The beautiful, bustling city of Montreal is the most populated city in the Québec province and second most populated in all of Canada, after Toronto. This city is packed with bars, restaurants, shops, street art, endless sights to be seen, and even an underground tunnel system. Montreal is both lively and fun, so you are bound to have nothing short of a good time. And bonus: you will consume more delicious poutine than any human ever should.
If you’ve read our Quebec itinerary, you know that we chose to drive around Canada. I suggest you have a car here as well for at least one day if you’re interested in visiting a local ski resort. Public transit within the city however is excellent, so a car is not necessary if you don’t plan on venturing beyond city boundries.
– Day 1 –
-Shred the day away at Sommet Saint Sauveur. This ski slope is about an hour outside of the city and is a great way to spend your first winter day in Montreal. Like I had mentioned above, we drove in from Quebec City so we stopped here first before checking in to our hotel downtown.
-Hit the town and check out Old Port Montreal for a Ferris Wheel ride.
-Get your first helping of some delicious poutine at John Michaels Pub along with some brews .
– Day 2 –
-Wake up and head to Mount Royal for an awesome view of the city below and the sun rising behind it.
-Stop in at the Botanical Gardens. Yes, they are open all winter; and yes, they are beautiful all year round. If you’re lucky, the gardens will be covered in snow, which makes for a picturesque stroll.
-Check out the 1976 Olympic Stadium and hitch a ride to the top to get a new perspective of the city.
-Bar hop your way up Saint Denis Street and back down Saint Laurent Street for a memorable night of fun and meeting new friends.
– Day 3 –
-Burrow underground and explore the RÉSO, a homonym of réseau, meaning network in French. Known in English as The Underground City, these tunnels connect many parts of the city and are the perfect way to avoid the cold winter days and shop the many stores that inhabit the subterranean maze. Check the link above for a map of the tunnels and don’t miss the big blue fountain in the center that puts on a brilliant water show all day long.
-Fill a photo album with shots of all the street art this city hosts. Montreal is home to a lot of talented artists whose art rotates regularly.
– If your muscles are still a little stiff from your snow day, or if you just simply want to relax, book an appointment at Bota Bota. This historic river ferry, has been docked for good and transformed into a fully functional spa with multiple steam rooms, saunas, hot tubs, cold pools, massage rooms, and a restaurant. We chose the “Layover Water Circuit Option” which afforded us access to the spa for three magical hours.
