Are you looking for the best things to do in Montreal, Canada, to plan your upcoming trip? There’s so much stuff to do in Montreal, from food to eat to sights to see to day trips to take. It can be overwhelming to think about how you’ll fit it all in, what’s worth it, and what isn’t. Well, I’ve been and had a fantastic time! I’ll share with you what you need to know to make the most of your trip.
So, let’s talk about the top things to do in Montreal.
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Best Things to Do in Montreal, Canada
One of the good things about Montreal is that it’s very walkable, very bikeable, and relatively flat. In fact, I really only saw one hill when I was on a biking tour, and it wasn’t that bad! This means you won’t need to rent a car while you’re there unless you plan on taking some day trips. If you’re looking for what to do in Montreal, where to go and stay, and what to eat, this is the post for you.
Another good thing is that there’s so much to do here, you’re sure to have a fabulous trip no matter what you choose. But, of course, you want to be smart about your planning and make the most of your time and budget. So, here are my recommendations for the best things to do in Montreal, Canada!
Tours in Montreal
My first recommendation is to do a few Montreal tours—not a lot of tours, but a few—and do at least one at the very beginning of your trip.
Number one is to do a food tour the first night you’re in town. It lets you get to know other people while you’re out eating, drinking, and enjoying the city. You may meet some amazing people, and you have a guide to help you with all the restaurants that you’re going to be eating at while you’re in town if you haven’t made reservations prior to traveling.
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Spade & Palacio Food Tour
One of the best food tours in Montreal that I recommend is the Spade & Palacio Beyond the Market Food Tour. It’s amazing, absolutely amazing! Amelia was my guide, and she actually worked in the market Jean Talon, which is John Talon in English. It was an amazing tour of eclectic, interesting, and beautiful food from local vendors. We went through Little Italy, we went to the market, and we also went to the section of Montreal that is in the Latin area. This is a great way to try different foods and find out where else you might want to eat while visiting.
Free Walking Tours in Montreal
The other thing I recommend at the beginning of any trip is a free walking tour. You’ll be able to get to know the area from a local’s perspective, and you can ask them lots of questions about what to do in Montreal. Even though it’s a free tour, make sure to tip your guides well. They’re volunteering their time and energy to provide them, and you’re getting invaluable information straight from the source! A quick Google search will show you plenty of options.
A Ghost Tour
One of my favorite things to do in Old Montreal, or Old Town, was a ghost tour! Our guide was amazing. We heard all these crazy stories about the city while walking around the historical area near the port. She was dressed up, and she scared us, too, which made for a really fun time. It was fantastic! This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years old, though, because it can be too spooky for them.
A Kayak Tour
Another tour I recommend is a kayak tour, which I did through an Airbnb experience. We were on a kayak for about four hours and went through the locks and the Lachine Canal. It’s a really cool experience to be in a kayak going through a lock! If you’re a big kayak or canoe fan and want to spend more time in Canada’s beautiful nature outside the city, try this hiking and canoe trip with Bonjour Nature.
Spade & Palacio Bike Tour
You’ll definitely want to take one or two bike tours in Montreal – as I mentioned, it’s a very bikeable city. I went on another Spade & Palacio tour called a Pink Bike Tour, and it was absolutely fantastic! Our guide, Chris, took us from the Plateau area all the way down to the Old Town and the Old Port, as well as the St. Lawrence River, and then all the way back up again. We got to see parts of the city that most tourists wouldn’t think to go to.
Where to Go in Montreal
Where do you want to spend your time in Montreal? I recommend spending a lot of time in the Plateau area and Mount Royal. I also recommend exploring the Old Town (Old Montreal) and the port area. There’s so much to do here, and many of the tours I recommended above will take you to these areas.
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The Old Town / Old Montreal
The Old Town of Montreal has 18th-century architecture, all of the shops and lots of tourists. It’s a lot of fun! This is where you’ll find the beautiful Montreal cathedral, Notre Dame, which is spectacular, sitting on top of the hillside. It’s definitely something you want to see while you’re in town. There are a lot of historical sites here, such as City Hall and the Bonsecours Market, which has been the main public market here for more than 100 years!
Plateau Mount Royal
When you’re in the plateau area near Mount Royal, I suggest that you go to all of the parks there. They’re beautiful, absolutely beautiful, and at Mount Royal Park on Sunday afternoons, you can see a drum circle called the tam-tams. It’s been going on since the 70s! It’s nice to bring a picnic, hang out, and see what’s going on in the park that day. Just note that in the parks, you have to eat something if you’re going to drink something. So bring some cheese and crackers if you’re going to bring a beer or a bottle of wine.
Also, when you’re in that general area, you definitely have to go hike Mount Royal. It is the highest point in Montreal and has a beautiful view overlooking the city. It is absolutely gorgeous! You can drive up there, take a public bus, or hike from downtown or the nearby Mount Royal area. This is a great way to spend an afternoon doing a little hike on what locals call “the mountain.”
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The Best Food in Montreal
Let’s talk about food, which is my reason for being! There are amazing restaurants – seriously, the food in Montreal is known for being incredible. Since the city of Montreal is primarily French, there’s lots of French food here. So, if you are looking for duck confit, look no further than Montreal!
Diverse Cuisine
The restaurant I recommend for duck confit is L’Express, which is amazing! Montreal also has an amazing diversity of food. I’m talking amazing Malaysian, Latin, Chinese (there’s a Chinatown), and Italian. And if you’re interested in food markets, you’ll definitely want to check out the market, Jean Talon, or the Atwater Market down by the canal. Both are fantastic!
All About the Cheese!
The province of Quebec and the city of Montreal are known for their cheeses. In fact, the Quebec province is known as the cheese-making capital of Canada. The cheese here is seriously amazing – you’ve got to get cheese while you’re in Montreal! Lots of restaurants have cheese plates served at the end of your dinner, or you can go to the market and buy cheese just by itself.
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Gluten-Free Foods
There’s an incredible bakery in Little Italy that has a gluten-free cannoli. Yum, yum, yum! Also, if you’re gluten-free, there are two other places I recommend. Boulangerie le Marquis has beautiful, ridiculously good pastries and Cantine Panella, which has amazing food. We ate there for lunch and ate more than you can imagine, but it was so worth it!
Seafood
There’s not a lot of seafood in Montreal, but there are some amazing places to get oysters. One place I recommend for oysters is Majestique. It’s a small restaurant with amazing food and a great vibe. That’s the thing I love about Montreal! A lot of the restaurants are small and family-run. They’re really cool, the food’s amazing, and it’s actually very, very well-priced.
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Day Trips from Montreal
Now, let’s talk about a couple of day trips from Montreal that you can take. No, you don’t need a car when you’re in Montreal, but there are a couple of places outside the city where you might want to rent a car or take the train to visit. The Quebec area is beautiful!
I recommend spending about four nights in Montreal, and if you’re going to spend extra time in the area, make sure to take all these amazing day trips.
Mont Tremblant
You can also take a day trip to Mont Tremblant, a very famous, charming ski resort about an hour and a half outside of Montreal. It’s a year-round destination with a lake for swimming and boating, golf courses, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and much more. There are plenty of other things to do in the Mont Tremblant area, too, like dog sledding, river rafting, zip lining, or going for a sleigh ride.
Don’t Miss the Sugar Shacks
In the wintertime, you can go to the sugar shacks, where you can get a big brunch and some maple syrup. This is traditional Quebec cuisine! It’s also a lot of fun. There’s often live music and dancing as people enjoy their maple treats. Just know that very few are open during the summer. Check out this tour that takes you to one from Montreal!
Cheese & Wine Trips
You can also take the train to the eastern towns, where you’ll see more cheeses and wines. As I said, the Quebec province is well-known for its cheese, so you don’t want to miss out on this if you have time! I definitely recommend a day trip to enjoy all this area has to offer. A lot of winery experiences, like this one, include samplings of local cheese with their wine tastings.
Enjoy Your Trip to Montreal, Canada!
Now that you know the best things to do in Montreal, I hope you’re feeling inspired for your trip! I had the best time when I visited, and I’m sure you will, too. There’s so much stuff to do in Montreal and in the surrounding area of the Quebec province. I couldn’t get to everything, and you likely won’t either, so don’t try to cram it all in at once. Take your time, enjoy what you can, and make plans for a return trip one day soon!
Do you have any favorite things to do in Montreal, Canada? Let me know in the comments below!
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