Things to Do in Montreal: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
Montreal is a food city with a French old town attached, and two days do it justice. Day one: Old Montreal — the Notre-Dame Basilica (book the AURA light show for the evening), Place Jacques-Cartier and the Old Port, with a guided food tour of the quarter (from $101) or a jet-boat run through the Lachine Rapids in summer. Day two: the neighbourhoods — a Mile End food tour for wood-fired bagels, smoked meat and poutine (from $87), Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy (from $76), then the walk up Mount Royal for the skyline at sunset. With a third day, take a trip: Quebec City and Montmorency Falls (3 hours each way, from $39), Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians (90 minutes, from $80) or Ottawa (2 hours). June to October is the season, with the Jazz Festival in early July; winter is cold but has the Underground City, Igloofest and the ski hills.
357 tours · prices per person, book with partner
All experiences in Montreal — FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Montreal?
By traveller ratings: 1) Old Montreal and the Notre-Dame Basilica, 2) a Mile End food tour, 3) Mount Royal and the Kondiaronk lookout, 4) Jean-Talon Market, 5) the Old Port and the Lachine Rapids jet boat, 6) a Quebec City day trip, 7) the Montreal Botanical Garden and Biodôme, 8) Saint Joseph’s Oratory, 9) the Plateau’s murals and staircases, and 10) Mont-Tremblant.
How many days do you need in Montreal?
Two days for the city — Old Montreal and the Old Port on one, Mile End, the Plateau and Mount Royal on the other — and a third for Quebec City or Mont-Tremblant. Montreal pairs naturally with Quebec City for a five-day trip; the train between them takes three hours.
What can you do in Montreal for free?
Walk up Mount Royal to the lookout, wander Old Montreal and the Old Port, the Plateau’s outdoor staircases and murals on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Jean-Talon and Atwater markets, Saint Joseph’s Oratory (donation), the Underground City, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ permanent collection, Parc La Fontaine, and the Tam-Tams drum circle on Mount Royal every Sunday in summer.
What are the best day trips from Montreal?
Quebec City with Montmorency Falls (3 hours each way, full days from $39), Mont-Tremblant and the Laurentian Mountains (90 minutes, from $80, ziplines and a lake cruise once there), Ottawa and Parliament Hill (2 hours), and the Eastern Townships’ vineyards and villages (90 minutes). Guided tours with hotel pickup run to all four.
