Rainy day · Montreal · Canada
7 things to do in Montreal when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Pointe-à-Callière. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 11–14 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free. December is usually the wettest month, with about 13 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 11–14 hours
- Areas
- Old Montreal, Downtown and Olympic Park
Montreal on a rainy day
Religious site · Old Montreal
1.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.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
Museum · Downtown
2.Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Spend most of your time in the Quebec and Canadian art pavilion, and check the temporary exhibitions, which are often the highlight.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Old Montreal
3.Pointe-à-Callière
Start with the multimedia show on the city's history, then go below ground to the excavations.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · Olympic Park
4.Montreal Biodôme
Start in the tropical forest to warm up in winter; it is a reliable rainy-day choice with children.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Experience · Downtown
5.Underground City (RÉSO)
Follow the RÉSO signs between metro stations on a cold day; the food courts of the big shopping centres make an inexpensive lunch.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Shopping
- Food
Museum · Old Port
6.Montreal Science Centre
Combine it with the Old Port promenade and the Clock Tower; it is a dependable plan for a wet afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown
7.McCord Stewart Museum
Combine it with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, a few blocks west along Sherbrooke Street.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Montreal | Notre-Dame Basilica and Pointe-à-Callière | 1 hour + 2 hours |
| Downtown | Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Underground City (RÉSO) and McCord Stewart Museum | 2–3 hours + 1 hour + 1.5 hours |
| Olympic Park | Montreal Biodôme | 1.5–2 hours |
| Old Port | Montreal Science Centre | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 6 mid-priced. Book ahead for Notre-Dame Basilica. The longest visit is Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Notre-Dame Basilica: Book AURA show tickets online, especially for summer and holiday evenings.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Montreal): Notre-Dame Basilica → Pointe-à-Callière, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Downtown): Montreal Museum of Fine Arts → Underground City (RÉSO), at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Downtown and Olympic Park): McCord Stewart Museum → Montreal Biodôme, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Old Port): Montreal Science Centre, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- December: highs of -1°C (30°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Snow arrives, outdoor rinks open and the city decorates for the holidays.
- January: highs of -5°C (23°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Deep winter, often below -10°C with snow; the Underground City, museums and outdoor winter festivals keep the city going.
- May: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. Trees leaf out, terraces open and the cycling season begins in earnest.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Montreal — Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront
- Downtown — Shopping streets, museums and the Underground City
More of Montreal
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in 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.
+Which of these are free in Montreal?
Underground City (RÉSO).