What else to do in Montreal?

In My Humble Opinion
1

We already have a dozen or more threads that I’ve mined for past visits, and I feel like I’ve hit most of the common suggestions people make. So I’m soliciting any hidden gems that might not make the typical lists for weekend visit. I will not have a car but will have ready metro access; I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of surfacing at a random metro station and exploring a neighborhood. I like tasting food and drink.

Here’s what I remember visiting before (incomplete because I kept poor records/memory):

Museums:
Fine arts
Archeology and history
McCord Stewart

There are obviously plenty more: Museums | Montreal Museums
The biodome and science museums don’t seem my style.

I’ve eaten (and will continue to eat) so much:
Poutine
Smoked meat
Kouign amann
Bagels

Other places:
Mount Royal
Saint Joseph’s Oratory
Botanical gardens
Atwater market (I may visit again)

Cocktails:
Bar Bisou Bisou (lower-ABV sherry-based goodness; will visit again)
Coldroom (the speakeasy fad lives on in QC)
Cloakroom Bar (“we’ll make up a recipe based on what you say you like” with . . . mixed results)
Poincaré Chinatown (also, Kölsch in a proper Kölschglas)
Bar Le Mal Nécessaire (tiki)

I haven’t seen any shows. I suppose I could check out Cirque du Soleil on their home turf.

2

Old Montreal?

3

Notre Dame Basilica is supposed to breathtaking.

4

I enjoyed just wandering around window shopping in their extensive underground.

5

I really like the neighborhood of Lachine and the restaurant Il Fornetto there, but there are lots of nice dining options, many with outdoor seating.

6

May I recommend Sirene de la Mer, combination fish store and middle eastern restaurant. You can order from the menu or just choose a fish that they will prepare for you. The menu includes both seafood and other delicacies.

For a cheap pickup meal go to any branch of Basha, basically a falafel resto, although they have other things.

7

I had lunch here today, thank you. I went intending to select something from the fish counter but ended up just picking something delicious from the menu. Definitely out of the way.

I’m going to see if I can fit in @madmonk28 ‘s recommendation this weekend. But my schedule is not entirely my own.

8

Cirque is magical. Go to Cirque especially if you’ve never seen it before. Luzia is amazing and the horse and the waterfall were so beautiful I cried.

What do you like and when do you visit? Concerts and shows are year round, easy to find stuff to see. First Fridays at the Big Owe, St Jean Baptiste festivities next week (ETA a week from now,vthe 24th) in nearly every neighborhood, Montreal [Complément Cirque](Programmation | Montréal Complètement Cirque Programmation | Montréal Complètement Cirque) in July. Jazzfest, just for laughs is back, jardins Gamelin, terrasses, water sports and boating…Montreal comes alive in the summer.

What do you want?

9

I saw Cirque today. It’s something I’d do again but with cheaper seats. I don’t think there’s a bad seat there.

I’m pretty well set for this trip. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. The reason I’m here is my wife and the in-laws really like F1. I do not. So they’re watching cars go fast while I enjoy the city. We’ve done this a few times and I’ll likely be back next year.

It’s funny; everyone has them pegged as tourists and jumps straight to English, but apparently I look like some sort of Quebec hill person. My French is abysmal. But the Cirque show had a lot of Spanish and I’m better with that.