Attraction
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
Gothic Revival basilica on Place d'Armes in Old Montreal, known for its deep blue, star-studded vaults, its 1891 Casavant organ and the AURA evening light show.
Montreal is a French-speaking city on an island in the St Lawrence River, and the range of things to do in Montreal reflects its mix of European history and North American energy. Old Montreal and the Old Port hold the cobbled streets, Notre-Dame Basilica and the archaeology museum at Pointe-à-Callière, while downtown and the Golden Square Mile have the big museums along Sherbrooke Street. Mount Royal, the hill that gave the city its name, rises behind them as a vast park with lookouts over the skyline.
The neighbourhoods are where much of the city's character lies. The Plateau and Mile End are known for colourful streets, bagel bakeries and cafés, Little Italy for Jean-Talon Market, and the south-west for the Lachine Canal and Atwater Market. Food is a major reason to visit, from smoked meat and poutine to Michelin-recognised restaurants. Three or four days are enough for the main sights and a few neighbourhoods, and a longer stay leaves time for the Olympic Park area, the islands and the festivals.
Attraction
Gothic Revival basilica on Place d'Armes in Old Montreal, known for its deep blue, star-studded vaults, its 1891 Casavant organ and the AURA evening light show.
Attraction
Frederick Law Olmsted's park on the mountain that gives Montreal its name, with the Kondiaronk Belvedere city view, Beaver Lake, forest trails and winter sports.
Attraction
Fine arts museum founded in 1860, spread over five pavilions on Sherbrooke Street, with world cultures, Inuit, Quebec, Canadian and contemporary art.
Attraction
Domed basilica and pilgrimage shrine on Mount Royal in Côte-des-Neiges, founded by Saint Brother André, with free entry, a museum and wide views over the city.
Attraction
Archaeology and history museum in Old Montreal built over the city's birthplace, with remains in situ, the William collector sewer and a multimedia show on Montreal's…
Attraction
A 75-hectare botanical garden founded in 1931 beside the Olympic Park, with Chinese, Japanese and First Nations gardens, year-round greenhouses and the Insectarium.
Café
Mile End bakery founded in 1957, where bagels are still hand-rolled, boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-burning oven, open from 6am to midnight.
Café
Family-run Mile End bagel bakery whose story begins in 1919 with the city's first bagel bakery, still rolling bagels by hand and baking them in a…
Café
Old Montreal bakery-café opened in 1998 by two former Toqué! colleagues, serving seasonal breakfast, lunch and baking made in-house on rue Saint-Paul.
Café
Café and coworking space in the former Royal Bank of Canada banking hall on rue Saint-Jacques, serving Traffic Coffee espresso and daily brunch.
Café
Family-run Mile End espresso bar opened in 1970 by Italian immigrant Rocco Furfaro, serving traditional Italian espresso from 6am to midnight every day.
Café
Specialty coffee company founded in 2008 on rue Mackay, now with five cafés and its own roastery in Saint-Henri, known for latte art and guest roasters.
Hotel
Sherbrooke Street grande dame opened in 1912, restored in 2012, with 129 rooms and suites, Maison Boulud, afternoon tea in the Palm Court and an indoor…
Hotel
Downtown landmark opened in 1958 above the central train station, renovated in 2017, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 1969 Bed-In.
Hotel
Old Montreal boutique hotel near Place Jacques-Cartier with the Maggie Oakes restaurant, two terraces including an eighth-floor rooftop and an underground spa with a pool.
Hotel
Old Montreal boutique hotel on rue Saint-Paul with 44 rooms and 61 suites, the Terrasse Nelligan, several places to eat and a spa due in early…
Hotel
Downtown design hotel on rue Mansfield with sixties-inspired interiors by Zébulon Perron, a French brasserie, an oyster bar and a 24-hour gym.
Hotel
Boutique hotel in a 19th-century building facing the Old Port, with 45 rooms, stone and brick walls, Taverne Gaspar and a terrace overlooking the St Lawrence.
Bar
Award-winning cocktail bar on avenue Atwater, open nightly until 3am, ranked 32nd in North America's 50 Best Bars and run on a walk-in-only basis.
Bar
Craft brewpub on avenue Laurier Ouest, open since 1998, where the brewers behind Péché Mortel and Rosée d'Hibiscus pour their beers on tap.
Bar
Saint-Laurent Boulevard bar, bistro and music venue opened in 2000 by Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Mauro Pezzente, a long-standing home of independent music.
Bar
Downtown jazz club on rue Mackay, hosting live jazz nightly since 1995, with two shows on many evenings, student jams and casual food.
Bar
Czech-themed Plateau tavern opened in 1998 on avenue du Mont-Royal Est, with Czech beers and spirits, early-evening live music and late weekend DJ sets.
Bar
British gastropub in Little Burgundy since 2008, with what it calls Quebec's largest whisky collection, Premier League football, quiz nights and Sunday roasts.
Restaurant
Montreal's best-known smoked meat deli, serving its cured and smoked brisket sandwiches on Saint-Laurent Boulevard since 1928.
Restaurant
Little Burgundy restaurant opened in 2005 and named after a 19th-century tavern keeper, known for steaks, seafood and French bistro classics.
Restaurant
Martin Picard's Plateau restaurant, open since 2001, known for nose-to-tail Québécois cooking, a whole menu section devoted to foie gras and an energetic open kitchen.
Restaurant
Normand Laprise's fine-dining restaurant, founded in 1993 and a pioneer of cooking with local, seasonal Quebec produce, now in the Quartier international.
Restaurant
Michelin-starred Rosemont restaurant in a converted 1904 brick industrial building, where chef Marc-André Jetté cooks almost everything over wood fire.
Restaurant
Saint-Denis Street French bistro, a Montreal institution since 1980, open seven days a week until 1am, with classic bistro dishes and a cellar of about 11,000…
Thing to do
More than two kilometres of quays along the St Lawrence below Old Montreal, with the Clock Tower, the Science Centre, an urban beach and winter skating.
Thing to do
Montreal's largest public market, in Little Italy since 1933, with farmers' stalls, cheese, maple products, bakeries and restaurants, open year-round.
Thing to do
Art Deco public market from 1933 beside the Lachine Canal in Saint-Henri, with butchers, cheesemongers, bakers and seasonal farmers' stalls.
Thing to do
Parks Canada's historic canal from the Old Port to Lake Saint-Louis, with a 13.5-kilometre walking and cycling trail, five locks and industrial heritage along its banks.
Thing to do
A floating spa moored in the Old Port, with a reservable water circuit, massages, riverside gardens and a restaurant, reserved for guests aged 18 and over.
Tour operator
Old Port bike tour and rental company operating since 1995, with three-hour guided rides on regular or electric bikes through the Plateau, Mount Royal and the…
Tour operator
Year-round bike and walking tour company based in the Plateau, running three-hour rides through downtown, Old Montreal, Mile End and Jean-Talon Market since 2010.
Tour operator
Old Montreal guided tour company founded in 1985, running walking and bus tours in more than 15 languages, from classic old-town walks to murals and Christmas…
Tour operator
Glass-sided river cruise boat sailing from Jacques Cartier Quay in the Old Port, with bilingual guided cruises and three-hour dinner cruises in season.
Tour operator
Ghost tour company running storyteller-led walks through Old Montreal, Griffintown, downtown and Mount Royal, plus pub crawls, paranormal investigations and a history walk.
Three or four days cover Old Montreal, Mount Royal, the main museums and a couple of neighbourhoods such as the Plateau and Mile End; add a day for the Olympic Park area and the Botanical Garden.
Old Montreal suits first-time visitors who want history and the waterfront on the doorstep, downtown is best for transport links and shopping, and the Plateau suits travellers who prefer a neighbourhood feel.
The STM 747 express bus links Montréal-Trudeau airport with downtown around the clock, and taxis and ride-hailing services are also available outside arrivals.
It is generally cheaper than Toronto or Vancouver, with good-value food such as bagels, poutine and smoked meat, although top hotels and restaurants are priced like those of other major cities.
Montreal is generally considered safe for visitors; take normal city precautions with valuables, especially in busy areas and on public transport at night.