Ste-Catherine Street (Rue Ste-Catherine), Montreal (must see)

Rue Sainte-Catherine represents the main busy-bee area for shopping, commerce, pedestrian sights, sounds and smells of downtown Montréal. A kind of kaleidoscope for your sensory perception – visual, auditory, and olfactory, it's a wonderful place for a social anthropologist or the everyday citizen-visitor to come experience the vibe of the city in centre-ville.

This street runs a long way (15 kilometers/9 miles) from east to west across the city. You can explore the west end where a plethora of fashion boutiques and restaurants/cafes can be found, or check out the pink balls (put up in summer of 2016) over in the east-end Gay Village. Retailers on the west end are a mix of chains and independents – but, really, more of the former.

The vibe is completely different in summertime, when Montréal comes most alive and part of Sainte-Catherine becomes a wide pedestrian walkway. Starting around the 1st weekend of June, people can be found at all hours of the day soaking in the sun, enjoying street festivals and the fleeting warm weather. Winters can be harsh, as wind can whip through the street like a wind tunnel. Whenever you decide to visit, be courteous and explore the possibilities for dining and entertainment.