Travel guide · Canada
Montreal travel guide
French-speaking bistros, cobbled Old Montreal and a festival nearly every summer week
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Montreal sits on an island in the St. Lawrence River around Mount Royal, the hill that gave the city its name. North America's largest French-speaking city combines a 17th-century old town, a modern downtown linked by underground passages and walkable neighbourhoods such as the Plateau and Mile End. Visitors come for bagels, smoked meat and bistros, summer festivals from jazz to comedy, and winter carnivals; most stay downtown or in Old Montreal and get around by metro and on foot. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are June–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Canada
- Best time to visit
- June–October
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- YUL
- Mid-range daily budget
- $170–$300 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Bagels and smoked meat, Old Montreal, French language and Jazz Festival
Why visit Montreal
- Old Montreal's cobbled streets, Notre-Dame Basilica and the Old Port give a European feel on the North American side of the Atlantic.
- Food is a major draw, from Mile End bagels and Schwartz's smoked meat to bring-your-own-wine bistros and Jean-Talon Market.
- Summer brings festivals almost every week, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Just for Laughs, many with free outdoor shows.
- Mount Royal Park, the Lachine Canal and Parc Jean-Drapeau put green space and bike paths minutes from downtown.
- Quebec City, the Laurentians and the Eastern Townships are all within reach for day or overnight trips.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 19 things to do.
Neighbourhood · Old Montreal
Old Montreal
Founded as Ville-Marie in 1642, Old Montreal keeps cobbled lanes, stone warehouses and grand bank buildings along Rue Saint-Paul and Rue Saint-Jacques.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
Religious site · Old Montreal
Notre-Dame Basilica
Completed in 1829, this Gothic Revival basilica on Place d'Armes has a deep-blue vaulted ceiling scattered with gold stars, elaborate carved woodwork and a large Casavant organ.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
Park · Mount Royal
Mount Royal Park
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also created New York's Central Park, the park covers the mountain that gave Montreal its name.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Iconic
- Active
Museum · Downtown
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Spread across five pavilions on Sherbrooke Street, the MMFA ranges from Old Masters and Impressionists to Quebec, Canadian and Indigenous art and decorative arts, and includes a 19th-century church converted into a concert hall.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Religious site · Côte-des-Neiges
Saint Joseph's Oratory
Canada's largest church rises on the northern slope of Mount Royal under one of the largest domes in the world.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Views
- History
Waterfront · Old Montreal
Old Port
The Old Port's 2.5 km waterfront runs along the St.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Views
- After dark
Where to stay
Old Montreal is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, luxury and culture
Old Montreal
Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and culture
Downtown
Shopping streets, museums and the Underground City
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, nightlife and solo travellers
Plateau Mont-Royal
Colourful row houses, outdoor staircases and Saint-Laurent bistros
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers, budget and culture
Mile End
Bagel bakeries, cafés and artists' studios
What to eat
- Montreal-style bagel — Smaller, denser and sweeter than New York bagels, Montreal bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in wood-fired ovens, usually coated in sesame or poppy seeds.
- Smoked meat — Beef brisket cured with spices, smoked and steamed, then hand-sliced and piled on rye bread with mustard; order it lean, medium or fatty.
- Poutine — Quebec's comfort food of fries, fresh squeaky cheese curds and brown gravy, now topped with everything from smoked meat to foie gras in some restaurants.
- Maple taffy — Hot maple syrup poured onto clean snow and rolled onto a stick as it sets — the classic treat of the spring sugaring season.
- Sugar shack feast — A hearty spring meal at a maple farm: pea soup, ham, baked beans, omelette, sausages, crispy pork rinds and pancakes, all drowned in maple syrup.
- Tourtière — A spiced meat pie of pork, beef or game, traditional at Christmas and New Year but served all year in Québécois restaurants.
When to go
The best time to visit Montreal is June to early October, when terraces are open, festivals run almost every week and autumn colour peaks in late September and early October. Winter (December to February) is very cold but has its own appeal — skating, Igloofest, Montréal en Lumière and low hotel prices — while March, April and November are the grey, slushy in-between months.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | A slow thaw: March and April are slushy and grey, with sugar shack season as the highlight, and May brings green trees and the first terraces. |
| Summer | June–August | Warm to hot and sometimes humid, with the jazz, comedy and music festivals, Grand Prix crowds and the busiest, priciest hotels. |
| Autumn | September–November | Crisp, sunny September and October days with red and gold maples on Mount Royal, then a grey, cold November. |
| Winter | December–February | Long and very cold, often below -10°C, with heavy snow; outdoor rinks, winter festivals and the Underground City keep the city active. |
Getting there and around
Montréal–Trudeau (YUL) is about 20 km west of downtown. The 747 express bus runs around the clock to downtown and Berri-UQAM in about 45–70 minutes depending on traffic and requires a 24-hour or longer pass; taxis charge a flat fare to downtown and take about 30–45 minutes.
Montreal's STM metro is fast and simple, with four colour-coded lines linking downtown, Old Montreal, the Plateau and the Olympic Park. The Plateau, Mile End and Old Montreal are best explored on foot, and BIXI bikes and a large network of bike lanes make cycling easy in the warmer months.
Plan your days
Three days covers Old Montreal and the Old Port, Mount Royal, food stops in the Plateau and Mile End and one museum. A fourth day adds the Biodôme and Botanical Garden or the Lachine Canal; a week leaves time for Quebec City or the Laurentians.
Practical information
- Currency
- CAD
- Language
- French and English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency number
- 911
- Tipping
- Tip 15–20% of the pre-tax amount in restaurants and bars, and about 10–15% for taxis.
Montreal is generally calm for visitors; pickpocketing in crowded festival areas and bike theft are the most common problems. In winter, icy pavements, ice falling from roofs and extreme cold are the real hazards, so wear boots with grip and dress in layers.
Flights to Montreal
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Montreal?
Three days covers Old Montreal and the Old Port, Mount Royal, food stops in the Plateau and Mile End and one museum. A fourth day adds the Biodôme and Botanical Garden or the Lachine Canal; a week leaves time for Quebec City or the Laurentians. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Montreal?
The best time to visit Montreal is June to early October, when terraces are open, festivals run almost every week and autumn colour peaks in late September and early October. Winter (December to February) is very cold but has its own appeal — skating, Igloofest, Montréal en Lumière and low hotel prices — while March, April and November are the grey, slushy in-between months.
+What is Montreal known for?
Bagels and smoked meat, Old Montreal, French language, Jazz Festival, Poutine, Mount Royal and Winter festivals. Old Montreal's cobbled streets, Notre-Dame Basilica and the Old Port give a European feel on the North American side of the Atlantic.
+Is Montreal expensive?
Montreal is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $170–$300 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Montreal?
No. The metro, buses, BIXI and walking cover the city, and parking is expensive and scarce, especially when snow-clearing rules apply. Rent a car only for the Laurentians, the Eastern Townships or sugar shacks outside the city.