It was a pleasure to live in Montreal years ago. Every time I visit, I feel homesick. So I am coming here often and always discover new sides in this old-world, charming city. Here are just a couple of ideas for your visit. Come and discover more treasures, and maybe fall in love with the city - like I did. Montreal is the most “European-style” city in Canada, with worldwide neighbourhoods - from China to Italy to Argentina or Vietnam.
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Take a plane, a train, a bus, or one of the many ride shares to reach Montreal. The city has a fantastic subway and bus system that will transport you everywhere. Best you purchase a day or weekly ticket that gives you access to all means of city transportation.
You can also buy a Montreal Passport, which provides free entrance, for example, to the Biodome, the Botanical Garden, the History Museum, or a boat tour. You will also get discounts to visit up to 28 of Montreal's must-see attractions, plus free public transit all over Montreal.
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Cobblestone streets, old cathedrals, amazing food markets and restaurants, lots of fantastic museums and galleries, a beautiful botanical garden, lots of neighborhood parks, and the large and leafy Mont-Royal mountain that offers stunning views of the city. Mount Royal is a 200-hectare municipal park where you can go for cross-country skiing, walking, a picnic, jogging, and ice skating. The huge park was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the same architect who created Central Park in New York.
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On the Northside of the park, on Mont Royal Blvd, is a cemetery where the famous singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen is buried - surprisingly in an unassuming grave next to his family's tomb.
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Montreal has too many highlights; it will take many visits to discover them all.
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Most of the festivals happen at Place des Arts, while the Old Port hosts the festivities of Canada Day or the popular Montreal International Fireworks Competition. You also have the science fair Eureka, and the foodie fest, Taste of the Caribbean, or YUL EAT.
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All seasons are worth a visit, every month of the year, not only during the summer. Skip November or March, but for example, in December when Christmas markets are inviting visitors, go to the lovely Atwater Market or the Jean-Talon Market.
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The Atwater Market, but also the Jean-Talon are the perfect places to buy local products, or eat in one of the many restaurant stands, have a picnic on the nearby Canal, or get some groceries to bring back to your hotel. From here, start a long walk along the Lachine Canal.
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On the Canal, you cannot only walk, but also bike, skate, SUP, and kayak. Cross over to the south side and enjoy one of the best coffees in an old factory that now houses dozens of coffee roasters who get their beans from all over the world.
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Use rainy or snowy times to explore Montreal’s Underground City (known as the RÉSO). It lets you walk a network of tunnels and passageways that stretches over 20 miles (32 kilometers) beneath the city. Step into a secret world where commuters, shoppers, and locals glide between inner-city skyscrapers without ever going outside. There are even underground tours you can book (and never get lost this way).
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Montreal was founded by French settlers in 1642 and is one of the oldest urban areas in North America. Montreal's first settlement is shown in interactive displays in the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, showing key moments in the city’s history.
The Cité Mémoire is one of the largest outdoor video-projection installations in the world!
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The circuit has 24 tableaux that tell the stories of famous as well as little-known Montrealers who have shaped the city and the world. The tableaux have images, dialogue, and music projected on walls, in alleys, on the ground, and on trees in historic Old Montréal and downtown. The outdoor projections run from Tuesday to Sunday, from dusk until 11 p.m.
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The main landmarks are Montreal City Hall with its beautiful fountain, the Bonsecours Market, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, and finally, the Notre-Dame Basilica, a must-visit, even if you are not into religious sites. The Place Jacques Cartier is always full of life, with street performers and plenty of tourist action.
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Two blocks North (down the hill), enjoy the architecture of the heyday as Canada's financial centre. The main buildings are the former Bank of Montreal Head Office and the 1888 Art Deco New York Life Building, the oldest skyscraper in Canada. Stop at the Crew Cafe. This unique coffee shop is located on the ground floor of what used to be the grand headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada, built back in 1928. The place is grandiose and beautiful!
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From McGill University, it is just a short walk to the “Plateau Mont-Royal”. This quarter has photogenic twirling iron staircases and cute houses full of colours. Along Mont-Royal Avenue, you will see quirky shops and third-wave coffee shops. Stroll around the iconic Boulevard Saint-Laurent for interesting murals. The neighbourhood has become Little Paris with all the new French expatriots.
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West of the Plateau, roughly between Rue Saint Urbain and Park Avenue, is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the city: The Mile End, a microcosm of artists. It has the highest artist's concentration of musicians and visual artists in Montreal. Plenty of vintage shops and boutiques offer clothes, designed and made in Montreal.
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Between the Mile End and Jean-Talon Market (a must-visit during the Christmas Market time), you will find Little Italy, a charming residential neighborhood full of old-school cafes, pizzerias, Italian grocery stores, gelaterias, and traditional bakeries. Nearby, locals play bocce in Parc Dante.
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Spending time at the outstanding Botanical Garden or the many kilometres of parks at the Mont Royal let me forget that I am in a mega-city. There is no shortage of parks besides those two:
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Spanning several city blocks between downtown and the Plateau’s eastern edge, the La Fontaine Park is a leafy oasis and social gathering spot in summer, while in winter, the park’s pond transforms into a popular skating rink.
Located between the Parc-Ex and Villeray neighbourhoods, and not far from Little Italy, Jarry Park teems with people all summer, whether they're there to play soccer, watch the National tennis tournament, go swimming, or host an open-air birthday party. Plenty of picnic tables and green space – plus the nearby Jean-Talon Market – make the park a perfect picnic destination
Parc Maisonneuve: With 63 hectares of green space, including a public golf course, official bike paths, and a skating rink, there’s still plenty of space to stretch out and relax. It's also next door to the must-see Botanical Garden and fascinating (and recently renovated) Insectarium and just up the hill from the Olympic Stadium, Planetarium and the Biodome.
Dozens and dozens of parks, green lungs, are scattered around the city, not to forget the many lakes and large waterways that cross through Montreal and invite you to leisure activities and relaxation.
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Some of my Favored Eateries
‘Beautys Luncheonette’ is a Montreal breakfast institution. Open since 1942, the establishment is located at the corner of Mont-Royal and St-Urbain. Since it opened over 70 years ago, the menu at Beautys hasn’t really changed; it serves generous breakfasts and brunches, bagels, smoked salmon, and milkshakes of all kinds. 93 Ave du Mont-Royal Quest.
Tommy Cafe is the kind of place that feels more like a stylish Parisian corner spot than a downtown Montreal café—think marble counters, hanging greenery, and lattes served in minimalist ceramic cups. Come early, best just when they open.
8 am to 6 pm. 200 Notre-Dame St W.
For lunch or dinner, head to Terrasse William Gray on sunny days, just a short walk from the Old Port. Perched on the rooftop of Hôtel William Gray, you will find a bistro with stunning panoramic views of Old Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. Or come for the brunch on Saturday or Sunday. 421 rue Saint-Vincent, 8e étage.
The Southwest borough is one of the foodie hotspots of the city. Notre Dame Street is often called the restaurant alley for its numerous restaurants. Here is another great place for Sunday brunch: Arthur's Nosh Bar. I like their Latkes with smoked Salmon and other Jewish classics, as well as the warm and welcoming staff. Come early, the place is packed soon.
4621 Notre-Dame West Street.
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Every first weekend of the month, from June to September, celebrate world cuisine at Canada's largest annual street food gathering. Don’t miss this event at the Olympic Park, and the cultural and gastronomic diversity of the communities with First Friday’s Cultural Street.
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Don't worry if you don't speak French, almost everyone in the city is bilingual. The western part of the city is traditionally English-speaking (e.g., in Westmount). From the city center to the east, you will hear a lot of French, but folks there often switch to English. Only signs have to be in French everywhere. Use your phone to easily translate it.
If you love history, the arts, festivals, good food, and Joie de vivre,
then Montreal is for you!
