Updated · On BootsnAll since 1999 · History
Overview and Things to Consider
Montreal is cosmopolitan, and it's where French-Canadian identity is strongest, with French language and culture coming first. The neighborhoods are excellent, the restaurants and bars are good, and the cultural scene rivals much larger cities. The architecture mixes historic districts with modern development.
It's a walkable, pleasant city. Winter is cold, but Montreal has built excellent indoor connections and a real winter culture. Summer is warm and the outdoor patios are excellent. The art and music scenes are real, and people take food seriously. If you want a major Canadian city with actual character, this is it.
Getting There and Around
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport is about 20 kilometers west of downtown - roughly 30 minutes by car. Parking costs around $20 per day. Rideshare to downtown costs $25 - 35. The 747 airport bus costs $11.25 (2026), and the ticket works as a 24-hour transit pass. The REM light rail doesn't reach the airport yet.
Much of Montreal is walkable, especially downtown and the major neighborhoods, and most visitors get around on foot. The metro is reliable and extensive, with a day pass at about $10. It's a bikeable city too, and plenty of visitors rent bikes. You don't need a car downtown.
What's Changed Since 2016
Montreal keeps gentrifying. Mile End and the Plateau have gotten more polished, the restaurant and bar scenes have matured, and housing costs have gone up. The cultural scene is still strong, and the city is still French-Canadian at its core.
It's still cheaper than Toronto or Vancouver, though costs have risen. French still comes first despite some drift toward English. The arts and music scenes are still lively, and the food culture has only gotten more sophisticated.
Ideas to Consider for Your Visit
Old Montreal is touristy but charming, with cobblestone streets and historic architecture. Basilica-Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde is beautiful, and Mount Royal park has views. The real Montreal lives in the neighborhoods: Plateau-Mont-Royal, the Marais, Mile End and others.
Food matters here. Bagels from St-Viateur or Fairmount are institutions. Poutine is everywhere, though it belongs to Quebec in general. The restaurants run from casual to fine dining, and they're good. The bar culture is lively. For museums, the Museum of Contemporary Art is excellent.
See a show - the venues and performers here are first-rate. The Jazz Festival and the other festivals are a big deal. Walk the neighborhoods properly. The culture is the attraction, so treat Montreal as a living French-Canadian city rather than a list of sights.
Realities to Be Aware Of
Winter is very cold with regular snow, but indoor connections and winter culture help. Summer is warm and pleasant. Spring and fall are beautiful but short. Understand and respect the French language and culture.
French is the primary language. English is spoken, but French is preferred, and it's worth respecting that. Old Montreal is very touristy in places. Some neighborhoods are more developed than others. Montreal can feel less polished than Toronto or Vancouver, which is arguably the appeal.
If Montreal Is Part of a Longer Trip
Montreal is a good base for Eastern Canada. Quebec City is about 3 hours northeast and Toronto about 8 hours southwest. The Laurentian Mountains are close for skiing and the outdoors.
Amtrak connects Montreal to other cities. Plenty of Eastern Canada trips pair Montreal with Quebec City and Toronto. Give Montreal 3 - 5 days.
Yearly Things to Consider
Spring (April - May): Flowers bloom. Weather improves. Outdoor patios open. Good for exploring.
Summer (June - August): Warm and excellent. Festivals happen often and the outdoor patios are at their best. Peak tourist season.
Fall (September - October): Pleasant weather. Leaves change. Less crowded than summer. Beautiful and brief.
Winter (November - March): Cold and snowy. Winter festivals and culture. Indoor attractions are important.
Ideas for Itineraries
Two Days in Montreal
Day 1: Old Montreal. Walk the cobblestone streets, visit the Basilica and have dinner there. Day 2: The Plateau, the Marais or Mile End. Get bagels, eat well and fit in a museum if you're interested.
Three to Four Days in Montreal
Follow the two-day plan, then add more neighborhoods, museums and a performance. Dig deeper into the food and bar scenes, and climb Mount Royal.
Five Days: Deep Montreal
Spend several full days in the neighborhoods. See more museums, galleries and performances, and work through the food and bar scenes. Take a day trip to the Laurentian Mountains or Quebec City.
One Week: Montreal and Quebec City
Spend 4 - 5 days in Montreal and 2 - 3 days in Quebec City. Eat French-Canadian food and see some performances. By the end you'll understand what makes Quebec's culture its own.
From the BootsnAll archive
3 stories and articles about Montreal, 2001 to 2003
- Montreal’s Auberge du Vieux-Port - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Article · 2003 · Norman Goldman
- Don't Leave Montréal Without Savouring a Smoked Meat Sandwich - Montréal Travel Guide
Story · 2002 · Norman Goldman
- A Summer Walk into Montreal's Early Years under French Rule
Story · 2001 · Norman Goldman
FAQ
Very. French is the primary language. English is spoken, but French is preferred, so show respect for the language and culture.
Explore neighborhoods like Plateau and Mile End. Visit Old Montreal. Experience the food and bar scenes. Attend performances.
Yes. Much of the city is walkable, and the metro is reliable.
Bagels from the local bagel shops, poutine and excellent restaurants. Food matters a lot here.
At least 3 days to really experience it. 4 - 5 days is ideal.
Summer is excellent but crowded. Spring and fall are beautiful. Winter is cold but has cultural events.
Update history (25)▸
· Rewrite
Edited for readability and the BootsnAll voice: generic phrasing cut in 23 passages, no facts changed
· Fact-check
Fact-checked against current sources: 1 correction
- There is no light rail to the airport: the REM airport branch is still under construction (opening planned for 2027). The airport link is the STM 747 bus, which costs $11.25. (source)
· Rewrite
Updated for modern frameworks, with content updates and changes
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Contributors
3 member blog posts from 1 blogger
- 2012: 3 posts from 1 traveler on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Contributors
1 member blog post from 1 blogger
- 2011: 1 post from 1 traveler on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Update
Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees
· Contributors
2 member blog posts from 1 blogger
- 2010: 2 posts from 1 traveler on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Contributors
7 member blog posts from 2 bloggers
- 2009: 7 posts from 2 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Contributors
8 member blog posts from 3 bloggers
- 2008: 8 posts from 3 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Contributors
9 member blog posts from 6 bloggers
- 2007: 9 posts from 6 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Contributors
4 member blog posts from 3 bloggers
- 2006: 4 posts from 3 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)
· Contributors
1 Insider dispatch, 1 article, by Norman Goldman
· Archive
Covered in BootsnAll's round-the-world destination guides
Archived copy of /rtw/destinations/na/montreal.shtml· Contributors
14 Insider dispatches, by Norman Goldman
- January 2002: Eating Cheaply in Montreal - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- January 2002: Exploring Montréal's Foot and Bike Paths - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Hiking in Montréal and Greater Québec - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Lachine, the Historic Village of Montréal - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Montréal 2001 - Book Review - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Montréal for Kids - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Montréal's Bagels - Are they the Best in the World? - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch) (source)
- February 2002: Montréal's Eighth Wonder of the World - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: Secret Montréal - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- February 2002: The Ritz Carlton - Montréal's Historic Hotel - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- April 2002: Montréal's Oldest Farmhouse - Montréal, Quebec - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- July 2002: Tips on Montréal's Famous Restaurants - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- September 2002: Don't Leave Montréal Without Savouring a Smoked Meat Sandwich - Montréal Travel Guide - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch) (source)
- September 2002: Montréal's Nature Parks - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
· Contributors
6 Insider dispatches, by Norman Goldman
- March 2001: Montréal's Spectacular Mountain - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- April 2001: A Summer Walk into Montreal's Early Years under French Rule - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch) (source)
- May 2001: Montréal, the Americans and Benjamin Franklin - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- August 2001: Untitled dispatch (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- August 2001: Maison George Étienne Cartier - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- August 2001: Maison Papineau: Louis-Joseph Papineau - Norman Goldman (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
· Contributors
3 Insider dispatches, by ed Hawco
· Contributors
4 Insider dispatches, by ed Hawco
- September 1999: Montreal, Canada - September 1999 - ed Hawco (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- October 1999: Montreal, Canada - October 1999 - ed Hawco (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- November 1999: Montreal, Canada - November 1999 - ed Hawco (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
- December 1999: Montreal, Canada - December 1999 - ed Hawco (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
· Contributors
Chris Heidrich, BootsnAll co-founder, has contributed to this guide since 1999, including dispatches from BootsnAll and AirTreks travelers