Things to do in Montreal

The second-largest city in Canada and the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris, Montréal is rich in culture, nightlife, history, tradition, and architectural beauty. The bulk of the city is located on the Île-Montréal, in the St Lawrence River, and includes Vieux-Montreal (Old Town), Downtown Montréal, Chinatown, and the Plateau. This progressive and lively city abounds with green spaces, street performers, French culture and art, making it the perfect city break destination.

Explore the Old Town

Vieux-Montreal, the city’s historic colonial quarter, is not only beautiful, but offers a fascinating insight into Quebecois history. The earliest streets and foundations are now housed in the Pointe-à-Callière Museum. Vieux-Montreal is also home to the Notre-Dame Basilica, the city’s oldest church and most notable man-made landmark. The cathedral’s Gothic towers look out on to the famous Place D’Armes, one of Montreal’s oldest public sites.

The Vieux-Port, (Old Port) is also worth a visit, where children can enjoy rides and entertainment whilst couples take romantic waterside strolls. During summer ice-cream vans flank the walkways and each winter a natural skating rink is opened.

The Plateau

Arguably the most French part of the city, a trip to the Plateau is not dissimilar to a trip to Paris itself. Especially along Rue de Dennis, which overflows with boutique shops, street cafes and gourmet restaurants. The Plateau is an excellent place to sample Montreal’s distinct cuisine, which blends First Nations, French, New England, British and Chinese flavours. Top dishes include Poutine, fries topped with cheese and gravy, and Tourtières, a meat pie made of beef wrapped in shortcrust pastry. The Plateau is also the perfect place to sample the local Spruce Beer and discover the city’s spirited nightlife.

Performance Art

As the birthplace of the world's most famous circus, where better to experience the Cirque du Soleil than Montréal? In fact, it’s not the only circus in town, Montréal is also the home of the Cavalia and Cirque Eloize troupes, as well as countless street performers. Montréal also plays host to numerous opera, orchestral, jazz and ballet performances. There is always something on at the Place Des Arts, a vast complex dedicated to performance art.

Discover a blend of Fine and Street Art

The Musée des Beaux Arts (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) is one of the most acclaimed galleries in North America and the largest in Canada. The gallery houses notable works by Da Vinci, Picasso, Renoir, Degas and Rembrandt. The city is also home to the Montréal Contemporary Art Museum.

It is also famous for its contemporary street art which can be experienced all over the city. Notable murals can be found along Rue Saint-Laurent and the Latin Quarter. Each year the city hosts not one but two graffiti festivals to celebrate their urban artists.

See it from two wheels

One of the most cycle-friendly cities in North America, travelling by bike is the ideal way to explore Montréal. The city boasts 600 kilometres of bike paths and numerous options for bike hire, notably Bixi bikes, for which there are 500 docking stations located around the city.

Fill your lungs in Montréal’s green spaces

Montréal's largest green space, Mont-Royal, is a leafy hilltop park which sits 233 metres above sea level. Offering a calm and tranquil space for walking, cycling or picnicking, for those who walk to the top it also provides an unforgettable vista of the city and beyond, with views stretching along the St Lawrence River and even to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State, US. Montreal’s Botanical Gardens are also a real treat. Situated in Parc Maisonneuve, the venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the gardens contain 30 distinct themes and ten climatic greenhouses.

Fun with the Family

Those travelling with children should include a day at the Parc Jean Drapeau, which comprises the Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame and is a top Montréal thing to do. Start your day at the fascinating Biosphere Museum before letting off steam at the La Ronde Amusement Park, the artificial beach, outdoor pool complex and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. If you're ready to take off with the whole family, BudgetAir can help you find flights deals to Montréal from a number of Canadian cities as well as excellent hotel and car deals, check out year-round deals to this fantastic city and experience the beauty of Montréal.