Long Weekend in Montreal

Arrive in Montreal and settle in at your hotel. I recommend staying in Old Montreal given its quaint vibe and good location; check out Hotel William Gray or Hotel St Paul, which is a Design Hotels property.

Have lunch at Olive et Gourmando before walking to check out Notre-Dame Basilica, a Catholic Church built in 1656 and Montréal’s crown jewel. A Gothic masterpiece, Celine Dion was married here in 1994! While guided tours are an option, you can also just pay for a general entry ticket and explore at your leisure.

After the basilica, walk the streets of Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) and take in the most European vibes you’ll feel anywhere in North America. Enjoy the quaint streets filled with shops and restaurants, and have a drink at Terrasse Perche, the rooftop of the Hotel William Gray, if it’s nice out. Walk past Town Hall and down St. Paul Street. From there head to the Vieux Port (Old Port) area and explore the various activities and stalls before making your way back to the hotel to relax.

Walk or taxi to Little Burgandy and have dinner on Rue Notre Dame, a buzzy strip of bars and restaurants. The most famous dining spot on this street is Joe Beef, though multiple others on the street are part of the same restaurant group. My favorite is Liverpool House - the vibe and menu are both incredible. If you’re a seafood fan, go for the oysters and lobster spaghetti!

After dinner head to Atwater Cocktail Club, a small, speakeasy style cocktail bar. There will likely be a line to get in, though the bouncers are attentive and move people through quickly to ensure as many people can experience this place as possible. This place boasts a suburb cocktail menu, inclusive of several mocktails, and also has a light food offering.

Wake up and get coffee at Structure Roasters before heading to explore Mont Royal, for which Montreal is named. On the way there, walk through Downtown Montreal, which is the city’s business district as well as McGill University’s campus, ultimately reaching what is a landmark mountain in the center of the city. Make your way up to the lookout point and take in the view and then through Mont Royal Park, for a walk that can be as short or long as you’d like, though plan to spend at least 90 minutes exploring the beautiful nature.

Once you’ve worked up a hunger, head down towards Beauty’s, a family-owned-and-operated Jewish-style diner that has become a Montreal institution, serving large portions of breakfast and lunch fare. Make sure to read the story on the menu about how Beauty’s came to be!

Spend the afternoon checking out Montreal’s large and growing brewery scene along the St. Lawrence river. Walk or hop on a Bixi bike, which has 500 docking stations around Montreal, making sure to check out 4 Orgines Microbrasserie, Momento Brasserie (excellent food menu including wings and fried pickles), and Terrasse St. Ambroise.

Between the walking from the morning and beer from the afternoon, you’re likely to have built up a hunger! From Terrasse St. Ambroise walk to nearby Saint Henri, filled with restaurants and bars. For a delicious banh mi try TRAN Cantine Vietnamese.

If the weather allows, get a nightcap back in Old Montreal at Marches des Eclusiers, an indoor-outdoor bar with views of the Daniel McAllister tugboat.

Start the day with coffee at Paquebot or Micro Espresso. Make your way to one of the multiple St. Viateur Bagel locations for breakfast. Montreal bagels are distinct, and St. Viateur prides itself on being one of the original makers of the wood-baked bagel. If it’s a weekend, don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line, particularly at the Mont Royal Avenue location, which has an indoor and outdoor cafe. The wait is worth it for the bagel and the experience! St. Viateur is cash only and sells a variety of “gear” with its famous bagel logo.

From there, weather dependent, head to the Montreal Botanical Garden which in addition to the outdoor gardens has several greenhouses and thematic nature areas to explore. Entry requires the purchase of tickets, though there is no limit to time spent inside. If the weather does not allow for a garden visit, head to one of Montreal’s many museums, with the Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Society for Arts & Technology all being worthwhile choices.

For dinner, walk east of the Botanical Garden to Viauville and dine at Restaurant Helicoptere. The space itself is lovely, and the food is delicious - choose from either a tasting menu or an a la carte selection. If you’ve left room, walk to Hoche Glacé for ice cream. This shop offers a variety of both dairy and vegan flavors — try the Oreo et framboises tourbillon (Oreo and raspberry swirled together with toppings)!

Fill your last day in Montreal with whatever is left on your list, particularly food-wise. If you’re a fan of traditional smoked meat, you cannot miss Schwartz’s Deli. Another Montreal institution, Schwartz’s is no frills, fast moving, and usually has a line out the door. Try the smoked meat sandwich with fries, cole slaw, and a dill pickle. Walk back towards Old Montreal afterwards, taking in the various sights of St. Laurent Boulevard.

If you’re not a smoked meat lover, south of Schwartz’s on St. Laurent is Chinatown, with various options for Asian cuisine. If you find yourself back in Old Montreal for a final walk, try Jardin Nelson for a meal on their outdoor terrace. If it’s poutine you’re after, every Montrealer has a view on their favorite, though the standby recommendation remains Le Banquise.

If you have one final night in Montreal, have dinner at Monarque, a modern take on a French-Canadian brasserie with a nice dining room and extensive menu and wine list. If its hockey season, you may also be keen to catch a Canadiens game at the Bell Centre to round our your visit to the City of Saints.