Getting here and there

Montréal is the definition of an accessible city, ranked as one of the most walkable cities in Canada and linked by an easy to navigate underground Métro system. And with the winter streets punctuated by installations and surprise performances, there’s few finer ways to city the city than on two feet. If taking things in on wheels is more your speed, you’ll love the local bus system’s iconic routes that traverse Montréal’s most well-known and touristed quartiers. And next to showcasing your creativity in rolling your own snowman, sliding down the mountain or a neighbourhood hill on a slide or skis is a de rigeur way of putting snow to good use.

Make the scene in Downtown Montréal and the Village

More than just hustle and bustle and skyscraper architecture, Downtown Montréal is filled to the brim with shopping, museums and wide open park spaces like Dorchester Square and Place du Canada. Wander through the Golden Square Mile, Quartier des Spectacles and the Gay Village for some of the city’s best people watching and must-see locales. And lace on some skates for a spin or two around the new Esplanade Tranquille!

EVERYONE LOVES TO SHOP:

• Reach shopping nirvana on Sainte-Catherine Street
• Pick up something special for everyone at home (and heck, why not you too) at the major shopping complexes Centre Eaton, Complexe Desjardins, Place Montréal Trust, Les Cours Mont-Royal, Place Ville-Marie, Centre Alexis Nihon and, Holt Renfrew Ogilvy – all linked up by the underground city to keep toasty and warm.

WHO’S HUNGRY?:

• Redefine the modern food court at Time Out Market
• Warm up with a tasty matcha and some noodles at Tsujiri
• Grab a sweet treat and a caffeine boost at Melk
• Pick up a gourmet Meal Kit To Go at Marché Artisans
• Pamper yourself at Les Enfants Terribles atop the towering Place Ville Marie
• Hit the epic sandwich counter at Italimenti Épicerie Fine
• Bring your own bottle and swoon at the flavours of O’Thym
• Savour Vietnamese street food at Le Red Tiger
• Chat up the village’s most fashionable at Bar Renard

LET’S GET CULTURAL:

• No Montréal museum hop is complete without a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts
• Local history and fashion collide at the McCord Museum
• While fully renovating its headquarters, the Musée d’art contemporary de Montréal is hosting exhibitions in Ville Place Marie
• Learn all about trends in world architecture at the Canadian Centre for Architecture
• Get your local history on at the Écomusée du fier monde

Old Montréal, all shiny and bright

A picturesque beauty all year long, Old Montréal looks particularly good on a winter’s eve, lit by hanging lights, decorated storefronts and 20 ft luminous stars in front of Notre-Dame Basilica. And you can soak in some of the neighbourhood’s most iconic sights from atop skates at the Old Port Skating Rink under the shared glow of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and La Grande Roue de Montréal! You also won’t want to miss the sights and sounds of Cité Mémoire, telling the stories of some of Montréal’s most infamous residents throughout history. During the day, Old Montréal is one of the city’s most bustling sectors, stuffed with gourmet restaurants and trend-setting galleries and exhibition spaces. Grab a warming beverage at one of the cafés below and stroll through local history.

NOSH + SIPS:

• Refuel your caffeine tank at Café Olimpico
• Grab a mouthwatering aperitivo snack at Un Po’ di Più
• Discover the tucked away Café Chez Mère Grand
• Mingle with the ultra chic at Beta Bar
• Devour a beautiful baked good at Bar à Beurre
• Swoon over the epic slices at Slice + Soda
• Try the perfect blends at Café De Mercanti
• Rub shoulders with the freelance set at Tommy
• Stop for a tipple at BreWskey’s pub or taproom
• Photograph the heck out of Le Petit Dep
• See what all the fuss is about at Olive et Gourmando
• Grab that selfie at Canada’s most beautiful café Crew

CULTURAL HOT SPOTS:

• Bask in the Darling Foundry's factory-sized installations
• Lose yourself in virtual reality exhibitions perfect for 1 at PHI Centre
• Explore artisanal artworks by Québec’s Indigenous communities at Galerie d’art Images Boréales, Heritage Gallery and Galerie Le Chariot
• Mingle with works by global contemporary art stars at PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art

#YOLO in the Plateau, Mile End and Outremont

Experience Montréal like a Montréalaise in the neighbouring neighbourhoods Outremont, the Plateau and Mile End. Stuffed with mainstay cafés, restaurants and shops, and decorated with vibrant murals thanks to the annual MURAL Festival, these hoods are also the perfect spot to make friendly with the locals.

WALK AND WANDER:

• Don’t miss the eye-popping views from the top of Mount Royal, a bonafide must-see
• Skate around picturesque Beaver Lake near mountain summit
• Walk the mountain’s namesake street Mont-Royal Avenue with its opposing views of Mount Royal and the Olympic Stadium on opposite ends
• Stroll the parallel shopping streets Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Saint-Denis Street
• Browse the couture creations of Laurier Avenue West's boutiques and ateliers

CLASSIC EATS:

• Montréalers will never come to a true consensus as to the better bagel, so you’d best judge for yourself and try a half dozen from both Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagels
• Go on and have a cheat day at Boulangerie Guillaume
• Drogheria Fine offers $5 gnocchi with sauce out of its front window
• If you haven’t tried an iconic Schwartz’s Montréal smoked meat sandwich or the Wilensky special, you haven’t lived
• Housed side by side, Lawrence, Larrys and Boucherie Lawrence are quartier favourites
• Taste the stellar pizza at Toni and the equally swell falafels at Yoni

Keep it authentic in Villeray and Little Italy

The traditional home of Montréal’s Italian community, Little Italy and Villeray are two of the tastiest boroughs in the city perfect for a wintery walk with a hot drink in hand. With food this good, you won’t even remember what a doggy bag is.

BELT-BREAKING FOOD STOPS:

• Truly authentic pizza is on the menu at Pizzeria Napoletana and San Gennaro 
• No-one will blame you for grabbing 2 or 3 of the classic cannoli at Pasticceria Alati-Caserta
• No foodie visit is complete without exploring the food Mecca of Jean-Talon Market
• Find the perfect finishing touches at État de Choc and La Boulangerie Jarry

POST-MEAL SHOPPING AND CINEMA:

• Québec designers are in the spotlight at arloca
• Spruce up your kitchenware collection at Quincaillerie Dante
• Take a load off and discover the latest in world cinema at Cinema Public

Feel the flow in Les Quartiers du Canal

The postcard-pretty Lachine Canal National Historic Site runs through the neighbourhoods of Griffintown, Little Burgundy and Saint-Henri, home to Montréal’s trendsetting startup community. But while local business is looking ahead, the city’s Antique District keeps the past alive.

BON APPETIT !:

• The iconic clock tower and hanging lights of Atwater Market let you know it’s always meal time
• Experience fine and flirty cuisine at Foxy
• Save room for a famous poutine from Paul Patates or some delicious brunch at Perles et Paddock

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is ready for its closeup

Home to friendly locals, a proud working class history and some of the city’s biggest park spaces, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is the perfect meeting point of hipster hangouts and old school Montréal charm. The definition of up-and-coming, a surprise awaits around every corner.

MEET US IN THE PARK:

• Join the cross-country skiers, skaters and snowmen in mammoth Parc Maisonneuve
• Photograph the blossoms in the Botanical Garden's greenhouses
• Dip a toe into the tropics at the renovated and reopened Biodôme

MEAL TIME:

• Step back in time to the space-age 1960s at Atomic Café
• Devour a romantic meal for one at État Major
• Bounce back with a third wave hit at Hélico Café
• Marvel at the plant-based creations at Antidote Bouffe Végane
• Gorge on home-made pizza and pasta galore at Pizzeria Heirloom
• Commemorate your Montréal visit at the café / tattoo parlour hybrid Club Social Wolfgang

An island getaway

Built from the land removed to make way for Montréal’s Métro, Parc Jean-Drapeau promises a winter wonderland smack dab in the waters of the St-Lawrence River. After hosting Expo67 (remnants of which are still visible in some pavilions and Habitat 67), these twin islands are also home to the Casino de Montréal. Take a walk through the forested areas and watch for local animal life, and don’t forget that final #mtlmoments selfie with the glittering backdrop of Montréal’s skyline across the water.