15 unusual things to do in Montréal – and 15 more usual ones too!

Last updated on September 29th, 2026 at 02:43 pm

After visiting many times and then spending an amazing 4-month summer in the city, I’ve dug out some more unusual things to do in Montreal – some that my local friends didn’t know about which was even better. “Welcome to your city,” I would say!

I’ve listed the main usual things to do in Montreal as well so this gives you quite a complete guide. So if you’re here for a city break, this list should keep you busy and, I hope, inspired! Let me know in the comments what you liked best – or something you think should be in these lists!

Check out my other Montreal post too – 13 great nature and outdoor things to do in Montreal – that most tourists don’t do!

First a few important links to use when you plan your trip. They are affiliate links, but I use them all for my travels and if you do too it will help me keep producing this content. Cheers!

A Quick Guide to help you plan your trip

Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight for a lot cheaper than booking direct with the airline!

Insurance – Use EKTA or SafetyWing. TBH I usually use EKTA – they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!

Accommodation – use booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use both.

Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.

Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is always my first option for buses, ferries and trains

Car rental – use DiscoverCars – they are my ‘go-to’ car rental site

Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!

Tours and Activities – book with Viator, GetYourGuide, or Eatwith. These are my top picks for you:

• 3Hr Montreal Architecture Bike Tour
• A non-touristy hidden gems food tour
• The murals and street art tour
• Explore the St Lawrence on a jetboat

Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!

The top 15 Unusual things to do in Montréal

1. Get a snap of the way-up-high pink house – my favorite unusual thing to do in Montreal!

You may find me weird, but this is definitely my favorite thing in Montreal! It totally appeals to my inner quirkiness!! I consider it the Eiffel Tower of Montreal! 

The pink house is sitting on top of an old malting house and silo on the historic Lachine Canal – which is great for biking along (see my Wild Side City Guide: Montreal for more on that.) 

Enjoy the pink house from the Terrasse St-Ambroise while having a beer and a game of cornhole! Talking to a barman this pub across the field from the pink house – he said people are often in residence. And if anyone ever gets up and grafittis it – he sees them hanging out the windows repainting it within a day!! But who lives there?

Well, it’s all a bit of a local mystery. I think people like to keep it this way so nobody does anything other than enjoy it. (Including the company that own the unused land). I love that attitude!! 

A little bit of history: The Malting plant and elevators were built in 1905 by the Canada Malting Co. The cement silos were added in the 1940s to store the barley. They exported the malt along the Lachine Canal. When the canal closed to commercial navigation in 1970, the transportation cost got so high that the company abandoned the site in 1980. Since then, it’s fallen into disrepair – as you can see in the photo! 

2. Come for a festival! Take your pick – the Jazz fest, Circus fest, Mural fest, Just for Laughs Comedy fest, Poutine fest….

Montréal has its fair share of festivals and its great to time your trip with one. There is always plenty of free stuff involved. My favorite is the Circus fest in July! Did you know that Montréal is the home of Cirque de soleil? No? Nor did I! The free displays by these quality performers are fantastic. There is a great fun buzz in the air and all I can say is – “come see!”

P.S. – The poutine fest is obviously a good one to join in on too. And definitely one of the more unusual things to do in Montreal!

3. Check out the city’s amazing murals at 3 key sites!

“The Main” – or St Laurent Boulevard – divides Montreal’s east from west. It also is the main drag in town , that hosts the street-art fest MURAL in June. This means you can walk up the street anytime and see all these amazing murals by local and international artists. The alleys all around St. Laurent Blvd are full of graffiti and murals too so its worth a wander. One of them, 10 Duluth Ave W, is known as Graffiti Alley.

Added to that there are two other city murals definitely worth seeing:

First, is a Montréal icon Leonard Cohen at 1420 Crescent St. He’s only 21 stories high! It is genuinely stunning to see.

Second, is famed Jackie Robinson at 3907 St Laurent Blvd. (Yes its on the Blvd but its the one not to miss)! This mural pays homage to the baseball legend and civil rights icon and celebrates his time in Montreal!

To make sure you don’t miss anything, you can take a really informative dedicated murals and street art tour!

4. Visit the Berlin Wall and the World Trade Center -an unusual thing most locals don’t seem to know about!

The World Trade Centre is a city block where Old Montréal and the Quartier international meet. The architecture is modern, but it incorporates several historical buildings and a part of the old Ruelle des Fortifications – the city wall.

And inside this space is also a part of the Berlin wall! It was given to Montréal by the city of Berlin for its 350th anniversary! Given many of the locals don’t seem to know about it, this is absolutely one of the more unusual things to do in Montreal – and quite cool to see. The building it is in is also really quite interesting!

5. Join the morning queue of locals at the legendary St-Viateur Bagel and watch your bagels being made – Montreal style!

Eating bagels may not be an unusual thing to do in Montreal, but you need to go to this particular place! You’ll be in with the locals if you do.

The biggest contribution to the city’s foodie identity, by the Eastern Europeans settlers, are the Montréal smoked meats (see no. 6 below) and the Montréal bagels! At St-Viateur Bagel you can watch the bagels being made from dough to baking. Then of course you get to eat them fresh out of the oven. A delicious treat!

No, they are not ‘New York style bagels.’ Dare I say it – they are far better. And the reason is that each single bagel is made by hand. They are poached in honey water before being baked in a wood-fire burning oven. Hey presto – a Montreal bagel – with its ‘only in Montréal’ chewiness and golden color. Yum!

PS – I’ve been taught by the locals the ‘proper way’ of eating a Montréal Bagel! It has to be fresh out of the bag – or with nothing more than just a ‘schmear ‘ of cream cheese.
(PS My favorite is the cinnamon raison bagel.)

PPS – If you want to learn how to make bagels – proper Montreal bagels here’s the place to do it!

6. ….and pick up lunch from the most famous joint for Montréal’s famed smoked meats

Schwartz’s Deli on St Laurent Blvde! There’s no other.

It was established in 1928, by Reuben Schwartz. Reuben was a Jewish immigrant from Romania and it is a cultural institution and landmark in Montreal today!

The unique flavor of the Schwartz smoked meat is put down to:

1. Their mandatory 10-day meat curing time.

2. The high turnover of their meat.

3. Their brick smoke-house covered with over 90 years’ worth of buildup!

Sound good? Trust me it is!

The signature dish is a smoked meat sandwich served on rye bread with yellow mustard. You will see the queue for a table start by mid-morning. But if it looks too long, don’t worry – you can get a take-away next door.

7. Stop off and check out some of the metro stations. Here’s why this is one of my favorite unusual things to do in Montreal

When you leave the Square Victoria Métro you see an oddity – a statue of Queen Victoria right behind a sign straight out of the Paris metro! The sign is technically on loan from Paris – but I figure its not going anywhere soon.

Other stations of note are De Castelnau Station which has some beautiful stone carvings , McGill Station with some stunning stained glass art, and the huge sculpture at the Namur Station. Most stations have some artwork installed. Its worth taking your time to look around when you get off that train! I don’t think I ever saw a boring metro station here.

8. Find the hidden wooden squirrels and join in the Tam-Tams on Mount Royal

You’ll have to go on a Sunday for Les Tam-Tams, but the squirrels are always in residence. Tam-tams are gatherings (if its fine) of drummers, dancers, vendors, and just about anyone else. It’s pretty much a big outdoor party and anyone can join in. Head here for the Tam-Tam. There are crowds in the park on weekends but its fun all the same, and makes your visit to mount royal a more unusual thing to do in Montreal!

As for the squirrels, you will have to walk through the park to the Mount Royal Chalet and Kondiaronk Belvedere to find them. That is ‘find’ the hidden wooden ones. There are plenty of live ones to keep you entertained as you walk too. Check out the city view at the Belvedere and then find the squirrels in the Chalet. You can get there on the Hop On Hop Off bus. Have fun!

9. Find fantastic trees at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery

Good for a walk as well as slightly off-beat touristing and from the lack of people I saw, definitely an unusual thing to do in Montreal. Head to the largest cemetery in the country, and also the greenest in Montreal.

It’s a 343-acre (139 ha) garden cemetery right in the city! Its enormous. You can pretty much go hiking here – there are more than 55kms of lanes and one million people interred! It has become a haven for local flora and fauna and a home to some interesting trees.
Montréal has a list of about 60 remarkable trees on Mount Royal, and seven of them are in the cemetery. They are:

• A pair of 120- and 150-year-old cottonwoods, well beyond the maximum age usually observed in this native species. They’re over 30 m high.
• A 150-year-old silver maple.
• A honey locust tree, a rare species in Canada.
• A red ash with an impressive trunk diameter of 115 cm.
• A Japanese yew tree, over 50 years old, probably planted as a memorial.
• A 140-year-old Austrian black pine with a top twice as wide (18 m) as its height (7.5 m).

10.  Try an unusual cafe – an Orange Julep or have a coffee and Mexi-cat with cats

The Orange Julep drive in is an institution in Montreal. But unfortunately it takes time to get there as its not near the city center. But it is very close to Namur Station on the Orange metro line. It was once in the old port area, but was removed for an expansion of the highway!! The history is interesting – and the juice is deliciously fatal!

If its too hard to get to, go on a foodie tour tasting your way through some of Montreal’s secret gems, or hop on this non-touristy hidden gems tour instead! I also really enjoyed this Jewish Neighborhood Food Tour.

Alternatively try out an unusual cafe or bar – I mean Montreal is a bit of a foodie destination.

• Cafe Chat– with eight rescue cats in residence and all the goodies and drinks are homemade.
• Le LockHart – a full on Harry Potter themed bar with cocktail potions to drink!
• Le BlueBoy – for very exotic and artistic ice-creams – don’t think ordinary here
• Randolf Pub – a board games cafe – drop the phone and chat as you play!

There are so many other food tour options to choose from too if you like the low down on local food.

11. Get spooked on a ghost tour – a good fun unusual thing to do in Montreal

My daughter and I agreed that this is a great way to go! Rather than a standard city walking tour, this is a bit more of an unusual thing to do in Montreal. Walk the streets of Old Montreal (at night of course) with a storyteller who tells you all the tales of ghosts, mysteries, and whatever gory stuff they can think of.

You visit places where major events took place and which are supposed to be haunted. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours and is great fun. Don’t count on seeing a ghost, but try our Haunted Old Montreal tour. Good alternatives are a Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl or a Paranormal Investigation Ghost Tour.

12. Find some unusual Sculpture Parks

The René Lévesque Park, the Twilight Sculpture Garden and the Canadian Center for Architecture sculpture garden are all quite interesting and unusual.

My favorite is the Twilight sculpture garden (or Jardin du Crépuscule). This is definitely an unusual thing to do in Montreal, and my local friends had never heard of it. It is the creation of artist Glen LeMesurier, who has over many years (at twilight) turned a barren site covered in litter into a public space filled with his own sculptures that he calls his ” more whimsical work.” Many of the pieces are kinetic and move with the currents of the wind and the seasons. The grass is long and the site very industrial urban – and it all adds to the charm of the place. What an amazing gift to the city. (You will find it at the corner of Van-Horne Avenue and Saint-Urbain Street – its not on google maps!)

The sculpture garden of the Canadian Center for Architecture is across the road from the center. It has some interesting architectural sculptures which I really liked. And by the way, also some very fruitful apple trees on the sidelines. Yes I picked some!

René Lévesque Park is in the south of the island of Montreal and has a lot of art mostly from the 1980’s. It’s on a lovely small peninsula with Lake St. Louis on one side and the Lachine Canal on the other. Its nice for a wander. Maybe not so unusual but there are a couple of interesting sculptures for sure.

13. Visit Habitat 67 and the wave!

If you’ve read my Montreal Wild Side City Guide then you will know about the wave. If not, well, take a look! The wave is right in front of the Habitat 67 building on the St Lawrence! Seeing this is definitely an unusual thing to do in Montreal!

Habitat 67 was built for the Expo in 1967 in Montreal and was originally intended as an experimental solution for high-quality housing in dense urban environments. Now, this brutalist building is classified as a heritage monument by the City of Montreal and the Quebec government! And just so you know – to live in one of the 158 apartments you will need to fork out well over $1million for starters.

From its homes and terraces you have views of the downtown city lights and the Old Port, with the river as a backdrop. You can take a guided tour – book from their website here! Or even better go on a 3Hr Montreal Architecture Bike Tour (with regular or E-bikes and beer & wine includes)

14. See hundreds of Barbies at the Barbie expo – yes, the dolls!

What can I say – yes its definitely an unusual thing to do in Montreal!? But, if someone you know likes all things Barbie, this is a must. Even if you aren’t a Barbie fan, its pretty cool. I mean, Barbie dressed in Versace and Dior, Barbie in her Australian or Spanish outfits, Barbie in her wedding dresses……

There are over 1000 Barbies in this permanent display (the biggest in the world) – and it is entirely free! Right by Peel Station at 1455 Peel street – Level 3!

15. Go caving – probably the most unusual thing to do in Montreal!!!

Right in the city you can go deep underground in the St Leonard Cave! It is a unique natural underground cavern formed during the ice age. It has some history, e.g. it was used to store arms and ammunition during the rebellion of 1837.

Best of all, the local Speleology Society run tours there through summer. The tour program includes a 30-minute presentation on caving and the Saint-Léonard cavern, as well as a visit to the cavern for approximately 1 hour. I was absolutely gutted to have to cancel this trip as I ended up finishing off my time in Montreal on crutches. But for next time, its the first thing I’m doing!

For more unusual, outdoor and wild side things to do, check out the 13 cool things that most tourists don’t do in my Montreal Wild Side City Guide.

Top 15 usual things to do in Montréal

For completeness, apart from all the unusual things to do in Montreal, I am including the more usual ‘best things’ to do in Montreal. Enjoy!

1. Go overground in Old Montreal and underground in the new city

Wandering the old city of Montreal and down to the old port is a must for all visitors. Get off the metro at Place-d’Armes metro and weave and wander toward the Basilica and the old port. There are some great walking tours in the city too. I did the Explore Old Montreal Small-Group Walking Tour when i first arrived in the city and found it a good way to start off. An alternative is this Walking tour of Old Montreal.

But also Montréal is home to an underground city! Really what it is, is 32km of twisty tunnels connecting areas of downtown. Great for keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter! It accesses nine major hotels, eight different subway stations, 2,000 stores, 17 museums, an ice hockey arena, a movie theatre, night clubs, and countless other restaurants and businesses!

The problem is not getting lost in it all – or maybe that is the fun of it! If it sounds like you would like an intro to it all take this 2 hour tour and see it all with a local – you wont get lost and will learn a lot! You can even see it with a local comedian!!

Otherwise start at one of these metro stations to get going:
Peel and Place-des-Arts Metro stations on the Green Line, or, Lucien-L’Allier and Place-d’Armes stations on the Orange Line.

2. See it all on the Hop-on Hop-off bus

The Hop On Hop Off bus is really useful to get an overview of the city and key sights. And you have the option of one or two day tickets. Either way you can get on and off as much as you like at all the key sights of Montréal.

The stops include Square Dorchester, Old Montréal: Notre Dame Basilica, Old Montreal: Pointe-à-Callière Museum, The Village, The Latin Quarter, The Festival Quarter, Fine Arts Museum, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Mont-Royal: Kondiaronk Lookout, Mont-Royal: Camillien Houde Lookout.

3. Wander the Old Port and ride high on La Grande Roue de Montréal

La Grande Roue de Montréal is a big big observation wheel – the biggest in Canada in fact! It is very conveniently located in the heart of the Old Port overlooking the St Lawrence river. It is 60m high, and you get great views of Montreal and beyond. Book ahead to skip the queue!

The Old Port itself is full of activity and activities and fun just to wander. You can jump on the urban zipline, clamber around the ropes and sails at Voiles En Voiles Aerial Park, or step onto a glass bottomed cage in Montreal’s glass tall tower – for great views from the Old Port. But – you can also just wander with an ice-cream and people watch.

4. Cruise on the mighty St Lawrence – one way or another

There is every kind of option for a cruise on the enormous St Lawrence River like this sunset cruise – and of course you can take a more exciting ride on a jetboat too!

A popular option is the 45 min electric boat cruise around the sights like Habitat 67 and the old Port locks.

5. Visit the immense Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal

I prefer the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel personally (no. 12 in the unusual list), but that’s probably got something to do with my sailing life! However, most people find the neo-Gothic Notre Dame Basilica stunning. It is – and the bells are great too! Its also very pretty to see at night with the lights.

If you are going to go I recommend you consider going during the day as well as at night for the 40 minute Aura Show – with lights and technology doing stunning things. You have to pay to go inside the Basilica at any time of day, but there is a reduced price ticket for a combined Aura Show and daytime entry.

You can also check this Aura Experience at Notre-Dame Basilica and Cruise combo!

6. Take time to walk through the displays in the Botanic Gardens and visit the Space for Life experiences (its actually 5 things to do)

Montreal’s Space for Life (Espace Pour La Vie) is actually five different experiences: the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, the Biodome, and the Planetarium. The space is about connecting us with nature and our place in the universe, and its going to take a while if you want to visit all four.

I was in the Botanic Gardens alone for most of a day as it has a huge range of ‘gardens’ from alpine, to aquatic, to poisonous, Chinese, Japanese, roses, First Nations, the flowery brook, and more……

The Montreal Insectarium has over 160,000 bees, ants, butterflies, and all kinds of creepy crawlies – living and dead. The Insectarium also has its own anthill, honeybee hive, and bumblebee hive, and you can walk through the butterflies in the wonderful vivarium – stand still and let them land on you! (Maybe this should be in the unusual things to do in Montreal list!)

There are five ecosystems of the Americas under one roof in the Biodôme where you can see animals and plants, for example the Laurentine Maple Forest, the Gulf of St Lawrence and the tropical rainforest.

The Planetarium is all about the the sky and stars where you can do things like enjoy a 360-degree projection of the Northern Lights!

Finally, the Biosphere is a space that raises awareness and provides the knowledge needed to protect biodiversity, and, inspires action and engagement – all through visual, digital, and performing arts.

Phew – now you have to decide which you want to visit! Or consider this city pass that gives entry to the Biodome and Biosphere as well as other attractions in the city.

7. Eat and drink your heart out – and absolutely include real Quebecoise poutine…

It’s almost a sin not to!

Eating real Quebecoise poutine – delicious!!

You can eat poutine all over the city, but la Banquise in the Plateau district is famous for its classic and massive poutine menu. It caters for all – including vegan sauce. Now hopefully you have ticked the big three – poutine, Montreal bagels, and smoked meat!

As Montréal is known as a culinary city, I also recommend a foodie tour – if that’s what you are! There are so many to choose from its almost impossible to recommend one! But do check these ones out: Montreal’s secret gems, or this non-touristy hidden gems tour! I really enjoyed this Jewish Neighborhood Food Tour.

And if you like rooftop bars, food, and views – try the 3 hour guided pub crawl of the city’s rooftop bars. It is almost compulsory to have a Bloody Caesar while you’re at it – it is the signature drink!

8. See 47,000 pieces of art in the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts!

This is the stand out museum in Montréal for you if you enjoy art in all its guises – fine arts, music, film, fashion and design.

The MMFA is one of Canada’s most visited museums, and the eighth-most visited museum in North America! Don’t forget to walk up the Sculpture Garden outside.

9. Visit a couple of Montréal’s many museums – some are quite unusual!

Montréal has museums aplenty! And definitely some of these should be in the unusual things to do in Montreal list! However, museums that you should consider visiting, especially if you like museums are:

Montreal Holocaust Museum – the holocaust and life after in Montreal

The Rutherford and the McPherson Collections at McGill University – Earnest Rutherford’s life and times in Montreal, and, a collection of physical instruments from the 1800-early 1900’s.

Musée des ondes Emile-Berliner – named after the inventor of the flat disc vinyl record – a collection of antique record players, radios etc.

Pointe-à-callière, Montreal archaeology and history complex – the birthplace of modern Montréal with several centuries of history, from the time of the First Peoples. It also has impressive underground archaeological remains.

Redpath museum – large collections of ancient and modern organisms (think dinosaurs), minerals, and world culture (ethnological) artifacts.

Avataq cultural institute – to protect and promote the Inuktitut language and the culture of Nunavimmiut (Inuit of Nunavik).

Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) – an international research institution, and museum premised on the belief that architecture is a public concern. (See the sculpture item in the unusual things to do in Montreal list!)

Château Dufresne, musée et lieu historique patrimonial – early 1900’s sumptuous residence.

Château Ramezay, Historic site and museum of Montreal – the first building in Québec to be classified an historic monument, and one the 1001 Historic Sites You Must See Before You Die!

Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier, museum and archeological site – great example of rural architecture in the early days of the French regime, and, archeological site of indigenous occupation that dates back over 5, 500 years ago.

The fur trade at Lachine national historic site – the adventures of Amerindian trappers, French Canadian voyageurs, and European merchants of the fur trade era.

10. Visit Little Italy and the Jean Talon Market

The residential streets in the Little Italy area around the Jean Talon market are full of lovely little duplex homes. They were originally built for the Italian railway and quarry workers. You will see plenty of the famous Montréal exterior spiral staircases here. The area stretches from Bellechasse to the south, Jean-Talon to the north, Saint-Laurent to the west, and by Saint-Denis to the east. I actually enjoyed wandering through this the most!

And in the middle of it all is the Jean Talon Market. It is one of the biggest and best year-round famers markets in Montréal. It has many local flower, fruit and vegetable growers, and a range of small shopkeepers (butchers, bakers, fishmongers, grocers, etc.).

Also there are plenty of restauranteurs – who are going to make you feel hungry. I didn’t get to sit and try it all out which I think is the best thing to do here. I honestly didn’t really know where to start. But very popular is to go on a 3 hour tasting tour of the market (what I will do next time)!

11. Zoom to the top of the incredible Montréal tower

Note: the tower is closed for renovations until fall 2025 (but still interesting to see from outside.)

The Montréal tower is the tallest inclined structure in the world. It is 165 meters (541 ft) high with a 45-degree angle! That angle is much larger than the 4° angle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

It is a bit of a crazy building with a spaceship like base and tower of what I call “the leaning tower of Montreal.” It only takes 2 minutes to whiz to the top in a glass cabin and you can see a full 360°, literally, for miles from there.

Their tours give you the history of the tower and the Olympics it was supposed to be built for. (They were late and missed it!)

13. Take time out in the church of sailboats

A cute little church – officially called the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. You might think it is just another chapel – until you look up and see all the little beautifully crafted sailboat carvings! The boats are really gorgeous and worth seeing – and its free to enter.

The story behind this is because it was on the harbor front, the Notre Dame du Bon Secours was often the first stop for newcomers to the city in days gone by. Sailors commissioned boat models as votives to be hung in the chapel, in thanks for their safe journeys. It became the patron church of sailors.

To emphasize this, the Bishop of Montreal had a statue of the Virgin Mary as the Star of the Sea placed on the roof of the Chapel.

Historically the chapel is important too – it is one of the oldest religious landmarks of Montreal. It was built in 1655 – instigated by a French nun Margerite Bourgeoys. There is a very small museum dedicated to her right next to the chapel.

13. Check out the highest building in Montreal – St Josephs Oratory of Mount Royal

St Josephs Oratory is the only building in Montreal that is allowed to be higher than Mount Royal – its true! It is 30m taller than Mount Royal and the heights of all other city buildings are strictly limited to keep the views of Mount Royal safe.

This is also the largest shrine in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph! Not only that, it is a National Historic Site of Canada, it is Canada’s largest church, and it has one of the largest church domes in the world. What I like, is that the outside is all Renaissance Revival, but the inside is all Art Deco! Crazy really.

The history of the Oratory is closely tied to Brother Andre. Brother Andre was renown as a miracle worker in the early 1900s. (Although he attributed his miracles to Saint Joseph, who is the patron saint of Canada.) He was given money to build a small chapel so he could devote himself to his followers in 1904. the chapel was build but later moved to make way for todays oratory. Brother André’s heart is preserved inside the Oratory. It was stolen in March 1973 and recovered 21 months later. (True!)

Finally, to note, there is a small museum on Level 5 which has a lovely display of nativity scenes from around the world – and its only $3.00 to enter. Super cute – and probably should be in the unusual things to do in Montreal list as there was nobody in there when I went!!

So it seems there are quite a few reasons, while you are at Mount Royal, to add on a visit to St Josephs Oratory. The Oratory provides guided tours from early June to August at 1.30pm. You can also book a private tour at any time of year here.

14. Learn about the city through the projected Cité Mémoire

Cité Mémoire is the largest outdoor video-projection installation in the world. There are 25 projections on alley walls, trees and the ground throughout Old Montréal. All of them have music and story telling with the projection, and its all free to see. Its very cool to wander around at night and see this – definitely a different way of seeing the city with its lights, music and ‘buzz’ in the background.

You see / learn about some famous (and not famous) residents like Marguerite Bourgeoys (the French founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame) and Jackie Robinson (whose season with the Montreal Royals was important in his breaking of baseball’s color barrier). There are also tableaux about The Jewish Children’s Transport train (the orphans who survived Nazi concentration camps and were adopted by Montrealer’s), the burning of the Parliament in Montreal in 1849, and Montreal’s “Sin City” era!

Download the Montréal en Histoires app to get started. It has the soundtrack of the tour as well as the story for each painting in French, English, Spanish or Mandarin.

15. Wander in the park and see the beautiful homes of St Louis Square

In the 1800’s St Louis Square was going to become the city’s reservoir. But before they started building, they realized it wasn’t going to be big enough for the influx of population. Instead they built a square with a beautiful park with central fountain. It quickly became “the” place to live for the upper middle class who could afford to build grand homes overlooking the square.

The homes are beautifully painted and ornate. They have been a favorite for the artistic Montreal dwellers (writers, poets, musicians, actors, film makers, and visual artists). Although now you need quite a lot of $$$ to buy one! Its worth a short journey on the metro to see the varied architecture. Some are decorated with delicate wrought iron trim, others are more Victorian “gingerbread”, and others are like mini seventeenth-century French castles.

Bonus!! See the HABS at the Bell Center

The place in Canada to see a traditional hockey game – it is the national sport after all! So, during the season, cheer on the Montréal Canadiens (the Habs) at a game at Montreal’s hockey mecca – the Bell Center. You can buy tickets here.

Frequently asked questions about Montreal

Q: Do I need to speak French to visit Montreal?
A: If you could hear my French – you would know – the answer is no. Of course it helps, but you can easily get by without it as many people are bilingual to a more or less extent. However, locals will appreciate you using some simple French greetings like “Merci” and “Bonjour.” Learning a few basic words will go a long way.

Q: What is the best time of year to visit Montreal?
A: I’ve been winter, summer, autumn and spring and all have their advantages! I do prefer the warmer months (except the snow shoeing etc you can do in the winter – but that’s not for everyone). So I suggest you visit June – September for festivals and warm weather, or late September-October for fall leaves, or December for the Christmas holiday atmosphere! May is pleasant too with its spring freshness.

Q: Is Montreal expensive to visit?
A: I rate it as moderately expensive by North American city standards. But you can save a lot by where you eat. Avoid the tourist spots and fine dining and you will notice the difference.

Q: Is Montreal walkable?
A: Montreal is very walkable when combined with the metro system. Great areas for walking are Old Montreal, Plateau Mont-Royal, Mile End, and Downtown. I definitely would not rent a car if you are just going to be in and around the city.

Q: Is public transport good in Montreal?
A: Yes – most tourists will use the metro which is very good – its reasonably priced, clean, reliable, and easy to navigate. Buses work on the same ticket system and are also easy to use and reliable. You can buy an Opus card -which is reusable and worth it if you are here for a few days or more. Or you can tap you bankcard on and off. A single ticket or OPUS fare is valid for 120 minutes and allows you to transfer freely between different metro lines, buses, or the REM (Zone A) at no extra cost during that time.

Q: How many days do you need in Montreal?
A: 3-5 for the highlights – longer for more museums, neighborhoods and festivals or day trips.

Travel tips for Montreal

• Tipping is similar to USA – 15-20% in restaurants, $1–2 per drink in bars, 10–15% for taxis and ubers!
• Sales tax is added to your bill and not included in advertised prices! Make sure tipping quotes do not include the sales tax – legally that is not allowed! (This sales tax always caught me out!!)
• To get from Montreal airport (YUL) to downtown the main options are the 747 Express Bus (cheapest, direct airport-to-downtown service, about 45–60 minutes, works with STM transit fares), or, taxi or Uber (fastest, usually 20–40 minutes, more expensive). Taxis from YUL to downtown operate on a fixed rate – from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. – $49.45 and from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. – $56.70 CAD!
• Pack for 4-seasons not matter when you visit! Well actually in winter don’t bother to pack for summer, but the rest of the year assume all weather can and will happen!!
• Must-try foods in Montreal – don’t leave without trying: poutine, Montreal bagels, smoked meat, and of course, maple desserts and taffy!

Where to stay in Montreal

Most people will stay Downtown, in the Golden Square mile, or in old Montreal – its convenient! There are other options of course. My first time here I stayed in Verdun – near Wellington St (said by some to be the coolest street in the world)! As long as you are near a metro, you can’t really go wrong.

Book your hotel with booking.com or a hostel with Hostelworld. I have started you off with some great options:

Luxury –Four Seasons Hotel Montreal or The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal

Higher End – Hotel Gault or Le Petit Hotel Notre Dame or Auberge Du Vieux Port or David Hotel

Mid Range – Theatre Hotel by Lodgo or Eurostars Old Montreal Suites & Apartments

Budget – Quality Inn Centre-Ville or Hotel le coach

Backpackers -try one of these hostels – Saintlo Montréal or M Montreal

For good value for a group / family – try this 4-bed apartment in the Old Port

Let me know how your trip went!

Enjoy your time in Montreal. Its a lovely city, and let me know if you think I’ve got it right with lists – the unusual things to do in Montreal as well as the usual one. Have I left anything out you think should be there?

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