Montreal

Canada

Montreal is both an extremely historic city while also offering a vibrant metropolitan vibe. The city is imbibed with millennia of history dating back to the St. Lawrence Iroquois and today, you can find tons of museums, architecture, tours, cobblestoned streets, colonial neighborhoods, restaurants, music, nightlife, and more. Don’t forget to eat the poutine.

Day 1 – Montreal

Day 2 – Montreal

Day 3 – Montreal

Day 4 – Mont Tremblant

Day 5 – Mont Tremblant

Day 6 – Montreal

  • Drive back to Montreal and return rental car
  • Fly (or train) home

In-Depth Itinerary

Day 1 – Montreal

Welcome to Montreal! You’ll arrive either by plane or train (if you’re traveling from elsewhere in Canada). The Montreal airport (YUL) connects to downtown in a few different ways. The cheapest option is to catch the Bus 747 YUL (runs 24 hours a day) which will take you from the airport to downtown, the corner of Berri and Sainte-Catherine-Berri-UQAM station. You can buy a ticket directly from your smartphone using the Chrono or Transit mobile apps or vending machines at the STM information counter on the international arrivals level. The easiest way is probably to grab an Uber or taxi (fixed rate).

If you want a guided tour of Old Montreal, Guidatour is an excellent option and cover a nice overview of the history of Montreal in just 90 minutes. Tours occur both in the morning and afternoon, but will give you a nice overview of the history of Montreal. We recommend the East walking tour if it’s your first visit.

After your tour (or if you’re not big into tours), head to Mount Royal Park. It takes a little over an hour to get there on foot from Old Town or a 25 minute Uber. This park was designed by the same Frederick Law Olmsted that designed Central Park in NYC. The park is huge (692 acres) and you can enjoy it any season (walking, picnicking, skiing, tobogganing). Stop by Mount Royal Cross (erected in 1643), Mount Royal Chalet, Beaver Lake, and the Sir George Etienne Cartier Monument.

Walk through the park (about 40 minutes) to the far end and Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, one of the world’s best Catholic basilicas. The dome is the third largest of its kind in the world.

After you explore, use the afternoon to explore more on Montreal.

If you enjoy walking and seeing city life and architecture, the Lachine Canal is a nice option for the afternoon. As you wander along the canal, you’ll see everything from old historic architecture to new and industrial areas. It cuts through many residential neighborhoods, so a wander can provide you a good snapshot of life of Montrealers. From Saint Joseph’s, walk/head to Marche Atwater. From here, walk back to Old Montreal along the canal.

If you’re tired of walking, spend the afternoon in a museum. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1860 and has an outstanding permanent collection of works as well as really phenomenal rotating collections. Pointe-a-Calliere is the museum of archeology and history and is built on top of an original Old Montreal site from when Montreal was founded in 1642. Here, you can see the excavated remains of the original settlement. Musee d’art contemporain de Montreal (or the MAC) has both permanent and temporary exhibitions from artists from Canada and abroad. Chateau Ramezay is a small museum built in 1705 as a private residence. While it’s the province’s oldest private historical museum, the best part of the museum is the chateau itself which served as the Canadian headquarters during the American Revolutionary War and where Benjamin Franklin stayed when he tried to get Montreal to join the American revolution.

Another fun option can be a ride on the largest observation wheel in Canada, La Grande Roue de Montreal will lift you 200 feet into the sky and offer panoramic views over the city, river, and Mount Royal.

For afternoon drinks, or a casual dinner, head to Brewsky. For a nicer dinner, check out Vin Mon Lapin or Bar George.

You don’t have to spend a ton in Montreal to stay somewhere nice. We stayed at Hotel William Gray, a great mid-range option. For some lower priced but excellent options, check out Hotel Uville, Hotel Griffintown, Humaniti Hotel Montreal, and Hotel Alt Montreal. For slightly more, you can have your pick of some truly lovely hotels including Auberge du Vieux-Port, Hotel Gault, Le Saint-Sulpice Hotel Montreal, and Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth. If you’re looking to splurge, look at Hotel Nelligan, The Ritz Carlton Montreal, Four Seasons Hotel Montreal.

Day 2 – Montreal

Start your day with breakfast at Cafe Olimpico, a European-styled cafe that’s both casual and charming. If the line is too long or you want another option, Olive et Gourmando is well-worth stopping by too.

The Montreal Space for Life houses the Biodome, Insectarium, Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, and Botanical Garden and is the largest natural sciences museum complex in Canada. You buy tickets individually to the different areas. The Biodome should be your pick if you only have time for one. Here, you can explore five ecosystems of the Americas (including animals and plants). The Jardin botanique is a can’t miss if you enjoy gardens. The Biosphere contains environmental exhibits. The Insectarium is exactly what it sounds like – a world of bugs. And the Planetarium lets you enjoy the sky.

Marche Jean-Talon is one of the largest open-air markets in North America. You’ll find everything here: fish, meat, vegetables and fruits, bread and bakery items, and even restaurants. It’s the perfect place to grab lunch after the Biodome.

In the afternoon, wander along the Old Port. The Old Port of Montreal is the historic port used as early as 1611. It’s located exactly adjacent to Old MOntreal and stretches 1.2 miles (2km) along the Saint Lawrence River. Stroll along (preferably with an ice cream) and admire the architecture of the port. Along here, you can find the Chateau Ramezay and Pointe a Calliere museums. Bonsecours Market is worth a pop in – it’s the oldest and largest public market in Montreal. There’s some nice spas in the Old Port including Spa Scandinave and Bota Bota if you’re looking for ultimate relaxation.

If the weather is nice, you may want to spend the afternoon at Verdun Beach, set on the shore of the Saint Lawrence River. You can swim here or enjoy a nice place to people watch.

McGill University is also worth a visit. This is one of Canada’s most famous universities and is truly lovely. You can wander through old architecture (think gothic revival) and don’t miss the Arts Building Cupola when you walk through the front gates. You can grab a guided tour from the Welcome Center on rue McTavish if you like.

For pre or post dinner drinks, check out Milky Way, Atwater Cocktail Club, and Baby Far West. For dinner we strongly recommend Beba, but if you want a more casual vibe, Brit N Chips is fun too.

Day 3 – Montreal

For breakfast this morning, try some awesome bagels at Fairmont Bagel or St. Viateur (or both – is it possible to eat too many bagels?).

You’ll want to decide how to approach St. Laurent Boulevard based on what you want to see. So you may have to change the order of this to best suit where your hotel is and where you are leaving from.

St. Laurent Boulevard, otherwise known as “The Main”, is one of the oldest streets in Montreal. It’s often seen as the dividing street between Montreal’s French-speakers who live on the Eastside and English-speakers who live on the Westside. Wander along its artisan shops, galleries, stores, and and trendy bars and restaurants. Along here you can explore Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Portugal, Jean-Talon Market, the downtown, and Plateau Mont-Royal. It’s also a fun place to re-visit at night for its vibrant nightlife.

Grab lunch at Schwartz (a world-famous deli that’s been serving smoked meat since 1928), La Banquise (for out of this world poutine), Ma Poule Mouillee, or Schwartz (a world-famous deli that’s been serving smoked meat since 1928).

The Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal is a magnificent piece of Gothic Revival architecture built between 1824 and 1829. Inside you’ll find brightly painted vaults, paintings, sculpture, stained glass windows, and the modern design of the Notre-Dame-du-Sacre-Coeur Chapel.

Cite Memoire is the largest outdoor video projection installation in the world. These videos are projected on everything from trees, to walls, to the ground throughout Old Montreal and are accompanied by music and narration. The videos cover famous people throughout the history of Montreal.

For dinner tonight head to Restaurant Monarque. For after dinner drinks enjoy exciting jazz at Upstairs Jazz Bar or cocktails at The Cloakroom, El Pequeno or Bar Bisou Bisou.

Day 4 – Mount Tremblant

If you have more time in Montreal, it’s a great place to explore other places nearby. Of course there is Quebec, a short 3h30m train ride away, but Mont Tremblant is our choice as it’s an easy 90 minute trip to Eastern Canada’s best winter sports resort and a vibrant nature spot to explore in the other seasons. In the winter, it’s excellent for ski slopes. In summer, it’s the perfect place to go hiking or explore water sports on Lac Tremblant. In fall, it’s unrivaled for fall foliage. The village itself is quaint with a distinct European vibe, making it the perfect quick getaway from Montreal.

The best is to grab a rental car in Montreal and drive the 90 minutes to Mount Tremblant. Once here, we recommend taking the panoramic gondola up the mountain from where you can get beautiful views via 360 degree observation tower or choose a hike from the top of the mountain. Other options for the day include the Skyline Luge (coast down 1400m of curves in the Laurentian forest), Parc Plage (a lovely beach along the lake with picnic facilities), or the Beach and Tennis club (beach along the lake with beach chairs and umbrellas, nautical activities, and a beach bar). Of course you can also go biking, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or canoeing.

If you’re staying at one of the resort hotels, you can walk to most locations on our list for drinks and dinner. If you’re staying off resort property and parking in one of the three lots (P1, P2, P3), take the free Cabriolet (an open air gondola) express up to the base of the village to access most of the spots. For a pre-dinner drink try La Diable (brews their own craft beers) or Chocolato if you prefer more of a chocolate based beverage.

For dinner, try out Restaurant La Quintessence or sEb l’artisan culinaire. If you’re looking to cook for yourself, there is a grocery store in Saint Jovite and a smaller grocery store near Lac Mercier.

Once night falls, head to Tonga Lumina which describes itself as a “sensory experience in search of a giant”. In reality, it’s a 1.5 km nighttime walk. Take the Flying Mile chairlift, where you will begin your descent through the illuminated woods via a light and sound show.

For lodging, we recommend Hotel Quintessence for a beautiful luxury stay. Another very nice option is the Fairmont Mount Tremblant. Ther area also has numerous condos and cabins you can find for rent on AirBNB or VRBO.

Day 5 – Mount Tremblant

The Laurentians Mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth, forming around one billion years ago, and are home to vast extents of forests. Hiking in Mont-Tremblant National Park is easy and should be on your docket today. Mont-Tremblant National Park is one of 28 Quebec National Parks. The Diable Sector’s Visitor Center is located on the beautiful banks of Lake Monroe and is a nice place to start your exploration of the park. Don’t miss a very quick (and very easy) hike to La Chute-du-Diable (1.4 km) hike to and from the best waterfall in the park. An even easier, though smaller, waterfall to see is the hike to Croches Falls Trail (0.8 km). La Roche Trail is fairly easy (4.7 km out and back) and from here you hike through forest to a spectacular viewpoint with stunning views of Lake Monroe. Other nearby hikes that are particularly nice include Mount Nixon (8 km loop), Roche, Coule and Corniche Loop (8.4 km – start counter clockwise with the La Roche trail first), Nez de l’Indien (8.4 km, can combine with the Montagne Verte Trail), Montagne Verte Loop Trail with stunning 360 views from the top (3.1 km loop). From town, the Lac Mercier hike is along the lake with stunning views and is an easy walk (7.4 km). There area also several trails to choose from when wanting to summit Mont-Tremblant. You can access the trails easily from town. They are clearly marked and of a variety of lengths.

I don’t know that you can leave Mount Tremblant without trying Beavertails, a deep-fried pastry on a stick and it might make the perfect snack after your hiking.

Catch an afternoon cruise of of Lac Tremblant (check the website for departure times). Or if you’re more interested in relaxation, Scandinave Spa is a Scandinavian-inspired spa experience with both an indoor and outdoor spa and features everything from saunas to plunge pools to waterfalls. It’s a lovely place to unwind.

For dinner, try La Savoie, Choux Gras Brasserie Culinaire, Leo, La Petit Cachée, La Forge, or Yahoo Pizza Pub.

Day 6 – Montreal

Drive back to Montreal and return your rental car. Bid au revoir to Montreal and fly (or train) home.

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