Arts and Entertainment

Quebec's answer to Much Music and MTV, this huge facility broadcasts Quebecois and North American popular culture to thousands of fans throughout the province and the world. Walking past the open windows, one can often see famous actors, singers and songwriters strolling around with water bottles, being interviewed or putting on a show for viewers. What makes it such a popular place for interviews? Gwen Stefani maintains it's because up here you can cuss on TV!

Attempting to imitate the style of a bustling marketplace, the Faubourg holds a cornucopia of restaurants, butchers, novelty stores and multi-cultural flavors. Constructed in 1986 as a 175,000 square-foot shopping complex, it has since housed a movie theatre, a sprawling grocery store and Concordia classrooms. Tourists passing through the market should not miss the opportunity to grab a famous Montreal bagel at Bagel du Faubourg, or some inexpensive sushi at Hot + Spicy.

This popular music venue started out as an ice skating rink in 1884. Since then, it has been burned down twice, changed its style seven times (including being at a porn theatre in the 60s), until its final renovation as a live theatre. These days, the stage is regularly used for the site of the popular TV show La fureur, and housed legendary stars the likes of David Bowie, The White Stripes, and Coldplay. Popular Quebecois artist Jean Leloup holds the record for the most performances.

This huge structure houses most of Montreal's festivals as well as its major cultural events. The sprawling white steps, surrounded by fountains and beautiful contemporary architecture, make it a typical stop for those looking to sit on the steps and people watch. It is comprised of three major structures. The first is the Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal (Montreal's contemporary art museum), which houses a huge private collection of over 7000 important art pieces. The second is the Salle Wilfred-Pelletier, which stages many of Montreal's more refined artists, including the major shows of Montreal's International Jazz Festival such as legendary hip-hop act The Roots. The third is the Theatre Maisonneuve, which is often billed with opera companies and orchestras from all over the world. Attached to the metro as well as the beginning of Ste-Catherine's descent into the city core, it is one of the cities most crucial landmarks.

The Spectrum has been built up over the years to become one of the biggest concert halls in Montreal. Running shows that range all the way from Céline Dion to the Smashing Pumpkins, it is allegedly the preferred concert hall for fashionable Quebec artists. The huge stage, along with hundreds of wall-mounted lights, make it a perfect place to rock down the house, or appreciate the smooth sounds of your favorite artist. Because of its table service and lounges, it is also known for housing huge circuit parties and large-scale corporate events.