As the major French-speaking city in North America, Montréal, Canada, stands out as a unique and historic metropolis that transports visitors to another time and place. This vibrant city was founded more than 380 years ago, but its modern vitality, energy and cultural spi are pure 21st century. Here’s how to enjoy two days in magnificient Montréal.
Two Days in Magnificent Montreal
Friday – Arrival
Check in to your chic suite at Hotel Le Germain Montréal, winner of a Michelin Key award for its exceptional hospitality, design and service. The Germain Hotel collection is based in Quebec and still family-owned, and this hip and stylish urban accommodation is perfectly situated in the heart of downtown, in easy walking distance to many city attractions and amenities.
Another excellent and central option is Le Place d’Armes Hotel and Suites. This 19th-century neoclassical hotel is perfectly located in easy walking distance of the many amenities of Old Montréal, including Notre Dame Basilica and the Old Port. It’s also very family-friendly, with Kids in the City package that comes with a concierge who can tailor child-friendly activities for your family.
Find short and long-term rental accommodation in Montreal
Dinner plans? Montreal has more restaurants per capita than any other Canadian city. Residents and visitors are spoiled for choice on deciding where to enjoy a casual or formal dining experience.
An easy choice is Le Boulevardier, located inside the Hotel Le German. This is one of Montréal’s must-try restaurants, its warm dining room just an elevator ride away. The cuisine is French and Quebecois-forward, featuring local seafood, meats and produce as well as a deep wine list. In the cooler months, the mushroom ravioli are a must, as is the cheese plate for dessert. Quebec cheeses are deliciously out of this world.
Work up your appetite with a short walk to dinner at Helena, featuring the refined side of Portuguese cuisine. Start with a velvet-smooth caldo verde soup, followed by arroz con mariscos (rice with seafood), or beef brisket with Portuguese spices. Or choose from a variety of savory petiscos (tapas) that highlight the best of local food. Either way, do finish the meal with the irresistible pasteis de nata (egg tarts).
Friday Evening
Explore lively Old Montréal at twilight, with a walking tour with a twist. Pull out your smartphone and ear buds and bring up the Cité Mémoire App. (Note: Download the App ahead of your arrival.) This incredible multi-media application immerses the user in the city’s more than 375-year history. The app guides visitors on 60 or 90-minute walking tours of Old Montréal. The 20 projected tableaux of historical figures, facts, and battles bring the rich history of Montréal to life.
Montréal is known as festival city, particularly in summer. If you plan to take in any of the amazing events during your visit, check out Tourisme Montréal’s Festival page for information about what’s happening when, and for tickets and showtimes.
av. Mont-Royal
Saturday
Morning
Enjoy a continental breakfast, pain au chocolat and café au lait at your hotel. Or venture outside to hunt down freshly baked, hand-rolled, wood-fired bagels at St. Viatur. You cannot leave the city without trying a bagel smeared with cream cheese and/or topped with lox.
Meet your guide for a tour of the historic Notre-Dame Basilica. This 19th century cathedral was built in English Gothic Revival style. It sits on the site of the former chapel founded in the 17th century. The interior and statuary are made from wood imported from France.
The cathedral’s stained glass panes feature the history of the founding of Montréal, rather than the usual biblical scenes. The mix of English and French in the Basilica is symbolic of the ethnic mix of the city since its founding as the capital of New France in 1641, and takeover by the English in 1760.
Walk down the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal and take in the public art and quaint shops. Pop into one of the fifteen boutiques located under the silver dome of Marché Bonsecours. These shops feature local, one-of-a-kind “Made in Quebec” craft creations by members of the Québec Crafts Council as well as Indigenous artisans.
Put down your parcels and pause for lunch in the charming, flower-filled garden of the Jardin Nelson restaurant. The extensive bistro menu features sweet and savoury crepes (including gluten-free offerings), pizza, sandwiches, and a house-special duck leg confit salad.
Afternoon
Enjoy a stroll along the Lachine Canal to the Pointe-à-Callière. This area is home to the city’s birthplace and the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History. Wander through historical displays and archaeological dig sites.
Don’t miss the 30-minute multi-media show illustrating the storied history of Montreal. The multi-media show includes video, music, and animation, in view of the city’s foundation walls below. Both the show and the museum are ideal for kids and families.
Return to tour hotel to freshen up, or to enjoy a cocktail or local craft beer at the Flaneur Bar Lounge at Le Germain, or under the red umbrellas of the roof-top Terrasse. The Terrasse offers fabulous views of Old Montréal and downtown; the perfect spot for people-watching until the wee hours of 3 AM on weekends (summer only).
Nighttime
For dinner, make a reservation for Barroco Restaurant in the Old Port. In addition to an excellent cocktail menu, Barroco features a sustainable, ocean-friendly fish and shellfish menu that is sourced and approved by the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Program.
Need a nightcap? Steal away to Bar Dominion for late-night craft cocktails and tapas-style bites in a warm and cosy historic setting.
Sunday
After checking out of your hotel and storing your bags until departure, begin your day with a classic Montréal-style bagel at Fairmount Bagel Bakery. For nearly one hundred years, Fairmount has provided locally-sourced, hand-rolled bagels for hungry residents and visitors in the know. Their bagels have even made it into space and been consumed by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Montreal has one of the largest green transportation networks in North America. Book a guided e-bike cycling tour with Ca Roule for a fabulous three hour pedal around the city. The tour includes stops at local favourite Atwater Market, and travels all the way to the former Expo 67 site and Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Or work off morning carbs by renting one of the 5,000 Bixi bikes and for a sedate ride along the Lachine Canal and up the road to McGill University and Mont Royal. This mini-mountain offers sweeping views of the city, lovely green spaces, Mount Joseph Oratory and Beaver Lake.
You’re in Montréal, home to two renowned culinary sensations. Try one of them for a caloric and classic lunch. Sample one of 30+ kinds of poutine at family-run La Banquise, operating since 1968. Or wrap your mouth around (if you can) a legendary smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz’s, the oldest deli in Canada.
Spa up your afternoon
The province of Quebec is renowned for its nordic spa culture, and Montreal has its fair share. One of the latest additions to the city is RECESS Thermal Station, located in trendy Griffintown neighbourhood. This sleek and social spa facility is meant to encourage physical and mental health through hydrotherapy, as well as social connection via its large communal sauna facility and regular social gathering and events. Its guided relaxation, breath work and Aufguss sauna sessions promote wellbeing for mind, body and spirit.
Complete your urban escape with a relaxing afternoon at Bota-Bota, spa-sur-l’eau. This luxurious spa is fashioned from an old ferryboat, and is docked in the Old Port. The hydrotherapy water circuit rejuvenates and detoxifies the body with outdoor hot and cold plunge pools, Scandinavian saunas, steam rooms and silent rest areas. The hot, cold and relaxation sequences are to be repeated 3-4 times, for maximum health benefits. It’s pure bliss.
Make your way to Trudeau International Airport, rested, relaxed and full of the joie de vivre of Montréal!
How to get to Montreal
Fly into Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport (YUL) and catch a cab of the 24/7 express bus into Old Montréal. Most of the destinations are within easy walking distance of the hotel, or easily accessible via Metro. You don’t need a car while visiting Montreal.
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Photo Credits: C. Laroye, Tourism Montreal, RECESS Thermal Spa
Disclosure: The writer thanks Tourisme Montreal for hosting our stay in Montreal. As always, our opinions about this great French-Canadian city are honest and our own.
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