3 days in Montreal

Day by day

1. Day 1: Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica

   Old Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica and Old Port, then Montreal Botanical Garden in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Notre-Dame Basilica

      Visit by day for the detail or book AURA in the evening; it is an active church, so services can affect visiting times.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Montreal-style bagel

      St-Viateur and Fairmount in Mile End, both baking around the clock and selling them hot by the dozen.

   4. Afternoon

      Old Port

      The Old Port's 2.5 km waterfront runs along the St.

   5. Evening

      Montreal Botanical Garden

      Combine it with the Insectarium and Biodôme on a Space for Life ticket, and book Gardens of Light evenings ahead.

2. Day 2: Mount Royal Park and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

   Mount Royal Park, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Saint Joseph's Oratory, then La Ronde in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Mount Royal Park

      Climb the stairs from the top of Rue Peel (about 30 minutes) to the belvedere; on summer Sundays, listen to the tam-tams drum circle by the George-Étienne Cartier monument.

   2. Late morning

      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.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smoked meat

      Schwartz's on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, open since 1928, and other delicatessens downtown.

   4. Afternoon

      Saint Joseph's Oratory

      Climb the outdoor steps for the view, then see the votive chapel lined with crutches left by pilgrims.

   5. Evening

      La Ronde

      The park opens seasonally; buy tickets online and arrive at opening to ride the big coasters before queues build.

3. Day 3: Pointe-à-Callière and Bonsecours Market

   Pointe-à-Callière, Bonsecours Market and Jean-Talon Market, then Boulevard Saint-Laurent in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Pointe-à-Callière

      Built over the spot where Montreal was founded in 1642, this archaeology and history museum takes visitors underground through excavated foundations, the city's first Catholic cemetery and a restored 19th-century stone sewer collector.

   2. Late morning

      Bonsecours Market

      Visit the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel next door, the sailors' church, where model ships hang from the ceiling.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Poutine

      La Banquise on Rue Rachel in the Plateau, open around the clock, and casse-croûtes (snack bars) across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Jean-Talon Market

      Opened in 1933, Jean-Talon is an open-air market that trades all year, enclosed in winter, with Quebec farmers' produce, cheese counters, maple products, bakeries and food stalls.

   5. Evening

      Boulevard Saint-Laurent

      Bars, clubs and live venues along 'the Main', especially between Sherbrooke Street and Avenue du Mont-Royal.

Before you go

• Notre-Dame Basilica: Book AURA show tickets online, especially for summer and holiday evenings.

If it rains

• Swap in Montreal Biodôme (Olympic Park): Start in the tropical forest to warm up in winter; it is a reliable rainy-day choice with children.
• Swap in Underground City (RÉSO) (Downtown): Follow the RÉSO signs between metro stations on a cold day; the food courts of the big shopping centres make an inexpensive lunch.
• Swap in Montreal Science Centre (Old Port): Combine it with the Old Port promenade and the Clock Tower; it is a dependable plan for a wet afternoon.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Old Montreal keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Downtown ($$$) suits first-timers, shopping, families and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 24–31 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Montreal
• 2 days in Montreal
• 4 days in Montreal
• 5 days in Montreal
• 7 days in Montreal

Questions travellers ask