Read on to discover Culture Trip’s favorite things to do and see when in Old Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Quebec

Montreal

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Featured Articles

The bilingual, bohemian heart of Quebec, Montreal is Canada at its most chic.

Montreal is a city where old meets new, where Canadian charm meets a French heart and remarkable history meets a thriving modern culture. Here’s our insider’s guide to the largest city in Quebec.


An Insider Guide to Montreal

On Place d’Armes in Old Montreal, there is a monument to Paul de Chomedey, the founder of Montreal, who in 1642 established a small settlement of Fort Ville-Marie on Montreal island. Today in the historic quarter of Old Montreal you’ll find an array of buildings dating back to the New France era. The Notre-Dame Church was one of the earliest buildings, established in 1682, but in 1829 it was replaced by the stunning Notre-Dame Basilica in order to accommodate the growing numbers of the city. The basilica still stands now and is a remarkable example of Gothic Revival Architecture. Tourists will gravitate to the Old Port of Montreal, used as early as 1611 as a trading post, and now a great spot for river place walking and cycling. There are some great museums in Old Montreal too - the Museum of Archaeology and History of Montreal perhaps being the pick. A short walk from Old Montreal will take you to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montreal, or Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where you’ll find the largest art museum in Canada in terms of gallery space, and just behind is the Parc du Mont-Royal, the green spot of Montreal, where you can climb Colline de la Croz, or ‘Mount Royal’ - the hill which gives the city its name. Once you’ve explored the history it’s time to discover modern Montreal - a bustling Canadian city with a Gallic twist, where you’ll find poutine and French pastries equally available, and a party scene that’s hard to rival. Visit Mile End or Little Burgundy and you’ll find thriving arts communities, microbreweries and an array of artisan eating spots. The city is actually home to one of the largest proportions of creative jobs in the world, which is no surprise given the sheer number of festivals that take place each year. The bustling city of Montreal is an island not just in geographical terms, but in cultural terms too. This is a city where the official language is French, but English is widely spoken, a city where city-living meets green spaces and where a historic quarter meets an artsy, vibrant modern metropolis. 


The Main Attractions

Oran

Setif

Algeria

Luanda

Angola

Cotonou

Porto-novo

Benin

Botswana

Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Tonga

Yaounde

Bamenda

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Kinshasa

Lubumbashi

Congo

Abidjan

Cote Divoire

Florentin

Dijibouti

Djibouti

Cairo

Alexandria

Sharm El-sheikh

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Asmara

Eritrea

Addis Ababa

Lalibela

Ethiopia

Gambia

Accra

Kumasi

Cape Coast

Ghana

Guinea-bissau

Nairobi

Mombasa

Malindi

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Antananarivo

Antsirabe

Madagascar

Blantyre

Malawi

Bamako

Timbuktu

Mali

Mauritania

Port Louis

Mauritius

Casablanca

Marrakech

Sale

Morocco

Maputo

Mozambique

Swakopmund

Windhoek

Namibia

Lagos

Abuja

Ibadan

Nigeria

Pointe-noire

Republic Of The Congo

Kigali

Musanze

Butare

Rwanda

Dakar

Touba

Senegal

Seychelles

Freetown

Sierra Leone

Cape Town

Durban

Johannesburg

South Africa

South Sudan

Khartoum

Sudan

Mbabane

Manzini

Swaziland

Zanzibar

Arusha

Dar Es Salaam

Tanzania

Tunis

Hammamet

Tozeur

Tunisia

Kampala

Gombe

Uganda

Western Sahara

Lusaka

Zambia

Harare

Bulawayo

Zimbabwe

Africa

Antarctica

Kabul

Afghanistan

Dhaka

Bangladesh

Thimphu

Bhutan

Bandar Seri Begawan

Brunei Darussalam

Siem Reap

Phnom Penh

Sihanoukville

Cambodia

Shanghai

Beijing

Guangzhou

China

East Timor

Wan Chai

Hong Kong

Mumbai

Delhi

India

Bali

Penang

Jakarta

Indonesia

Israel

Tokyo

Kyoto

Osaka

Japan

Almaty

Astana

Kazakhstan

Pyongyang

Korea

Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan

Luang Prabang

Vientiane

Pakse

Laos

Macau

Kuala Lumpur

Ipoh

Malaysia

Maldives

Mongolia

Yangon

Mandalay

Nay Pyi Taw

Myanmar

Kathmandu

Darchula

Nepal

Hyderabad

Islamabad

Lahore

Pakistan

Manila

Boracay

Baguio

Philippines

Riyadh

Jeddah

Mecca

Saudi Arabia

Asia

Events and Activities in Montreal, Quebec | Culture Trip

Off the Beaten Path

Find the hidden gems and experience the city like a local

See & Do

18 Unusual Date Ideas to Try in Montreal

Guides & Tips

12 Things to Do in Montreal for Valentine’s Day

See & Do

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Outdoor Activities

Escape the city - the best outdoor places to visit

See & Do

The Best Parks To Visit In Montreal

Guides & Tips

The Best Running Routes in Montreal

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The Best Parks in Montreal

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The Most Amazing Places to Cycle in Montreal

Attractions

Fun things to do that are worth your time

See & Do

The Best Things To Do and See in Montreal, Canada

History

What’s the Story Behind Montreal’s Biosphere?

Guides & Tips

Where to Find the Most Stunning Views of Montreal

Shopping

Books

The Best Bookshops in Montreal

Guides & Tips

The Best Flea Markets and Thrift Stores in Montreal

Fashion

The Best Boutiques and Independent Clothing Shops in Montreal

See & Do

A Guide to Montreal's Best Bookshops

Guides & Tips

The Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Montreal

Fashion

Montreal Fashion Designers You Need to Know

Wellness

Health & Wellness

This New Yoga Craze Is Taking Canada by Storm

Health & Wellness

The Best Yoga Studios in Montreal

Iconic Buildings

Learn about historic sites and special architecture

Architecture

A Tour of Montreal’s Brutalist Architectural Landmarks

Architecture

The 10 Most Impressive Buildings in Montreal

Culturally Curious

Discover what makes this city so unique

See & Do

8 Must-Visit Museums in Montreal

Art

The Art Memberships Every Cultural Traveler Needs in Montreal

Music in the city

Music

The Best Live Music Venues in Montreal, Canada

Music

5 Questions To Ask Before Attending Montreal's International Jazz Festival

Music

Exceeding Musical Expectations: An Interview With Urban Science

Music

The Best Live Jazz in Montreal

Art

For the art lovers - everything from museums, galleries to street art

Art

An Art Lover’s Guide to Montreal in 24 Hours

Art

The Best Public Art in Montreal, Canada

See & Do

10 Contemporary Art Galleries In Montreal

Nightlife

Guides & Tips

The 10 Best Nightclubs in Montreal, Canada

Food & Drink

The Best Gay Bars In Montreal, Canada

See & Do

How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Montreal