Things to Do in Montreal
Start with essential sights, then go deeper by neighbourhood, season, weather, budget or trip type.
Choose the Montreal you want
Useful guides that help you decide what is worth your time and group nearby experiences together.
Mount Royal
Lookouts, trails, Beaver Lake and practical tips for visiting the mountain.
Read guide →Historic districtOld Montreal
What to see, how long to spend and how to build a better walking route.
Read guide →FoodJean-Talon Market
What to expect at the public market and what to combine nearby.
Read guide →Food + canalAtwater Market
Market, Lachine Canal and southwest Montreal in one outing.
Read guide →BudgetFree Things to Do
Parks, views, neighbourhood walks and no-ticket experiences.
Read guide →FamilyMontreal With Kids
Family attractions, easy areas and realistic day planning.
Read guide →SeasonalMontreal in Winter
Cold-weather activities, clothing and winter planning.
Read guide →WeatherRainy-Day Montreal
Museums, markets and flexible indoor-heavy plans.
Read guide →Itinerary3 Days in Montreal
A balanced first-trip route through the city.
Read guide →WaterfrontOld Port of Montreal
Understand the riverfront and how it fits with Old Montreal.
Read guide →LandmarkNotre-Dame Basilica
Plan a visit to one of Old Montreal’s signature interiors.
Read guide →CultureMontreal Museums
Choose museums by interest, weather and neighbourhood.
Read guide →Start with the areas, then add the sights
Most of Montreal’s best-known sights sit in a few clusters, so plan by area. Old Montreal has Notre-Dame Basilica, Place d’Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier and the Old Port within a short walk of each other. Mount Royal gives you the Kondiaronk lookout and Beaver Lake in one outing, and it’s an easy walk down into the Plateau.
For food, pair Jean-Talon Market with Little Italy, or Atwater Market with the Lachine Canal and Saint-Henri. Both markets are open all year. Keep a museum in reserve for a rainy day, and see free things to do if you’re watching the budget. If you’d like a guide, compare options in Montreal walking tours or the wider tours page.
Not sure how long you need? The trip tools suggest a trip length and a neighbourhood to stay in.