Montreal
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Montreal - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21. Château Dufresne
Hochelaga-MaisonneuveThe adjoining homes of a pair of shoe manufacturers, Oscar and Marius Dufresne, provide a glimpse into the lives of Montréal's francophone bourgeoisie in the early 20th century. The brothers built their beaux arts palace in 1916 along the lines of the Petit-Trianon in Paris, and lived in it with their families—Oscar in the eastern half and Marius in the western half. Worth searching out are the domestic scenes on the walls of the Petit Salon, where Oscar's wife entertained friends. Her brother-in-law relaxed with his friends in a smoking room decked out like a Turkish lounge. During the house's incarnation as a boys' school in the 1950s, the Eudist priests who ran it covered the room's frieze of nymphs and satyrs with a modest curtain that their charges lifted at every opportunity. A digital tour by tablet is available.
2929 rue Jeanne-d'Arc, Montréal, Québec, H1W 3W2, Canada514-259–9201Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$14, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
22. Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa
Little ItalyIf you look up at the cupola behind the main altar of Little Italy's most famous church, you'll spot Montréal's most infamous piece of ecclesiastical portraiture. Yes, indeed, that lantern-jaw fellow on horseback who looks so pleased with himself is Benito Mussolini, the dictator who led Italy into World War II—on the wrong side. The mural, by Guido Nincheri (1885–1973), was completed long before the war and commemorates the signing of the Lateran Pact with Pope Pius XI, one of Il Duce's few lasting achievements. The controversy shouldn't distract you from the beauties of the rest of the richly decorated church.
6800 av. Henri-Julien, Montréal, Québec, H2S 2V4, Canada514-277–6522Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sat. and Sun. -
23. Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul
DowntownMontréal's largest Presbyterian church—sometimes affectionately called the A&P—is worth a visit, if only to see the glorious stained-glass window of the risen Christ that dominates the sanctuary behind the white-stone communion table. It's a memorial to members of the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada (the Black Watch) who were killed in World War I.
3415 rue Redpath (main entrance on rue Sherbrooke), Montréal, Québec, H3G 2G2, Canada514-842–3431Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, For guided visit, phone in advance to make arrangements -
24. Cimetière de Notre-Dame-des-Neiges
Côte-des-NeigesAt 343 acres, Canada's largest cemetery is not much smaller than the neighboring Parc du Mont-Royal, and, as long as you just count the living, it's usually a lot less crowded. You don't have to be morbid to wander the graveyard's 55 km (34 miles) of tree-shaded paths and roadways past the tombs of hundreds of prominent artists, poets, intellectuals, politicians, and clerics. Among them is Calixa Lavallée (1842–91), who wrote "O Canada," the country's national anthem. The cemetery offers some guided tours in summer. Phone ahead for details.
4601 chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, Québec, H3V 1E7, Canada514-735–1361 -
25. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Île Notre-Dame | Sports VenueIn early June you can join the glitterati of Europe and America in the grandstand to watch million-dollar Formula 1 cars shriek around the 4.3-km (2.7-mile) track—if you're lucky enough and rich enough to get a ticket, that is. This is the kind of crowd that uses Perrier to mop up caviar stains from the refreshment tables. During the off season, the track is accessible to everyone. Locals spend sunny summer weekends cycling, rollerblading, and taking walks around this world-famous circuit.
Montréal, Québec, Canada514-350–0000Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free outside of special events -
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26. Église de la Visitation de la Bienheureuse Vierge Marie
Montréal NorthA bit off the beaten tourist path, the oldest church on the island, the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is found in North Montréal. It's not a must-see, but it is worth the trek if you have time and don't mind a little walking through some rather ordinary neighborhoods. The church had its stone walls raised in the 1750s, and the beautifully proportioned Palladian front was added in 1850. Ornamentation lasted from 1764 until 1837, with stunning results. The altar and the pulpit are as elaborate as wedding cakes but still delicate. The church's most notable treasure is a rendering of the Visitation attributed to Pierre Mignard, a painter at the 17th-century court of Louis XIV. Parkland surrounds the church, and the nearby Îles de la Visitation (reachable by footbridge) make for a very good walk.
1847 boul. Gouin Est, Montréal, Québec, H2C 1C8, Canada514-388–4050Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
27. Exporail
You can rattle around Canada's largest railroad museum in a vintage tram specially built for Montréal sightseeing tours in the 1950s, when the city still had a streetcar system. The museum has more than 120 train cars and locomotives, but if you're a steam buff, you won't want to miss CPR 5935, the largest steam locomotive built in Canada, and CNR 4100, the most powerful in the British Empire when it was built in 1924. To see how the rich and powerful traveled, take a look at Sir William Van Horne's luxurious private car. Of special interest to the kids will be the car that served as a mobile classroom. The museum is south of the city in the town of St-Constant. On weekdays Expo runs commuter trains from the Gare Lucien-l'Allier, next to the Centre Bell, to Candiac/St. Constant. Trains depart at 9:35 am and return at 1:27 pm.
110 rue St-Pierre, St-Constant, Québec, J5A 1G7, Canada450-632–2410Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$21.20 -
28. Fondation PHI pour l'art contemporain
Old MontréalHoused in two heritage buildings, this nonprofit organization aims to showcase compelling contemporary art from around the world. The Foundation presents two to three major exhibitions a year in addition to a series of public events, special collaborative projects, and a forward-thinking education program. A free app takes you through the exhibits, and podcasts provide a fascinating look at the artists themselves. Check the website or call before you visit as the Fondation Phi closes regularly for installations.
451–465 rue St-Jean, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 2R5, Canada514-849–3742Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Reservations essential -
29. Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site
LachineLocated in the waterfront park at the end of the Lachine Canal, on the shores of Lac St. Louis, this 1803 stone warehouse has been converted into a museum that commemorates the industry that dominated Canada's early history.
1255 boul. St-Joseph, Montréal, Québec, H8S 2M2, Canada888-773–8888Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$4, Closed Oct.–May -
30. Galerie Blanc
The VillageBlanc is an open-air art gallery whose mission is to bring the general public closer to art. Open 24/7, rain, snow, or shine, exhibitions showcase the work of different artists and change regularly. The gallery is open to anyone and there is no admission fee. It's located on rue Ste-Catherine E. between rue Wolfe and rue Atateken.
rue Ste-Catherine E., Montréal, Québec, H3B 4G5, CanadaSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
31. La Ronde
Île Ste-HélèneEvery year, it seems, this amusement park, at the eastern end of Île Ste-Hélène, adds some new and monstrous way to scare the living daylights (and maybe even your lunch) out of you. The most recent additions include Vipère, a free-fly roller coaster that lifts you 107 feet up and subjects you to unexpected drops, vertical free-falls and 360-degree somersaults; Chaos, a single loop that takes you forward, backward, and upside down while sitting face-to-face with other riders; and Titan, a giant swaying pendulum that will have you—or the kids—soaring and spinning 148 feet above the park, traveling at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. Demon, an extreme ride, will—at high speed (of course)—twist you, twirl you, and turn you upside down, then douse you with water jets. The park also aims to terrify with such stomach-turning champions as the Endor, the Goliath, the Vampire, Monstre, and Vol Ultime. For the less daring, there are Ferris wheels, boat rides, and kiddie rides. The popular International Fireworks Competition is held here on Saturdays and Wednesdays in late June and July.
22 chemin Macdonald, Montréal, Québec, H3C 6A3, Canada514-397–2000Sight Details
Rate Includes: from C$52 when purchased online at least one day before your visit, Hours vary seasonally -
32. Lac aux Castors
Parc du Mont-RoyalMont-Royal's single body of water, actually a reclaimed bog, is a great place for kids (and parents) to float model boats or rent a rowboat in the summertime. In winter, the lake's frozen surface attracts whole families of skaters, and nearby there's a groomed slope where kids of all ages can ride inner tubes. The glass-fronted Beaver Lake Pavilion is a pleasant bistro that serves lunch and dinner. Skate and cross-country-ski rentals are available downstairs. In summer, rowboat rentals are available.
Off chemin Remembrance, Montréal, Québec, Canada -
33. Lachine Canal National Historic Site
LachineThe canal is all about leisure—biking, rollerblading, strolls along the water, and picnicking—but it wasn't always so. Built in 1825 to get boats and cargo around the treacherous Lachine Rapids, it quickly became a magnet for all sorts of industries. But when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, allowing large cargo ships to sail straight from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes without stopping in Montréal, the canal closed to navigation and became an illicit dumping ground for old cars and the bodies of victims of underworld killings. The area around it degenerated into an industrial slum. A federal agency rescued the site in 1978, planting lawns and trees along the old canal, transforming it into a long, narrow park, or parc linéaire. Some of the abandoned canneries, sugar refineries, and steelworks have since been converted into desirable residential and commercial condominiums. The bicycle path is the first link in the more than 97 km (60 miles) of bike trails that make up the Pôle des Rapides ( 514/364–4490). Two permanent exhibits at the Lachine Canal Visitor Services Centre, at the western end of the canal, explain its history and construction. The center also has a shop and lookout terrace.
Montréal, Québec, H8S 4J5, Canada514-283–6054Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
34. Lachine Canal Nautical Centre
Verdun | Marina/PierYou can rent anything from a one-person kayak to a 13-passenger Voyageur canoe here and paddle along the canal. Electric boat rentals are also available. It's about 3½ km (2 miles) from Old Montréal. Hours may change depending on weather, especially in May and September.
2985B rue St-Patrick, near Atwater Market, Montréal, Québec, H3K 1B9, Canada877-935–2925 -
35. Maison Smith
Parc du Mont-RoyalIf you need a map of Mont-Royal's extensive hiking trails or want to know about the animals and more than 180 kinds of birds here, the former park keeper's residence is the place to go. It's also a good spot for getting a snack, drink, or souvenir. The pretty little stone house—built in 1858—is the headquarters of Les amis de la montagne (The Friends of the Mountain), a non-profit organization that offers various guided walks—including moonlight snowshoe excursions and cross-country ski lessons in winter around the mountain and in nearby areas.
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36. Maison St-Gabriel
Pointe-St-CharlesThick stone walls, a steep roof, and mullioned windows mark the Maison St-Gabriel as one of Montréal's rare surviving 17th-century houses. But it's the interior and the furnishings that will sweep you back to the colonial days when Sainte-Marguerite Bourgeoys and the religious order she founded used this house to train les filles du roy (king's daughters) in the niceties of home management. Les filles were young women without family or fortune but plenty of spunk who volunteered to cross the Atlantic in leaky boats to become the wives and mothers of New France. It wasn't an easy life, as the Maison's hard, narrow beds, primitive utensils, and drafty rooms attest—but it had its rewards, and the prize at the end was a respectable, settled life. Ste-Marguerite also had some state-of-the-art domestic equipment—the latest in looms and butter churns, labor-saving spit turners for roasting meat, and an ingenious granite sink with a drainage system that piped water straight out to the garden. Located on the little island of New France and deep in the working-class neighborhood of Pointe St-Charles, Maison St-Gabriel is off the beaten path, but it's well worth a 10-minute taxi ride from Old Montréal.
2146 place Dublin, Montréal, Québec, H3K 2A2, Canada514-935–8136Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$15 weekdays; C$17 summer, Closed Mon. and Tues., Guided tours in English Thurs.–Sun. at 2 pm. In French, 1 pm and 3 pm. The restaurant is currently closed. -
37. Maisonneuve
Hochelaga-MaisonneuveWorld War I and the Depression killed early 20th-century plans to turn this industrial center into a model city with broad boulevards, grand public buildings, and fine homes, but just three blocks south of the Olympic site a few fragments of that dream have survived the passage of time. A magnificent beaux arts building, site of the old public market, which has a 20-foot-tall bronze statue of a farm woman, stands at the northern end of tree-lined avenue Morgan. Farmers and butchers have moved into the modern building next door that houses the Marché Maisonneuve, which has become one of the city's major markets, along with Marché Jean-Talon and Marché Atwater. The old market is now a community center and the site of summer shows and concerts. Monumental staircases and a heroic rooftop sculpture embellish the public baths across the street. The Théâtre Denise Pelletier, at the corner of rues Ste-Catherine Est and Morgan, has a lavish Italianate interior; Fire Station No. 1, at 4300 rue Notre-Dame Est, was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in suburban Chicago; and the sumptuously decorated Église Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus, has one of the most powerful organs in North America. The 198-acre Parc Maisonneuve, stretching north of the botanical garden, is a lovely place for a stroll.
Montréal, Québec, Canada -
38. Marché Bonsecours
Old MontréalYou can't buy fruits and vegetables in the Marché Bonsecours anymore, but you can view an exhibit; shop for local fashions, crafts, and souvenirs in the row of upscale boutiques that fill its main hall; lunch in one of the cafés or restaurants; or grab a craft beer. But the Marché is best admired from the outside. Built in the 1840s as the city's main market, it is possibly the most beautifully proportioned neoclassical building in Montréal, with its six cast-iron Doric columns and two rows of meticulously even sash windows, all topped with a silvery dome. Perhaps the marché was too elegant to be just a farmers' market.
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39. McGill University
DowntownMerchant and fur trader James McGill would probably be horrified to know that the university that he helped found in 1828 has developed an international reputation as one of North America's best party schools. McGill also happens to be one of the two or three best universities in Canada, and certainly one of the prettiest. Its campus is an island of grass and trees in a sea of traffic and skyscrapers. The statue of James McGill himself was removed in Summer 2021 after several bouts of vandalism aimed at the representation of the deceased slave owner. Take the time to stroll up the drive that leads from the Greek Revival Roddick Gates to the austere neoclassical Arts Building and meander over to the splendid Romanesque Redpath Hall building. McGill's first dedicated library is now a grand 300-seat concert hall ( www.mcgill.ca/music/about-us/halls/redpath-hall), though the newer library building next door still bears the generous benefactor's name. If you have an hour or so, drop into the temple-like Redpath Museum of Natural History ( www.mcgill.ca/redpath) to browse its eclectic collection of dinosaur bones, old coins, African art, and shrunken heads.
View Tours and Activities859 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2K6, Canada514-398–3000-main switchboardSight Details
Rate Includes: Suggested donation: C$10 -
40. Musée d'art contemporain
DowntownIf you have a taste for pastoral landscapes and formal portraits, you might want to stick with the Musée des Beaux-Arts, but for a walk on the wild side of art, head to the Musée d'art contemporain (MAC) and see what you can make of the jagged splashes of color that cover the canvases of the "Automatistes," as Québec's rebellious artists of the 1930s styled themselves. The works of the Automatistes form the core of this museum's collection of 5,000 pieces. The museum often has weekend programs and art workshops, some of which are geared toward children, and almost all are free. And for a little romance and music with your art, try the Vendredi Nocturnes (Nocturnal Fridays) with live music, bar service, and guided tours of the exhibits. Hours for guided tours vary.
1 Place Ville Marie, Montréal, Québec, H2X 3X5, Canada514-847–6226Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$15; half price 5–9 pm Wed., Closed Mon.
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