I just spent a weekend in Montreal (known as Montréal in French), which is North America’s most European city. I loved exploring it during the fall, as the colorful foliage was at its best! Keep on reading to learn more about what to see, where to eat and where to stay in this Canadian town.
What to see in Montreal
To give you some context, Montreal is the second largest primarily French-speaking city in the world, after Paris. It is located in the Canadian province of Québec and is named after Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill in the heart of the city.
Below is a recap of what I saw in Montreal during the weekend, followed by a section on accommodation and restaurants in the city and then a map with all the locations mentioned throughout this post.
- Shortly upon arrival, I walked a bit along Rue Crescent, where the Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal) is located.
- Mc Gill University, which ranks among Canada’s most prestigious universities.
- Mount Royal: I truly enjoyed walking this vast and hilly park with its beautiful fall colors. It felt like being really away from the city!
- Strolling around the stylish Plateau du Mont Royal neighborhood.
- Rue Ste Catherine Ouest
- Dorchester Square
- Cathédrale Marie Reine du Monde
- Palais des Congrès
- I loved the European feel of the Old Town: I walked around Place d’Armes, the Bank of Montreal, the Basilique Notre-Dame, rue St Paul, the place Jacques Cartier, Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), Château Ramezay, Marché Bonsecours (market), the chapelle Notre-Dame de Bonsecours, Vieux Port and the Quai de l’horloge.
- Other attractions during my weekend in Montreal included Rue St Hubert, Chinatown, rue la Gauchetière, St Laurent Boulevard (Place des Arts), Sherbrooke Avenue, Parc La Fontaine, Le Plateau, Mile End, Little Italy, Marché Jean Talon, Quartier Latin and Le Village.
Where to eat and stay in Montreal
Accommodation
During my weekend in Montreal, I stayed in Auberge L’Apéro.
Restaurants
- Boustan: I had a yummy chicken shawarma with some chips, coleslaw, rice, alioli and hummus at this humble Lebanese restaurant.
- Café Parvis: I met here for breakfast with a former colleague of mine who lives in Montreal. Great local recommendation! I tasted the scrambled eggs and bacon along with some earl grey tea.
- Santropol: I loved this place so much I came twice over the weekend! The first day I had a broccoli soup with almonds and lime and a coconut cake for dessert. The day after I ordered a black bean soup, a mango sandwich and a hot chocolate.
- Schwartz’s: I took away their smoked meat sandwich.
- La Banquise: this legendary restaurant is famous for its ‘poutines‘, which consist of thick beef gravy on French-fried potatoes with fresh cheese curds. They offer plenty of varieties but I had the classic one (poutine classique).
- St Viateur Bagel: presumably the best bagels in town although I didn’t get to try them!
Map with what to see and do in Montreal in a weekend
Below you will find a map with all the locations mentioned throughout this post. You can keep it for reference when planning your trip to this Canadian town.
Montreal and beyond
Montreal is a great city to visit during a weekend, but I didn’t have time to visit all of it. Here’s a little mental note on things to do during my next visit that you could add to your itinerary.
- Ride a bike along the Lachine Canal
- Visit the Oratoire St Joseph
- Explore Île Ste Hélène
Would you like to explore more in Canada? You can do so by reading my post about Toronto.
Did you like this post about exploring Montreal in a weekend? Let me know in the comments below.
