Visiting Montreal

Here are some ideas for your visit to French Canada’s capital of arts, culture, and architecture!

A personally-curated Google Map and sample itinerary for a 3-day trip!

Eat a delicious kouing amann at a beautiful patisserie on Le Plateau
Grab a coffee at Cafe Paquebot (also on Avenue du Mont-Royal)
Take a hike up to the top of Mont-Royal, 20-30 minutes depending on your route. Using the staircases is shorter, but the gravel pathway (called Olmstead Trail) is more beautiful and longer.
Take in the views at Kondiaronk Belvedere
Walk over to Beaver Pond and rent a paddle boat (if operating)
Head to lunch downtown, walking down the mountain via the Serpentine Path and through the McGill University campus along Rue McTavish
Check out Time Out Market at the Eaton Center for a variety of dining options
Rent bikes using the BIXI bike share system and ride along the Lachine Canal for as long as you like
For dinner, head to Little Italy for some filling pizza or pasta and top it off with gelato and another evening walk; or check out the Westmount area for an alternative

Breakfast in the Old Port, maybe Olive & Gormando or the beautiful, light-filled, and airy Tommy Cafe on Saint-Paul
Walk through the historic buildings, especially around Parc place d’Youville
Stop by the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History (called Pointe-à-Callière) nearby
In the afternoon, head west toward Saint-Henri and stop for lunch at Atwater Market
Across the canal from the market, rent a paddleboat, swan boat, or kayak at H20 Adventures
Check out Saint-Henri, with shops along Rue Notre-Dame and a beautiful fountain at the center of Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier Park
Get dinner in Little Burgundy, with a plethora of restaurants to choose from: Joe Beef, Restaurant Grinder, Foiegwa, Le Vin Papillon, or Burgundy Lion
Go for cocktails at Atwater Cocktail Club nearby, or to the Canal Lounge (a refurbished and docked boat serving cocktails and snacks with lots of windows and even a terrace)

Start the day in Mile End, and get there using the Saint-Denis protected cycletrack or the gorgeous Rue Clark bike lane
Grab bagels at St-Viateur Bagel Shop or Fairmount Bagels, but save room for a ridiculously yummy donut at Bernie Beigne
From here, walk to the beautiful Parc Outremont or Saint-Viateur Park (known as the ‘moat park’)
Next, walk-bike-metro over to Laurier Station on Le Plateau, and walk around the popular Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier Park
Walk south on Rue De La Roche and you’ll be at the even grander Parc La Fontaine, featuring a beautiful pond and a chalet with snacks.
If you’re up for more walking, head to the picturesque and colorful Square Saint-Louis on your way to Station Berri-UQAM to grab the Green Line metro out to Pie-IX station.
Here, explore the 1976 Olympic Sites, the Botanical Gardens, Insectarium, and the expansive Maisonneuve Park. Rent BIXI bikes and ride around Maisonneuve Park for a bit to get a sense of how large and removed it feels from the city.