Guidatour

Guidatour has been guiding visitors around Montreal for around 40 years. Founded in 1985 and based in the heart of Old Montreal, it calls itself a specialist in the old town, and Montreal's tourism office describes it as a provider of professional tourist guides working in more than 15 languages, with tours offered every day throughout the year.

The core product is the classic old-town walk. L'original, Vieux-Montréal à pied, is the public walking tour of Old Montreal, and a semi-private version is available for smaller groups. Other public tours include Montréal tout en murales, which explores the city's street art, and Secrets de Noël du Vieux-Montréal during the festive season. The company also runs ghost tours under the name Fantômes Montréal.

Private tours widen the choice. Options include Old Montreal, a combined downtown and Old Montreal walk, a tour of the underground city and downtown, a culinary walk through Old Montreal and tours of other city neighbourhoods. There are also private vehicle tours, such as Montréal classique and Ville multiculturelle, and day trips to Quebec City's old town. Some tours are led by guides in the costume of historical figures, adding a theatrical element to the history.

Schools and companies are a big part of the business, with school walking and bus tours, rallies and corporate guided tours. That experience with groups makes Guidatour a sensible choice for family reunions or office outings as well as individual travellers.

The tourism office lists the meeting point as the obelisk in front of 206 place D'Youville in Old Montreal, with a Place-d'Armes rendezvous also mentioned, so check your booking confirmation for the exact spot. Book through the reservation page on the company's website, where gift cards are also sold. The Companion Leisure Card is accepted, so a companion of a disabled visitor can join.

It suits history lovers, first-time visitors and groups who want a structured introduction to the old town. A walk with Guidatour makes a good start to a stay, since it gives context for sights such as Notre-Dame Basilica and Pointe-à-Callière that you can then visit on your own. For questions, call 514 844-4021 or the toll-free line 800 363-4021.