Blessed by its location on an island at the junction of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, Montréal has served for more than three centuries as a gigantic trading post; its harbor can accommodate more than 100 oceangoing vessels. While it is a commercial, financial, and industrial center, Montréal is also an internationally recognized patron of the fine arts, hosting several acclaimed festivals attended by international enthusiasts.

A stockaded, indigenous settlement called Hochelaga when it was discovered in 1535 by Jacques Cartier, the area contained a trading post by the early 1600s; but it was not settled as a missionary outpost until 1642 when the Frenchman Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, and a group of settlers, priests, and nuns founded Ville-Morie. This later grew as an important fur trading center, and from here men such as Jolliet, Marquette, Duluth, and Father Hennepin set out on their western expeditions. Montréal remained under French rule until 1763 when Canada was surrendered as a possession to the British under the Treaty of Paris. For seven months during the American Revolution, Montréal was occupied by Americans, but it was later regained by the British.

Today, Montréal is an elegantly sophisticated city. Two-thirds of its people are French-speaking, and its French population is the largest outside of Europe. The city is also extremely international, with more than 80 ethnic groups represented in the metropolitan region. The largest of these include Italian, Jewish, Muslim, Greek, and Chinese. City neighborhoods, attractions, and markets reflect this diversity.

Montréal is made up of two parts: the Old City, in the same area as the original Ville-Morie, which is a maze of narrow streets, restored buildings, and old houses, best seen on foot; and the modern Montréal, with its many skyscrapers, museums, theaters, restaurants, and glittering nightlife. Sainte-Catherine Street’s boutiques and department stores are a shopper’s paradise, while Crescent Street’s café-terrasses encourage people-watching while sipping coffee in the sunshine.

When there is inclement weather, head for Montréal’s underground city, an impressive pedestrian network more than 19 miles (30 kilometers) long, providing access to hundreds of shops and restaurants, several area attractions, and businesses. The underground also provides access to one of the most unique subway systems in the world. Each station has been decorated by a different architect in a different style, and visitors have called it "the largest underground art gallery in the world." Mont-Royal rises from the center of the island-city to a height of 764 feet (233 meters), affording a panoramic view. Calèches (horse-drawn carriages) provide tourists with a charming means of viewing the city and are, with the exception of bicycles, the only vehicles permitted in some areas of Mount Royal Park. Adjacent to the park is the Westmount area, a section of meandering roads and charming older homes of the early 1900s with delightful English-style gardens.

In 1967, Montréal hosted Expo '67, celebrating Canada's centennial. The summer Olympic games were held here in 1976.