Montreal was the first stop of our Canadian east coast adventure last summer, and it’s the last post in the series of travel guides from the trip! What a neat city, Montreal, so full of culture and history, delicious food, and fun things to do. We spent three and a half days in Montreal, and we had such a great time! There is such a vibrant energy to the city, and really something for everyone!
Here on the blog, I’m sharing my favourite things to do, places to eat, and a few travel tips that we learned along the way!
Things to do:
- Walk around Mont Royal park – It’s such a beautiful park! We took a bus up here, and then walked around for an hour or two. There are some gorgeous views of the city from a few viewpoints. There’s also a big lodge with a café that you can stop and eat at, sit outside, and enjoy the view!
- Go see the Basilica de Notre Dame – The Basilica is just amazing! Between the stained glass windows and altar details, it just takes your breath away. If you can, try and see it during the daytime and nighttime as well!
- Visit Little Italy – A cute little neighbourhood to walk around, and there is a great market here with all kinds of stands. You can find everything from maple syrup goodies, to fruits and vegetables, to baked goods!
- Walk around Old Montreal – This part of the city is gorgeous and full of character with the cobblestone streets and old store fronts. We ended up here so many times, and there are tons of great restaurants in this neighbourhood!
- Rent bikes! – After dinner at Joe Beef, we rented bikes and rode all the way to the piers. I was in a dress and sandals, so you definitely don’t have to be in workout gear! It was so fun! You can rent them for half an hour, half a day, full days, and they have docking stations all over the city!
Places to eat:
- O’Thym – Close to where we were staying in the Latin Quarter, and a bring your own wine bottle restaurant! The food’s amazing!
- Joe Beef – The lobster & seafood pasta here is UNBELIEVABLE! They have the most delicious food and cocktail menu. You need to make a reservation though, and it’s definitely on the pricier end of the spectrum, but worth every penny!
- Gibby’s – Another slightly pricier restaurant, but the experience is like none other! It’s this beautiful restaurant with stone walls and exposed beams. They bring you palette cleansers between courses, and we ordered a flambéed coffee after dinner – which was so cool to watch them make!
- Olive + Gourmando – A great little spot to stop for lunch while you’re strolling through Old Montreal. I highly recommend the grill cheese, and their baked goods as well!
- Philemon Bar – After dinner one night we popped into this bar and the place had such a fun vibe! Some good music and cocktails to enjoy!
Other tips:
- Get a multiple day pass for the public transit (you can buy them at the airport). We made the mistake that we thought the airport transit pass was only for the airport shuttle, but it’s not! The public transit in Montreal is so good, we didn’t take a taxi once.
- Don’t worry, almost everyone speaks English! I hardly used my French, so if you don’t speak it, you’ll be fine!
- We went in July, and boy, is it hot and humid that time of year. Be prepared to be a little sticky while you’re walking around the city if you go mid-summer! 😛
There are my top tips and recommendations for Montreal! If you haven’t had the chance to visit yet, put it on your travel bucket list – it’s a great city. The rest of our Canadian adventure included Old Quebec City, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island – be sure to check out those travel guides if you haven’t had a chance to read them yet!
Hope these tips help you plan your next trip! Have you been to Montreal? What was your favourite part?! 🙂
XO
Danielle