’ll see plenty of Instagram-worthy moments throughout. The exhibition is set up in ‘acts’, just like an opera, and you can really experience the drama from the beginning to the very end. Overall, it’s just so amazing to see haute-couture pieces that one can only see in runway shows at couture week from so up close. SO worth checking it out!
What do you think?