Embark upon a 3-day island getaway in Montréal this summer
Downtown East of the Island Little Italy and Villeray Plateau-Mont-Royal and Mile End Summer Gastronomy Leisure activites, nature and relaxation
Montréal glows in the summer months. This is the season of celebrations — with live music, circus entertainment, and colourful parties happening across the city. This three-day itinerary will introduce you to some of the most notable neighbourhoods and attractions in the city. Use it as a template, but don’t be afraid to deviate from the itinerary. The magic of Montréal is also in the unplanned moments.
Day 1: Enchanting Old Montréal + Dynamic downtown
Pretty as a postcard, Old Montréal and the Old Port is home to some of the city’s picture-perfect buildings and gastronomic hot spots. Summer is especially wonderful at Place Jacques-Cartier, a bustling square with street performers and cafes. Admire the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica, a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture. Satiate your caffeine craving with a coffee at Crew Café, a former bank renovated into one of Montréal’s most beautiful cafes.
Then stroll to the Old Port, where you can enjoy refreshing waterfront views. Embark on a boat tour of the St. Lawrence River or rent a quadricycle (four-wheel bicycle) for a little spin around the port. Need to rest for a minute? Pull up a blue lounge chair at Clock Tower Beach. Heaps of soft, silky sand await, along with colourful parasols and a wooden boardwalk. Drinks and munchies are available at the on-site refreshment stand.
When you’re craving lunch, scrumptious sandwiches and soothing iced coffee await at crowd favourite Olive et Gourmando, hipster hangout Tommy, the adventurous vegan hotspot LOV McGill, or the infinitely Instagrammable Wes Anderson film vibes at Le Petit Dep.
Montréal’s downtown Quartier des Spectacles and Golden Square Mile districts are stuffed to the brim with some of North America’s finest arts institutions including the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (temporarily housed architect I.M. Pei’s monolithic Place Ville Marie), Canada’s oldest arts institution the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, the local lore hub the McCord Stewart Museum, the Montréal Archaeology and History Complex Pointe-à-Callière and the stately Canadian Centre for Architecture whose bookstore is coffee table book heaven.
Those in search of a full-body artistic experience need look no further than OASIS Immersion in the rainbow-glassed Palais des congrès de Montréal, name checked as one of the 1,000 buildings everyone should see before they die.
In the evening, don’t miss the eye-popping AURA Experience in the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica. Alternatively, stay outdoors for those delightful warm summer nights and join the wanderers taking in the large-scale Montréal en Histoires—Cité Mémoire projections triggered by an app on your phone throughout the quartier.
If festivals are your flavour, simply wander through the Montréal’s entertainment district (Quartier des Spectacles). It’s the prime destination for all things art, music, performance, and — of course — seasonal festivals. Head to La Vitrine (a box office) for information and tickets for many Montréal's top events. But chances are good that you’ll stumble across something free happening in the open air of the district!
Day 2: Sample the tastes of Little Italy, hit a new Plateau
Begin the day at the Jean-Talon Market, a food lover's paradise in the Little Italy neighborhood. Explore stalls brimming with fresh produce, local cheeses, and artisanal goods. Enjoy a light breakfast of crepes or croissants at one of the market's cafes or bakeries. To dig deeper into the significance of the market, consider arranging a market tour with one of Montréal’s many delightful food tours!
Not in a rush? Settle down for an unforgettable park picnic at Café San Gennaro adjacent to Park Little Italy or join the friendly crowds in Parc Jarry with the take-out of your choosing. Stop by Quincaillerie Dante to stock up your kitchen at home with top-notch cooking utensils and grab a little something special from one of the charming boutiques along Saint-Laurent Boulevard.
Next, head southward to spend the afternoon in the Plateau and Mile End neighbourhoods.
The neighbourhoods of the Plateau and Mile End give an unbeatable insight into local life, while also home to some of the city’s most beloved restaurants and boutiques. Join the eternal “Best Montréal bagel” debate by hitting both Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagels (for us it’s an unbreakable tie). There’s a plethora of eating options including the $5 gnocchi at Drogheria Fine, the iconic Montréal smoked meat sandwiches at Schwartz’s or local favourite salami and baloney rolls at Wilensky, pastries to die for at Boulangerie Guillaume, Toni’s perfect pizzas and Yoni’s filling falafels.
You’ll be sure to find a load of local tips at the brightly hued Pastel Rita café and wine bar (not to mention some delicious sandwiches and snacks, and a tattoo parlour in the back). Finally, the triplet mainstays Lawrence, Larrys and Boucherie Lawrence are a Mile-End cornerstone and example of the area’s locally produced food scene.
One of the most popular summer activities is to go mural hunting along “The Main” (Saint Laurent Boulevard). The city’s urban art festival MURAL has turned the city into a veritable open-air art gallery year-round. If the weather is not favourable, pop into the shops along the boulevard or grab a coffee at one of the many independent cafes in the neighbourhood.
When you’re finished wandering, nab a sunset cocktail at one of these beautiful rooftop patios. And then finish the day with a classic Montréal’s activity: dinner at one of our iconic French restaurants. Favourites include Leméac (for brasserie classics), Le Pois Penché (for the seafood platters), or Henri Brasserie Française (for both the décor and the dining). Bon appétit!
Day 3: Head east (geographically + culinarily)
Montréal’s east side neighbourhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is home to a handful of awesome attractions — all within walking distance to each other. Firstly, the Olympic Stadium is a grandiose remnant from the history-making 1976 summer games, and arguably the most recognizable architectural structure in the entire city. Perfect for photographers. Also in the neighbourhood are the internationally-lauded Montréal Botanical Garden, which offers regular events throughout the summer months, such as live classical music. The kids will go wild for the critters at the Biodôme, where five ecosystems are home to over 250 different species of animals.
When it’s time for a refuel, head to third-wave coffee specialists Hélico Café, Club Social Wolfgang (where you can get that MTL tattoo you’ve always wanted while enjoying a cuppa) and the vintage mod spot Atomic Café. The forward-thinking Technopôle Angus is a tight-knit hub of cutting edge start-ups and hip cafés (including Station W) housed in renovated train buildings, while the shops and buzzing bars of Vieux-Rosemont’s high street Promenade Masson is the definition of Montréal coziness. Keep on your feet and feed your appetite at Restaurant Magnolia, État Major, Hoogan et Beaufort, Pizzéria Heirloom or at Octo.
If you’re feeling overstimulated from a busy days of discovering the city, head to Parc Maisonneuve for 63 hectares of green space. Totally conducive to relaxation, you’ll forget you’re inside a city.
But don’t fall asleep just yet. We have one final assignment for you.
End your three-day adventure with dinner in Chinatown, a bustling neighbourhood with fantastic food options. Montréal’s Chinatown was established in the early 1890s and has survived expropriation and redevelopment. From dim sum to dumplings to wine bars, you’ll find plenty of options to refuel. When it’s time to eat, here are some local Chinatown favourites.
Daniel Baylis
Daniel Baylis is a writer, poet, and musician. Several years ago he moved to Montréal to chase silly bohemian dreams. And he’s still at it.
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