Montreal/Old Montreal

Old Montreal (French: Vieux-Montréal) is what many visitors come to Montreal for: old cobblestoned streets lined with buildings dating from the 17th through 19th centuries, grand old French restaurants, history museums, and the riverfront Old Port. That's not to say that Old Montreal is completely removed from the rest of Montreal — back a few blocks from the mimes and steakhouses, you'll find warehouses converted to boutique shops and loft apartments.

During the summer, Place Jacques-Cartier is packed with street performers and restaurant terraces overflowing with tourists. Winter presents a much more subdued scene, with bundled figures hurrying from gallery to restaurant to hotel in the cold and snow.

It is a mistake to call Old Montreal the "Old City" or "Old Town". Locals do not call it this, only guide books do.

Get in

By metro

Old Montreal is served by three metro stations — Square-Victoria, Champ-de-Mars, and Place-d'Armes. They are a short walk into the heart of things, but there's a bit of a hill.

By car

Street parking is scarce and runs $3 per hour. Parking complexes run $6/hr, $15 max, $20 for 12-24 hours.

  • Clock Tower Quay, enter from rue Berri or rue de la Commune est.
  • Montréal Science Centre, take boulevard Saint-Laurent or rue de la Commune.
  • Alexandra Quay, either rue de la Callière or rue de la Commune ouest.
  • Complexe Chaussegros-de-Léry, next to Champ-de-Mars metro, has over a thousand spots.

A few small commercial lots operate around City Hall for $20/day. Note that the streets are small and one-way, and thronged with pedestrians in the summer. Plans are in the works to turn rue Saint-Paul into a pedestrian walk, further complicating things.

By bus

Buses don't run in Old Town, but route 715 runs along the Old Port and it can get you within a few blocks.

From the Plateau, the 55 runs down Saint-Laurent to Saint-Jacques and up St. Urbain and the 30 runs down rue Berri (1 block east of Saint-Denis). From downtown, take the 75 de la Commune, get off at McGill/Wellington: it's then a four block walk to the edge of the cobblestone.

By boat

Ferries (navettes) run to and from Île Sainte-Hélène May to October and to the suburb of Longueuil on the south shore.

Get around

Old Montreal is small enough that walking is usually the best way to get around. Sidewalks are narrow and the streets cobblestone, making slow going for wheelchairs and strollers.

Bike rentals
  • Vélo Aventure, quai des Convoyeurs, ☏ +1 514-288-8356. Summer bike and roller blade rentals. 
  • Montréal On Wheels, ☏ +1 514-866-0633. Bikes, tandem bikes, roller blades, and accessories such as baby seats. Bike tours also offered. Weekdays $8/hr; weekends $9/hr. 

See
  • 🌍 Vieux-Port (Old Port), South of rue Saint-Antoine between rue McGill and rue Berri (metro Champ-de-Mars or Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-496-7678, toll-free: +1 800-971-7678, . 6AM-Midnight. The Old Port is a large waterfront green space with attractions such as Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal Science Center, the Labyrinth, the Clock Tower, and a large outdoor audio-visual stage which is the site for the Canada Day fireworks. 
  • 🌍 Place Jacques-Cartier. Pedestrian street filled with street artists and musicians, and there are numerous fine restaurants and private art galleries nearby. 
  • 🌍 Bonsecours Market (Marché Bonsecours), 350 rue Saint-Paul est (between rue Bonsecours and rue Saint-Claude; metro Champ-de-Mars). Daily 10:00-18:00. 
  • 🌍 Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame), 116 rue Notre-Dame ouest (at place d'Armes/rue Saint-Sulpice; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-842-2925, . Visitor hours (Summer) M-F 09:00-16:30, Sa 09:00-16:00, Su 12:30-16:00; (Winter) M-F 10:00-16:30, Sa 09:00-16:00, Su 12:30-16:00. Probably the city's most spectacular church, a gem of Victorian Gothic. Service is at 17:00 daily and on Sunday morning. Entrance is free for worship, but donations are suggested. During service, the organ music is not to be missed. While it shouldn't have to be mentioned, tourists should be respectful during services. Photography is not allowed during services. 20-minute guided tours offered in French or English. Adults $14, student (17-22) children (6-16) $9, children under 6 free. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Montreal Clock Tower (Tour de l'Horloge de Montréal), Quai de l'Horloge (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-496-7678. Early May and September (after Labour Day): Sa Su 10:00-19:00; mid May-mid June and mid August-Labour Day: M-Th 10:00-19:00, F-Su 10:00-21:00; mid June-mid August: 10:00-21:00 daily. Also known as the Sailors' Memorial Clock, the clock tower was built between 1919-1922 as a memorial to sailors lost at sea. Its clock mechanism is similar to Big Ben's and was known for its accuracy; sailors would often set their watches by it. From May to September, visitors can climb the 192 steps to the top of the tower for a good view of Old Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. Free. 
  • 🌍 Former Parliament in Montreal (at Parc place d'Youville). 24 hours. While Montreal was the capital of Canada from 1843 to 1849, it also hosted the parliament building. The building was burnt to the ground by rioters in 1849. Some of the artifacts uncovered from the site are displayed in a self-guided tour. (updated Oct 2022)

Museums

Old Montreal has the largest concentration of historical homes and museums — plus the ultra-modern Montréal Science Centre.

  • 🌍 Marguerite-Bourgeoys Museum and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys et Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours), 400 rue Saint-Paul est (at rue Bonsecours; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-282-8670, fax: +1 514-282-8672, . May-Oct: 11AM-6PM; Oct-May: Tu-F 11AM-4PM, 11AM-5PM. Built in 1655, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, is the oldest stone church in Montreal. The museum houses artifacts from the church's history and pays tribute to Marguerite Bourgeoys, Montreal's first teacher. $14/adult, $12/senior, $7/student, $5/youth, $30/family. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 🌍 Pointe-à-Callière Museum (Montréal Museum of Archeology and History), 350 place Royale (at place d'Youville/rue de la Commune; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-872-9150, . Labour Day to 24 June: Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 11AM-5PM; 25 June to Labour Day: M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa-Su 11AM-6PM. A modern museum built over the ruins of Montreal's first settlement, Pointe à Callière. This museum uses audiovisual technology as well as surrounding archaeological remains to tell the story of Montreal from the first natives to the present day. $26/adult, $24/senior, $17/young adult, $13/teenager, $8/child, $52/family. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 🌍 Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site (Lieu historique national de Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier), 458 rue Notre-Dame est (at rue Berri; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-283-2282. June 17-Sep-4: W-Su 10AM-5PM; Sept 5-Oct 31: Sa-M 10AM-5PM; Dec 1-17: Sa-Su 10AM-5PM. Reconstruction of two 19th-century Victorian homes commemorating the life and accomplishments of Sir George-Étienne Cartier, who was a Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation. $4.25/adult, $3.75/senior, youth free, $3.75 per person in commercial group. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 🌍 Montréal Science Centre (Centre des sciences de Montréal), 333 rue de la Commune ouest (at boul Saint-Laurent on Quai King-Edward; metro Place-d'Armes, bus 55 or 515), ☏ +1 514-496-4724, toll-free: +1-877-496-4724, . Daily 10:00-17:00; check listings for IMAX movie times. Interactive science museum and IMAX theater. IMAX screenings $8.50 child, $10.50 teen, $11.50 adult, $10.50 senior; exhibitions $8.50 child, $13 teen, $15 adult, $13 senior, $40 family; see website for details. 
  • 🌍 Centre d'histoire de Montréal, 335 place d'Youville (at rue Saint-Pierre; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-872-3207, fax: +1 514-872-9645, . W-Su 10:00-17:00. Covering the history of Montreal from its founding in 1535. The museum is housed in a former fire station that dates from 1903. $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children (6-17) and students, $15 families, free for children under 6. (updated Jul 2015)
  • 🌍 Bank of Montréal Museum, 129 rue Saint-Jacques ouest (at place d'Armes; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-877-6810, . M-F 10:00-16:00. Hands-on museum focusing on the history of banking in Montreal. Free. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Château Ramezay Museum, 280 rue Notre-Dame est (at rue Saint-Claude; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-861-3708, . Jun-Oct 10:00-18:00 daily. 18th century Governor's residence and gardens full of historical artifacts from daily life. $4 child, $5 student, $8 adults, $6 senior, $16.50 families. 
  • 🌍 DHC/ART, 451 rue Saint-Jean (at rue du Saint-Sacrement; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-286-6626. W-F 12:00-19:00, Sa Su 11:00-18:00. A privately endowed foundation, DHC/ART is a permanent location for exciting and relevant temporary visual arts exhibitions and projects. Free. 

Do
  • Winter Ice Skating, the Old Port. Oct-Mar: daily 10:00-21:00. $4 adults, $3 child (does not include skate rental). 
  • Boat rental. 
  • Jet Boating, Clock tower pier (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-284-9607. $40 child, $50 teen, $60 adult, $70 with dinner. 
  • Voiles en voiles, Place des Vestiges, QC H2Y 1G6, ☏ +15144731458, . 10:00 - 21:00. This venue offers a diverse range of outdoor activities, including aerial adventure courses, wall climbing, and inflatable games, all set within a thematic environment inspired by 18th-century pirate and royal ships. (updated Apr 2024)

Festivals
  • Igloofest. 
  • Montréal High Lights (Montreal All-Nighter). 
  • Harbour Symphonies. 

Buy

Marché Bonsecours

Worth a visit for the neoclassical building itself, 🌍 Marche Bonsecours houses local art and design boutiques. The Market is open 24 Jun-early Sep: daily 10:00-18:00, Apr-2 Jun and Sep-Dec: Sa Su 10:00-18:00.

Art galleries

Eat

Restaurants cater to tourists, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few gems that draw locals. Note that many of the restaurants along Place Jacques-Cartier shut down or at least close their terraces and gardens forcing patrons into a smaller, and often less charming, inside dining room. Prices for each range are slightly higher here than elsewhere in the city.

Budget
  • 🌍 Olive & Gourmando, 351 rue Saint-Paul ouest (at rue Saint-Pierre; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-350-1083. Tu-Sa 08:00-18:00. Popular boulangerie offering fresh sandwiches, soups, and a daily lunch dish and baked goods. Also sells breads, jams, and snacks to take away. 
  • 🌍 L'Aventure, 438 place Jacques-Cartier (between rue Notre-Dame and rue Saint-Paul; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-866-9439. Daily 08:00-15:00. Pub and bar featuring two terraces in the summer. French bistro cuisine plus soups, salads, pizza, and pastas. $7-15. 
  • 🌍 Marché du Vieux, 217 boul Saint-Laurent (between rue Saint-Paul and rue de la Commune; additional entrance at 8 rue-Saint Paul est; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-393-2772. Su-Th 09:00-17:00, F Sa 09:00-19:00. Equal parts bistro and fine-food boutique, Marché du Vieux is a cute spot for a gourmet lunch or snack. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Restaurant Bonaparte, 443 rue Saint-François-Xavier (between rue Saint-Paul and rue Notre-Dame, adjacent to the Auberge Bonaparte; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-844-4368. Lunch: M-F 11:30-14:00, dinner: daily 17:30-22:30. 
  • 🌍 Le Jardin Nelson, 407 place Jacques-Cartier (at rue Saint-Paul; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-861-5731. Daily 11:30-22:00. Fancy and filling crepes are the main draw to this historic restaurant and garden courtyard. Offering outdoor jazz and other live music in the summer, it loses some of its charm in the winter when things move inside. 
  • 🌍 Boris Bistro, 465 rue McGill (at rue des Récollets; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-848-9575. Summer: M-F 11:30-23:00, Sa Su 12:00-23:00; winter: Lunch: M-F 11:30-14:00; dinner: Tu-F 17:00-23:00, Sa 18:00-23:00. Popular bistro featuring a large courtyard. Menu offers meats, seafood, and pastas. Try the French fries cooked in duck fat. $15-20. 
  • 🌍 Restaurant Le Fripon, 436 place Jacques-Cartier (between rue Saint-Paul and rue Notre-Dame; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-861-1386, fax: +1 514-861-7748, . Grand historic building with shaded terrace serving French bistro fare, seafood, and pastas. Note the terrace menu is limited to soups, snails, and fries. Bar features wide selection of domestic and imported beers. 
  • 🌍 Chez Suzette, 3 rue Saint-Paul est (at rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-874-1984. Crepes and fondue in a cozy, family-friendly spot. Wine and cider at SAQ prices + $5. 
  • Sushi-ya, 350 rue Saint-Paul est (basement level in Marché Bonsecours; take stairs down under the big wooden fish), ☏ +1 514-315-7472. M-Sa 11:00-15:00 and 17:00-22:00. Well-executed and beautifully presented sushi and tempura in an elegant dining room. Staff speaks English as well as French. dinner $10-20. 

Splurge
  • 🌍 Gibby's, 298 place d'Youville (between rue Saint-Nicolas and rue Saint-Pierre; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-282-1837. M-F 17:30-23:00, Sa Su 17:00-23:00. Fancy steakhouse housed in a 200-year-old former stable, popular with tourists. Reservations strongly recommended. 
  • 🌍 Le Saint-Gabriel, 426 rue Saint-Gabriel (between rue Notre-Dame and rue Saint-Paul; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-878-3561, . Tu-F 12:00-14:30 and 18:00-22:00, Sa 18:00-22:00. French fine cuisine with a taste of Quebec from the first North America alcohol licence, issued in 1754. 
  • 🌍 Kyo Bar Japonais, 711 côte de la Place-d'Armes (at ruelle des Fortifications, in the Hôtel Place d’Armes; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-282-2711. Lunch: M-F 11:30A-14:30; dinner: M-Th 17:00-23:00, F Sa 17:00-00:00. Upscale Japanese restaurant and sushi bar with a menu based on izakaya classics and an extensive sake selection. 
  • 🌍 Toqué!, 900 place Jean-Paul-Riopelle (between rue Saint-Antoine and ave Viger; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-499-2084, . Lunch: Tu-F 11:30-14:00, dinner: Tu-Sa 17:30-22:30. In 1993, chef Normand Laprise put Montreal cuisine on the map with this landmark restaurant, and after more than 25 years, it's still going strong in a new location. Combining the latest trends in fine dining with local and regional produce, the chefs create spectacularly complex dishes in tiny, but strangely satisfying portions. The house specialty is an eight-course surprise menu, made up of many small dishes. This restaurant will take a bite out of your wallet, but serious foodies will find it worth the cost. $30-50. 

Drink

Old Montreal has limited nightlife options as most bars and lounges are found in hotels or part of restaurants. Standalone bars are more popular for after-work drinks than the late-night partying which happens in the Plateau and Downtown's Crescent Street.

  • 🌍 Pub St-Paul, 124 rue Saint-Paul est (at rue Saint-Vincent; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-874-0485. Daily 11:00-15:00. Big space, popular with tours. Offers pub grub and a view of the river during the day and live music (Th-Sa 22:00). Cheap (for Old Montreal) and casual. 
  • 🌍 Santos, 191 rue Saint-Paul ouest (at rue Saint-François-Xavier; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-849-8881. Tu-Sa 17:00-03:00. Cafe-by-day and bar-by-night, Santos is the place to escape your hotel lobby for a martini and late night snack of "Pop Food", their take on tapas. Live jazz on Thursdays, DJ on the weekends. Reservations recommended for Saturday nights. Weekend covers start around $20. 
  • 🌍 Wunderbar, 901 rue du Square-Victoria (in the W Hotel; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-395-3195. W-Sa 22:00-03:00. Trendy spot on the edge of Old Montreal. Expect cover charges and a line at the door. Changing out of your sight-seeing clothes and into something swanky will probably help get you in the door. 
  • 🌍 Suite 701, 701 côte de la Place-d'Armes (at rue Saint-Jacques, in the Place d'Armes Hotel; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-904-1201. Daily 17:00-03:00. "Suite" sums it up for this high-end lounge popular with the executive set. Leather couches and sipping scotches. No cover. 
  • 🌍 Pub Saint Pierre, 410 Rue Saint-Pierre, ☏ +1 514-985-5204. (updated Jan 2023)

Sleep

Budget
  • 🌍 Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal (Auberge Alternative du Vieux-Montréal), 358 rue Saint-Pierre (between rue Saint-Paul and place d'Youville; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-282-8069, . Housed in a 19th-century warehouse, this hostel boasts fair trade coffee, wi-fi, an organic continental breakfast, and a range of activities and classes. Kitchen and laundry facilities provided. Often full, reservations recommended. $23 dorm bed, $60 double room. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Auberge Vieux Port, 97 rue de la Commune est (at rue Saint-Gabriel; metro Champ-de-Mars), ☏ +1 514-876-0081, toll-free: +1-888-660-7678, . A good deal for the price, this historical building, set back from the street, books up early. 
  • 🌍 Le Westin Montreal, 270 rue Saint-Antoine ouest (between rue Saint-Pierre and rue Saint-François-Xavier; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-380-3333. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. 454 large and well-appointed guestrooms at the gateway to Old Montreal. Each room features the ten-layer Heavenly Bed, and the hotel also offers a unique glass-bottom pool. 
  • 🌍 Hotel Epik Montreal, 171 rue Saint-Paul ouest (between Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Francois-Xavier), ☏ +1 514-842-2634, toll-free: +1-866-841-2634, . Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Three-star boutique hotel. $140-2000. (updated Jul 2016)
  • Trylon Hotels, 3463 Rue Sainte Famille (bus: 80 or 129, metro: Place-Des-Arts or Saint-Laurent.), ☏ +1 514-843-3971, toll-free: +1 877-843-3971, . Check-in: 11:00, check-out: 17:00. A modern, renovated hotel. Rooftop terrace, lounge, indoor pool. 2 min from the entertainment district & grocery store. (updated Jul 2019)

Splurge
  • 🌍 Hotel St-Paul, 355 rue McGill (between rue Saint-Paul and place d'Youville; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-380-2222, toll-free: +1-866-380-2202. This self-described "design hotel" in Old Montreal features uber-modern rooms on the edge of the historical district. See Eat and Drink for bars and restaurants in the same building. 
  • 🌍 Hotel Nelligan, 106 rue Saint-Paul ouest (at rue Saint-Sulpice; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-788-2040, toll-free: +1-877-788-2040, . Falling somewhere between posh and opulent, the Nelligan offers large rooms with king beds, loft-style suites, and rooftop two-room penthouses above a fine French restaurant. Some rooms with fireplaces, and jacuzzi-tubs for two. $225 and up. 
  • 🌍 Hotel Gault, 449 rue Sainte-Hélène (at rue des Récollets; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-904-1616, toll-free: +1-866-904-1616. Feels like you're stepping into Architectural Digest with ultra-modern furniture and rooms in a converted warehouse. Very helpful staff. 
  • 🌍 Le Saint Sulpice, 414 rue Saint-Sulpice (at rue Saint-Paul; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-288-1000, toll-free: +1-877-785-7423. Four-star boutique hotel offering four types of luxury suites. 
  • 🌍 Le Petit Hotel, 168 rue Saint-Paul ouest (at place Royale; metro Place-d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-940-0360, toll-free: +1-877-530-0360. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. A boutique hotel, Le Petit Hotel is charming, chic and hip in the middle of Old Montreal. It combines 19th-century architecture with 21st century tech such as Wi-Fi, iPod docking station, LCDs, Nintendo Wii and multi-jet showers. $195-350. 
  • 🌍 InterContinental Montréal, 360 rue Saint-Antoine ouest (Métro Square-Victoria / Place d'Armes), ☏ +1 514-987-9900, toll-free: +1-877-660-8550, . 
  • 🌍 W Montreal, 901 rue du Square-Victoria (at rue Saint-Antoine; metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-395-3100, toll-free: +1-866-716-8101. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. A luxury hotel, the W Montreal has 152 rooms, spa, and a restaurant - Otto Ristorante. This hotel is between downtown and Old Montreal. 

Connect

There are no cyber-cafes in Old Montreal, but a few cafes and restaurants in the area participate in Île Sans Fils, Montreal's free, public wi-fi program. Your best bet, if you're without laptop, is to ask to use the business center at one of the larger hotels-—expect to be charged accordingly.

  • Planète Sans-Fil, 333 rue de la Commune ouest. Free wi-fi access outside the Planète Sans-Fil (Wireless Planet) office. 
  • Pizzedelic, 39 rue Notre-Dame ouest, ☏ +1 514-286-1200. Funky upscale thin-crust pizza place with full bar. Salads, soups, pastas also on the menu. Try the apples and sultana raisin pizza for something a little different. Free wi-fi. 
  • Cluny Artbar, 257 rue Prince (metro Square-Victoria), ☏ +1 514-866-1213. M-Th 08:00-17:00, F 08:00-21:00. Hip art gallery/bar/café with free wi-fi. 

Go next
Routes through Old Montreal
Saint-Laurent ← Downtown ←  W  E  → Quartier Latin → Laval


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