See
No. 1
Old Montréal, Notre-Dame Basilica & the Old Port
Vieux-Montréal, Place d'Armes to the waterfront
The 17th- to 19th-century core: grey-stone warehouses, Place d'Armes, and Notre-Dame Basilica (1829), whose deep-blue, gold-starred interior gets gasps out loud. A few blocks south, the Old Port turns the old docks into a promenade with a clock tower, a Ferris wheel and zip lines.
The basilica charges admission and closes to visitors during services, so book a timed slot online. Walk Rue Saint-Paul early before the crowds, then go down to the Clock Tower pier for the river view.
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Do
No. 2
Mount Royal & the Kondiaronk Belvedere
Parc du Mont-Royal, above downtown
The 'mountain' (a hill, technically, at about 230 metres) is a park laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted of Central Park fame. The Kondiaronk Belvedere, in front of the Chalet du Mont-Royal, is the classic view straight down Peel Street to the skyline and the river.
Walk up from the top of Rue Peel by the staircase trail. It takes 30–40 minutes. On summer Sundays, follow the drumming to the Tam-Tams at the George-Étienne Cartier monument on the east side.
Eat & Drink
No. 3
Mile End & the Great Bagel Question
Rue Fairmount & Rue Saint-Viateur, Mile End
Montréal bagels are smaller, denser and sweeter than New York's: boiled in honey water and baked in wood-fired ovens. Fairmount Bagel (since 1919) and St-Viateur Bagel (since 1957) are a few blocks apart. Both bake around the clock. Locals pick a side and keep it.
Buy a sesame from each, still warm, and eat them on the walk between the two shops. Do not announce your verdict. The robot never has, and both shops still serve it.
Eat & Drink
No. 4
Schwartz's & the Poutine Circuit
Boulevard Saint-Laurent ('the Main'), Plateau
Schwartz's has been serving smoked meat on rye since 1928: hand-cut, ordered lean, medium or fatty, with a pickle and a black cherry soda. For poutine (fries, cheese curds, gravy), La Banquise on Rue Rachel is open 24 hours and lists about 30 versions.
Order 'medium' at Schwartz's, which is how the regulars have it. The queue moves faster than it looks. The take-out counter next door skips it completely if you only want a sandwich to go.
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Eat & Drink
No. 5
Jean-Talon Market
Little Italy
One of North America's largest open-air markets, open year-round: Québec strawberries in June, corn and tomatoes in August, apples and squash in autumn, plus cheese shops, maple stalls and a lot of free samples.
Arrive hungry and build lunch from the stalls. For a smaller, quieter version by the Lachine Canal, Atwater Market is the other one locals use.
See
No. 6
Montréal Museum of Fine Arts
Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Golden Square Mile
The MBAM spreads across five pavilions on both sides of Sherbrooke, linked by tunnel: Old Masters, Inuit and Québec art, decorative arts, and big touring shows.
Visitors aged 20 and under get in free. Combine it with a walk along Sherbrooke and up Rue Crescent.
Do
No. 7
The Underground City (RÉSO)
Downtown, from Place Ville Marie outward
Some 30-odd kilometres of tunnels, malls and passages linking métro stations, office towers, hotels, the Bell Centre and Place des Arts. In January you can cross downtown without a coat.
Follow the blue RÉSO signs and don't try to memorise it. Even locals get lost. It is a winter survival tool, not a sightseeing destination. In July, stay above ground.
See
No. 8
Olympic Park, Biodôme & Botanical Garden
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, east end (Pie-IX or Viau métro)
The 1976 Olympic site. The Biodôme, inside the old velodrome, recreates four ecosystems, including a penguin colony and a tropical rainforest. Across the street are the Botanical Garden (Chinese and Japanese gardens), the Insectarium and the Planetarium, all run by Espace pour la vie.
Buy a combined ticket and give it a full day. From September to Halloween the Botanical Garden's Gardens of Light lanterns run after dark. Book that evening slot early.
Do
No. 9
Quartier des Spectacles & the Festivals
Place des Arts, Rue Sainte-Catherine
The downtown entertainment district, built around Place des Arts and a set of public squares that host the big festivals: Les Francos in June, the Jazz Festival (late June into July) with hundreds of free outdoor shows, and Just for Laughs in July.
Most of the Jazz Fest's outdoor stages are free. Skip the ticketed headliners and simply walk the site in the evening. Book hotels early: festival weeks fill downtown fast.
Do
No. 10
Day trip: Québec City
VIA Rail from Gare Centrale (~3 hr 15 min)
The only walled city north of Mexico: Château Frontenac, the Petit-Champlain lanes and ramparts above the St. Lawrence. VIA Rail runs several trains a day from Montréal's Gare Centrale. The Eastern Townships (vineyards, lakes, covered bridges) are the other good escape, about 1 hr 15 min east by car.
As a day trip it's long. Take an early train and a late one back, or better, stay one night. Old Québec at night, after the tour buses leave, is the real reason to go.
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