What to do in Montreal.
Montreal is probably one of my favorite cold cities. This place will make you feel like you’re in Europe, especially when you’re in the Old Port. Probably because this city is located in French speaking Quebec. But don’t worry, we never had a language barrier as most people speak English as well. You can make this trip a guy’s party trip or a romantic getaway with that special someone. We’ll stick to the romantic getaway in this post. We’ve been here in the summer, fall, and winter. Summer is my favorite (obviously) but the winter was also beautiful with all the Christmas decorations. Looks especially picturesque with some light snow cover. Below are some of our favorite spots, broken up into Summer and Winter categories! Keep reading to see a complete list of what to do in Montreal. Check em out and plan a day out of it!
Best way to get around:
Uber and walking (Uber fares were surprisingly on the cheaper side)
Where to stay:
Old Port of Montreal
Hands down the best place to stay because of the cool hotels and all the restaurants and bars walking distance of each other
We absolutely loved Hotel William Gray. Such a cool, clean, contemporary hotel. Very friendly staff as well. We highly recommend it!
Where to Eat:
Breakfast
Nothing says French like crepes so why not start your day with some at Crěperie St. Paul. Small, authentic spot that we go every time were there. We love the music playing in the background and the friendly staff making the crepes right in front of you!
If you’re more into a small breakfast, say a cappuccino and a croissant, with a side of macaroons, head over to Bar A Beurre Inc. This is a cozy little bakery with seating available upstairs. This is our go to spot for cappuccinos and macaroons!
Casual Bite
Winter
For a casual bite, we recommend Bevo Bar + Pizzeria, which is right across the street from William Gray! They have delicious pasta dishes as well as great beer on tap
Summer
Terrasse Place D’Armes is a cool rooftop bar several stories up. They have tasty sangria’s and appetizers. You’re also able to get a glimpse of the Notre Dame, depending on where you sit.
Dinner
Winter
For a romantic dinner, check out XO Le Restaurant. The place is absolutely beautiful and they have a live band on certain nights playing smooth jazz. The food was delicious and service was great.
Summer
Romantic or casual. If you’re staying at William Gray then just go upstairs to TERRASSE WILLIAM GRAY. We fell in love with this rooftop restaurant as soon as we walked in. Enjoy stunning views of the lit up Ferris wheel from every angle! We enjoyed a bottle of Rosé at the bar while taking in the views.
Late Night
Summer
For a night cap or getting the party going, check out SeaSalt & Ceviche Bar. Grab a table outside during the summer and enjoy their delicious cocktails. They have awesome electro-house music playing to set the ambiance.
What to do:
Get a picture of the whole city from Mont Royal and take in the views. Get there early before everyone else decides to do the same thing!
Head to Old Port and enjoy zigzagging on the cobble streets of Old Montreal around Notre Dame. If you want to snap some photos make sure you get there early since a lot of tours come around here during the weekends.
Don’t forget to visit the Ferris Wheel, cost per ticket to ride is about $20 and the view from above are totally worth it.
Hit up the spas after a long morning of exploring. Our favorite is…you guessed it, the spa at William Gray. We’ve been here twice and enjoyed it every time. The thermal circuit is our favorite. Going from different temperature saunas to a steam room to a refrigerator, was an awesome experience. After we finished sweating and cooling off we relaxed in the Himalayan Salt room. Felt like we were at the beach! There are several other cool spas in the area that we’d love to check out our next time there.
Hope you found this guide to what to do in Montreal helpful. Check out some of our other posts to help you plan your next trip.
Cheers,
Dan
