Length of stay: 3 days
Visited: March 2024
Montreal is one of the oldest and biggest cities in Canada. It is named after Mount Royal, a mountain situated near the heart of downtown. It known for its vibrant art scene, historic culture and iconic food. Montreal has a certain je ne sais quoi quality and is just a very beautiful city to wander around.
Day 1: Views of and Around the City
We drove to Montreal the night before. We severely underestimated just how much more stuff we had to pack with a newborn, which then turned into a complicated game of Tetris to try to get it all to fit in the car. It also didn’t help that we had to turn around 15 minutes into the drive and head back home because we forgot something. By the time we finally arrived at our accommodations, it was just after midnight. And then we had to find parking.
We woke up the next morning feeling a bit tired and groggy, except for the baby who seems to have an endless amount of energy and reluctance to sleep. After eating a late breakfast, we headed out to take a stroll around the city to get our bearings.
We first stopped to check out the Ring, an art installation that’s located in the Place Ville Marie that appears to be hovering between two buildings. The steel ring was installed in 2022 as part of a larger project to revitalize the downtown. It is meant to symbolize the union of the past, present and future of the city.
We then made our way towards Old Montreal, passing through Chinatown. The small neighbourhood contains several restaurants and stores. Perhaps it was because it was still early in the morning or the fact that we were visiting on a weekday in the winter, but most of the shops were closed.
The next stop on our itinerary was at Notre-Dame Basilica, which is reputed to be one of the most beautiful churches in Canada. The interior is quite stunning. There is colour everywhere from the painted floors, stained glass windows, and blue vaulted ceilings decorated with golden stars. To make our visit even more heavenly, there was even a choir singing near the altar, which provided a pleasant ambiance as we wandered around. Our visit to the church was rather rushed though as our little bundle of joy tried to join in with the choir with her own “music”. And so we headed back to our accommodations.
We ventured out later in the afternoon to take advantage of the beautiful weather and explore Mount Royal. It is one of the largest green spaces in the city and contains some of the best views of downtown Montreal. It’s easily accessible by transit, but we opted to drive there, bypassing the famous stairs (with 339 steps). We entered the park from the entrance along Chemin Remembrance and parked near the top of the mountain. From the main parking lot we followed the Olmsted Trail for a few hundred to the Kondiaronk Lookout. This was the spot to be as it was packed with other visitors, all eager to get a view of the city.
After stopping at the viewpoint we continued along the Olmsted Trail, leaving the crowds behind. The path is wide and loops through the forest, passing a few other viewpoints and points of interest. The most notable of which is the Mount Royal Cross, built in honour of the founder of Montreal.
Since we still had about 30 minutes left on our parking pass, we went for a walk around Beaver Lake. There’s a paved path that follows the shore of this artificial lake that’s shaped like a four-leafed clover.
We then hopped in the car and returned to our hotel for the rest of the evening.
Day 2: Old Montreal and some Art
We started our morning by going for another walk to explore Old Montreal. The historic neighborhood is filled with cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture. We headed towards the waterfront to check out the Clock Tower. It marks the entrance to the Old Port of Montreal and was built to commemorate the Canadian sailors who died during World War I.
At the base of the tower there’s a sandy beach with umbrellas. It was closed for the winter. The real highlight, however, was the views of the St. Lawrence River and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. It was quite blustery out in the open so we didn’t stay long.
We continued our walk along the waterfront, in the wind, to check out La Grande Roue de Montreal. It is the tallest ferris wheel in Canada and is reputed to offer breathtaking views of Montreal from up above. Since our little one was happily snoozing in her stroller, we simply admired the views from the ground and kept moving to stay warm.
We left the waterfront behind and weaved through the cobblestone streets in Old Montreal, hoping to get some protection from the wind. The narrow streets, historic buildings and lack of heavy traffic reminded us of Europe. It’s too bad we don’t have many walkable places like this in Canada.
The cold got the better of us and we headed back to our accommodations. And then it started to rain. The forecast was calling for more rain throughout the afternoon. So after taking a long break, we headed back out to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The museum contains an impressive collection of Canadian art, as well as paintings, sculptures and other work from around the world.
The museum features six major sections that are spread across five pavilions. Since we weren’t sure how much time we’d have to explore, we made a beeline for the temporary exhibit on Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore.
Just as we got to the collection of Quebec and Canadian art, baby M was starting to stir. We tried to cover as much distance as we could before she got too fussy. That was our cue to leave. And of course as soon as we get outside and start walking to the metro, she falls back to sleep.
Given the miserable weather, we spent the remainder of the evening in our hotel room.
Day 3: An Indoor Walk in Nature
It continued to rain overnight, which turned into snow. We woke up the next morning to a slushy mess outside. Needless to say, going for one last walk through Old Montreal was out of the question. After eating breakfast we packed up and checked out of our hotel.
But before driving home, we went to the Montreal Biodome. The building is located in Olympic Park and was originally built as a velodrome for the 1976 Olympic summer games as a cycling stadium. It was later renovated to contain five ecosystems that are typically found in the Americas. This includes a tropical rain forest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a Laurentian, the Labrador coast an the sub-Antarctic islands.
Given the snow and the fact that March Break was just starting, you can only imagine just how busy it was. We got there right when it opened and didn’t have to fight for parking or wait in line long to purchase our tickets. But the crowds eventually caught up with us. Once we finished walking through the last ecosystem, we were ready to leave and make the six hour drive to get back home.
L
What a great outing. I only visited Montreal once but loved it. I found it has a very European feel about it. Great photos.
Thanks for your kind words. Agreed, Montreal definitely has a European feel with its historic architecture, cobblestone streets and just being very walkable. It’s all part of its charm!
Wow! Wow! Wonderful photo and place!
Thank’s for share Linda have an amazing weekend. Keep well.
Elvira
Thanks for your lovely comment and for reading. The weather is always a bit of a mixed bag in the winter, and it seems like we had a bit of everything. Either way, it was still nice to get away for a few days and explore somewhere new. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Linda
Always it’s a great experience visit your blog Linda. Thank’s for share.
Keep enjoying and with your bit mixed have a cup of delicious chocolate. Cheers. Have a wonderful Sunday! Thank’s. Elvira.
Aww thanks! Take care!
Always a pleasure Linda!
Happy new week!
You as well!
Thank’s!
You were smart not to go up all the stairs to Mount Royal. I remember going up there in June and it must’ve been about 80 degrees. The Biome looks pretty cool! Glad you could have a nice getaway even if the weather didn’t totally cooperate!
I don’t think we could have managed all those stairs with the baby! Good for you for tackling them in the summer. We got a bit of everything in terms of the weather, but that’s always the risk when visiting Quebec in the winter.
So many beautiful photos, Linda from a place I have always yerned to visit as it is the cultural beating heart of Canada. I love how the city is overflowing with lush green parks, historic basilicas, and creative art galleries that you can’t find anywhere else in North America. Not to mention that it boasts some of the most diverse (and delicious) restaurants around! Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Montreal is such a vibrant city with a lot of interesting history and great food. We unfortunately didn’t eat out much on this visit because of the little one, but we sure did a lot of wandering around. I enjoyed just how walkable everything is and the fact that there’s so much to do. Thanks for reading. Linda
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Very enjoyable tour of Montreal and your photos are beautiful. It’s one of my all-time favourite places to visit although it’s been a few years, now. It takes the first couple of times to figure out what works best for travelling with your little one but I think you’ll have that down pretty quickly.
Thanks!! I can see why it’s one of your favourites. It’s very charming. I was a bit bummed that we didn’t have time to visit the Montreal Botanical Garden, but then again it’s probably best viewed in the spring and summer. Something to add to the list for next time.
We definitely learned a lot about travelling with baby M on this trip. Both in terms of what to bring and how to rearrange our schedule around her feedings and nap times. This was all good prep work for a larger trip we took at the end of April.
Travelling with a baby is the biggest adventure of them all. You can throw out timelines and plans as you follow their sleeping/eating/pooping patterns 🙂
Oh I know! There’s a lot more planning involved. And stuff. We don’t mind going at a slower pace as the alternative is not travelling at all. Luckily for us, M has been a fantastic traveller so far.
“…except for the baby who seems to have an endless amount of energy and reluctance to sleep.” Yes, well, babies are like that. 😉 I was thinking it might be time to update your blog title to: “Three Canadians Exploring the World?”
Ha, you are absolutely right! Both about babies having a lot of energy and about updating our blog title!
Thanks for the tour. We’ve never been, sad to say. Have to remedy that.
Montreal isn’t too far from Toronto and yet we haven’t really spent much time there which is unfortunate as it’s a lovely city. I was pleasantly surprised at how walkable it is and that there’s so much to do both inside and outside. Hope you’re able to visit someday.
An excellent adventure with the little one Linda. I remember trying to pack the car for 3 and then pack for 4. It became even more difficult when we started them off on tenting. The peak of packing was our 4 week trip to NZ/Hawaii with our 14 month old. Parking in Montreal can be a real challenge, but once you are parked, there is a lot to see and do. Sounds like you have it figured…just let sleeping babies lie. Happy Friday. Allan
It was a good trial run to figure out what to pack and how to schedule things around the baby’s nap times. I imagine it becomes much more challenging once they start to walk. I can’t even imagine how to manage travelling (or camping) with two kids!! But I guess it can be done. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Linda
Wow, I had no idea that this city is so beautiful! I would love to visit but I don’t speak French. 😂 That pesky weather messed up your visit.
It’s a lovely city to walk around. It felt like we were in Europe. And the language barrier shouldn’t be an issue as everyone there knows how to speak English. The weather in Montreal is notorious for being awful in the winter. So if you ever do decide to visit, I’d recommend going in any other season!
I’ve seen videos of that city in winter, it looks brutally cold!🥶
Oh yah. And then there’s all that snow …
Say no to snow! 😎🌴🌴🔥
Ha! Summer is just getting started so thankfully we don’t need to think about snow anytime soon! Although I might be missing the snow when it starts to get super hot and humid outside!!
I love your beautiful photos! Makes me want to explore there. 🩷🌸
Thanks so much for your lovely comment. Montreal is very charming. It was nice to just wander around the cobblestone streets and check out some of the museums.
That does sound nice.🌸
Beautiful. We just returned from Rome. That Basilica in Montreal could rival any of Rome’s. Loved the stained-glass windows. Reminded me a little of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
We don’t have many beautiful churches in Canada, or at least in comparison to the ones in Europe. But agreed, the Notre-Dame Basilica is pretty impressive. Hope you had a wonderful time in Rome. Italy is one of my favourite countries.
It was fabulous. So much so that we’re going back next year.
That’s awesome!! And we’re actually thinking of heading to your neck of the woods later this year in the fall.
Yosemite, maybe?
You bet! It’s super high on our list of national parks to visit!
Looks like you had a lovely visit to Montreal. My daughter and son-in-law were there just a few weeks ago and also enjoyed their time there. Great photos, particularly the Biome.
Thanks! The weather is always a bit of a gamble during the winter. While we had some crummy weather, we also got to enjoy some blue skies and sunshine. Glad to hear your daughter and son-in-law enjoyed their time there. It’s a very charming city that feels very European.
Thanks for the tour of Montreal, there have already been several changes since my last stay. Like the pedestrian streets in the centre, which were under construction at the time. That’s one of the things that surprises me about European cities, how many pedestrian zones there are.
Oh absolutely. Europe has done a fantastic job of prioritizing pedestrians over cars in many historic city centres. It’s funny because everyone likes just how walkable everything is in Europe. It’s too bad we aren’t designing communities with that in mind here in Canada. Seems like a missed opportunity given all the crazy development.
What a beautiful city. And the Notre-Dame Basilica photos are stunning!
It was lovely to just wander around and admire the historic architecture. The Notre-Dame Basilica is beautiful. It’s too bad we couldn’t stay longer and enjoy the choir, but the baby had other ideas!
I have been to Montreal three times. The first time was a visit around the city almost 40 years ago. Notre-Dame Basilica is still entrenced in my mind, and I still tell people about it. The view of the city from Mount Royal was impressive. I remember spending time on and exploring Sainte-Catherine Street. The second time was for the Montreal Jazz festival and then I won a trip there for purchasing in a vehicle and brought my wife to enjoy the city with me.
That’s awesome that you’ve been to Montreal a few times, including once because you won a trip there. I’m sure that was a nice surprise! For some reason we’ve only ever been to Montreal in the winter, which isn’t always ideal for wandering around. But we made due with the weather. I was surprised at how much we were able to do with our baby who was three months old at the time, so I can’t complain too much.
Hi Linda! I really enjoyed seeing your pictures from Montreal – I was there years ago, but never explored the city the way you have. We’ve talked about going up in the future!
Thanks for your kind words. We’ve been talking about going to Montreal for a long time. I’m glad we finally made it happen even if it was in the winter. I’d love to go back in a different season though to see the Montreal Botanical Garden. Something to add to the list for next time. Hopefully you’re able to return someday as it’s a really beautiful city.
Definitely. I was thinking about you today because my husband and I took a short day trip to a county park to hike. Despite planning, we could not find the trail head and drove around on 2-lane country roads for about 45 minutes! No signal on the GPS either! We eventually found the main entrance and did a shorter trail that started there. I thought about all your stories of having to pivot. We’re such novices – we were at a loss, but glad we found something to hike!
Oh no! At least you didn’t give up and managed to still hike one of the shorter trails once you found the main entrance. I’ve had my fair share of struggles with finding the trailhead or even having to change plans if the conditions on the trail weren’t the greatest. It all adds to the adventure. And it makes for a funny story afterwards!!
Yes! So true. We said the same thing…after we found another trail and a beautiful lake to look at! If the weather is good this weekend we will try again! 😀
You might as well now that you know how to get there!
Heading over there in an hour – we’ve done a lot more research and have a back-up plan too! 😉
That’s awesome! I hope it worked out and you had a lovely hike!
It did! We found the trailhead and had a great day 🙂
Awesome! Glad to hear! Good thing you went back then!
I very much enjoyed this tour of Montreal, a city I admittedly didn’t know an awful lot about. Blue skies… bursts of sunshine… the city looks great through your lens. And when the weather starts to grind the Museum of Fine Arts looks like a superb place to drink in some culture and warm up.
Thanks for your lovely comment. Montreal is very charming and has a lot of history. It’s probably better to explore when the weather is a bit warmer, but despite the rain (then the snow), it wasn’t too bad. Besides, there’s a lot of stuff to do indoors that keep us entertained.
Ah the joys of newborns and their paraphernalia! Even the simplest journey becomes a logistical exercise. Still, it’s far better to keep doing what you love and not let the baby take over, and you’ve made a good start with Montreal – especially with the weather as an additional challenge.
Oh I know! She easily has more clothing (and stuff in general) than both of us combined! It was a good learning experience to figure out what to pack (and how to pack) for when we take a longer trip. I must say though, she’s been a really good traveller so far. I guess we can keep her 🙂
Wonderful post. Beautiful city. 🥰
Montreal is very charming. It felt like we were wandering around in Europe. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
Montreal looks like a nice city to visit.
I totally understand your challenge for packing the car 😉. We also have a similar biodome in Cornwall and they are planning to build one near Lancaster. They are amazing places to visit especially when weather is not good.
I think we’re going to need a bigger car at some point! It’s crazy how much more stuff we’ve accumulated and have to lug around since having a baby (something I’m sure you know all too well)! Agreed, the biodomes are such a great idea. And it’s kind of nice to be able to still enjoy some nature on a miserable day.
I was supposed to go to Montreal in October 2020. Flight tickets and accommodations were already booked, but we all know what happened that year. This post reminds me of that, although after seeing your photos I wonder if March would probably be better weather-wise. I mean, those blue skies are just so glorious! But then you mentioned about the rain. The interior of Notre Dame Basilica looks unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The shades of green and blue really make it look magical.
Sorry to hear that your travel plans to Montreal were ruined because of the pandemic, especially since you had everything booked. Are you thinking of rebooking your trip? I definitely wouldn’t recommend visiting in the winter. We actually lucked out with the weather, but Montreal typically gets a lot of heavy snowfalls. And it’s cold (or at least colder than southern Ontario). The Notre-Dame Basilica was a highlight.
I guess eventually I will go to Canada. But for now, I’m more fixated on other destinations. We’ll see.
That’s the thing, there’s no shortage of interesting places to visit!
Lovely Linda. My husband has visited Montreal on business but I’ve so far only been to British Columbia. Hopefully I’ll get there one day.
Montreal is a wonderful city to explore. We wish we had a bit more time here to see all the sights. It’s also reasonably close to a lot of other points of interest, like the Saint Lawrence River, Quebec City and Ottawa. Hopefully you’re able to visit someday.
Thanks for sharing this idea Anita
It was nice to get away for a long weekend and get a change of scenery, even if the weather was a bit sketchy towards the end. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
Traveling with a baby is very different and when you’re exhausted, they’re ready to go and burn off their endless energy. It’ll be nice when you don’t have to pack the stroller anymore. That day will come!
It’s been a long while since we’ve visited Montreal. Always drive by it on our way to New Brunswick. But from your awesome trip, I think it might be time we take T for his visit to this city. Old Montreal in particular is such a beautiful part of the province and reminds me so much of Europe itself. The Biodome looks like a lot of fun too!
Oh gosh, the stroller took up over half the trunk of our car! We probably should have picked something more compact! The first night (and following day) was a bit rough, but we had a lot of down time at the hotel because of M so it wasn’t too bad. Despite living in or around Toronto for so many years we haven’t really visited Montreal. We stopped here once on the way to Quebec City, but only for a day. It’s quite lovely. I imagine it’s even nicer to walk around when the weather is a bit warmer. It definitely has a European vibe to it.
The Biodome is very well done. And it’s really close to a few other places as well, including an insectarium, planetarium, and botanical gardens.
Really love introduction to Montreal, a place I’ve never visited but would love to! The interior of the Notre-Dame Basilica looks absolutely incredible! 🙂
Thanks for your kind words. The Notre-Dame Basilica is beautiful. It was even more special to visit when the choir was practicing.
Such a wonderful and marvellous photos to view 🙏🌷👍🏻 so great Country , awesome sceneries and
Gorgeous nature extremely beautiful and thank you so much for sharing my dear friend 💕👏God Bless 👏
We had a wonderful time exploring the city while still enjoying a bit of a nature. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
Thank you so much for feedback and most welcome 🙏 🥰
I’m so happy and All The Very Best Wishes my friend 💗👏
You as well. Enjoy the rest of your day.
What a lovely tour of this city! I really loved all the colors in basilica-absolutely incredible 🙂 I would really love to visit Montreal one day
Thanks so much for your kind words. The Notre-Dame Basilica is probably the nicest church we’ve been to in Canada. It was a real treat to visit when the choir was practicing as hearing the music live took it to another level.
How fun that baby wanted to sing along with the choir! You are adapting well to traveling with a little one. I can imagine the Tetris challenge, especially these days when there seems to be so much more to include. Loved Old Montreal, although we only had a day there. Would love to go back some time.
It gets better every time we go somewhere. But oh wow the amount of extra stuff we have to pack for the baby is insane! I think we’re going to need a bigger car at some point. Old Montreal is very charming. For some reason we’ve only ever gone in the winter. I’d love to go back too, especially to see the Montreal Botanical Garden.
Honestly, never thought about visiting Montreal. Looks like one I’ll have to add to the list!
Great Blog! Montreal has a lot to offer
Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by. I totally agree. There’s so much to do in Montreal and there’s a bit of something here for everyone. I wish we could have stayed a bit longer. Cheers. Linda
Nicely captured all the landmarks .
Thanks! Montreal is such a charming city to wander around. I’d love to return in warmer weather.
What lovely pictures you have of this trip. Hope baby M is great 😃 and learning how to be like a wandering Canadian like mama and papa
Thanks!! So far she’s been a really great traveller and enjoys being in her baby carrier. She is starting to get heavy though!
This is really amazing and wonderful 😊
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. We had a wonderful time exploring Montreal and learning more about the history of the city.
I have been wanting to visit Montreal for quite some time now! This made me want to visit so much more.
Thank you for sharing!
Julia
We’ve been talking about visiting Montreal for a few years now. We kept putting it off because it’s not too far from home and figured we can just visit whenever. I’m glad we finally made it happen. Hope you’re able to visit someday. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
As always loved this vicarious trip. Never been to Montreal but definitely plan to. Great pix and a lovely recount of your time there!!!
Thanks!! The nice thing about visiting during the offseason was that we were able to book it at the last minute and scored a great deal on our accommodations. Montreal has been on our radar for awhile and I’m glad we finally managed to make it happen. Hope you’re able to visit someday. Cheers. Linda
Lovely, thanks for posting this visual feast!
Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by. Montreal is such a charming city. It felt like we were wandering around in Europe.
How was the French language element thee? Was it easy to communicate in English with the locals? We have friends in Montreal that will be visiting us in Quebec City on an upcoming cruise.
We had no issues getting around and everyone can pretty much speak English. It also helped that most of the signage is also in both English and French. That’s exciting that you’ll be meeting up with your friends in Quebec City. That’s another beautiful city to explore.
magnificent basilica. I’d love to visit Montreal and Quebec and Ottawa and Vancouver in Canada:)
The Notre-Dame Basilica is gorgeous. Its was a real treat to hear the choir singing as well as the music sounded so heavenly. I’d add Victoria to your list of Canadian cities to visit as it’s also very charming.
It’s wonderful to read that you are traveling with your baby. Ha, I had to laugh at the Tetris game to get everything in the car … isn’t it funny to realise that such a little baby could be the reason for more baggage 😊. Love the photos of the church and the bell tower. Despite the rain, it seems you had a great time exploring Montreal.
It took a lot more planning and packing, but it was really nice it to get away for a few days. But I do think we’re going to need to get a bigger car soon! Either that or one of those rooftop carriers. It seems we had a bit of everything in terms of the weather, but we made the most of it. And hey, at least we weren’t camping!