Montreal: Mount Royal Park & Saint Joseph’s Oratory

We decided to make the most of our first day in Montreal. After making our way from the airport on the convenient STM 747 bus and Metro, we checked into the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Centre-Ville on Rue Sherbrooke.
From the hotel it was a few blocks walk down Rue Sherbrooke and through the campus of McGill University to one of the entrances for Mount Royal Park – the namesake of Montreal and one of its largest urban parks. It was designed by the same architect of New York’s Central Park.
The highlight of the park is the chalet with its sweeping views of Montreal.

Montreal skyline from Mount Royal Park
We walked through the park and then made our way over to Saint Joseph’s Oratory. This large basilica features the third largest church dome in the world. The steps leading up are occasionally filled with pilgrims walking on their knees to the top.

Saint Joseph’s Oratory
After touring the basilica, it was time to eat. Nearby, in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, we had a delicious dinner and dessert at Duc de Lorraine.

Duc de Lorraine restaurant
Here are some pics from Mount Royal Park, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, and the nearby area:
For more photos, check out my Montreal Flickr album.