Montreal in winter

Weather in winter

Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of -3°C (27°F) against a yearly 12°C (54°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 139 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.

What's on in winter

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• January: Igloofest — outdoor electronic music festival in the Old Port (usually mid-January to early February)
• January: Fête des neiges — winter festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau (usually weekends in January and February)
• February: Montréal en Lumière — food, arts and light festival (usually late February to early March)
• December: Christmas markets and lights in Old Montreal and the Quartier des Spectacles (usually December)
• December: New Year's Eve celebrations in the Old Port

Good choices for winter

Museum · Old Port

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

McCord Stewart Museum

Opposite McGill University on Sherbrooke Street, the McCord Stewart Museum tells the social history of Montreal and Quebec through costume and textiles, Indigenous objects and the Notman photographic archives, which document the city since the 19th century.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Rainy day
• Art

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

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

Museum · Old Montreal

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

Day trips in winter

• Ottawa (About 2 hours by train or car) — Canada's capital has the Gothic Revival buildings of Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, which becomes a skating rink in cold winters, the National Gallery and, across the river in Gatineau, the Canadian Museum of History.
• Quebec City (About 3–3.5 hours by train or car) — The walled old town of Quebec's capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has the Château Frontenac above the St.

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
• Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
• A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
• Comfortable walking shoes

Other times of year

• Montreal: Spring
• Montreal: Summer
• Montreal: Autumn
• Montreal in January
• Montreal in February
• Montreal in December

Questions travellers ask