Solo travel · Montreal · Canada
Solo travel in Montreal
How to enjoy Montreal at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Montreal is relaxed and sociable for solo travellers, with café culture, counter seats at bistros, free festival shows and bike paths that are easy to explore alone. A little French opens doors, but English is widely understood. Many solo travellers base themselves in Plateau Mont-Royal.
Key facts
- Base
- Plateau Mont-Royal
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 911
- Language
- French and English
Solo travel tips
- Stay in the Plateau or the Quartier Latin for walkable streets, bars and hostels.
- Eat at the bar of a bistro or at food counters in Jean-Talon or Atwater market.
- Free outdoor festival concerts in summer are an easy way to join a crowd.
- A BIXI pass lets you explore the Lachine Canal and the Old Port at your own pace.
- In winter, plan routes through the metro and the Underground City to limit time in the cold.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, nightlife and solo travellers
Plateau Mont-Royal
The Plateau is Montreal's postcard neighbourhood of row houses with wrought-iron outdoor staircases, leafy Parc La Fontaine and streets — Saint-Denis, Avenue du Mont-Royal and Boulevard Saint-Laurent — lined with cafés, bistros, bars and boutiques. Mount Royal Park is a short walk away and the Orange metro line runs along its western edge.
- Good
- Excellent restaurants and bars; Classic Montreal street life; Close to Mount Royal
- Watch out
- Mostly small hotels and rentals; Noise on Saint-Laurent at weekends
- Nearby
- Parc La Fontaine, Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Mount Royal Park, Schwartz's
Great on your own
Neighbourhood · Old Montreal
Old Montreal
Walk it early in the morning or after dinner, when the streets are quietest and the façades are lit.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
Religious site · Old Montreal
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
Park · Mount Royal
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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Iconic
- Active
Museum · Downtown
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
Religious site · Côte-des-Neiges
Saint Joseph's Oratory
Climb the outdoor steps for the view, then see the votive chapel lined with crutches left by pilgrims.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Views
- History
Waterfront · Old Montreal
Old Port
Rent a bike or quadricycle in summer, or skate the waterfront rink in winter.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Views
- After dark
Meeting people
- Bagel and smoked-meat walk — Start at the Mile End bagel bakeries in the morning, then walk down Boulevard Saint-Laurent to Schwartz's for a smoked-meat sandwich.
- Sugar shack season — From about late February to April, maple farms around Montreal serve all-you-can-eat feasts and maple taffy on snow; some tours run from the city.
- Boulevard Saint-Laurent — Bars, clubs and live venues along 'the Main', especially between Sherbrooke Street and Avenue du Mont-Royal.
- Plateau and Mile End — Microbreweries, wine bars and small music venues on Saint-Denis, Mont-Royal and Saint-Viateur.
Sensible precautions
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.
- Emergency number
- 911
- Staying connected
- Free public Wi-Fi (MTL WiFi) is available in many public spaces, and eSIMs and Canadian SIM cards work well.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Montreal good for solo travellers?
Montreal is relaxed and sociable for solo travellers, with café culture, counter seats at bistros, free festival shows and bike paths that are easy to explore alone. A little French opens doors, but English is widely understood.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Montreal?
Plateau Mont-Royal: Colourful row houses, outdoor staircases and Saint-Laurent bistros.