Montreal is the largest city in Quebec and the second largest city in Canada. A popular travel destination throughout the year, Montreal is bordered by the St. Lawrence River and is named after Mount Royal, the rolling hills in the middle of the city.

CDI College's Montreal campus couldn't be more ideal in its location. Close to Parc Mont-Royal, the downtown shopping district, and the campuses of McGill and Montreal universities, students will be hard-pressed to find a school better suited to their educational and personal needs.

With one foot in Europe and the other firmly planted in North America, Montreal mixes old world architecture and culture with modern fun. This vivacious city is a hub of great food, music, and art, making it a fantastic place to live and study.


Montreal is home to a variety of beautiful parks and gardens which are perfect locations to while away a summer afternoon. Montreal's Parc Maisonneuve is one of the city's largest urban parks at nearly 300 acres and is home to the Montreal Botanical Garden, one of the world's largest and most spectacular botanical gardens. For a sportier day out, check out the Parc Olympique, which was built for the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

Montreal may not be an ocean-side destination, but locals aren't going to let a little thing like that get in the way of a good beach day. Plage Dore is centred around a man-made lake at Ile Notre-Dame. It's the most urban beach in Montreal and is a good place to cool off during the city's hot summers. Over at Cap St. Jacques - about an hour on the Metro from the city - is a far more rural beach, surrounded by woods and farmland.


With its humming nightlife, world-class dining, and cutting-edge art and culture, Montreal has something for everyone. Montreal is home to some of the best night clubs, restaurants, bars, and cafes in North America. No matter the time of day or night, there's always fun to be found in this bustling city. Montreal is also a great place to relax and do some people-watching. One of the best places to do that is the George-Etienne Cartier Monument in Mount Royal Park which hosts tam-tams, a weekly drumming circle/cultural phenomenon, each Sunday between May and September.


There are also plenty of sportier activities to take part in (and help you burn off your breakfast croissant). Cyclists will love Montreal's huge network of bicycle paths and bike lanes, along with the convenience of BIXI bikes, a public bike system that features 5000 bikes distributed throughout the city. In colder months, Montrealers can take to the ice at one of the 150 plus ice skating rinks in the city. There are large outdoor rinks at La Fontaine Park, Maisonneuve Park, and the Quays of the Old Port and Mount Royal Park.

Sports lovers will love Montreal. The city is home to the legendary NHL team, the Montreal Canadiens. Other professional teams in Montreal include the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League and the Montreal Impact of the USSF Division 2 Professional League, which will join the MLS league in 2012. Montreal also hosts the annual Formula One Canadian Grand Prix each year.


Montreal's theatre and music scene is second to none. The city is home to a host of live music venues that feature music from genres as diverse as jazz, punk, classical, and hip-hop. Venues range in size from huge centres like the Bell Amphitheatre and Place des Arts to tiny, little-known jazz bars, and cafes. Theatre-goers have a variety of French and English-language productions to sample.

In the summer time, Montreal is best-loved for its huge number of festivals. From the hilarious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival to the International Jazz Festival and the Montreal Fringe Festival, there are plenty of events (many of which are free) to take part in.

Montreal is also home to dozens of museums and art galleries. The most well-known include Montreal the Museum of Fine Art, Musee d'art contemporain, and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Other notable galleries include the Darling Foundry, Cinematheque quebecoise, and the Canadian Guild of Crafts.
Volunteering is a great way to make new contacts, gain work experience, and create positive change in your community. Here are some Montreal organizations that may need volunteers: