If Montréal had a tagline, it could well be "Any excuse for a party." An enormous joie de vivre pervades the way the city presents itself, organizes itself, and goes about its business. The calendar is packed with festivals and events that bring out natives and guests from around the world.
To boot, a billion-dollar building boom has filled most of the vacant downtown lots. Over the past 40 years, and especially in the most recent 15, Montréal has become a modern city in every regard, with skyscrapers in unexpected shapes and bright, noncorporate colors; a beautifully preserved historic district; and a large area of artists' lofts, boutiques, cafes, and miles of restaurants.
American and European travelers will likely find Montréal an urban near-paradise. The subway system, called the Métro, is modern and swift. Streets are safe. Montréal's best restaurants are the equals of their south-of-the-border compatriots in every way.
Québec City, more traditional and more French, is replacing its former conservatism with an ever-expanding aura of sophistication. With its impressive location above the St. Lawrence River and its virtually unblemished Old Town filled with 18th- and 19th-century houses, this city looks like France and is almost impossibly romantic -- it's unlike any other city in North America.
