Montreal
Montreal, in a few days
A creative, bilingual city: Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica, the outdoor staircases and murals of the Plateau, the lookout on Mount Royal, food markets, and one of the busiest festival seasons in North America.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 2 things
- D2 Day 2 2 things
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Day 1
- Morning · Old Montreal and Notre-Dame Basilica free · about 2 hCobbled streets and stone warehouses by the old port, around a Gothic Revival basilica from 1829 with a deep blue, gilded interior.
- Afternoon · The Plateau Mont-Royal free · about 1 h 30A neighbourhood of terraced houses with iron outdoor staircases, cafés and large murals, especially along Boulevard Saint-Laurent.
Day 2
- Morning · Mount Royal Park free · about 1 h 30The wooded hill above the city, laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, whose Kondiaronk lookout gives the classic view of downtown.
- Evening · The festivals (Jazz, Just for Laughs) free · an eveningThe International Jazz Festival fills downtown with free outdoor concerts in late June and early July, followed by the Just for Laughs comedy festival.
Day 3
- Morning · Bagels, smoked meat and poutine · about 2 hWood-fired Montreal bagels, smoked meat sandwiches piled high on rye, and poutine, chips topped with cheese curds and gravy.
Worth sorting before you go
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Poutine: chips with fresh cheese curds and brown gravy, born in rural Quebec in the 1950s.
- Maple syrup: on pancakes and bacon, or poured hot onto snow and rolled into taffy.
- Tourtière: a spiced meat pie, eaten above all at Christmas.
- Montreal bagels: smaller, denser and sweeter than New York's, boiled in honeyed water and baked in a wood oven.
- Smoked meat: spiced, cured brisket piled high on rye bread, the Montreal deli classic.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Prices are shown before tax: federal and Quebec sales taxes add about 15% at the till.
- Tip 15 to 20% in restaurants and bars, worked out on the total before tax.
- French is the official language: greet people in French before switching to English, and expect road signs in French only.
- Distances are long: Quebec City to Tadoussac alone is about three hours' drive.
Words that help
English ↔ French
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour |
| Thank you | Merci |
| Please | S'il vous plaît |
| Yes | Oui |
| No | Non |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi |
| Goodbye | Au revoir |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ? |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ? |
| Where are the toilets? | Où sont les toilettes ? |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît |
| Help! | Au secours ! |
| Cheers! | Santé ! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/montreal
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.