The Best Montreal 3 Day Itinerary

After living a four-hour drive from Montreal for most of my life, I finally made a visit to this fantastic city. I planned a long weekend in Montreal, with some of the focus going on exploring a skating trail that was the perfect day trip from Montreal. The city itself has plenty to keep you occupied if you just want to spend your time in the city but I can never resist a good day trip destination. Having booked this trip for the end of January and Ontario and Quebec weather always being iffy at this time of year, I did have to cancel and reschedule because of an ice storm. Ice storms really don’t care about anyone’s travel plans and they are horrible for driving.

Luckily, I was able to reschedule this trip for February. While winter might sound like a bad time to have a city vacation, Montreal is a great winter destination. There are plenty of cozy restaurants to relax into after a day exploring and it’s easy to explore on foot. There are several places to ice skate right in Montreal and great day trip options for winter sports like skiing or skating. I was also lucky enough to visit while they were having a light festival so there were night-time activities to do as well that really added to the character of the city.

Montreal is definitely a city I recommend at any time of the year.

This post contains affiliate links, If you make a purchase through these links I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

Itinerary for Montreal

Montreal has plenty to do so I recommend spending between 2-5 days in the city. In this itinerary, you can easily cut out day three and just stick to seeing the sights of Montreal. You need a rental car for day three, though the first two days can be done without one. If you don’t want to rent a car, there are day tours from Montreal you can join.

If you have more than three days in Montreal, you may want to add on some of the museums or gardens that Montreal has. The Redpath Museum and the Montreal Botanical Garden and Biodome both come with great recommendations but were closed when I visited.

3 Days in Montreal, Quebec

Day 1: Arrive to Montreal as early as possible. Explore St. Joseph’s Oratory and Mont Royale.
Day 2: Explore the Plateau in the morning and Old Montreal and Port in the afternoon.
Day 3: Take a day trip from Montreal, like La Mauricie National Park or Quebec City.
Day 4: Depart from Montreal. Visit either the Botanical Garden or Redpath Museum if there is time.

Getting Around Montreal

By Bicycle or Scooter- You can rent bikes from Bixi bike stations to explore Montreal. Another option is to join an e-scooter tour of Montreal.

On Foot- I found Montreal to be a very walkable city. Most of the sights are in a very small area. If you get tired, there are buses and a subway to connect you between areas.

By Bus- A really good option to cut down on some walking is half-day bus tour of Montreal. It stops at most of the places on this itinerary to save on walking time.

By Boat- Another way to cut down on walking is to sightsee the city from the St. Lawrence river.

Where to Stay in Montreal

Hotel 10– I stayed at Hotel 10 and loved the hotel and the location. The location is perfectly placed between downtown Montreal and the Plateau and Latin Quarter. I found it to be within walking distance of everything I wanted to see in the city except for St. Joseph’s Oratory and to be located near all the restaurants and cafes I wanted to try. The room itself was really large and the bed was super comfy. I would definitely stay here again as they had fantastic service and allowed me to cancel with no penalties when I needed to reschedule because of bad weather.

Where to Eat in Montreal

Montreal is truly an amazing destination for foodies and there really is something for everyone in this city. You can check out my full guide to food in Montreal here.

Sushi Momo– This is an amazing, cosy, vegan sushi restaurant. Vegan and sushi may not sound like it goes together, but trust me, you won’t miss the fish here. Really delicious food and my favourite place I ate at in Montreal.

La Banquise– Said to be one of the best poutines in Montreal, this is a great place to try poutine. They have everything from a traditional poutine to vegan poutine.

Patisserie Kouign Amman– The perfect French bakery to stop at. Everything was delicious here, especially the kouign amman and croissants. I wish this was my neighbourhood bakery.

What to do in Montreal in 3 Days

St. Joseph’s Oratory

St. Joseph’s Oratory on Mount Royal was one of my favourite things to do in Montreal. This Roman Catholic Basilica has gorgeous steps up to this beautiful dome. There are fantastic views from several of the outside viewing platforms. Inside St. Joseph’s Oratory you can explore some of the exhibits they have on or check out the interior church. When I visited, the dome was undergoing renovations, expected to be completed in 2022 so you can not go up the dome right now. When it is completed, the height of the dome will give views over Mount Royal.

Being the highest building in the city, you can see St.Joseph’s Oratory from many places in Montreal. Completed in 1967, St.Joseph’s Oratory is Canada’s largest church and one of Montreal’s must-see buildings.

Mount Royal

Mount Royal sits high above Montreal and it’s this large hill that gives Montreal its name. Try saying Montreal with a French accent rather than English and you will see the similarities in the words.

Mount Royal has fantastic views over Montreal. There’s also plenty to do here like visiting St. Joseph’s Oratory or exploring everything on the hill. If you visit in winter, there is an ice skating rink as well as snow tubing and trails for cross-country skiing. This large park is perfect to get away from the hustle of the city and is so convenient to visit.

The Plateau Neighbourhood

The Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal was my favourite area of the city to explore. The route I took in this area was to walk up St.Laurent Boulevard and across Rue Rachel E and then down St. Denis Street. I loved the character of the streets here. It also took me past some seriously delicious restaurants and bakeries.

There is some very beautiful and creative graffiti in the area here as well to explore if you are into street art. One of the city’s most popular Instagram locations is at Square Saint Louise and it’s worth making a stop at, especially if you want serious France-vibes.

Old Montreal

Old Montreal is the part of the city that is most likely to give you European vibes. It dates to the 17th century and has adorable cobblestone streets. The Notre Dame Basilica was the main thing I visited in this area and then it was just enjoyable to wander the streets and take in the buildings. The areas around the basilica are the most historic looking. Check out Rue Bonsecours and Rue Saint Paul to find two of the oldest streets in the city and with plenty of French-architectural influence. This walking tour of Old Montreal would be a great idea if you want to see the best of the city and learn more of the history.

Notre Dame Basilica

Located in the Old Montreal neighbourhood of the city, the Notre Dame Basilica is a Gothic Revival church that is a must see while walking around the area. The whole neighbourhood is full of beautiful, European looking streets but the basilica is not to be missed. It’s one of the most visited churches in North America and a top sight to see in Montreal. The interior is particularly striking, with gold stars and deep blue walls.

To visit here there is an entry fee unless you are attending mass. Notre Dame has been the site of state funerals as well as where Celine Dion held her wedding.

Old Port of Montreal

The Old Port of Montreal is a beautiful area to walk around. Located right on the St.Lawrence, there are two very iconic views of Montreal located here.

The first is La Grande Roue de Montréal or the Montreal Observation Wheel. This large Ferris wheel is the largest of its kind in Canada. It’s actually a new addition to the skyline, having been opened in 2017 to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the city. From the Ferris wheel you can get views over Old Montreal as well as the St.Lawrence River. You can save time and buy your tickets for the Roue in advance here

If you prefer to stay on the ground, in the winter there is outdoor skating here or it is just nice to stroll around the area and take in the views.

The second iconic building to check out in this area is the Montreal Clock Tower. It’s a bit hidden, you have to walk behind the Ferris wheel and along the river walkway to get to it. Built in 1922, this clock tower is also known as the Sailor’s Memorial Clock as there is a tribute to sailors at its base.

The area is a popular one to walk around in so even during the winter, it can be quite busy and get crowded. It’s a fantastic part of Montreal to explore so even though it might feel like a bit of a walk, it’s well worth it.

Check Out a Festival

Montreal is known as having lots of festivals. Luckily for me, my trip happened to coincide with the Montreal en Lumiere festival. Make sure you check before you go if there is a festival happening or plan around the festival. I didn’t realize it was happening until I was walking around the area and saw all of the light installations. There were also acrobats and high-divers performing as well as a massive ice slide. Montreal definitely knows how to put on a festival.

Day Trips from Montreal

Montreal is perfectly placed to explore the Laurentian Mountains with top destinations like Mont Tremblant or to take a day trip to another city like Canada’s capital of Ottawa or Quebec City. When I visited, I chose a day trip that would explore some of the beauty of the Laurentians and Quebec’s beautiful landscapes.

If you don’t feel like renting a car, there are day trips that you can join from Montreal to explore other parts of Quebec. Some of the most popular day tours from Montreal are Quebec City and Montmorency Falls and the Laurentian Mountains including Mont Tremblant.

Forest Skating Trail at Domaine Enchanteur

This ice skating trail at Domaine Enchanteur outside of Trois-Rivieres is about a 2-hour drive from Montreal and so worth it. Skating on the frozen trails that wind through the pine forest here is a magical experience. I love skating trails, like this one at Arrowhead in Ontario, so this skating trail was a main draw to planning a trip to Montreal.

There are 15 km of trails here to skate on so it’s easy to spend an hour or two skating through the forest here. You can rent skates here and they also have warming stations and drinks and snacks for sale. Try to arrive early to avoid any crowds as this place does get quite busy.

Winter Hiking at La Mauricie National Park

After skating at Domaine Enchanteur, drive to La Mauricie National Park. The drive to the park is beautiful by itself, taking you over snowy rolling hills. Approaching the park, the landscape with the villages and houses on the edge of the river looks very European. It’s more like driving in France than like being in Canada.

While during the summer you can do a nice loop through the park, winter forces the road to be closed so you can only access part of the park. The Saint-Jean-des-Piles Entrance is open for winter and will give you access to a lodge and cross-country ski, snowshoe, and hiking trails.

At the park, you can rent snowshoes or crampons for your boots depending on the trail you choose to hike. There are quite a few trails you can choose from here. I chose the Du Camping route, which took about 2 hours and was only 4.5 km. The trail takes you on a loop through snowy forest and gives you great views of the river below.

Visiting Montreal, Quebec

Overall, I was super impressed with what Montreal has to offer. Three days there is just enough to see the top sights of the city and have a nice day trip. I love the food scene in Montreal and will definitely be planning a trip in the future to explore more of the city and day trips outside of it. Especially in Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood there is a feeling of creativity to the city that gives a lot of character to Montreal beyond just being a North American city with European looks. It’s definitely a unique city that has a lot to offer its visitors.

Like this? Pin it for later!