© Eva Blue
Seasonal food and Thanksgiving dinners
Montréal satisfies the seasonal palate with classic and non-traditional dinners alike, whether for Thanksgiving dinner or a casual night out. Discover what’s trending on menus at the newest Montreal restaurants. Fine-dining luxuries and local delicacies make these Montréal meals worth writing home about. True foodies won’t want to skip these top Montréal restaurants for the gourmet traveller or miss the multi-course meals and special events of restaurant festival MTLàTABLE in November.
Food and style are a perfect match at designer restaurants for those who love to eat in style and five restaurants with amazing chefs – among them, try Europea’s La Grande Table Gastronomique experiences, Impasto for Italian comforts, Le Club Chasse et Pêche Restaurant Bar Salon, Leméac and Maison Boulud – be sure to call ahead for reservations. Find Parisian flair at these authentic French restaurants or tap into Montréal's DIY spirit at these cheerful bring-your-own-wine eateries.
For something a little different, try a dinner cruise along the St. Lawrence River until early-October or a meal surrounded by nature at Montréal's restaurants in parks. By day, go for an excellent brunch, and pick up something sweet or savoury at Montréal's best bakeries and pastry shops.
© Daph & Nico - Tourisme Montréal
© Freddy Arciniegas - @arcpixel - Tourisme Montréal
City sights and sounds
With stunning city views, leafy forest paths and fresh air right in the middle of the city, Mount Royal Park is an autumn must. Nature also abounds in the city at beautiful Parc La Fontaine in the Plateau and Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène, situated in the middle of the St. Lawrence River – while there visit the Space for Life Biosphère’s environment exhibitions.
From Mount Royal Park, stroll through the city streets down to the Old Port of Montréal on the Promenade Fleuve-Montagne path, featuring monuments, art installations and more along the way. For a bird's-eye view of the city take a slow ride on La Grande Roue de Montréal in the Old Port. Or boost your adrenaline while zipping over the water on the MTL Zipline.
Visit these five feats of architecture in Montréal to snap amazing photos. Stroll through the Quartier des spectacles downtown to catch pop-up entertainment and high-tech projection art. Visit Montréal's Chinatown to see historic sights and have a great meal. See more of the city by using bike-sharing system BIXI or check out these three bike rides perfect for visitors (if you don’t have your own bike, rent bikes from the best). And rest your body and mind at Montréal’s world-class spas.
At night, discover why Montréal is a city of lights too: watch the Jacques-Cartier Bridge illuminate, go to the Basilique Notre-Dame to see the AURA Experience, a captivating display of projections, shadows, lights and orchestral music, or take a stroll at the Botanical Garden in the Gardens of Light to observe a hundred colourful silk lanterns in the Chinese, Japanese and First Nations gardens. And if you're here on Halloween weekend, get ready for citywide celebrations. Follow our guide to Montréal's most famous icons to see more of the city's major sights and architecture.
© Space for Life, Montréal Biodome
Fall for families
Families can play in the city's many parks and green spaces or visit the Ecomuseum Zoo conservation area to see 115 animal species from the St. Lawrence Valley, including otters, wolves and hawks. Among Montréal's kid-friendly indoor activities: visit the Biodôme to explore immersive ecosystems and see all kinds of animals (be sure to buy your timed tickets ahead of time); discover the world of butterflies and other insects at the Insectarium; roam the cosmos in immersive multimedia experiences at the Planetarium; and check out the Montréal Science Centre's fascinating activities and IMAX films.
For a cultural and historical activity, explore 3000 years of ancient history in Egypt. Three Millennia on the Nilesee, until October 15 at Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex, where you can also follow the story of Montréal through historic objects in Favourites! Our Collections on Display; see multimedia show Generations MTL, and kids of all ages can step into history in interactive display Come Aboard! Pirates or Privateers? Or climb aboard trains and vintage street cars at Exporail.
© Eva Blue
Art and history everywhere
While the trees provide their own colourful display, Montréal’s museums, galleries, stages and screens pop with bright offerings as well. Explore the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, including Portable Universe: Thought and Splendour of Indigenous Colombia, featuring 400 works of Colombian art dating from about 1500 BCE to the present day (until October 1), as well as a major retrospective of groundbreaking artist Marisol, a collections exhibition of Pop Art, and a 100th-birthday show dedicated to the art and dance of Françoise Sullivan.
At the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, see Lili Reynaud-Dewar exhibition I Want All of the Above to Be the Sun until mid-September, the mural Walter Scott: Open Ended / Painted Shut on the museum’s wall inside Place Ville Marie, and more. Internationally acclaimed art fills the two large spaces of the Fondation PHI pour l’art contemporain in Old Montréal.
At the McCord Stewart Museum, explore exhibitions Becoming Montreal: The 1800s Painted by Duncan and Building Montreal’s historic photographs on McGill College, as well as permanent exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience, which gives a voice to indigenous peoples through hundreds of objects accompanied by more that 80 textual and video testimonies, and Wampum: Beads of Diplomacy opening in late-October.
The Musée de Lachine presents history and archeology from the times of fur trade and New France alongside contemporary art. Make the most of your visit and save big on museums and other attractions with the Passeport MTL.
Speaking of historical detail, pick up one-of-a-kind goods with our ultimate guide to vintage shopping in Montréal. Bring something beautiful home with you while gallery hopping and antiquing, and even pick up arts and crafts at these cool (no, really) souvenir shops.
© Vivien Gaumand - FNC
On screen and on stage
See hundreds of feature films and shorts from around the world as well as presentations by directors and other creative minds at expertly curated film festivals this fall, including the Festival du nouveau cinéma from October 4 to 15, Montréal International Documentary Festival from November 15 to 26, and CINEMANIA Francophone Film Festival (with English subtitles!) from November 1 to 12.
Experience art and entertainment on screen as never before in immersive multimedia experiences in the Society for Arts and Technology dome and in virtual reality experiences and cinematic art exhibitions (like Sex, Desire and Data) at the Phi Centre. A massive immersive art experience in surround sound and laser light, Oasis Immersion takes over the ground floor of Palais des congrès. And the Museum of Illusions Montréal has us questioning our perceptions in Old Montréal.
Contemporary dance fans are never at a loss for shows in Montréal: this fall, see internationally touring performances presented by Danse Danse, as well as cutting-edge contemporary dance at Agora de la danse, Tangente and Danse-Cité. Stop by La Vitrine at the corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Sainte-Catherine Street for a complete calendar of the city's cultural activities.
© Antoine Saito
Music in the air
Among this fall's music festivals, check out POP Montréal International Music Festival's music, film, arts and cultural programming (plus craft fair Puces POP) from September 27 to October 1, featuring hundreds of artists. L'OFF Festival de jazz de Montréal showcases eclectic jazz artists from October 5 to 15, M for Montréal features more pop, electro and hip hop shows in late November, while Mundial Montréal shines the spotlight on world music.
The Montréal Bach Festival celebrates the composer from November 17 to December 3 with concerts in venues around downtown and Old Montréal. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Orchestre Métropolitan delight in performances all season at the gorgeous Maison symphonique, while musicians performing at Bourgie Concert Hall at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts explore a diversity of classical styles.
Robyn Fadden
Robyn Fadden is a Montréal-based writer and editor who searches out city secrets, new bands, life-changing art and things to do with her perpetually active kid. Robyn has covered major events for HOUR, MUTEK, ARTINFO, CKUT 90.3FM and more.