Mile End

Montréal's funkiest neighbourhood
Noteworthy for: This tiny district is known as an incubator for Montreal's thriving arts and indie music scene.

Talk of the town: Montréal literary hero Mordecai Richler wrote many of his books about Mile End. A key landmark he detailed, Wilensky's Light Lunch, still exists today.
Mile End was originally a small village located two kilometres from the old city; it grew rapidly after gaining rail access and was officially annexed to Montréal in 1909. One of the first truly multicultural communities in Montréal, Mile End was settled by Jewish, Greek, Italian and Portuguese immigrants. This multiculturalism is evident in its landscape, from the souvlaki restaurants to the lovely Church of St Michael and St Anthony, a Roman Catholic church built in a Byzantine style.

The neighborhood fell into decay in the 1960s, which, as is the custom, attracted bohemian-types in droves. The resulting creative explosion put the spark back in Mile End, which now oozes with vintage stores, independent coffee shops, and a vibrant, eclectic crowd of Montréalers who gather to sip espresso on street-side terraces long into the night. Allow at least a few hours to wander this charming enclave.