From there, you have plenty of things to choose from. The streets are loaded with small cafés and restaurants, little shops, etc. This is more of a spot to go for dessert though. Things are fairly expensive and dinner can easily run you upwards of C$100 for two people, long before you even look at the wine list.

The oldest area of Montreal is located just between the downtown business district and the waterfront. It’s easily accessible by Metro and not a long walk if you are staying at a downtown hotel. On Easter Sunday it seemed that the entire city had thronged to the area to stroll, look in the shops, enjoy a coffee or drink at a sidewalk café, or have Easter dinner in one of the area’s many restaurants.

If the Basilica represents the soul of Old Montreal, then certainly its heart must be the Place Jacques Cartier. This open cobblestone plaza is closed to vehicular traffic. In addition to the throngs of visitors—residents and tourists—you’re likely to find artists and artisans with their work on display, musicians, photographers, magicians, acrobats, and mimes. There’s something new to experience everywhere you look.

The plaza is dominated at its upper end by City Hall. Although it was built in 1872, it is one of the most modern structures in the area. Both sides are lined with restaurants and sidewalk cafes, perfect spots to stop for a while and enjoy the passing scene. You can also enjoy a ride in one of the many horse-drawn carriages that seem to inhabit the area.

Just two blocks down the hill from the Place Jacques Cartier is Montreal’s Old Port. Here you’ll find the city’s science center I-Sci which boasts exhibits for all age groups, a kid-magnet of a shop, and a simple cafeteria if your young folks begin to starve. The IMAX theater offers films in both French and English at different times of the day. You’ll want to check its schedule first and time your visit according to your preferred showing.

Stroll down the broad sidewalk behind the science center and you’ll arrive at last at the waterfront. Many of its attractions were closed during our early-spring visit. But the view of the St. Lawrence River is delightful and includes the fascinating Habitat—an avant-garde housing complex built for the 1967 World’s Fair. The Clock Tower, an unmistakable landmark, is the location for catching one of the many tour boats during the warmer months of the year.

We were reluctant to end our Sunday afternoon in Old Montreal, so we wandered a few blocks through the narrow streets to revisit Bonsecours.

The area is reminiscent of Europe, with its cobblestone streets and historic architecture. Saint-Paul Street is the oldest street in Montreal, and it has many small art galleries, and shops of every size and sort. Where St. Paul crosses Jacques-Cartier Place, there is an open plaza that was a market, but now is lined with street performers (musicians and magicians when we were there), and small cafes and restaurants. Bonsecours Market is also on St Paul Street. It is now an indoor mall of gift shops, but was the City Hall until the 1870's. It is a beautiful building and definitely looks more like city hall than shopping.

There are many other historic buildings that we admired, but will have to learn more about on my next visit.