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Montana

Montana is a state in the northwestern United States, in the Rocky Mountains region. Known as Big Sky Country, Montana is a state of contrasts, from the eastern plains to the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the West. Helena is the state capital of Montana, Billings is the largest city, and Missoula is the second largest city.

Regions
Montana is generally divided into two main regions: Eastern Montana and Western Montana. The Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains separates the smaller western portion from the larger eastern portion. Western Montana is characterized by higher rainfall in some areas, and terrain dominated by mountains, making for picturesque scenery such as that found in Glacier National Park. Eastern Montana is flatter, with isolated "island ranges" of lower mountains intermixed with prairie and a more arid climate, balanced by the presence of several significant rivers including the Missouri River and the Yellowstone River. Some areas feature erosion-built features such as buttes and badlands.

The Montana board of tourism splits the state into 6 regions:

Cities

 * — the state capital.
 * — on the plains within sight of the mountains, most populated city in Montana.
 * — gateway to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — former mining town, once the largest city between Chicago and Seattle, famous for the Berkley Pit, the largest Superfund site in the nation.
 * — the Electric City.
 * — railroad town, home to many interesting historical sites including the Wahkpa Chu'gn buffalo jump, the H.Earl Clack Museum, Ft. Assiniboine, Havre Beneath the Streets, and the nearby Bear Paw Battlefield.
 * — gateway to Glacier National Park.
 * — the original gateway to Yellowstone National Park. It is home to three interesting local museums and is still the Northern gateway to Yellowstone.
 * — Montana's second largest city, home to the University of Montana.

Other destinations

 * Large Rock where Captain Clark of Lewis and Clark signed his name (as the Expedition had split to cover more ground).
 * . Custer's Last Stand battlefield and Reenactment location
 * - Between May 1804 and September 1806, 32 men, one woman, and a baby traveled from the plains of the Midwest to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. They called themselves the Corps of Discovery.
 * is a national monument protecting the Missouri Breaks of central Montana, United States, and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Called "The Breaks" by locals, it is a series of badland areas characterized by rock outcroppings, steep bluffs and grassy plains along the Missouri River.
 * — Majority located within Wyoming, however three entrances to the park are located in Montana.
 * — The Park County seat; at the turnoff to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — The original and only all year entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — Near the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — Near the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — West entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — Near the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 * — West entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Understand
Montana is the 4th largest state by land mass in the United States at 145,552 square miles, however the state ranks 44th in population with just under a million residents, most of whom are clustered around cities and towns. The state features wide open spaces, lonesome highways and dramatic scenery, both to the east and west of the continental divide.

Residents of Montana often classify themselves as either easterners or westerners, depending upon their geographic home. The west is often considered more picturesque, but is also more populated and heavily touristed. The eastern half of the state is more sparsely populated, with low lying plains, bluffs and cliffs. Attitude-wise, the west is generally considered more liberal, while the east, with its large ranching and agricultural operations, is considered more conservative.

The state economy is primarily based on agriculture, ranching, logging and mining as well as tourism.

Montana observes all the federal holidays, and adds Election Day (always on a Tuesday, from November 2nd to 8th). However, there may not be an election in an odd-numbered year, and local and preliminary ("primary") elections throughout the year are not holidays.

Tourist information

 * Visit Montana website

Get in
Most visitors to Montana will drive; however, the state is easily accessible by air. Some major points of entry are Billings, Missoula , Helena , Great Falls , Bozeman and Kalispell.

A pretty popular and creative way is Amtrak's legendary Empire Builder. The train has 12 stops in Montana (from east to west: Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, Havre, Shelby, Cut Bank, Browning/Oct-1 through May 1, East Glacier/May 1 through Oct 1, Essex, West Glacier, Whitefish, Libby), and takes passengers to Seattle, Portland, Oregon, and Chicago from Montana's Hi-Line and Glacier National Park. Tickets should be purchased in advance, and it is generally cheaper to do so. Staffed Amtrak stations in Montana are Wolf Point, Havre, Shelby, East Glacier (when open), and Whitefish.

Major airports serve the seven largest communities, which in addition to the three cities listed in include Great Falls, Butte, Bozeman and Kalispell. Regional carriers serve some smaller communities.

Get around
Montana is a large state - a trip via interstate from the far eastern town of Wibaux to the western border town of Mullan, ID is over 700 miles (1120 km), an estimated 12-hour trip. Because residents must often drive long distances to get from one place to another, they generally love their cars - especially their SUVs and other 4-wheel drive vehicles that do well in the often hazardous winter weather. Therefore, it is necessary for visitors to consider renting a car to get around Montana as public transportation between cities & towns is limited at great distances. If a visitor cannot or will not rent a car, the following options are available:

By train
Amtrak's Empire Builder goes across Northern Montana stopping at Libby, Whitefish, West Glacier, Essex, East Glacier (seasonally), Browning (seasonally), Cut Bank, Shelby, Havre, Malta, Glasgow, and Wolf Point. The train continues west to Spokane and Seattle/Portland and east to St. Paul, Milwaukee, and Chicago.

By plane
Daily regional flights to various locations throughout the state are provided by Great Lakes Airlines.

Service from major hubs (such as Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Denver) continues from airports at Billings, Belgrade(Bozeman), Butte, Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, and Kalispell.

By bus
Information on transit can be found from APTA.

By car
The easiest and most convenient way to get around Montana will probably always be by car. Destinations are spread wide even within a single city, and within cities, parking is usually ample and cheap, if not free. Rental cars are widely available, and the option to pick up in one city and drop off in another is available, though expensive.

Montana is traversed by three major interstates.
 * I-15.svg runs north-south from Alberta, Canada through Western Montana to Idaho.
 * I-90.svg runs north from Sheridan, Wyoming to near Billings then runs west through Bozeman, Butte, and Missoula to Idaho.
 * I-94.svg runs from the North Dakota border west to join with I-90 just east of Billings.

A few US Highways provide mainline travel through interesting areas of the state.
 * US 2.svg The Hi-Line, a fabled highway running through northern Montana from the North Dakota border near Bainville to the Idaho border near Troy for 666 miles. The highway runs through the plains and prairies east of the continental divide, through the Fort Peck Indian Reservation town of Wolf Point, through Glasgow, Malta, Havre, Shelby and Cut Bank until crossing the continental divide, running the south side of Glacier National Park to Kalispell, Libby and the border.
 * US 12.svg runs a meandering east to west route from Lolo Pass to the North Dakota border near Baker, through heavily forested, winding roads in the West to the dramatic flats and plains to the East. The highway runs a meandering route from Lolo Pass to Missoula, overlaps with I-90 until Garrison, continues on to Helena, then proceeds for almost 250 miles until merging with I-94 through Miles City, then continues on to the North Dakota border near the southern edge of the state.

See

Wildlife include deer, elk, moose, buffalo, big horn sheep, mountain goats, bears (black and grizzly), coyotes, wolves (mostly in Yellowstone), mountain lions, and bald eagles and other birds of prey.

Do
Montana has a recreational opportunity for every adventure seeker, every season, and every mode of transit -- by land, by boat, by bike or all terrain vehicle, there's something to keep you occupied in Montana.

Watersports

 * Whitewater Rafting - many Montana rivers, especially in the western part of the state, offer world class rapids. Many companies offer float trips of varying degrees of difficulty and length. Rafting on your own is greatly discouraged due to the extreme danger often found in mountain rivers.
 * Boating - bring your powerboat, canoe, kayak or schooner and find a lake, river or stream to wile away the day. Kayak and canoe rentals are widely available.
 * Floating - a unique Montana experience. Rent inner tubes, take a cooler of beer and float a river with a few, or a bunch, of your closest friends on a hot day. Pick a river that's wide and slow, or fast with rapids, and enjoy the view from a cool Montana waterway.
 * Fly fishing - iconically Montana due to the movie A River Runs Through It, which was filmed along parts of the Blackfoot river in Western Montana, anglers flock to rivers in the late spring and summer months to catch the "big one". Outfitters available for guided trips, or to rent you the gear you'll need. Ask a local for a good spot.

Mountain pursuits

 * Hiking/Backpacking
 * Mountain biking
 * Climbing
 * Off road vehicles
 * Horseback riding

 * Wagon Train Adventures
 * Happy Pappy's Holdup
 * Whoopah Ride

Winter sports

 * Bear Paw
 * Big Mountain
 * Big Sky - This is a large resort area located 45 minutes south of Bozeman. This has two mountains, lots of lifts, including "The Tram," a gondola to the top of Lone Peak.  Pick a clear day for an unparalleled view of the Spanish Peaks and incredible expert skiing.  Winter and summer resort activities available.
 * Blacktail Mountain
 * Bridger Bowl - 20 minutes north of Bozeman, this is a locals' mountain with 7 lifts. Most of the mountain is intermediate level and above, including "The Ridge," a hikeable area to the top of the mountain and accessing a wide variety of expert terrain.
 * Discovery Basin
 * Great Divide
 * Lookout Pass
 * Lost Trail Powder Mountain
 * Maverick Mountain
 * Montana Snowbowl - Located 20 minutes from Missoula.
 * Moonlight Basin
 * Red Lodge Mountain Resort
 * Showdown, Teton Pass
 * Turner Mountain
 * Yellowstone Club - A private ski and golf community located next to Big Sky.

Other activities:
 * Snowmobiling
 * Snowshoeing
 * Cross Country Skiing / Nordic Skiing

Skateboarding
Montana is now home to some of the best skateparks in the country with some pretty unique features. For directions, descriptions and more information visit Skate Montana

 * Woodland Skatepark, Kalispell - Built by Dreamland
 * 7th and 7th Skatepark, Polson - Featuring the Helmet, Built by Dreamland
 * Anaconda Skatepark - Built by Dreamland
 * Dillon Skatepark - The Race Track, Built by Grindline
 * Butte Skatepark - Built by Dreamland
 * Riverside Railyard Skatepark, Great Falls - Built by Grindline
 * Helena Skatepark - Built by Alltec
 * Bozeman Skatepark - Built by Team Pain
 * Billings Skatepark
 * Bozeman Skatepark - Built by Team Pain
 * Billings Skatepark

Eat
For a state generally associated with cattle chomping green grass underneath big blue skies, Montana has quite a bit to offer outside of meat and potatoes. Within cities and settled areas you should find a good variety of the ubiquitous fast food drive-thrus, homey cafes and diners, delis, steakhouses, Mexican cantinas, noodle and Asian grills and the odd Indian or Sushi restaurant.

In rural areas, however, your selection may be much more limited. Every small town will have at least one eatery, even if it's a cafe stuffed in the corner of a post office, or a burger joint in the back of the town bar. Quality will vary, of course, but the experience might stick with you. If you are looking for meat and potatoes, look no further than the local cafe, diner or steakhouse. The beef will be fresh, most often locally raised and slaughtered, and cooked however you want it — but if you say well done, your server might cry.

For local flavor and distinctly Montana eateries, try the Staggering Ox, with locations in Billings, Helena and Missoula, or MacKenzie River Pizza Co, with locations in Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, Kalispell, Belgrade, Whitefish and Butte. The Pickle Barrel is excellent and famous for sub sandwiches with the original location in Bozeman, other locations in Belgrade and Livingston.

Buffalo chili, cowboy beans, Indian fry-bread and steak are types of cowboy food that many love to experience while in the Big Sky Country whether in Billings, Hardin, Laurel, Red Lodge or Helena. Try some chuckwagon food in and around the state like Pappy's MT Catering and other quality businesses who cater for large groups and gatherings in Montana.

Be sure to get a scoop of Wilcoxson's ice cream. This Montana company offers traditional favorites along with specialty flavors, like Moose Tracks. Their fudge bars, available at any convenience store, are a must-have.

During the summer months, primarily late June, July and early August, look for huckleberries and famous Flathead cherries at farmers markets and roadside stands throughout Western Montana. If you're looking for adventure, ask a local for a good place to go pick your own huckleberries — but beware, they may keep it a closely guarded secret. If you go, take some bear spray, they love the treat, too.

One type of food many adventurous visitors seek is wild game. It is important to know that wild game cannot be sold legally in Montana, due to the impossibility of ensuring health and safety standards. A few restaurants offer bison and, less commonly, deer and elk; these are legally required to be animals raised on a ranch, not in the wild. Their food supply is controlled and they often taste milder than their wild counterparts (elk and bison are especially mild and very similar to beef), but retain many of the health benefits of wild meat. Few Montanans eat this meat regularly, however, and it can be challenging to find a restaurant serving it (it is also considerably more expensive than beef or pork). If you have a chance to eat wild game at a home or potluck, it is worth trying it, but, in general, it is safer to eat the meat of herbivores than carnivores.

Drink
Montanans, as a general rule, love their beer. Increasingly, Montanans love their microbrews, especially those brewed locally. Some famous microbrews are brewed in Montana, including Moose Drool, a brown ale brewed by Big Sky Brewing Co. and the best selling microbrew outside and inside of the state. Microwbreweries in Missoula, Kalispell, Helena, Billings and other cities and towns allow for cheap tasting and filling of a growler — usually the best bang (or buzz) for your buck. A list of breweries can be found at VisitMT. Plus many have a regional distribution so check the local grocery stores and gas stations in the specialty section. In 2012 Montana had 18.2 craft breweries per 500,000 people making it the 3rd most micro-breweries per capita in the country.

Outside of microbrews, domestic favorites vary from Coors to Budweiser, with light varieties in between. Bars good for bar hopping can be found in the downtown districts of most cities, especially Missoula, Billings and Bozeman, and they're generally a good gauge of local color and culture. Outside of large cities, most small towns have at least one bar, and they often serve food of varying quality. A general rule of thumb — if the town has a post office (the Montanan's definition of a town in rural areas) then there should be a bar in which you can quench your thirst.

If you like more than beer, no worries, Montana craft alcohol includes seltzers, ciders, and even kombucha. You'll also find a few hard alcohol distilleries in the larger towns. There are even some vineyards that provide locally sourced wine which can usually be found in the local grocery store.

Sleep
Montana is a great place for camping, there are plenty of camp sites in the state. Prices are reasonable, but the sites are often rather spartan. Sites generally accommodate both tents and RVs.

Stay safe
Montana is safer than most when it comes to violent and personal crime, but the state still suffers from one of the highest highway and road death rates in the country. Long-distance travel over great amounts of time resulting in fatigue, hazardous winter road conditions, distances from emergency services, and alcohol consumption frequently contribute to the high number of deaths on Montana's highways yearly. This is not to say it's unsafe to drive in Montana — just beware. If you are unused to driving winding mountain roads or driving in extremely hazardous snow/wind/ice/rain/sleet conditions, do not do so. Wait for the weather to clear — it may result in a good story, those 12 hours you spent at a truck stop with some friends waiting for a pass to clear.

If you do find yourself stranded in winter conditions, it's important to remember two things — first, be prepared. Always carry water, snack foods, a small first aid kit including a space blanket and a cell phone, if possible, for emergencies. Although there is cellphone coverage along most of the highways, it can be unreliable in places, especially the numerous mountain passes. Many rural roads have no cellphone coverage, so don't rely on always having quick emergency communication. Second, if you become stranded, stay in your car, turn on your hazard lights, and wait for help.

There is a lot of wildlife around the state, including deer, elk, moose, bears, buffalo, and coyotes. Always remember that these are wild, and do not tolerate people with cameras getting close, much less trying to put their kid on the buffalo. Most animals will avoid humans by our scent or noise, although beware of deer along the roads. When camping, always keep food in your car, or hung from a tall tree. Tents are like tissue paper to a hungry bear.

More often than not, Western Montana will be hit by major forest fires toward the middle and end of summer. While it's very unlikely you will be directly in the path of one, they can significantly degrade the air quality. If one is headed toward you and you are ordered to evacuate, do it.

Outside of environmental and road hazards, use common sense, and you should be fine.

Respect
Montanans treasure their state, loving it for the recreational opportunities, wide open spaces, and the friendly nature of their neighbors. They, in general, welcome tourists and travelers, and will be glad to let you in on cool places to go, the best hike to take, or their favorite fishing hole. However, in South-Western Montana, people tend to be slightly less tolerant of tourists, being very protective of their land. In addition, some Montanans are very proud of being 'rednecks,' and may be seen sporting 'redneck proud' T-Shirts, caps, or bumper stickers. This is not meant to be derogatory in any way, but is an expression of pride in Montana's rough and wild cultural heritage.

Any disrespect of land and nature will not be tolerated. When enjoying everything Montana has to offer, please respect the lands, waterways and wildlife by following common sense. Don't litter, pollute or otherwise upset the landscape any more than you must, and though it is a cliche, do not feed the wildlife. In general follow the principles of Leave no trace camping and you should be fine.

Go next
Montana is the only state that borders more than two Canadian provinces. However, access to British Columbia is somewhat limited.

 * North Dakota - Montana's northeastern neighbor is America's least visited state, but its isolation provides opportunities for uncrowded visits to the state's hills and lakes, badlands, plains, and old frontier forts.
 * South Dakota - Home to such natural and cultural wonders as Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Mount Rushmore, Montana's southeastern neighbor offers a surprising amount for travelers to see and do.
 * Wyoming - Most of Yellowstone National Park is in Montana's southern neighbor, so you'll obviously not just want to visit the small section that's in Montana. Note that Montana is not only on the north side of Yellowstone, but to the west also. West Yellowstone, Montana is one of the major entrances to the park, and the Wyoming border is just two and a half miles away.
 * Idaho - Montana's western neighbor is a rugged state, with snow-capped mountains, whitewater rivers, forests, high desert, and plenty of wilderness.
 * British Columbia - Crossing the state's northwestern border (US Hwy 93 via Kalispell) into Canada leads into the mountainous terrain of southeastern British Columbia.
 * Alberta - This Canadian province is located to the north of Montana and offers everything from the beauty of the Rockies to the serene flatness of prairie to the wilderness of the northern forests.
 * Saskatchewan - Located to the northeast of Montana, the southern portion of Saskatchewan is predominantly prairie (with a reputation for being very flat) known for its seemingly endless fields of wheat.

title: Montana


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Montana (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Montana:

United States of America

 * Montana - A state in northwestern United States.

Bulgaria

 * Montana (Bulgaria) - A city in northwestern Bulgaria, center of Montana Province.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Montana (disambiguation)


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Montanejos

Montanejos is a township in Castellón (province), Spain. It is known primarily for its numerous outdoor recreational opportunities and scenery.

Understand
Montanejos began as a Moorish farming community, and remained populated by Arabs until their expulsion in 1609, when it was repopulated by settlers from Aragon.

By car

 * From Castellon via CV20, 65 km.
 * From Teruel via A23, 75 km.

By bus
Autocares HERCA runs an early morning bus daily from Valencia's main bus station, which stops on Calle Valencia in the centre of town. On Thursdays there is a second bus in the early afternoon.

Get around
There is no public transportation, so to go outside the village you'll need a car.

Do

 * Montanejos has one of the most important climbing areas in Spain. Most of the few hundred routes are placed in, a ravine with impressive calcareous walls. The levels range between 3 and 8 °C.
 * Montanejos has one of the most important climbing areas in Spain. Most of the few hundred routes are placed in, a ravine with impressive calcareous walls. The levels range between 3 and 8 °C.

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Montañita

Montañita is a village in Manglaralto Parish on the south coast of Ecuador. The region is known for its combination of small tourist-friendly villages and towns, magnificent unspoiled beaches, world-class surfing and both island and mountain natural reserves. Over the years, a relaxed and multicultural atmosphere has evolved.

Understand
Ecuador's "Ruta del Sol" ("Route of the Sun") has been renamed "Ruta del Spondylus" and part of Manglaralto Parish in Santa Elena Province.

A hidden treasure that did not even appear on the maps just a few years ago, the combination of perfect waves, golden sand, and tropical vegetation have slowly developed its reputation as a tropical paradise.

Montañita started as a beautiful beach with a few rustic houses of native fishermen and some surfers in tents. Over time it's grown to include vacation homes, hotels, rustic restaurants, bars and open air cafès, created by people seeking to escape the frantic life-style of Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and main seaport. Montañita has its share of foreigners who fell in love with the place and settled down. They include Argentinians, Americans, Australians, Canadians, Germans, Jamaicans, Russians and people from all over Europe. This village's colorful variety of street vendors, artisans, activities, and party nightlife provide a multicultural atmosphere that attracts the same variety in its visitors.

The layout of Montañita is a grid of small streets parallel to the north-south main road (E15), or perpendicular to it (east-west, most having beach access). The streets are crowded with shops, restaurants and hostels. North of Montañita's little town is a small mountain often called "the Point" that separates its beach from Olon, Montañita's neighboring town. On this small mountain is a beautiful ocean overlook and the beaches of Olon.

Mosquitoes and other insects can be a nuisance, especially at night. Long clothes, bug spray or "bugger off" bracelets may help.

Get in
The usual way to reach Montañita and the other villages in Manglaralto Parish is overland via the Ruta del Sol, a beautiful coastal highway running along the Ecuadorian coast.

By bus

 * From Guayaquil: Direct lines from Guayaquil to Montañita by CLP, last one leaves at 18:30. If you don’t make it to one of the direct buses, take CLP bus to Santa Elena or Libertad ($3.30, two hours) and transfer to the Citup bus ($1.50, one hour) which will take you to Montañita. CLP buses to Santa Elena and Libertad start operating around 03:00 (maybe even earlier). Once you are at Santa Elena or Libertad, it is extremely easy to transfer, just look for the blue and white bus called Citup that goes to Montañita.
 * From Cuenca, Machala, Loja or other cities in southwestern/southern Ecuador: Take a bus directly to Guayaquil and follow the directions above.
 * From Quito, Esmeraldas or other north/northeastern cities of Ecuador: From Quito take a direct bus to Guayaquil and follow directions above or go to Jipijapa or Portoviejo. From there you can get a bus directly to Montañita, or by changing in Puerto Lopez.
 * From Peru: Cross into Ecuador at the International Bridge over the Zarumilla River, near Huaquillas-Aguas Verdes (customs/immigration control). From Huaquillas you can get a bus to Guayaquil. From there, follow the directions above to Montañita.

By taxi

 * From Guayaquil or Santa Elena, you can take a taxi to Montañita, either for greater comfort or when the buses aren't running (generally after 21:00). The fare is between $80 and $100, as of March 2019.

Get around
Walking is the best way to get around town as Montañita is a very small village and the streets can get too crowded for cars. However, taxis and buses are available and make it possible to consider staying also in the less crowded, more serene and safe villages of Manglaralto and Olon only 5 minutes away, south and north respectively from downtown Montañita.

There is one transportation and taxi company

Surf & bodyboard
From beginners to experienced surfers, Montañita and its surrounding beaches offer an ideal location for surfing and bodyboarding. Many shops in town and on the beach rent out surfboards for about $5 per hour or $15 the whole day. If you want to catch early waves, some of the shops will rent you a board in the evening and you return in when the shop opens.

There is a choice of beaches, both in and near Montañita:

 * The Point known as the End in Montañita is a point break just north (1 km) of the center of Montañita. Waves are fast, strong and some of the more respected waves in Ecuador. If swell of the north, the west hard has the propitious conditions with some or the south and little wind. Waves can reach 3 m with sections of impressive tubes. Appropriate for surfers of intermediate and advanced level. The bottom is rocky but the route ends in sand. If you are going to surf, stay in the north part of town.
 * Between the Point and the center of Montañita, you'll often find fast, beach-break, running waves (both left and right) playing along the sandy bottom. Great for beginners to more experienced surfers, especially when the Point is not working well.
 * Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE — Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana). 70km south of Montañita, in (Salinas). This sensible left to nobody swell, is one of the favourites of tablistas Guayaquileños. Special permission used to be necessary to access the beach, as it belongs to the armed forces of Ecuador, but since October 2013, you only need an ID. Waves here are very consistent; with low tide there are almost always good waves (left ones). Only for experienced surfers.
 * Tunas/Ayampe. 25 km north of Montañita, Tunas, and Ayampe (3 km apart) both offer powerful and tubular waves almost every day. With lefts and rights, the waves of Tunas and Ayampe are a good option when the water is calm in Montañita, since they always can give a good wave for you to have fun.

Buy

Local artisans walk around carrying displays of their handmade necklaces, earrings and a variety of other jewelry. Along the streets are tables of vendors selling interesting and beautiful crafts. Tagua, also known as vegetable ivory, is native to the area and is used to make rings, necklaces, and other crafts including animal figurines.

A few vendors from Otatvalo have tables and a small store with crafts, artwork, bags, and clothing found in the mountains. Some of the clothing and bags are woven from alpaca.

There are several surf and rental stores available offering everything you need for the beach. On the main street, one of the neatest and exotic things they have are necklaces made out of strings from hemp that hold neat things like shark tooth. These usually sell for about $3-4.

Also, if you are in the need for marijuana, you can ask any of the surfers or restaurant owners, as they will have some for you. Montañita is the most famous weed-smoking beach town, although the quality is not always good, the amount is plentiful. Because of local tolerance, Montañita is becoming known as South America's Amsterdam. The attention has brought higher qualities of marijuana to the local market.

Eat
Montañita has a well-deserved reputation for culinary variety and surprises. From vegetarian pizzas to delicious spaghetti with shrimp, the lists of restaurants and of special dishes are both long. Like a good coastal pueblito, most restaurants have a fish/seafood menu for reasonable prices. For example, you might find a menu with vegetable soup as the starter, a second course of fish with rice, fried bananas, and salad from $2. Another important point is the fruits. It is practically a religion in Montañita to take a good breakfast with pineapples, bananas, papayas with yogurt and granola here, nutritious food that the restaurants offer from 08:00 to lunchtime.

On the busiest streets, there are small stalls during the evenings and night selling hamburgers and hot dogs for about $1.50. Many restaurants are transformed into bars, and many bars become nightclubs. Tourists come to enjoy the beach, but also because they know that the nightlife is spectacular.

Drink
While as in most of the rest of Ecuador, tap water is not safe to drink, as far as bar drinks, Montañita will not disappoint. The delicious mixture of licores with fruit juices results in tempting daiquiris. The supply of bars is ample and spans a large range of styles.

During busy evenings, the entire street of Calle Tercero (northernmost) has over 20 barlets on carts serving fresh juice cocktails, and seating for 2-4 people at each.

Connect
Most of the accommodations have decent Internet connection with wifi. There are a few Internet cafes and call centres around with similar prices :

Go next
Direct CLP buses from Montañita to Guayaquil depart few times a day. Check the departure times from the small CLP office in Montañita. The bus schedules vary by day of the week, and the information on the company's website (if you can find the schedule at all) may not match reality, so check at the counter the day before if you need a specific time. The price is around $6 and the journey takes between 3 and 4 hours.

More frequent buses go to Santa Elena (Ecuador), where you can catch another bus service to Guayaquil (departs every 15 minutes during daytime).

 * Puerto Lopez is the ideal place from which to explore Machalilla National Park.
 * Salango is a tiny tranquil fishing village has only a couple of streets but is home to an impressive and well-maintained archaeological museum.

title: Montañita


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Montauk

Montauk is a hamlet of 3,300 people (2010) in East Hampton on Long Island in New York.

Understand
Montauk is known by many Long Island residents as "The End," because it is the easternmost point of the island and New York state.

Montauk has a rich history. It is named after the Montaukett tribe that lived on the lands that now encompass Montauk. Urban legend tells of Captain Kidd burying treasure somewhere in Montauk around 1700. Montauk is also home to the oldest ranch in the United States, Deep Hollow Ranch.

At the point of the hamlet stands Montauk Point Lighthouse, the first lighthouse built in New York and fourth-oldest lighthouse in the United States.

Montauk is home to the largest commercial and recreational fishing fleet in the state of New York. It boasts the claim that it has more saltwater fishing records than any other port in the world.

Get in
Montauk is easily accessible by car, by bus, by rail, and even by boat.

By plane
East Hampton Airport offers a larger runway suitable for light jets with a number of charter companies.

Otherwise, taking a commercial flight to New York is easy. There are three airports to chose from in the region. John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport, both in Queens, and MacArthur Airport  in Islip are all easily the first step to getting to Montauk. However, the Queens airports, in particular, are quite distant from Montauk, and taxi fares to or from those airports would be prohibitively expensive.

By car
It's easy to get out to "The End" in your own car or by rental car. The only road that goes out to seaside town is Sunrise Highway (or Route 27), which runs from New York City all the way to Montauk. Along the way, Sunrise Highway turns into Montauk Highway, yet it is still known as Route 27.

By bus
The Hampton Jitney bus service runs from Manhattan to Montauk. There are also local Suffolk County buses that run from town to town.

By train
The Long Island Railroad (LIRR), run by MTA, is an alternative to driving. Most trains run from Jamaica station in Queens, where it's an easy change from other trains from Manhattan and other parts of New York City.

By boat
Seasonal ferry service operated by Viking Fleet runs between Montauk and Block Island, New London, and occasionally Martha's Vineyard. Marina's and anchorages are available for private yachts.

Get around
Once in Montauk, the most efficient and convenient way to see all the sights and destinations is by car. While some hotels are within walking distance to many sites, there are more that are spread out. Taxis are plentiful.

Do
There is plenty to do in Montauk. It is renowned for its fishing and even claims to have more saltwater fish records than any other port in the world. There are six state parks, the famed Montauk Point Lighthouse, and many restaurants, shops, and sights.

Buy
Numerous specialty shops, restaurants, and markets line Main Street (Montauk Highway). It is here that you can find an array of goods, treats, and fresh, local seafood.

Eat
Numerous restaurants for every taste are in Montauk. There is an abundance of fresh, locally caught seafood markets, restaurants, and bars. No matter what it is that you are looking for, fine dining or a casual eatery, you can easily find it in Montauk.

Drink
Bars and lounges are all around Montauk. Local bars are often frequented by fisherman and tourists alike.

Sleep
Montauk offers a wide array of hotels, bed & breakfast, and motels to accommodate all visitors. The interesting thing about Montauk is that you will not find any chain operated hotels or motels. This is because Southampton zoning laws forbid chain hotels. Therefore each hotel, motel, and bed & breakfast is independently owned and operated.

title: Montauk


text:
Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc (i.e. "White Mountain", Italian: Monte Bianco) is the highest summit of Western Europe, on the border between France and Italy. The mountain can be approached from Chamonix in France and from Courmayeur in Italy: see those pages for amenities and activities around the Mont Blanc massif. This page is specifically about the ascent to the summit.

The rock is 4792 m high, but this is overlain by a thick cap of snow and ice that grows or shrinks slightly according to climate. The summit was measured at 4808.72 m (15,777 ft) in Sept 2017 - these measurements are repeated every two years, and have altered very little since the first accurate measurement of 1883. Mont Blanc is not the highest mountain in Europe as several peaks in the Russian / Georgian Caucasus are higher, culminating in Elbrus at 5642 m.

Understand

Traditional mountaineering was a practical business of hunting and farming, and of leading travellers over the passes by the safest route. The 18th century saw a desire to climb the highest peaks primarily for scientific enquiry: what minerals might lie up there, what flora and fauna, and what of the atmosphere and weather? Could humans even survive so high? In 1760 the scientist Horace Bénédict de Saussure put up a prize for the first ascent to the summit of Mont Blanc. In those days the mountain lay in Savoy, an independent country that also included Nice, Aosta, Piedmont and Sardinia. Not until 1860 was the territory definitively incorporated into France and Italy, with Mont Blanc marking the border.

De Saussure himself made several attempts, but the first successful ascent of Mont Blanc was on 8 Aug 1786 by Jean-Jacques Balmat and Dr Michel-Gabriel Paccard, by the Grands Mulets route. Over the following century all the great Alpine summits were conquered, culminating in the Matterhorn ascent of 1865, and new challenges were sought in the Americas and Himalayas. Mountaineering evolved from exploration and enquiry into a sport, and mountains were climbed in an Olympic or Corinthian spirit of "because it's there". Meanwhile leisure travel and organised winter sports grew, and railways and cable-cars were built. Mont Blanc had become a tourist resort.

Get in
The three usual bases for ascending Mont Blanc are, further down the valley, or (less often).

Geneva Airport is usually the most convenient for all three, with excellent direct flight connections, and transfer by bus, rental car or by rail. Turin Caselle is also close, and many winter sports package operators fly that way. Geneva to Courmayeur and Turin to Chamonix valley is via the Mont Blanc tunnel.

One reason for preferring the French side is that you ride part-way up Mont Blanc: from Chamonix by cable car to Aiguille du Midi at 3810 m, the start of the 3 Monts ascent, or from St Gervais by rack railway (the "Tramway") to Nid d'Aigle at 2380 m, the start of the Voie Royale ascent. See Chamonix for hours and tariffs.

Do - or don't?

 * See the stay safe section below for important information.

First consider whether you should even be thinking of going up. Starting with the good news: the youngest person to climb it was aged ten. The fastest ascent was clocked at just under five hours. People have been climbing Mont Blanc for over 230 years, variously clutching onto their tricorn hats, deer-stalkers or golfing caps. It must be almost half a million that have reached the summit, some clad in weird charity-stunt get-ups, and nowadays 20,000 ascend each year. Most come back safe.

But some don't. There are 100 deaths in the Mont Blanc massif each year, though this figure includes skiing, hiking and rock-climbing fatalities not related to the summit attempt. But during the main season of July & August, on an average day the mountain rescue service has to pluck a dozen people off the main ascent routes. A few of these are under-prepared fools, who face fines, rescue expenses, or worse sanctions if they've recklessly endangered others. But most of them are honest triers who've simply been defeated by a formidable mountain.

All routes are strenuous and at high altitude, with long hours of trekking usually over three days, ie two nights on the mountain. You don't need to be superhuman, but you do need to be fit at the outset. If you have a long-term medical condition eg asthma, it must be mild and stable enough to remain controlled under these challenges. All routes cross ice fields where you need to be competent with crampons and ice picks.

The mountain authorities post a list of essential gear that you must carry, and you may be fined and turned back if you're deficient. And you need a guide unless you're familiar with the ascent. The trail itself will be obvious, with dozens of other climbers above and below – until all of a sudden the visibility shuts down. The guide doesn't just shuttle up and down on a tram-line, he or she has a better idea of what lies ahead (in terrain and weather), how each individual in the group is faring, and what options are available. A good approach for novices is to go with a specialist alpine trekking company. They'll start with an easy day or two at medium altitude, then make the cut on who can go all the way up.

Ascent of Mont Blanc

 * The most popular route, taking three days, is the Voie Royale – indeed it's become known as the Voie Normale. First take the Mont Blanc Tramway – the rack railway – from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. This climbs via Bellevue (1794 m) to Nid d'Aigle at 2380 m. If you're staying in Chamonix you can also ride the cable car from Les Houches to Bellevue and join the railway there. Extra-tough folk start their climb down in the valley and reckon an extra day, but for most people the climb starts in Nid d'Aigle - there's a refuge here. The ascent is mostly along a ridge above the Bionnassay glacier. You ascend Col des Rognes, Tête Rousse (3167 m) and up the Goûter Corridor, a tricky scramble notorious for rock-falls. If the weather is good and the group is climbing well, the first overnight stay is at Refuge de Goûter at 3863 m; otherwise lay over at Tête Rousse refuge. Next day the route leads to Dôme du Goûter at 4304 m and past the Vallot emergency shelter at 4362 m. You now ascend the windy Les Bosses ridge, the top comes into view, and at last you're atop Mont Blanc. Here, with your shins at 4809 m and your very cold nose at 4810 m, you're briefly the highest person standing in Europe, as it's unlikely that anyone is atop Mount Elbrus just then. Your task is only half-done – never underestimate the perils of descent, when you're fatigued, dozy and "switched-off" – so you need a night at Goûter or Tête Rousse on the way down. Day 3 brings you back to the valley.
 * La Voie des 3 Monts or La Traversée is the route that looks like an afternoon stroll when viewed from Aiguille du Midi. It isn't - the clue's in the name "3 Monts", which add up to 5 once you've lumped there and back, and you need two nights on the mountain. The standard plan is to ride the cable car up from Chamonix to the top station of Aiguille du Midi (3777 m) in the afternoon and hike for an hour to the Refuge des Cosmiques (3613 m) for the night. This gets you acclimatised to the altitude. Next day start very early, for an up-and-down progress along the ridge to Mont Blanc du Tacul (4248 m) and Mont Maudit (4465 m) – it's hard enough that you only traverse their shoulders rather than their summits. Then comes the last stagger up to Mont Blanc summit; then back to the Refuge. Coming up on the first lift of the morning from Chamonix and striking out for the summit isn't practical, you're not acclimatised and it's just too far. Likewise coming down, it's not wise to be hurrying and taking chances to make the last cable car down at 5-6 pm, lay over at the Refuge for a second night.
 * Grands Mulets was the original route pioneered by Balmat & Paccard. Nowadays it's primarily a ski trail: you climb Mont Blanc by another route then launch off on skis down the north face, to descend this way. It's less often climbed, as much of it is glacier with many crevasses and overhanging seracs - teetering pinnacles of ice, often bigger than houses, just waiting for a group of climbers to plod beneath. Reckon three days, with the first day ascending to Refuge des Grands Mulets at 3051 m. This is usually done by taking the cable car from Chamonix to the midway station of Plan de l'Aiguille. Take the trail across Glacier des Pélerins to an abandoned cable car station, then up the left side of Glacier des Bossons. Cross this to find the trail to the Refuge. On the second day, start early and head onto the north ridge of Dôme de Goûter and up the "little steps" to the "little plateau", then the "big steps" to the "big plateau" of Dôme du Goûter at 4304 m. Here you join Voie Royale for the last slog past Vallot shelter onto Les Bosses ridge to the summit. It's a 7 hour climb from Grands Mulets, so you'll need another overnight stay however you descend.
 * La route des Aiguilles Grises is the usual ascent from Italy, reckon three days. Much of it is glacier, very crevassed in late season. From Courmayeur a road and bus service runs up Van Veny as far as La Visaille at 1653 m. On the first day, climb the trail up Miage glacier past its junction with Dôme glacier and on to the south spur of Aiguilles Grises: thence to the Rifugio Gonella at 3071 m. The next day, ascend via Col des Aiguilles Grises onto Dôme du Goûter at 4304 m. Here you join Voie Royale past Vallot shelter onto Les Bosses ridge to the summit. You'll need another overnight stay to get down.
 * Miage-Bionnassay is a four day high altitude route. Start from the small ski resort of Contamines-Montjoie in the valley south of St Gervais, and on the first day hike up to Refuge des Conscrits at 2602 m. Next day cross Dômes de Miages to spend the night at Refuge de Plan Glacier (2730 m). Built into the steep hillside, this may be completely buried by snow in winter; it can be reached in a single day from the top of Les Houches cable car. Day Three continues over l'Aiguille de Bionnassay and Dôme du Goûter, joining Voie Royale over Les Bosses ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc. Allow a fourth day to descend.

Sleep & Eat
For valley food and accommodation, see entries for the towns. Up the mountain, the safest accommodation is in the Refuges. These are high-altitude hostels, well-built, with heating, staffing, dorm beds and catering – which saves you lugging a mass of food and bedding. They don't have piped water, and only take cash payment. Advance booking is strongly advised, and compulsory for Goûter – this does mean you must commit to climbing a set distance per day. You'll meet many other climbers, with valuable info on the state of the routes above and below. Out of season, the refuges may be unstaffed and uncatered but default to acting as shelters, described below.

 * is at 2380 m at the top of the Mont Blanc Tramway, at the start of the Voie Royale route. It has 20 places and is open June–Sept. Adult €25, meals available. Camping is also permitted in this area.
 * is at 3167 m on the Voie Royale route. It has 74 places and is open June–Sept. Adult, meals available. Camping is also permitted here, but not higher up the mountain.
 * is at 3863 m on the Voie Royale route. It's open May–Sept and must be booked in advance online. Adult €65 plus €50 for dinner and breakfast. No camping allowed this high.
 * is at 3051 m on the Grands Mulets route, perched on a rock pinnacle above Bossons glacier. It has 68 beds and is only open April–July as it's primarily for skiers coming down the north face of the mountain. Adult €26, dinner & breakfast available.
 * is at 3613 m near the top of Aiguille de Midi cable car, at the start of the 3 Monts route. It's open year-round, with 148 beds in summer and ten in winter, reserve by phone for half-board or B&B. Camping is permitted here.
 * is above Les Contamines at 2602 m on the Miage-Bionnassay route. It has 90 beds and is open March–Sept. Adult €31 bed only, €50 B&B and €65 half-board.
 * is at 2730 m on the Miage-Bionnassay route. It has 25 beds and is open March–Sept.
 * is at 3071 m above the Miage glacier in Val Veny at the head of Valle d'Aosta. It's on the Route des Aiguilles Grises, the usual Italian ascent of Mont Blanc. It's open year-round, with 24 beds in summer and eight in winter. Beware that Google Map also shows another "Rifugio Gonella" right down in the valley.

The mountain shelters (or huts, cabins or bivvy shacks) are simply places where you can get indoors overnight and save your life. They're unheated and have no facilities. They're only for emergency use (eg if the weather closes in) and you should never plan on using them – if they were your Plan A, what was your Plan B? And what happens when another group arrives with a real emergency? Highest of them is the Vallot shelter (which therefore shouldn't be called a "refuge") at 4362 m on the Voie Royale near the summit. This sleeps 12, but in a sudden storm it's like a dolmuş that keeps packing them in. It's too high if the emergency is altitude sickness, you need to get down at least to Goûter.

Stay safe

 * Get a mountain guide unless you already know the place.
 * Bring enough navigational and mountaineering equipment, including for ice. Never plan on using your mobile phone to navigate.
 * Check the weather forecast, but be prepared for rough weather even if it is not forecast.
 * Plan your climb, and climb your plan.
 * Take enough clothing to keep you warm and dry, it's very cold up there, and the wind chill makes it Arctic.
 * Have an emergency plan in place.
 * Tell somebody in the valley what route you are taking, and when you expect to return.
 * Don't be a movie hero: turn back if the weather or your own condition says you should.
 * Learn to recognise the symptoms of hypothermia, such as tiredness and the urge to strip off clothing, and know what to do while you figure out how to get the person to safety.
 * If you think somebody in your group has made a bad decision, object.
 * Have a first aid kit to stop minor problems growing big.
 * It's more dangerous on the way down, when everyone is fatigued, dozy, and "switched off" having achieved the summit. Stay focused, you're not safe until you can kick off your boots in the chalet in town.

Go next

 * If you need a city to recuperate, where you can look up at mountains without the weary business of climbing them, head for Geneva or Turin.
 * If you want more mountains, all seven highest peaks of each continent are before you. That's Elbrus at 5642 m in Russia for Europe, Kilimanjaro at 5895 m in Tanzania for Africa, Denali (formerly McKinlay) at 6190 m in Alaska for North America, Aconcagua at 6960 m in Argentina for South America, Kosciuszko at 2228 m in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales for Australia, Everest at 8848 m on the Nepal / Tibet border for Asia, and Vinson at 4892 m for Antarctica.
 * Or head for the lowest point on the earth's surface, 394 m below mean sea level, on the shores of the Dead Sea, shared by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan.

title: Mont Blanc


text:
Montérégie

Montérégie is the region of Quebec immediately east, south and west of Montreal, extending to the borders of Ontario and New York State. The South Shore of the St. Lawrence River across from Montreal comprises a series of suburbs. Further out, the flat St. Lawrence Valley provides for pleasant, airy farmland and countryside.

Cities

 * — the largest city on the South Shore
 * — home to Fort Chambly, a French fort built in the 1700s
 * — a small border village in Les Jardins-de-Napierville, home to the Parc Safari zoo
 * — a small, scenic town in the Vaudreuil region, west of Montreal
 * — a scenic town near Montreal with a mountain, river and foliage
 * — a mountain town in Vaudreuil County that attracts skiers, hikers, maple syrup enthusiasts and Catholic religious tourists
 * — a small town known primarily for its apple (and apple cider) production, and sugar shacks
 * — home of the Canadian Railway Museum
 * — a town to the south-west of Montreal that is home of the Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site

Other destinations

 * — just across Montreal's Mercier Bridge, is a suburban Indigenous reserve that sits within Roussillon's territory, but is administratively separate from it. Kahnawake has three National Historic Sites of Canada: Fort St-Louis, the Jesuit Mission of St-François-Xavier, and the Caughnawaga Presbytery. It hosts a powwow in July.
 * — in the extreme southwest of Quebec. The reserve extends across the St. Lawrence River into Ontario and New York State.  The Quebec portion of Akwesasne is much easier accessed from Ontario or New York (unless you have a boat), since there are no roads linking the Akwesasne reserve to the rest of Quebec.  Its main tourist attraction, the casino, is on the New York side.
 * — an 83-ha park for recreational and tourist activities, with 11 trails for hiking and cross-country skiing

Understand
The Montérégie, named after the mountains that are sporadically in the St. Lawrence River Valley, is a sort of "catch-all" tourism region rather than a distinct geographical or cultural area. The region is a mixture of Montreal suburbs and rural farming areas near the edges of Quebec.

Despite this, a few generalizations can be made about the region:
 * In the 18th and 19th century, it was a military buffer region. Capturing Montreal was an American objective in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Several battles were fought in the Montérégie, and the ancient forts that remain are interesting tourist attractions.
 * As a mixture of suburban and rural areas, it is a swing political district. If you want to know which way the political wind is blowing in Quebec, ask people in the Montérégie.
 * While most of the area is economically and culturally integrated with Montreal, the more rural towns were once isolated farming areas with their own traditions. If one digs hard enough, one can still find cultural relics from this era, such as the Brome County Fair.

Talk
The majority of the people living in the Montérégie speak French. There is a significant English-speaking population in the counties of Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Roussillon and near the American border. Most people in the western part and near Montreal can speak English, although fluency diminishes the further north and east you go. Traffic signs are in French, but are designed (with pictures and symbols) so that others can understand.

The Kahnawake and Akwesasne Reserves have made efforts to increase the use of the Mohawk language, offering language classes and using it on community radio and in some public events. Most people on the reserves speak English, and French to a lesser extent.

Some people may speak a third language, especially near Montreal, but outside native reserves it is uncommon to hear one spoken on the street, so a working knowledge of French or English will be almost essential to communicate with locals.

By car
If entering the Montérégie from Montreal, M-F 16:30-18:30 is rush hour (often a 30-minute delay to cross a bridge).

If entering the Montérégie from the United States, the border inspection is most crowded on Sunday nights; you might wait in line for an hour or more. The rest of the time, it usually takes 5-10 minutes.

From New York: Drive north on Interstate 87. The Montérégie begins at the Canadian border.

From Vermont: Drive north on Interstate 89. The Montérégie begins at the Canadian border.

From Montreal:
 * Autoroute 138 crosses the Mercier Bridge to the Kahnawake Mohawk Reserve
 * Autoroute 15/20/10 crosses the Champlain Bridge to Brossard
 * Highway 112 crosses the Victoria Bridge to Saint-Lambert
 * Autoroute 134 crosses the Jacques Cartier Bridge to Longueuil
 * Autoroute 25 follows the Lafontaine Tunnel through to Boucherville.

From Quebec City: Autoroute 20 leads into the northeastern part of the Montérégie.

From Ottawa: Take Highway 417 eastbound. The Montérégie begins at the Quebec border.

From Toronto: Take Highway 401 eastbound. The Montérégie begins at the Quebec border.

From Sherbrooke: Autoroute 10 westbound takes you to the Montérégie.

By train
The Agence Metropolitaine de transport has three commuter train lines that connect Montreal to some towns in the Montérégie near the city. (Blainville to Saint-Lambert, Candiac to Chateauguay, and Rigaud to Vaudreuil). Trains go toward Montreal in the morning; away from Montreal at night.

By subway
Montreal's metro (subway) trains have one stop in the Montérégie, called "Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke". This is on the yellow line, which begins at the Berri-UQAM metro station in Montreal. Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station is connected to the main bus terminal of the Reseau de Transport de Longueuil, which serves much of the South Shore.

By bus
Regional public bus systems (known as "CIT"s) serve distinct parts of the Montérégie, linking nearby towns and connecting them with Montreal. Most of them focus on getting people to Montreal on weekday mornings and getting them back to Monteregie on weeknights.
 * CIT La Presqu'Ile serves Hudson and Vaudreuil.
 * CIT Valle Richelieu serves McMasterville, St-Hyacinthe, Beloeil, and Saint-Hilaire.
 * CIT Haut-Richelieu serves Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
 * CIT Sorel-Varennes serves Sorel-Tracy, Contrecoeur, Verchères and Varennes
 * CIT Sud-Ouest serves Chateauguay, Kahnawake, Valleyfield and Vaudreuil
 * CIT Le Richelain serves Candiac, La Prairie and Saint-Philippe
 * CIT Rousillon serves Delson, Candiac and Saint-Constant
 * CIT Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan is self-explanatory
 * CIT Haut-Saint-Laurent serves Huntingdon and Ormstown

In addition, the Réseau de transport de Longueuil operates bus routes between Montreal and some of its South Shore suburbs (Longueuil, Brossard, Saint-Lambert). These buses leave from the basement of 1001 de la Gauchetière in Montreal or from Longueuil metro station.

By car
The major highways through Montérégie are:
 * Autoroute 15, connecting Montreal with U.S. Interstate 87 to New York
 * Autoroute 10, connecting Montreal to Sherbrooke and the Eastern Townships
 * Autoroute 20, connecting Quebec City to Montreal through the eastern section of the Montérégie, and then reappearing in the westernmost section of the Montérégie on the way to Toronto
 * Autoroute 30 connects Montérégie from east to west. As a bypass highway, it allows cross-country traffic to avoid Montréal by crossing to the south shore on a toll bridge at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, continuing eastward through Montérégie and rejoining Autoroute 20 downriver.

By public transport
Public transportation within the Montérégie region is quite limited, as most of its public transport focuses on getting people to and from Montreal rather than around the Montérégie region.
 * The Réseau de transport de Longueuil operates bus routes in the Montréal suburbs.
 * It may be possible to get from one part of the Montérégie to another via Montréal (see the Montréal trains and buses in the "Get In" section).

See
Driving through Montérégie, two unusual geographical features will strike you. First, the farmland is divided into long, thin strips, rather than large squares like everywhere else in North America. This is a legacy of Quebec's French colonial past. Farmhouses were built at the edges of these strips, along rows called "rangs". Second, the otherwise completely flat region has isolated mountains popping out of the ground at near regular intervals. This is what gives the region its name ("Mountain region"). One of the prettiest is Mont-Saint-Hilaire; its mixture of mountain, river, forest, and farms make it picturesque, especially when the leaves change colour in October. There are paths to go hiking on the mountain.

There are a few other features of Montérégie are pleasant to visit on a day trip from Montreal. Fort Chambly is a French fort dating from 1711 built to protect against the British. Fort Lennox National Historic Site is a British fort 22 km south of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu that was built in 1819 to protect against the Americans. The Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site is about 40 km southwest of Montréal on the shores of the St. Lawrence River near Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. It features Canada’s first lock canal and the remains of a fort.

Lac Brome is a pretty lake for watersports, hiking, or shopping in the village of the same name.

Do
The Brome Fair, held the first weekend of September, is the largest rural agricultural fair in Quebec.

Granby Zoo is the closest zoo to Montreal. It is home to nearly 1,500 animals from over 225 different species. If you have seen enough animals, head over to Parc Safari in Hemmingford, an African safari and kids' amusement park.

The International Hot Air Balloon Festival is held in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu every August. It attracts hundreds of balloons.

The Ormstown Fair is an agricultural fair held in mid-June in a small town southeast of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

The Kahnewake Pow-wow is held in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory 16 km south of Montreal on Routes 132 & 138 (off Mercier Bridge) in July. Pow-wows offer a time for Indigenous peoples to get together and participate in visiting, singing, and dancing. It is also a chance for non-Indigenous friends and families to take part in inter-tribal dancing as a Powwow is considered a cultural sharing event for all to learn about Indigenous peoples and share ideas and information.

Eat
As maple trees grow in the area, maple syrup is popular and plentiful in March and April. Some maple farms operate as "sucreries" or "cabanes à sucre" (aka sugar shacks), where tourists can see how the maple syrup is collected, and taste some. These are also one of the few places in Quebec where tourists can get a traditional rural meal. (Most locals only eat traditional meals on special occasions such as Christmas Eve, due mostly to its high fat content and association with traditional ways.) Traditional meals include:
 * tourtière, a pork and beef pie
 * yellow split pea soup
 * pancakes
 * ham with maple syrup
 * maple sugar pie
 * "pouding chomeur", a light sweet cake, (literal translation: "pudding for the unemployed")
 * taffee ("tire sur neige", maple syrup poured into snow, which freezes onto a popsicle stick)

Fine dining in the Montérégie is some of the best value in North America. Almost every town in the region has one or two good restaurants, usually with lower prices than those of Montreal. Usually, asking a local to point you to the most expensive restaurant in town will get you to the right place.

For a quick lunch, the ever-present "Saint-Hubert" chain of chicken restaurants is surprisingly good.

Stay safe
The Montérégie is generally a low-crime area. Almost the whole area is served by the emergency number 911, which you can call to contact police, fire or ambulance services. The biggest danger is probably traffic accidents, especially in winter. There are long stretches of unlit and potentially icy roads; large farming fields on either side of a road can mean blowing snow and slippery patches. Many of the smaller routes with one lane in either direction have a speed limit of 90 km/h. Snow tires are required by law on vehicles during the winter months.

Some seedy bars in the Montérégie are labelled "danseuses". This is a euphemism for a strip club, many of which are actually brothels; steer clear if you want to avoid criminal elements.

Akwesasne Mohawk Reserve, in the southwest corner of Montérégie, extends into Ontario and New York. There are rare occurrences of confrontations with police in this area; police try to patrol for cross-border cigarette and alcohol smuggling and locals insist Quebec police have no authority on the reserve. This should not usually affect tourists, but is something of which to be alert.

Go next

 * Laurentides
 * Lanaudière
 * Montréal
 * Cantons-de-l'Est
 * Centre-du-Québec
 * Cornwall-Massena
 * Eastern Ontario

title: Montérégie


text:
Mont-de-Marsan

Mont-de-Marsan is a commune and capital of the Landes department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.

Get in

 * RDTL (Régie Départementale des Transports des Landes) provides regular bus service.

Go next

 * Toulouse
 * Bordeaux

title: Mont-de-Marsan


text:
Mont Dore

Mont Dore is a town in France.

The Spa town, Mont Dore is situated in an ideal location for accessing the highest peaks in the Auvergne. Puy de Sancy, at 1886 m towering over the town, gives the illusion that you are in a much larger mountain range than actually is the case.

The hiking in the area is excellent, but not extensively varied - a good few days could be found with minimal effort and a week with a little consideration.

Eat
Rather a lot of pizza places, but one that stands out is Le Tsar in Rue Rigny. There is a bar with an enormous range of beers from all over the world, and a restaurant with a varied menu. Of note is the buffet des hors d'oeuvres which sits near the middle and rises out of its stand when the restaurant starts to get busy.

Drink
Le Tsar in Rue Rigny has a huge range of beers.

title: Mont Dore


text:
Monteagle

Monteagle is a small city in south-central Tennessee, roughly 40 minutes north of Chattanooga.

Get in
Monteagle is located just off I-24. Its main avenue is formed by Tennessee Highway 49. It is also accessible by small airplane through the nearby Sewanee airstrip.

Get around
As a small town, Monteagle has no public transit. Though it has a few walkable areas, a car is the only practical way to get around.

See
Most people come to Monteagle for the scenic beauty nearby. There is an abundance of campsites and summer-rental areas within a few minutes' drive.

Do
Chances are that if you come to Monteagle, you already know what you will be doing there. Camping and hiking are a good option as long as the weather cooperates.

Buy
There are quite a few souvenir and clothing stores along Highway 49.

Eat

There are also a variety of chain restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the I-24 exit.

Drink
There are several bars in Monteagle, such as the popular Moonshine Maggie's Saloon.

Sleep
Hotels can be found around the interstate exits. There are camping areas and cabins advertised along the nearby roads; give some thought to sleeping under the stars.

Be forewarned that advance reservations are necessary on holidays, or when a University event is going on. It is nearly impossible to find rooms during graduation and homecoming weekends without reservations well in advance.

Stay healthy

 * Monteagle Pediatrics, 25 Spring Street (behind CVS Pharmacy). (931) 924-7000. Monteagle Pediatrics provides well and sick care for infants, children, and adolescents. Open Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings.

Go next
Monteagle has immediate access to I-24 for trips to either Nashville or Chattanooga. You might also consider following Hwy 41, which has many excellent views of the rural area nearby. Traveling west on 41 will take you to Sewanee; traveling east will take you to Tracy City.

title: Monteagle


text:
Monte Alban

Monte Albán is a Zapotec and Mixtec archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, preserving the center of an ancient city that was a contemporary of Teotihuacán in central Mexico. Located on a mountaintop 10km from the center of Oaxaca city, Monte Albán is a.

Understand
Monte Albán traces its history to about 500 BCE when Zapotec builders (who called themselves the cloud people) began leveling the mountaintop and constructing terraces and other works. The city's construction was done in phases, with Phase I stretching from the city's beginnings to about 400 BCE. The second phase spanned three centuries between 400-100 BCE, and is when the city's observatories were built.

Around 1200 CE, the Zapotec abandoned the city due to Mixtec incursions. The Mixtec occupied the site until the Spanish conquest, and some additional minor structures were built during the Mixtec era.

Monte Albán is managed by INAH.

Climate
Temperatures in Oaxaca are generally warm with winter low temperatures seldom going below 15°C. November through April is the dry season in Oaxaca, which sees most of its rain in late summer, particularly September. March through May are generally the hottest months, with daily highs over 30°C, though thankfully Monte Albán tends to be breezier than Oaxaca city.

Get in
Monte Albán is located about 10km from downtown Oaxaca. The best ways to get there are by taxi or tourist bus.

Taxis
The most flexible, but most expensive way to visit the site. They will cost about M$200-300 round-trip from most downtown Oaxaca hotels (prices may be out of date).

Fees and permits
Entry to the site costs M$95 (Mar 2024). An additional M$50 is charged for video cameras or tripods. Entrance to the site is free on Sundays, if you are a Mexican resident.

On weekends the museum is closed.

Get around
You can walk around the site and climb up the major structures. Some fencing is in place to limit access to certain structures. Interpretive signage is in place around at the site in Spanish and English. Mobility will be a problem for handicapped visitors. Local guides can be hired near the site entrance and their interpretive knowledge is well worth the reasonable fees they charge.

You can see just about everything in about 2-3 hours. The best overview of the ancient city is probably from the South Platform, farthest from the entrance. If you're in a hurry, you could probably spend just 15 minutes or so to go straight to the north platform and back. The view from here is almost as good, giving you pretty good idea of what the site looks like.

Do

 * Hire one of the local guides to walk the site with you
 * Climb both the North and South platforms

Buy
A small bookstore is in the site's visitor center. Local vendors often sell local crafts and foods outside the site entrance.

Eat
There is a snack and drink window by the turnstiles, and a cafe serving light fare and beverages in the site's modern visitor center/museum. More substantial meals are available in Oaxaca.

Drink
Nightclubs and bars are in nearby Oaxaca. Sodas and beer are sold in the cafe in the site's visitor center. You'll probably want to bring a bottle of water or two into the park, since it can get very hot walking around the site and climbing the ancient ruins, and there are no vendors inside except a few roaming guys trying to sell you souvenirs. You can get water at the snack bar next to the turnstiles.

As of March 2024, the upper parking lot had about 50 souvenir stands and 1 stand selling drinks and cookies.

Sleep
Lodging is available in the nearby city of Oaxaca.

Stay safe
Because of its altitude and the lack of shade, be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses, sun block and water to avoid sunstroke - the sun can be unrelenting. There are many shady places to rest within the park, but if you want to walk around and see things, there's no avoiding spending most of your time in the sun.

Monte Albán is a safe site to visit. Some political unrest occurred in Oaxaca City in early 2007, but the city is quiet again.

Go next
The city of Oaxaca is spectacular. Mitla, another Zapotec archaeological site, is nearby.

title: Monte Alban


text:
Cassino

Monte Cassino is a monastery in Lazio, Italy, 130 km southeast of Rome. It is a rocky hill overlooking the town of Cassino. St. Benedict (see Subiaco) established his first monastery here. The monastery was constructed on the site of the pagan temple of Apollo and St. Benedict's first act was to smash the sculpture of Apollo and destroy the altar. The strategic position of the monastery has always made it a target for attack. In 1944, the Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies with the intention of breaking through the German lines and taking Rome. The monastery was destroyed by 1,400 tons of bombs dropped by American bombers, in the belief that the abbey was being used as a lookout post by the Germans.This was not, in fact, the case but two days after the bombing, German paratroopers occupied the ruins. The defences were then assaulted four times by Allied troops before the Germans were driven out.

Get in
The town can be reached by the Rome-Naples railway and the A1 tollway (Autostrada) between Rome and Naples, by getting out at Cassino.

The abbey is connected to the town only by a very winding road, 10 km long.

Get around
There are very infrequent buses from the train station to the monastery. Taxis are available.

title: Cassino


text:
Montecatini Terme

Montecatini Terme is a city in the County of Pistoia in Tuscany. Often defined as garden city due to the presence of imposing thermal and public parks, it is renowned in the world for its thermal waters (springs), that are good for gastrointestinal processes and for cholesterol. Most of its thermal and historical buildings are in Art Nouveau style, some are decorated by Galileo Chini, the most famous Art Nouveau artist in Italy. Montecatini Terme is one of 11 "Great Spa Towns of Europe", a transcontinental UNESCO world heritage site.

Get in
You can arrive to Montecatini Terme by
 * Car: A11 highway Exit Montecatini Terme)
 * Train: a train every ½ hour stops in the 2 train stations:, ) on the railway line linking Florence and Lucca
 * Bus: the public transportation operated by Blu Bus links Montecatini Terme within the city, Valdinievole, Pistoia and other cities in the nearby)

Get around
Walking is the best solution, considering that the touristic part of the town is 1.5 km (0.92 miles) wide.

Montecatini Terme is included in a lot of mountain bike and cycling tours and itineraries, as well as trekking itineraries, linking the area and the rest of Tuscany. An app is available for the major trekking and cycling paths.

History
Montecatini Alto was the original village: documents state that it's been on top of a hill of 300 m overlooking Valdinievole since the Roman empire, due to its view over the valley. During the Middle Ages, Montecatini Alto was strategically important due to the presence of salts in its land and its position between Florence and Lucca. By the 16th century, the Padule marshlands, which had covered all of Montecatini Terme, had been drained. Later on the thermal springs became the most important business for the area: the Grandduke Leopoldo of Tuscany made this the most important thermal spa in the world.

The Tettuccio Terme was built in the late 18th century by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold of Habsburg-Lorraine, the son of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. The first three spas that were built were the Tettuccio, the Regina and Leopoldine. These spas made Montecatini Terme famous all over Europe, and a favorite place for the rich and the royalty. Famous visitors included Giacomo Puccini, who composed part of La Boheme here, and Giuseppe Verdi, who spent his holidays here for over 29 years and inaugurated the Funicolare.

Geography
Montecatini Terme is in the Valdinievole, the south Valdarno area (the land of Leonardo da Vinci) which is part of the province of Pistoia. The area has been marshy ever since the Roman age, as noted by Tito Livio and Annibale, with thermal springs that are extremely rich in minerals and salts and well known for their healing effects. Romans underlined the "holiness" of these waters.

See
Tuscany has many thermal spas. The largest and most famous of them is Montecatini Terme.

Montecatini Terme is a beautiful town that was built around its mineral water springs. The spring water is considered to help people with trouble with the stomach or liver. Healthy people can enjoy the old time grandeur of the town, stroll in the park or enjoy spa treatments in the various hotels.

The most famous spa in town is the Tettuccio Terme located on the main street of Montecatini Terme - Viale Verdi, next to the park. on the same street you can find the municipality building and the tourist information center.

These days the spa treatments have advanced and they include many modern methods of massage, mud pack treatments and hydrotherapy.

Do

 * Go to the Tettuccio Spa building to admire the liberty architecture and plants from all over the world, or Excelsior spa building, or Redi Spa building to have a treatment (mud, termal-water massages, beauty and relax). General Address: Terme di Montecatini Viale Verdi, 64 ph +39 0572 7781
 * Hike on the hill of Montecatini Alto, or bike around the city: download the apo on outdoor activities in Montecatini Terme (free download)
 * Listen to a classical music concert of the "Estate Regina" festival
 * Eat Cialda di Montecatini, the special sweet of the city: the Cialda di Montecatini is a wafer cake to be eaten with ice cream or with Vin Santo, available in shops and in restaurant throughout the city
 * Eat Cialda di Montecatini, the special sweet of the city: the Cialda di Montecatini is a wafer cake to be eaten with ice cream or with Vin Santo, available in shops and in restaurant throughout the city

Buy

 * Montecatini Terme and its shops attracts many visitors coming just to have a walk in the commercial streets of the town-centre (Corso Matteotti, Corso Roma, Viale Verdi, Viale 4 Novembre...). It's easy to stand in front of the many boutique windows in a daze.
 * Cialde in a can. A typical biscuit that preserves freshness for long time: perfect for a gift!
 * Souvenirs can be found in the Grocco Market or in Montecatini Alto (upper town).

Eat
A must is to taste the "Cialde" the Montecatini Terme biscuit made with just almonds and sugar into two thin wafers - about the size of a Chinese pancake, and reminiscent of the very best quality ice cream wafers. Available in boxes, along with other specialities such as pan forte, from impressive patisserie, Giovanini, just off main square.

Here are some typical and popular dishes of the Valdinievole area Farro soup, Pappa al Pomodoro, Ribollita, Farinata, Maccheroni sull'Anatra Muta, Pasta e Fagioli, Pasta e Ceci. Trippa, Fegatelli nel Lardo, Baccalà alla Livornese, Cioncia, Tordi sott' olio. Side dish: Fagioli all'Uccelletto.
 * First courses:
 * Second courses:
 * Desserts: Castagnaccio, Necci con ricotta, Brigidini, Buccellato, Cantuccini, Befanotti Glassati

Drink
Vin Santo: sweet wine, the one drunk by the priest during the Mass.

Enjoy a cocktail or an aperitif in a best locations with music: at the "bar storico" in the Tettuccio spa or in the Gambrinus open gallery. Refresh in the Montecatini Alto square after a walk to the "rocca" fortress or along the walls.

Go next
Nearby art-cities are easily reachable by bus or train but if you like the quiet medieval towns and villas around Montecatini Terme, the only solution is by car. Trains take approximately 30 minutes to Lucca, an hour to Pisa (usually involving a change at Lucca) and Florence.

Few travel agencies organize day trips. Consider them if you are without (rented) car and want to visit San Gimignano (many changes by public transport). There are daily trips in the season to locations such as Florence, Lucca, Siena/San Gimingnano, the coast, and local wine tastings: details from Tourist Information Centre, or leaflets in hotels.

 * Grotto of Monsummano - A lime cave with hot rooms and a steaming lake that are considered to cure people who enter it. "Grotta Giusti" also provide a big outdoor thermal swimming-pool and other spa-treatments.

title: Montecatini Terme


text:
Montecristi

Montecristi is a town in the Coastal Lowlands of Ecuador.

Get in
Montecristi is a small town at the base of a mountain of that name. It can be reached from Manta, a port town, or Portoviejo, the capital of the province. By bus it costs thirty-five cents from any point in Manta, and by taxi between ten and fifteen dollars depending on where you are and your bargaining skills. Gringo tax* applies to both.

Get around
There is one road going through the town from Manta to Portoviejo. There is one bus coop. that goes to the town (it's orange), but taxis are available. The bus goes up to the church and through a few side- streets before returning to Manta.

Do
Once a year there is a pilgrimage to the church, where thousands of Ecuadorians pay their respects to the saint of the town. It's not recommended to visit during that week.

All along the streets are shops selling Panama hats, knick-knacks, keychains, hammocks, shawls, baked goods, furniture, and nearly anything else they can think of to sell.

Buy
Panama hats of the best quality are made here. Montecristi is famous for them, and for good reason. They ought to be re-named "Montecristi hats", but Panama already has the copyrights.

The shops along the streets going to the church are slightly cheaper than the ones along the main road. You can buy anything hand-made there. If you want gifts or souvenirs, buy them in Montecristi.

Gringo tax is applied to any tourist. It is simply half of the real price of any item.

Example: A shawl costs three dollars. Half of that is one-fifty. If you are a Gringo (tourist), they will charge you four-fifty. What you can do: offer to buy two shawls for five dollars. They will hem-haw and accept.

Eat
Along the road there are people selling fruit and bread. It is unadvisable for tourists to eat any fruit that doesn't have a peel, but the bread is good. As always, choose a vendor that looks sanitary. There are a few restaurants in Montecristi that serve local food, but Gringo tax* applies. It is best to return to Manta or Portoviejo for meals.

Drink
There are small shops scattered around that sell bottled beverages. Do Not Drink Tap Water. Ice should also be avoided.

title: Montecristi


text:
Montefalco

Montefalco is a hill town in southern Umbria in Italy, south of Assisi and north of Spoleto. It is well-known as a wine producing centre.

Get in
By car from Rome, leave the A1 Autostrada at Orte, joining the E45 in the direction of Perugia. After 20 km or so ignore the sign for Perugia and continue straight to Spoleto. From Spoleto you can either carry on along the main SS3 highway before taking a left to Montefalco or explore the back roads between Spoleto and Montefalco. An alternative route is via Bastardo.

There is a railway station at Foligno, a few km from Montefalco, with connections to Rome and Florence.

Understand
For many years Montefalco was a closely guarded secret among Italian wine lovers. Good, cheap wine was too valuable to tell others about. But, inevitably, the secret leaked out and the bargains have gone. The main red wine in terms of quantity is the Rosso di Montefalco. This uses the Sangiovese grape that is found in the wines of Chianti but mixes in some of the local Sagrantino grape, which is what makes Rosso di Montefalco special. The Sagrantino grape is said to have more tannin than just about any other grape in the world. You can also find a pure Sagrantino red wine as well as a passito version which is a thick, syrupy wine. Montefalco’s white wine, Grechetto, is also made from a local grape, of the same name as the wine.

See
The town is small enough to stroll around and has many excellent wine shops. Leave the car outside the town’s walls outside the Porta Sant'Agostino and stroll up the hill to the main square at the top, known as the Piazza del Comune, which is surrounded by some of the town’s main buildings. There are good and extensive views of the surrounding countryside.
 * Chiesa Sant'Agostino, Gothic style church built between 1279 and 1285. Several noteworthy frescoes.
 * Chiesa San Francesco is a deconsecrated church that houses the town’s museum. It includes works by Perugino and many others. Via Ringhiera della Umbria.
 * Convento di San Fortunato. Just outside Montefalco in the direction of Fabbri. Highly regarded frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, dating back to 1442.

Do
There is a wine shop in the central square where you may sample many of the wines offered for sale. Get a plastic card from the bar, fill it with euros. Wines are kept in machines along the outside wall; choose your wine and enjoy.

Buy
Wine!

Sleep

 * Agriturismo Il Borghetto, Via Borghetto n°6, Madonna della Stella, 06036 Montefalco Tel.: +39 338 4887737 - +39 0742 399115 - Fax: +39 0742 399115. Working organic farm with accommodation. Double rooms Euros 60-80.
 * Villa Zuccari. Four-star hotel in the countryside at Località San Luca near Montefalco. - Tel: +39 0742 399 402, Fax: +39 0742 399 194. Double rooms €110-150

title: Montefalco


text:
Montefiascone

Montefiascone is a town in the province of Viterbo, Italy, located on a hill on the southeast side of Lake Bolsena. It is 113 km by rail northwest of Rome. Montefiascone is 600 metres above sea level and is a former Etruscan settlement. It has an unmistakable silhouette, with the remains of the Rocca dei Papi fortress and the impressive dome of the church of Santa Margherita.

Get in
By car, Montefiascone is approximately 20km north of Viterbo. Without a car, the town is best reached by bus as the station is four km downhill from the town with irregular bus services and no taxis. There is a regular bus service from Viterbo bus station

See

 * The Cathedral has one of the largest domes in Italy. Dedicated to Saint Margaret it was a ruin in 1330 and took three centuries to rebuild. In 1670, it suffered a serious fire, with repairs taking a further decade.
 * The church of San Flaviano is considered a good example of a Romanesque church, although it was enlarged in the Gothic style in the 14th Century. In the crypt is the grave of a Bishop who succumbed to excessive drinking of the local wine (see Drink).
 * Rocca di Papi is the remains of the old Papal summer residence. It provides a great view of Lake Bolsena from its position at the top of the town.

Drink

 * Est! Est!! Est!!!, the local white wine, is perhaps more famous for its name than its quality, although there are one or two good producers. The name goes back to 1111 when a German priest was travelling to Rome. He sent a servant ahead of him, with instructions to write Est! on the wall of any inn with good wine. When the servant arrived in Montefiascone, he was so impressed with the local wine that he wrote Est! Est! Est!, and that has been appropriated by local producers as the name for their white wine. The story does not have a happy ending. The bishop was similarly impressed with the quality of the wine, so much so that he drank far too much and died.

title: Montefiascone


text:
Montego Bay

Montego Bay, commonly referred to as MoBay, is the second largest city in the island nation Jamaica. It has a population of 428,000 people (2018). Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish, one of the 14 parishes of Jamaica.

Understand
Christopher Columbus sailed into the bay in 1494 and named it "El Golfo de Buen Tiempo" or Fair Weather Bay. The first record of a Spanish settlement here shows it as Monterias. The Spaniards hunted the herds of wild hogs that used to roam the hills and produced and exported 'hog butter' or lard. The name Montego derives from the Spanish "manteca" meaning lard, and Montego Bay is shown on some ancient maps as Lard Bay, or Bahia de Manteca in Spanish.

Due in part to its location on the island's north shore, Montego Bay has long since earned the title of 'tourist capital of Jamaica.' It receives the bulk of international flights, and is home to Sangster International Airport, the larger of Jamaica's two main international airports. It is a tourist destination known for its duty-free shopping, cruise line terminal, and the sheltered Doctor's Cave beach with clear turquoise waters, which is one of the most famous beaches on the island.

By boat
Montego Freeport, built in the 1960s on what was called the Bogue Islands, is the port of Montego Bay. The Montego Freeport terminal consists of five primary berths two of which are dedicated exclusively for cruise shipping. There is a telecommunications centre for cruise passengers (and crew), snack and refreshment stand.

Transportation is available from the terminal building, supervised by the Jamaica Tourist Board, which also maintains a visitor information booth. Montego Freeport is about 3 km south of town. Taxis to downtown MoBay cost about US$10. Shuttle bus service from the cruise ship pier to downtown City Centre Shopping Mall for US$2 per person each way.

By foot
Gloucester Avenue-which is lined with tourist hotels, shops, and restaurants-has sidewalks on both sides and is best visited on foot. Aside from this road, walking may be considerably less safe.

By bus, taxi
Buses, minibuses and route taxis arrive and depart from the transportation station off Barnett St at the south end of St James St. There’s an inspector’s office (7AM-6PM) inside the gate where you can ask for the departure point of the bus you’re seeking.

Montego Bay Metro (952-5500; 19A Union St) is the municipal bus service (around J$100). Montego Bay Metro now operates three routes: Greenwood to City Centre; Sandy Bay to City Centre; and Cambridge to City Centre.

Taxis are readily available, but as with all cities be aware that some drivers will be less honest or reliable than others. follow your instincts; never get into an unmarked car with someone who offers you a ride, and stick with taxi services you recognize. Your hotel can suggest trustworthy drivers. Reliable driver (as used by the Bird's Nest and Five Gable include Frankly (local ) and Smith (local )

Another very common way of getting anywhere outside the vicinity of your hotel is by tour van. If you book a tour to the falls or the canopy, the driver will usually pick you up at your hotel. For more on tours, check the Do section below.

Do

 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.
 * Golf: several courses, best known is Half Moon at Rose Hall.

Tours

 * All day, representatives from tour companies will stroll the beaches, offering parasailing, horseback riding, and a million other fun activities; if you're interested, keep your ears and eyes open for these guys, but remember to always play it safe and go with companies you recognize and trust. A lot can go wrong during these activities if the people in charge don't know what they're doing!

Buy

 * Montego Bay shopping center. You can find more reasonably priced souvenirs, and eat some real native Jamaican food. A traveller can find really great deals on gourmet coffee in which is produced on the island, and Jamaican spices, art and scented body oils. You can get there by taxi or local shuttle.
 * There are three craft markets: Harbour Street Craft Market, Old Fort Craft Market and Success Craft Market.

Eat
Most restaurants also serve drinks. Try a tropical drink or grab a cold Red Stripe in the signature brown bottle, then relax and take in the scenery!

Stay safe
While Montego Bay is a relatively safe city, normal precautions should be observed. Stay in groups, and stick to tourist areas. The rural areas are especially dangerous.

By air
You can get domestic flights to Kingston's second airport Tinson Pen.

A weekly international service to Santiago de Cuba is also available, costing approximately US$400 (June 2012) with Air Jamaica Shuttle

By bus
The Montego Bay Bus station, in downtown Montego Bay has buses serving most of the larger cities throughout the country including Black River, Ocho Rios, Spanish Town & Kingston.

title: Montego Bay


text:
Montegrotto Terme

Montegrotto Terme (Province of Padova) is in the Veneto region of Italy.

Understand
Montegrotto Terme and Abano Terme are the ancient home of Aponus, god of thermal waters and curative virtues, honored thousands of years ago by the Venetians and Romans, who left a precious heritage of wisdom and the tradition of the pleasures of thermal cures and treatment. Today this tradition has been taken up by the wellness centers of Abano and Montegrotto Terme which have made wellness their mission.

Itineraries
Montegrotto Terme has an archeological site with the ruins of the original Roman Thermae and the "Casa delle Farfalle", an original exotic park where thousands of species of butterflies are seen hovering among plants and flowers, and the "Bosco delle Fate", with elves, druids, and fates from Celtic and paleovent legends.

title: Montegrotto Terme


text:
Montejaque

The tiny village of Montejaque (population around 800) is in the south-western Andalucia region of Spain. It is one of the 'white towns' (Spanish: pueblos blancos) of the Sierra la Grazalema national park, majestically nestled between two bluffs to the north and south.

The tiny, non-English speaking tourist information office is on the left hand side as you enter the village (opposite the Guardia Civil office) and can provide pamphlets (but little else) on accommodation and guided tours of the region.

Get in
Once daily buses arrive in the village centre from Ronda (via Benaojan) but the train station connects the town with major centres including Algeciras (for Gibraltar) or Granada, via Ronda However the train station is 2 km down the mountainside so you will have a walk or need to organise transport (or hitch) from there. Most visitors hire cars so that they can use the village as a base for spectacular drives around the area, with its varied landscape and attractive "pueblos blancos" (white villages). The back roads here are both challenging and beautiful and include climbs over stunning mountain passes.

See and do
BIrdwatchers, cavers, bikers and walkers will find plenty to do in Montejaque - and all are catered for by either local nature guides or companies organising cycle tours, cave adventures, etc. Most are English-speaking. For the more sedentary, you can just sit back with a sangria and soak up some authentic village atmosphere. You can also climb the southern bluff from a path behind the village for a spectacular view, although some bouldering experience may come in handy for this. There are a large number of well-marked walks from Montejaque through the national park, including a 9 km circular trek to nearby Benaojan.

Buy
There is a Unicaja bank (with an ATM that accepts foreign cards) along the main road into the village.

Eat and drink
Most of Montejaque's half-dozen restaurants and bars (which also serve food and tapas) are clustered around the central square, although there are also a few scattered along the main road into town.
 * Bar Ticino is one such place in the square, offering good quality tapas from €0.80, bocadillos from €2.00, and the best cafe cortada in town.
 * Entre Ascuas at the hotel on the main plaza serves classier interpretations of traditional Spanish fare from €9–€17.
 * Restaurant La Casita, Calle Estrecha 3 (see Sleep for directions) is a family-run restaurant next to the La Casita villas. €14–€18.
 * El Patio also offers good, peasant-style fare and is just off the main road.

Sleep
There are plenty of accommodation options in the village.
 * Hostal Bar La Cabaña II (Tel: +34 952 167120; Mobile: 677 376883; walk / drive along the main road entering the town, turn right at the Guardia Civil station and climb the steep path until you see signs for the hostal) is by far the cheapest option in Montejaque. Although the friendly family that run Bar La Cabaña don't rent out dirt cheap rooms above the bar anymore, you can get rooms with private bath in the hostal behind it from €20. There is no reception so phone ahead to arrange accommodation. If you arrive unannounced, you may have to chase up the manager Antonio Garcia, who works as the chef at the restaurant in the La Casita complex (see above for directions) or try his mobile.
 * Casitas de Montejaque offers good-value accommodation grouped around a pool with a good view and central to the village.
 * There is a three star hotel in the central square called Hotel Palacete de Mañara, with single rooms starting at €50.
 * There are numerous rental properties in the village, ranging from modest 2-person apartments to 4-bedroom villas with pools. See Airbnb, HomeAway, etc. Casita de Suenos is a bijou, 2-bed place in the older part of the village with unspoilt views over the olive groves and mountains and the added bonus of a hot tub/plunge pool, for example.
 * There are numerous rental properties in the village, ranging from modest 2-person apartments to 4-bedroom villas with pools. See Airbnb, HomeAway, etc. Casita de Suenos is a bijou, 2-bed place in the older part of the village with unspoilt views over the olive groves and mountains and the added bonus of a hot tub/plunge pool, for example.

Go next
There is a daily bus service to Ronda, although you may want to drive or hike through other pubelos blancos nearby, including Grazalema and Benaojan.

title: Montejaque