12 Things to Do in Montreal for Valentine’s Day

Take your loved one for an outdoor adventure that’s only minutes away from downtown Montreal. Mont-Royal offers snowshoe excursions in the park throughout the winter, including Valentine’s Day or Weekend specials. Offered in both English and French, you’ll get a chocolate truffle and a glass of champagne in the romantic winter woods while enjoying lovely views of the city skyline.

Another activity for the couple that is inclined toward outdoorsy experiences, you can enjoy some romantic skating at the Old Port for Valentine’s Day. The atmosphere is lively and festive, and the rink is open into the evening. There’s also skating at Beaver Lake in Park Mont-Royal, where you could even add a romantic dinner at the nearby pavilion.

You and your partner can enjoy some relaxing time together at one of Montreal’s many spas—and Valentine’s Day being in the depths of winter makes a Nordic spa experience even better. Try the unique “floating spa” at Bota Bota, where the hot tubs are outside and offer great views of the sun setting behind the city skyline, or check out the nearby Scandinave.

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For a cute and creative afternoon activity to enjoy with your beloved, try the Ceramic Café Studio in the Plateau. The café, which opened in 1997, serves delicious coffee and paninis as you create and decorate your chosen ceramic item—from cups and teapots to piggy banks, boxes, vases, sushi plates, salad bowls, candle holders, lamps, figurines, picture frames, soap dispensers, and more.

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For another experience that will take you off the beaten track, head out hand in hand to one of Montreal’s teahouses to enjoy an elegant High Tea experience together. There’s the vintage-chic yet unpretentious Le Parloir in the Plateau, for example, or the eclectic Cardinal on St. Laurent. In NDG, you can try Gryphon d’Or, which is also known for serving up a delicious brunch menu.

What’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate? Montreal is home to several renowned restaurants dedicated to serving the richest and most creative desserts. You can’t miss Juliette et Chocolat, with its multiple locations across the city, or Cacao 90, or the melting chocolate dome experience at C’ChoColat. For an even deeper dive into the world of the city’s dessert scene, try an Ultimate Chocolate Tour of Montreal.

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Why not enjoy a good laugh with your beloved on Valentine’s Day? Though it’s far too early for the world-famous Just for Laughs festival, there are still plenty of comedy venues in the city. Try the long-running and top-rated Comedy Nest; it always a good time, offering a variety of events and comedians that will make for a fun night out together.

Beyond the regular Cineplex experiences, Montreal is home to a variety of small and independent theatres that showcase movies that are often a step away from the mainstream. For art-house films, check out Cinema du Parc; for international motion pictures, visit Cinema Beaubien. For plays, head to Place des Arts in the heart of downtown Montreal. For more information about the city’s independent theatre scene, check here. For a fun adventure together, you could also dare one another to head over to Cinema l’Amour, the most notorious adult film theatre in the city. The collection contains both porn and vintage erotic films, guaranteeing a memorable evening out.

Especially in the historic district of Old Montreal, you can’t go wrong with taking your partner to a romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day. Some top choices include the posh Brasserie 701 and Restaurant L’Original, or if you’re part of the vegan/vegetarian trend, head over to LOV. Some restaurants in the area offer special Valentine’s Day menus, so be sure to call ahead of time.

For a unique twist, you could also make an Old Montreal Food Tour part of your Valentine’s Day celebrations—allowing you to meander through the historic cobblestoned streets of the district while indulging in a variety of local culinary delights. The old-world charm of the neighborhood is always enhanced by festive lights dancing across the season’s layers of ice and snow at night. There are also food tours of Chinatown or the city’s Jewish neighborhood that offer delicious insight into the diversity of the culinary heritage in Montreal.

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Rather than taking your partner out for dinner, you could both put on your aprons and head out to a fun cooking class and learn to cook something new together. There are a variety of culinary classes and workshops in Montreal, and in addition to having a good time, you might learn a new kitchen trick or two.

Montreal clubs such as Diese Onze, Upstairs, or Modavie are among the top-rated places to watch live jazz in the city, and each hot spot brings its own flair to the scene. A perfect evening out with smooth live music, drinks, and dining, you can try Diese Onze for its underground speakeasy atmosphere, Upstairs for the grill experience, and Modavie for its wine bar.

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