What the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, and the Empire State Building is to NYC, Mount Royal is to Montreal - a distinguished landmark and a matter of pride. Whether you are looking for a breath of air, or you wish to jog; whether you want to look out over the whole city or you wish to ice skate, Mont Royal is the place that all Montrealers will gravitate to. So do the tourists.

1860s saw mass cutting of trees on the mountain for the purpose of firewood. This enraged the entire populace so much that they came out in protests and demonstrations. Moved by this mass appeal, the area was designated as a protected park in 1876. The original landscape was done by Frederick Law Olmsted, who’d risen to popularity with his landscaping for the New York City’s Central Park. In 2003, Quebec and Montreal government took the joint decision of making Mount Royal a permanently protected site.

To get to Mont Royal, all you have to do is head up any hill. You are eventually going to come up to Mont Royal. It’s as simple as that. Once you are up here, there are a number of things you can do. The Smith House is worth a visit here. This heritage building welcomes its visitors and offers reception and education services. You can take a break here and lounge at the Café Smith restaurant-terrace which tempts you with a number of delicacies.

If you are here on a Sunday morning, don’t miss the tam-tam gatherings, a favorite among Montrealers. Tam-Tams are the drum jams that are held outdoors from May – October. They are held around Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument, which was inaugurated in 1919. These tam-tam events are a whole lot of fun and attract a diverse bunch of people, especially hippies. There is no way you are going to be able to stop yourself from grooving to the music.

At the top of the mountain in Mount Royal there are some beautiful cemeteries. Even though one doesn’t think of cemeteries as tourist attractions, the Mont Royal Cemetery and the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery make for very pleasant places to stroll in, especially in the spring and fall season. The Jewish cemetery discourages any casual strolling, which is evident by the sign that has been put up at the gate. The University of Montreal is located on yet another peak in Mont Royal and, on the far side of the cemeteries is the St. Joseph’s Oratory.

Mont Royal is definitely the jewel among all parks and attractions in Montreal. Its beauty lies in the tranquility it has to offer. People are sure to find something here that will appeal to them. On an average day, you will spot some people basking in the sun, others cycling up the hill, and yet others hiking through the woods. Do what you want or do nothing at all. Either way, it makes for an amazing treat to be up on Mont Royal.