🇨🇦 On-the-Ground Review: Montreal Sightseeing with a Tour Group

Documenting a wild 3-day tour covering 4 cities in Eastern Canada 🚌💨 ⛪ Notre-Dame Basilica Arrived on the first evening. Located downtown — we only saw the exterior (no art appreciation skills here 😅), but it was grand! There was also a street performer singing in front. 🎤 ⛪ St. Joseph’s Oratory Verdict: Worth it! Donate $6 CAD to enter. One of the largest churches in North America, with the 3rd largest dome in the world. Take the elevator to the top for a panoramic view of Montreal 💫 The interior is beautifully decorated. Built in memory of Brother André. His heart is preserved and displayed in a glass case ❤️🔍 The collection of left-behind crutches is moving — many believers reportedly healed after visiting. 🌿 Biodôme de Montreal + Olympic Tower The Biodôme (built from Olympic venues) features realistic ecosystems: tropical, subtropical, and polar zones. Animals have spacious habitats — some are hard to spot! It actually “rains” in the rainforest section ❄️🌧️ The leaning Olympic Tower is the world’s tallest inclined structure — looks dramatic from the Botanical Garden, but less impressive up close. 🌳 Montreal Botanical Garden Features greenhouses and themed gardens. The Chinese and Japanese gardens are highlights 🇨🇳🎋🇯🇵 The Chinese garden has nice rockeries and ponds, but the “North American Shan Hai Jing” lanterns were… questionable 🫢 The Japanese garden is minimalist and serene. Pro tip: If you’ve been to flower markets in Guangzhou, the greenhouses might not wow you. ⚠️ Heads-up: Downtown Montreal has a lot of bagged garbage piled on streets and a visible homeless population. Stay aware especially after dark. #Canada #Montreal #GroupTravel #NotreDameBasilica #StJosephsOratory #MontrealBiodome #BotanicalGarden #EastCanadaTour 🏙️🍁