Montreal is both a gorgeous and yet sophisticated city which is set on the St. Lawrence River in the Quebec Province of Canda. If you're not a big fan of cold climates, I recommend you go there before October as it can get quite cold. In the summer, it never gets much higher than 85F.  It really is right next door to the US, considering it's only about a four hour drive from upstate New York. About eight hours from Philadelphia.

Each of Montreal's building is unique and has some kind of a  history you might want to look into. You can get on of the Montreal cheap hotels in old Montreal and enjoy some of the most quality walking. Some great Montreal landmarks not to miss are McGill University (victorian architecture), Canadien Centre for Architecture, Musee D'Art Contemporaire and the Basilique Notre Dame (gothic revival architecture). I really can't even beging to do this building any justice in words. You really just need to go and see it and and experience it for yourself. Please believe me, this building is soul changing and truly awe inspiring.

The ideal way for you to discover Montreal is to just walk it as much as you can. About everything you can want is centrally situated. The Banks, the money exchange centers, all the different kinds of stores and shops, casual cafes and nice restaurants are all there for your enjoyment. If night life is your thing, then you will find a wide array of nightclubs, venues and various entertainment to amuse you. 

French and English are the primary languages and I would say are spoken about equally there. Visitors who don't speak a word of French will still get along just fine. The Natives are always more than happy to help travelers. There is a huge difference between Montreal and some of the big cities in the States; the Montreal people are in no hurry and conduct their day to day business in quite a relaxed state.

This can be a sometimes a perplexing characteristic for some travelers to get used to (particurly those from the north east!) but I personally found it to be quite a pleasant surprise. You can always stay and chat at that intimate sweet cafe you discovered; the owners won't mind at the least bit.

Montreal has got to be the safest city I have ever been to and probably the cleanest as well. Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C are all fantastic big cities with much to offer, but Montreal gives one the feel of Europe without having to cross the Atlantic to get there!