By Julie Sullivan
Planning on hitting up Montreal during fall reading week? Lucky for you (and your wallet), you can do it on a budget and still have money left over for a weeks worth of grande pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. Here are some fantastic money saving tips and recommendations for your trip:
Transportation: The cheapest way to get to Montreal is by Megabus. The longer you book in advance, the cheaper your seats will be – if you book far enough in advance, you can even snag tickets for as low as a dollar. Having some flexibility with your dates will help you find the lowest fare, but on average, bus tickets run from $12 to $40.
Places to Stay: A hostel is your cheapest option (unless you have friends that live in Montreal and will let you sleep on their couch). La Maison du Patriote, located in the heart of old Montreal at 169 Rue Saint Paul E., is a great money saving option. For just $20 per person per night, guests can stay in a clean, dorm style room and have access to free long distance calling to anyone in North America and computers. La Maison du Patriote was awarded second place in the best small hostel in North America category by Hostelworld.
If hostels aren’t your thing, try booking a discount room on Wag Jag, Deal Find or Team Buy. If you book through these sites, you’ll be able to get something a bit more private and potentially even cheaper (depending on the size of your group).
Shopping: For those on a student budget, there’s a cluster of about 10 thrift stores East of Rue St. Urbain until Rue St. Denis , South of Rue St. Catherine, and North of Boulevard Rene-Levesque E. Happy Hunting!
Art: For the art enthusiast, the options are endless. The Museum of Contemporary Art, conveniently located in Centre Ville downtown, has free admission Wed. nights from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Old Montreal is another ideal spot. There are over 30 galleries – all free of admission – housing a variety of local Canadian artists, as well as European artists.
If you’re up for an adventure, there are a ton of murals and graffiti paintings throughout every corner of the city. Go for a stroll and you’re bound to stumble upon something cool.
Fresh Cuisine: Check out the fresh markets located throughout old Montreal and order what the city is famous for – smoked meat. In terms of specific restaurants, Le Marché de la Villette (324 Rue Saint Paul Ouest) is a great option – it has fresh food, amazing house red wine, and good service.
For the coffee lover, check out Le petit café, located at 168 Rue St-Paul Ouest in Old Montreal.
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