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Montreal
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7 Days · in Montreal

Seven Days in Montreal: The Complete City Itinerary

A full week lets you experience Montreal the way residents do, blending marquee sights with slower neighbourhood days. The first five days cover Old Montreal and the Old Port, downtown's museums, Mount Royal and the Plateau, the ecosystems of Space for Life, and the islands and canals of the southwest. Days six and seven then reach the markets of Little Italy, the espresso bars and green spaces of Villeray, the dumplings and gates of Chinatown, and a final loop through Old Montreal. You'll eat across the city's signature traditions, poutine, smoked meat, wood-fired bagels, and dim sum, and see its art, architecture, and green spaces. Each day stays geographically tight, so a week feels immersive rather than exhausting.

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Day 01

Old Montreal, the Old Port & Skyline Views

Cobblestone streets, Notre-Dame Basilica, a river cruise, and downtown observation views.

  1. Morning

    Notre-Dame Basilica

    Begin at the neo-Gothic Notre-Dame Basilica, whose deep-blue vaulted ceiling and gilded altar make the most breathtaking interior in Old Montreal.

  2. Late Morning

    Place Jacques-Cartier & Old Montreal

    Wander the cobblestone lanes around Place Jacques-Cartier and Rue Saint-Paul, past 18th-century stone facades and street performers.

  3. Lunch

    Old Port of Montreal

    Lunch along the Old Port promenade with the St. Lawrence River beside you, moments from the afternoon cruise dock.

  4. Afternoon

    Bateau-Mouche river cruise

    Take a glass-roofed Bateau-Mouche cruise on the St. Lawrence for the city's best skyline and waterfront primer, narrated as you glide.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Au Sommet Place Ville Marie

    Ride up to the Au Sommet observation deck atop Place Ville Marie for sweeping 360-degree views over downtown and the mountain.

  6. Evening

    Poutine dinner

    Close with a plate of poutine, Quebec's cheese-curd and gravy classic, toasting your first day in the city.

Day 02

Downtown, Fine Arts & the Underground City

World-class art, Montreal history, McGill's campus, and the RESO network.

  1. Morning

    Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

    Spend two hours at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, from Old Masters to Quebec painters and Inuit art across its linked pavilions on Sherbrooke Street.

  2. Late Morning

    McCord Stewart Museum

    Cross the street to the McCord Stewart Museum for its rich collections on Montreal social history, fashion, and First Nations culture.

  3. Lunch

    Sainte-Catherine Street

    Lunch along bustling Sainte-Catherine Street, or duck into the sheltered RESO underground city if the weather turns.

  4. Afternoon

    McGill University & Redpath Museum

    Stroll McGill University's leafy downtown campus and visit the free Redpath Museum of natural history in its Victorian hall.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral

    Walk to Dorchester Square to see Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, a scaled reproduction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

  6. Evening

    Quartier des Spectacles dinner

    Dine near the Quartier des Spectacles, the festival district lit by public art and animated squares.

Day 03

Mount Royal, the Plateau & Mile End

A mountain lookout, colourful boulevards, smoked meat, and famous bagels.

  1. Morning

    Mount Royal & Kondiaronk Belvedere

    Climb through Mount Royal Park, the Olmsted-designed green heart of the city, to the Kondiaronk Belvedere for a classic skyline panorama.

  2. Late Morning

    Plateau Mont-Royal

    Explore Plateau Mont-Royal's colourful triplexes, spiral staircases, and boutiques along Avenue du Mont-Royal and Rue Saint-Denis.

  3. Lunch

    Schwartz's Deli

    Line up for a hand-carved smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz's on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, a Montreal institution since 1928.

  4. Afternoon

    Mile End

    Head north to Mile End for its indie shops, cafes, and murals, the creative core of Montreal's music and arts scene.

  5. Late Afternoon

    St-Viateur & Fairmount Bagel

    Compare a warm sesame bagel from St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel, the wood-fired rivals that define the Montreal style.

  6. Evening

    Plateau dinner

    Dine among the Plateau's bistros and BYOB rooms, some of the most beloved casual tables in the city.

  7. Evening

    Cocktail nightcap

    End with a drink on a Saint-Laurent or Saint-Denis terrace amid the neighbourhood's laid-back energy.

Day 04

Space for Life & Olympic Park

Ecosystems under glass, a vast botanical garden, insects, and the Olympic Tower.

  1. Morning

    Montreal Biodome

    Start at the Biodome, where four ecosystems of the Americas, from rainforest to sub-polar coast, live under the former Olympic velodrome's roof.

  2. Lunch

    Maisonneuve cafes

    Lunch in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve along Promenade Ontario, among local cafes and casual Quebec spots.

  3. Afternoon

    Botanical Garden & Insectarium

    Wander the Montreal Botanical Garden, one of the world's largest, with its Japanese and Chinese gardens and the redesigned Insectarium next door.

  4. Late Afternoon

    Montreal Tower

    Ride the funicular up the leaning Montreal Tower at Olympic Stadium, the tallest inclined structure in the world, for east-end views.

  5. Evening

    Marche Maisonneuve

    Stroll to the Art Deco Marche Maisonneuve and its landmark fountain as the light softens.

  6. Evening

    East-end dinner

    Enjoy dinner in Hochelaga, from Quebecois comfort food to the district's growing bistro scene.

Day 05

The Islands, Architecture & the Lachine Canal

A geodesic dome, riverside parkland, iconic modern housing, and a beloved market.

  1. Morning

    Parc Jean-Drapeau

    Take the metro across to Parc Jean-Drapeau on Ile Sainte-Helene for riverside paths and Expo 67 landmarks.

  2. Late Morning

    Biosphere

    Tour the Biosphere, Buckminster Fuller's giant geodesic dome from the 1967 World's Fair, now an environment museum.

  3. Lunch

    Old Port picnic

    Return to the mainland and picnic along the Old Port with the downtown skyline across the basin.

  4. Afternoon

    Habitat 67

    Admire Habitat 67 from the waterfront path, Moshe Safdie's revolutionary stacked-cube housing built for Expo 67.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Lachine Canal & Atwater Market

    Follow the Lachine Canal path to Atwater Market for artisan cheeses, produce, and Quebec specialties beneath its Art Deco tower.

  6. Evening

    Little Burgundy dinner

    Dine in Little Burgundy or Saint-Henri, home to Joe Beef and a celebrated southwest dining scene; reserve well ahead.

Day 06

Little Italy, Jean-Talon Market & Villeray

Quebec's greatest public market, an Italian quarter, and relaxed northern neighbourhoods.

  1. Morning

    Jean-Talon Market

    Start at Jean-Talon Market, one of North America's largest open-air markets, brimming with Quebec produce, cheese, and maple products.

  2. Late Morning

    Little Italy

    Walk the surrounding Little Italy along Boulevard Saint-Laurent, past espresso bars and the Madonna della Difesa church with its frescoed interior.

  3. Lunch

    Little Italy trattoria

    Enjoy handmade pasta or a wood-fired pizza at one of Little Italy's long-running family trattorias.

  4. Afternoon

    Cafe culture

    Linger over an espresso at Caffe Italia or Caffe San Simeon, gathering spots at the heart of Montreal's Italian community.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Parc Jarry & Villeray

    Stroll neighbouring Villeray and green, family-filled Parc Jarry for a relaxed afternoon away from the crowds.

  6. Evening

    Mile-Ex dinner

    Dine in Mile-Ex or Villeray, an emerging pocket of inventive, unpretentious restaurants.

Day 07

Chinatown, Old Montreal & Farewell

Dumplings and gates in Chinatown, a top archaeology museum, and a final Old Port walk.

  1. Morning

    Chinatown & the paifang gates

    Explore Montreal's compact Chinatown, entering through the ornate paifang gates onto pedestrian Rue de la Gauchetiere.

  2. Late Morning

    Chinatown shops

    Browse the bakeries, tea shops, and herbalists along De la Gauchetiere and Saint-Laurent at your own pace.

  3. Lunch

    Dim sum or dumplings

    Feast on dim sum, hand-pulled noodles, or steamed dumplings at one of Chinatown's bustling restaurants.

  4. Afternoon

    Pointe-a-Calliere

    Walk into Old Montreal to Pointe-a-Calliere, the archaeology and history museum built atop the city's original 1642 foundations.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Old Port & Clock Tower

    Take a final leisurely walk along the Old Port to the Clock Tower quay, with seasonal terraces and the Grande Roue observation wheel.

  6. Evening

    Farewell dinner downtown

    End the week with a favourite Montreal meal, smoked meat, poutine, or a classic steakhouse, before departing.