1. Montréal was originally called Ville-Marie or "City of Mary". It got its present name from Mount Royal, the three-peaked hill in the heart of the city.
2. Mount Royal Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same person who designed Central Park in New York.
3. Montréal has extreme temperatures. Temperatures of over 30°C (86°F) in summer and -20°C (-4°F) in winter are not uncommon in Montréal.
4. The city has an extensive underground city. The metro network extends for 32 km (20 miles). It has tunnels connecting shopping centers, museums, universities, hotels, banks, offices and seven subway stations. Perfect for those long and cold winters!
5. Montréal hosts numerous festivals each year and has also hosted numerous international conferences and events, including the 1967 World's Fair and the 1976 Summer Olympics.
6. Canada's second largest amusement park - La Ronde - is also located here. It was opened in April 1967 as part of the World Expo 67 and is located on Île Sainte-Hélène.
7. Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montréal is also the largest church in Canada.
8. But no building in Montreal can be taller than the Mount Royal Cross.
9. Montreal is the fourth largest French-speaking city (after Kinshasa, Paris and Abidjan).
10. The song "Give Peace a Chance" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono was recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montréal in 1969.
Bonus fact: Poutine is a famous Canadian dish that originated in Quebec. There are many delicious poutines to try in Montréal. My favorite was La Banquise, which is not an insider's tip. But it has well deserved its fame.