Top 10 reasons to come to Montréal in 2025

The tippy-top reason Montréal is the place to be isn’t the fairs, the fests and the food: it’s the people. This multicultural metropolis — one of the safest destinations in the world— welcomes all visitors with a friendly, creative, cool and curious attitude. To meet locals, just walk around and say hi (or bonjour)!

There’s a ton of attractions in town to make your selfies pop. At 200 feet high, La Grande Roue de Montréal Ferris wheel is the highest observation wheel in Canada, right on the Old Port. Soak up the light show at Notre-Dame Basilica and its eye-popping AURA Experience. Take a pic at the BONJOUR Montréal sign at the stunning Grand Quay of the Port of Montréal. Take a walk along the shores of the St. Lawrence River or up to the stunning Mount Royal Park’s Kondiaronk Belvedere for the prettiest birds’ eye view of all. And for a deal on the most popular attractions, look into getting a Passeport MTL.

Creativity knows no bounds in this city of festivals, where there are over 100 festivals each year, every season. The winter comes alive with party-time Igloofest and MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE; spring brings the French-music fest Francos de Montréal; summer means Formula 1 Grand Prix, Just for Laughs, the Montréal International Jazz Festival, MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE and more; fall means MTLàTABLE, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, and the list goes on. How will you ever choose?

Festivals aside, this wide-open playground offers ice skating to disco tunes in the heart of downtown, zip-lining from the yard arm on the Old Port, bungee-jumping on the highest urban bungee in North America, river surfing, kayaking or paddle-boarding on the St. Lawrence River, and even art exhibitions in the middle of the night during Nuit Blanche or throughout the famous Underground City during Art Souterrain. Whether it’s the Formula 1 celebrations in Little Italy, the India Day parade in Parc Extension, the open-air art fair in the Village, the St-Jean Baptiste Day festivities in Villeray or the many street fairs on the Plateau, in Montréal, there are amazing discoveries in every neighbourhood. 

Old Montréal may be a historical marvel, but it’s constantly changing with new bars, restaurants, exhibitions and shopping experiences that keep it on the cutting edge. Start with a gourmet food stop, a bit of shopping, then the latest in electronic art, music and film and PHI before stepping back in time at the very spot where the city was founded at Pointe-à-Callière. And you can’t leave before a drink at one of the area’s hidden bars.

The Montréal restaurant scene is in constant flux, with inventive festivals, exciting events, food truck fairs and a restaurant week — MTLàTABLE — that keep everyone’s breath bated year-round. From MICHELIN-starred stops to fantastic discoveries to make in every eminently walkable neighbourhood of the city, there’s so much to discover you might want to start with an organized food tour of Old Montréal, Mile End, the Plateau, Little Italy and beyond — or use our well-researched recommendations to find your perfect feast.

It’s a city that beats the drum of innovation and creativity, and you’ve just got to stroll among the designer shops of Old Montréal or Mile End to see how that translates into Montréal fashion. Discover homegrown designers Denis Gagnon, Marie Saint Pierre, Eve Gravel and Eliza Faulkner; explore Montréal-born worldwide brands SSENSE, Frank & Oak, Matt & Nat and ALDO, and uncover our street style cred with Le Cartel and Atelier New Regime. You’ll find international shopping galore on the downtown strip of Sainte-Catherine Street West, and in the Underground City, i.e. 32 km of shop-lined pedestrian space in the lap of luxurious comfort, come rain or shine. 

Despite the world-class quality of entertainment, Montréal remains one of the world’s most affordable destinations, with great options in accommodations, food and activities for every budget. From free things to do to live entertainment, it’s all priced cheaper than in neighbouring cities and certainly than in other global destinations. The city is filled with small clubs and bars where you can enjoy live music most nights of the week for a cover charge ranging from $10 to $20, plus the dining scene is extremely accessible: even the city’s award-winning restaurants will set you back a fraction of, say, New York’s equivalent. Consider the exchange rate, too, and it’s win, win, win.

The city offers 24,600 hotel rooms, including 16,000 downtown that are easily accessible on foot from all our centrally located attractions, so you’ll be spoiled for choice! From awe-inspiring architecture to old world majesty, our world-class hotels — trusted family-friendly chains, grandes dames and boutique hotels alike — are beacons of pampering and comfort.

Serviced by the award-winning YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport just 20 minutes away from downtown Montréal, a great train station, a stellar port and a dependable bus service, Montréal is easily accessible from near or far and offers an eclectic mix of European charm and cutting-edge North American atmosphere. We can’t wait to see you.