To shake with the multitudes, visit Metropolis, which has Canada's largest dance floor (capacity 2300). Housed in a former Art Deco cinema, this place features live bands and DJs, bars spread over three floors and dazzling sound and light shows. There's no set schedule, so check the listings for what's on. The box office is at 1413 rue St-Dominique.

If you're sleepless in Montreal, greet the dawn at this ex-movie theatre turned mega-club in the Quartier Latin. It's been hyped for its outta-this-world sound system and three floors of different sounds.

Over the past two decades Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) has pushed back the boundaries of traditional circus with its astounding acts of dexterity and ethereal costumes. Started by an accordion player and his buddies, this one-time troupe of stiltwalkers has grown into an international phenomenon that thrills millions of spectators the world over.

Terminally grumpy staff make no effort to hide that cranking out your soda and Wilensky's special is the most disagreeable task they've had all day. Rickety stools line the counter and 1930s photographs adorn the walls. This place was immortalized in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz but is equally famous for its cheap sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs.

You'll be elbowing your way past Armani-clad executives, dishevelled artists and maple syrup-toting tourists in order to get a table at this popular bistro. Once settled, however, dishes range from artfully presented salads to the fantastic duck risotto with mushrooms. It's a good idea to reserve ahead during the lunch rush.

No other place has generated so much excitement on the Montréal dining scene as Toqué!. Chef Normand Laprise gets rave reviews for his superfresh, innovative menus based on blending local produce into eclectic dishes. Even his desserts excite, created around fresh fruit with surprises like basil accents.

Montréalers are proud of their 'mountain,' Mount Royal Park, the work of New York Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted. It's a sprawling, leafy playground that's perfect for cycling, jogging, horseback riding, picnicking and, in winter, cross-country skiing and tobogganing.

In fine weather, enjoy panoramic views from the Kondiaronk lookout near Chalet du Mont Royal, a grand old white villa that hosts big-band concerts in summer; or from the Observatoire de l'Est, a favourite rendezvous spot for lovebirds. It takes about 30 minutes to walk between the two. En route you'll spot the landmark 40m-high Cross of Montréal, which is illuminated at night. It's there to commemorate city founder Maisonneuve who single-handedly carried a wooden cross up the mountain in 1643 to give thanks to God for sparing his fledgling village from flooding.

The world's third-largest botanical garden contains some 22,000 different species of plants in greenhouses and gardens - one of which is a Japanese garden with the biggest grouping of bonsai outside Asia. Aside from the general beauty, the Insectarium is perhaps the best feature, home to a vast number of creepy-crawly, bitey-stingy beasts.

The city's main history museum deals mostly with eastern Canada's early European settlement from 1700 onward. One room in the modest-size museum exhibits the history of Quebec's indigenous people, and is one of the best of its kind in the province; another displays highlights of the museum's collection, including Canadian costumes and folk art.

A beloved Montreal landmark, the Cathedral of Mary Queen of the World was completed in 1894 as a symbol of Catholic power in the heart of Protestant Montreal. Modelled after St Peter's Basilica in Rome, it exudes the same quiet majesty as the original despite being built on only one quarter of the area.

A row of copper-clad saints presides over the entrance, while inside all eyes are drawn to the lavish altar canopy, a replica of Bernini's famous 'Baldacchino' in St Peter's. The most impressive chapel is the second one on the left, which is an extravaganza in marble and mosaic containing the tombs of the diocese's bishops.

This small museum puts a human spin on city history in an engaging multimedia exhibit. You can listen to the tales of real people while sitting in a period kitchen or travel back in time while watching archival footage from the 1940s or '60s. For sweeping views, head to the rooftop.