Montreal Olympic Stadium, Educational Attractions & Architecture

The city of Montreal is so full of things to do that even seasoned visitors have a hard time deciding where to start! Some of the best and most popular things to do include a visit to the Olympic Stadium, experiencing the city's educational attractions and going on an architectural tour of Montreal.

Montreal Stade Olympique:

Stade Olympique, or Olympic Stadium, is a huge complex that was first built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games. As a visitor to this park, you will be able to imagine what the atmosphere must have been like when athletes from all over the world converged on Montreal in order to participate in the Summer Games, under the ideals of fair play and good sportsmanship. Taking the cable car to the top of the 626-foot inclined tower gives a full view of the 80,000-seat stadium, as well as a 35-mile view of Montreal and the neighboring Laurentides. The complex also has a natatorium with 6 pools, and today is the home of the Montreal Expos Baseball team. The stadium hosts many events such as monster truck shows and Supercross events, concerts and trade shows.

Montreal Educational Attractions:
After you've explored the Olympic Stadium, hop on the free shuttle that takes visitors to the Biodome de Montreal. Originally the Olympic Velodrome facility, this remnant of the '76 Games now holds four different ecosystems, each existing as a separate and distinct microcosm, complete with flora, fauna and changing seasons. In just a few hours' time, visitors have the opportunity to visit two habitats of the St. Lawrence River (marine and forest) as well as a tropical rain forest and a polar environment. There are 6,000 living creatures and 4,000 trees and plants. Visitors see macaws, marmots, tamarins, puffins and penguins. Kids love the Naturalia game room, and there is also a shop, restaurant and caf' on-site. A second equally educational site in Montreal is the Jardin Botanique, or Botanical Garden. This 180-acre space dedicated to plants has 31 specific segments with 21,000 plant varieties, and has plenty of indoor and outdoor exhibits, making it a worthwhile destination during any part of the year.

Montreal Architecture:
One great place to see some rich architecture, both inside and outside, is the Basilique Notre-Dame. This church is capable of holding 4,000 people, and features the most stunning and detailed interior of any of Montreal's 470 churches. There is a bronze-cast altar in the chapel with 32 panels, a 10-bell carillon in the east tower, and a 12-ton special-occasion-only bell in the west tower. There are guided tours, self-guided tours, and sound and light shows nightly Tuesday through Saturday. Other places to see great architecture include Christ Church Cathedral, Centre Canadien d'Architecture and the Marche Bonsecours.

The glory of the past Olympic Games, lots of educational sites, and plenty of beautiful architecture combine in Montreal to offer a long list of things to do. So put on your tour shoes, and bring your cameras' It's time to make some vacation memories!