Montreal's Underground City and Toronto's PATH – Must-Sees for Tourists

For many foreign tourists in Canada, the Underground City in Montreal and PATH in Toronto are two of the places that are at the top of the list of must-see destinations. If you look at the pictures and read the blogs of other tourists who have already visited these sites, you will want to see them for yourself. This will help to give you the motivation to go through visa application process, which does take some effort and expense and may involve saving up for requirements such as Super Visa Insurance. The Underground City The Underground City is also known as the RÉSO or La Ville Souterraine. It is the largest known underground city-complex in the world with 20 miles of tunnels covering an area of 4.6 square miles. It is because of this that Montreal has been described as "two cities in one." The underground is actually a series of interconnected tunnels that in many instances mirror their above-ground routes. Office buildings, hotels, shopping malls, universities, museums, banks, condos, and the like normally have underground floors that are accessible through the corridors and hallways of the Underground City. People can actually just enter any major establishment within the area and go to the basement level in order to access the tunnels. There are some areas that are packed with business establishments and food stalls, while other areas consist of long, empty corridors where the only attractions are the occasional skylights and sponsored wall artworks. This is why if you look at the pictures taken from the Underground City, some areas resemble five-story shopping malls while others look like subway stations. There are also some open-air squares and sitting areas. The architectural is really quite clever because these open-air spots are easily accessible from the underground tunnels. The entire underground is brightly lit and well ventilated. It is not just meant for tourism or commerce. In winter when the snow is heavy and the temperature drops below zero, commuting becomes a burden, so the Underground City allows local residents to go about their daily activities without venturing out into the cold. The Underground City also has direct access to Montreal's metro and train stations and bus terminals. PATH At 17 miles, PATH has been recognized by the Guinness World Book of Records as the world’s largest underground shopping complex. It links various office towers in downtown Toronto, as well as subway stations, the railway terminal, major shopping centers and department stores, hotels, banks, Ryerson University, and the City Hall. Like the Underground City, PATH is extremely convenient for the public during winter. Besides several marked entrances, people can also enter the underground complex via major commercial establishments that open to PATH at the basement level. PATH is probably the most convenient place for local residents to do their shopping as well. The corridors are lined with various commercial establishments. The First Canadian Place section alone has more than 120 shops and restaurants to explore. Without a doubt, PATH is one of the main social and commercial hubs of Toronto.