The happy places of Montreal (Mount Royal + The Gay Village)

The last days I spend in a place are usually bittersweet.

I'm the kind of person who leaves a travel destination swearing that I will go back soon while ridiculously trying to remember every little detail about the place. This time around though, my last days in Montreal where actually pretty sweet. 

After my classes ended, I had about a week to just roam around all day. No itineraries, no schedules, no maps...just anywhere I felt like going. Most of that time was spent going back and forth between Chinatown and the rest of the city because let's face it: the food in that place is amazing. However, in celebration of Mexico's legalization of same-sex marriage, I found myself in the middle of Montreal's happiest place: The Gay Village.

If you follow me on Instagram (or if we're friends on Facebook) then you have probably already seen this picture doing the rounds. So let me explain to you: The Gay Village in Montreal runs for about two kilometers and is entirely covered in those little pink balls you can see in the picture. The Beaudry Metro Station, which is closest to the neighborhood, has rainbow-colored pillars and both the streets and the station which make up Le Village have become a celebrated tourist attraction. 

The area was  a working-class neighborhood until the late 1980's, when it became a gathering point for the LGBTQ community after their businesses on the St. Laurent Boulevard area where closed. The Village is now a beautiful place full of businesses, cafés and terraces, popular among tourists & locals alike, and host of some major events like the Fierté Montréal Pride, among others. In my opinion, it is totally hip & a great place for a stroll. 

Apart from visiting the Village, that day I climbed up the famous Mount Royal. 

I had been there a few times before, mainly to witness the Tam-Tams on Sunday afternoons, but this was my first time hiking up to the Belvedere and it was freaking hard. I didn't make it to the very top (in my defense, I had a lot of packing to do that afternoon and I was already late) but the view was nevertheless remarkable. 

Off in the distance: The Olympic Tower, where I was standing just a few days before I visited Mont Royal and of which I talked about here. 

During summer, Mount Royal hosts the Tam-Tams, where literally everyone hangs around the mountain to play hand drums, eat lunch, smoke weed, dance and play. During winter, it hosts snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails as well as a tobogganing run, which I can't wait to try when I go back real soon. Right?