Best Things to Do in Montreal

Montreal's big sights are few and easy to reach. What makes the city is the time in between: markets, neighbourhood streets and long lunches. Our list mixes both.

1. Old Montreal. Stone warehouses, narrow streets and the river. Follow our Old Montreal walking route, which takes in Place d'Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier and the Old Port.
2. The Notre-Dame Basilica. The deep blue, gold-starred ceiling and carved wooden interior are the most famous room in the city. Come back after dark for AURA, the light-and-sound show inside the church.
3. Mount Royal. A forested park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the man behind New York's Central Park. The view from the Kondiaronk Belvedere takes in the whole downtown. Details in our Mount Royal guide.
4. The Plateau. Rows of brick houses with iron staircases and bright front doors. Walk Rue Saint-Denis, Avenue du Mont-Royal and the side streets around Parc La Fontaine.
5. Bagels in Mile End. St-Viateur and Fairmount, a few blocks apart, have been arguing about who makes the better bagel for decades. Both are open around the clock. Buy a sesame one hot from the oven and decide for yourself.
6. Jean-Talon Market. In Little Italy, one of the largest open-air markets in North America. In late summer the stalls overflow with Quebec corn, berries and tomatoes, and in autumn with pumpkins and apples.
7. The Botanical Garden, the Insectarium and the Biodôme. Part of Space for Life (Espace pour la vie), grouped around the Olympic Park in the east. The garden's Chinese and Japanese gardens are the highlights, and in autumn the Gardens of Light lanterns light them up after dark. The Biodôme recreates four ecosystems under one roof, penguins included.
8. The Olympic Stadium. The 1976 stadium with its leaning tower. The roof is being replaced and the tower's observatory is closed for renovation, so for now it's a look from outside. Check the Olympic Park site for updates.
9. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. On Sherbrooke Street, strong on Quebec and Canadian painting, spread over several connected pavilions.
10. The Lachine Canal. A flat cycle path along an old industrial canal from the Old Port to Lachine. Rent a Bixi, stop at Atwater Market for cheese and cider, and keep going.
11. Saint Joseph's Oratory. A huge domed basilica on the west side of the mountain, reached by a long flight of steps that some pilgrims still climb on their knees.
12. Parc Jean-Drapeau. Two islands in the river with the Biosphère, the geodesic dome from Expo 67, and the Formula 1 circuit, open to cyclists and runners most of the year.
13. A Canadiens game. Hockey is close to a religion here. Seats at the Bell Centre go fast, so book early in the season.

In summer, add one free outdoor festival show in the Quartier des spectacles. Our best time to visit guide lists the main festivals.