We (my Wife and I) will be heading to Montreal in early July for a short vacation. What should we see and do while there? I have never been to Canada and my wife went to Toronto some years ago but never Montreal.
Any restaurants or museums we shouldn’t miss? Any and all suggestions and advice welcome. Thanks.
A visit to Old Montreal is always a delight, and there are great restaurants there. I couldn’t name any as it’s been a long time since I was there. But this is Montreal – you couldn’t find a bad restaurant there if you tried! And drop in to Schwartz’s Deli for lunch or dinner – the place that invented Montreal Smoked Meat! And from what I recall – but again, it’s been years – their chopped liver is incredible!
Montreal smoked meat.
Bagels from St-Viateur and Fairmount.
Walk Sainte Catherine Street in all its glory.
I’ve spent happy days just wandering around as a tourist.
Most Montreal museums have a “free admission” evening once a week, or free the first Sunday of a month. Check their web sites. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts | MMFA is closed on Mondays. Two excellent museums concentrating on the history of Montreal are McCord Stewart Museum - Montreal Social History Museum and POINTE-À-CALLIÈRE . If you’re into architecture, there is the excellent Canadian Centre for Architecture .
Excellent dining everywhere in all price ranges.
Check out the Pedestrian-only streets in Montreal: here’s the list for 2026 - there are always activities and street food.
There are alternatives to Schwartz’s (food is good, but I consider it a “tourist trap”) smoked meat - try #1 Montreal Smoked Meat Restaurant & Deli |Dunns famous , Lesters Deli | Best Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich Spot , or Welcome to Snowdon Deli, a Montreal institution Since 1946 .
Let’s not forget Savour the Best Hardwood Charcoal Roasted Chicken in Montreal at Chalet BBQ.
All locations are downtown or a short Metro ride away.
This is all very helpful. Thanks everyone!
Thank you for the great list. My son will be attending Schulich @ McGill starting this fall so we’re expecting to make a lot of trips there over the next four years.
If you like acrobats, jugglers, and the like The Montreal Circus Festival will have both free outdoor and paid indoor events throughout the city. We were there a few years ago and enjoyed it. And if that’s not enough Cirque Du Soleil’s Echo is going on then as well.
About Schwartz’s, unless you like standing in line, I would try to go between 2 and 5. Try to stick to the Metro as so many streets are dug up, traffic is horrendous.
Old Montreal is a tourist zoo with overpriced, middling food. There is plenty better for less everywhere else and the metro is super convenient. But if you’ve never been there, it’s worth checking out.
Past thread (there are many others):
The Michelin guide has a handful of “Bib Gourmand” restaurants. The ones I’ve visited were all good.
At Pointe-à-Callière, the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History there is a permanent exhibit dedicated to the first sewer in North America that features a walk through section that’s worth a visit if you like the eclectic.
Just returned from our trip and had an amazing time. I wanted to thank everyone again for their suggestions!
I, also, returned recently. I didn’t have a lot of free time, but i had Montreal smoked meat at both Schwartz’s and Dunn’s, and ate a lot of Kettleman’s bagels. (It was close to the hotel, and one of the best options to grab a quick meal.) I saw the Canada Day fireworks (from a distance, because our bus was diverted and the show started as we were walking towards it), took a bus, a couple of subways, and an Uber, and walked around in the not-too-sweltering heat.
The meat was similar at Schwartz’s and Dunn’s, and we didn’t need to wait in line at Dunn’s. Also, their rye bread was excellent.