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Mount Royal Park, Montreal

Itinerary · Montreal · Canada

7 days in Montreal

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Montreal, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Chicoutimi, Public domain

Quick answer

7 days is enough to see Montreal's highlights at a comfortable pace, with time for day trips. Day 1: Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica. Day 2: Pointe-à-Callière and Bonsecours Market. Day 3: Mount Royal Park and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Base yourself in Old Montreal.

Key facts

Days
7
Sights covered
13
Day trips
2
Best base
Old Montreal
Book ahead
Notre-Dame Basilica

Day by day

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

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

    1. Morning

      Old Montreal

      Old Montreal · Half a day · free.

    2. Late morning

      Notre-Dame Basilica

      Old Montreal · 1 hour · mid-priced. Book AURA show tickets online, especially for summer and holiday evenings.

    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. Evening

      Old Port

      Rent a bike or quadricycle in summer, or skate the waterfront rink in winter.

  2. Day 2: Pointe-à-Callière and Bonsecours Market

    Pointe-à-Callière and Bonsecours Market, then Montreal Botanical Garden in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Pointe-à-Callière

      Old Montreal · 2 hours · mid-priced.

    2. Late morning

      Bonsecours Market

      Old Montreal · 1 hour · free.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smoked meat

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

    4. Evening

      Montreal Botanical Garden

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

  3. Day 3: Mount Royal Park and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

    Mount Royal Park and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, then La Ronde in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Mount Royal Park

      Mount Royal · 2–3 hours · free.

    2. Late morning

      Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

      Downtown · 2–3 hours · mid-priced.

    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. Evening

      La Ronde

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

  4. Day 4: Day trip to Quebec City

    About 3–3.5 hours by train or car each way. Getting there: VIA Rail from Central Station, coach or car.

    1. Morning

      Travel to Quebec City

      About 3–3.5 hours by train or car (VIA Rail from Central Station, coach or car); about 250 km.

    2. Day

      Quebec City

      Lawrence, the cobbled Petit-Champlain quarter and Montmorency Falls on the outskirts. It is a long day trip; one or two nights let you see it properly.

    3. Evening

      Back in Montreal

      Dinner: try Maple taffy.

  5. Day 5: Underground City (RÉSO) and McCord Stewart Museum

    Underground City (RÉSO) and McCord Stewart Museum, then Boulevard Saint-Laurent in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Underground City (RÉSO)

      Downtown · 1 hour · free.

    2. Late morning

      McCord Stewart Museum

      Downtown · 1.5 hours · mid-priced.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Maple taffy

      Sugar shacks outside the city in March and April, and stands at winter festivals and markets.

    4. Evening

      Boulevard Saint-Laurent

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

  6. Day 6: Day trip to Mont-Tremblant

    About 1.5–2 hours by car each way. Getting there: Car or seasonal shuttle.

    1. Morning

      Travel to Mont-Tremblant

      About 1.5–2 hours by car (Car or seasonal shuttle); about 130 km.

    2. Day

      Mont-Tremblant

      The Laurentians' best-known resort has a car-free village of colourful buildings at the foot of a major ski mountain, with gondola rides, hiking and lake beaches in summer and Mont-Tremblant National Park nearby.

    3. Evening

      Back in Montreal

      Dinner: try Sugar shack feast.

  7. Day 7: Saint Joseph's Oratory and Jean-Talon Market

    Saint Joseph's Oratory and Jean-Talon Market, then Plateau and Mile End in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Saint Joseph's Oratory

      Côte-des-Neiges · 1.5 hours · free.

    2. Late morning

      Jean-Talon Market

      Little Italy · 1.5 hours · free.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sugar shack feast

      Sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre) within about an hour of Montreal, usually open from late February to April; book ahead.

    4. Evening

      Plateau and Mile End

      Microbreweries, wine bars and small music venues on Saint-Denis, Mont-Royal and Saint-Viateur.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Notre-Dame Basilica before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 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 27–34 hours of visiting over 7 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

Questions travellers ask

+Is 7 days enough in Montreal?

7 days is enough to see Montreal's highlights at a comfortable pace, with time for day trips. How many days Montreal needs.

+What should I book before visiting Montreal?

Notre-Dame Basilica.