Welcome to Little Italy and appropriately so! Italian Canadians, the largest ethnic group in the Montreal area can generally trace their roots to Little Italy, where many families settled at the end of the 19th century and after World War II.
Little Italy is just North East of the city, a 5 minute drive from downtown and well worth the trip. Today the neighborhood is vibrant and contains more than a few cultural treasures like La Difesa church, opened in 1919 and named after a miracle, which happened in Casacalenda (Campobasso) Italy, in a place called “La Difesa”.
You will be awestruck at the beautiful fresco decorations by painter Guido Nincheri (1885-1973). Visit Dante Park, named after the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, the father of the Italian language, or maybe La Maison d’Italie built in 1936 by architect Patsy Colangelo and is still the heart of many socio-cultural events.
Shopping is a must when in Little Italy, Jean Talon Market really sets the stage, fresh produce stands line walkways with everything from Italian parsley to Calamari (that's squid). A walk up St. Laurent Blvd. opens up the world of fabulous Italian clothes and shoes. However what is the most important part of visiting Little Italy? You guessed it, the food. What a great selection of restaurants, enjoy everything from a traditional Italian trattorias and cafes to exceptional and elegant Italian dining.
Don't be surprised if you hear a lot of Italian spoken here!
Ciao. |
