Montreal: The Paris of North America

Fun fact if you’re new here (or haven’t already read the Toronto blog), I’m also Canadian!

My mom is from Montreal, so this incredible city holds a special place in my heart and I love that it’s a short drive from Boston. Since we still have family there, I’ve visited throughout the years, but this was my first formal trip in a long time so I’m coming back with recs!

Where we stayed:

Hotel Monroe Downtown Montreal: Staying downtown made a convenient home base for exploring Montreal, Old Montreal, restaurants, cafés, and shopping. Plus they’re apartment style suits so you really feel at home!

• I was there with a lot of family members so we got a 3 bedroom with an incredible view (photo above!)

• Modern hotel with amenities like a fitness center, rooftop terrace, and outdoor pool.

• Only 1 block away from the metro.

Where to eat

Breakfast:

• Hinnawi Bros Bagel:

  Start the day with a Montreal-style bagel. A great breakfast stop for bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee.

• Myriad:

  A Montreal coffee favorite and the perfect place for a caffeine pick-me-up while exploring the city.

• Tropé:

  A fun breakfast stop with acai bowls and juices for a leisurely (and healthy) start to the morning.

Lunch:

• Philinos:

  A Greek/Mediterranean lunch stop with plenty of grilled meats, seafood, and traditional Greek dishes.

• Zyara:

  A casual spot for Lebanese and Middle Eastern flavors.

• Le Toasteur Villeray:

  A neighborhood favorite for brunch and lunch, with everything from egg dishes and sandwiches to sweet breakfast plates. Close to the fabric district if you’re hungry from exploring!

Dinner:

• Mirage Restaurant:

  A great dinner stop featuring Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes.

• Chez Lionel:

  A modern French brasserie serving French-inspired dishes, seafood, and classic brasserie favorites.

• Trattoria Gio:

  Italian comfort food in the heart of Old Montreal. The perfect dinner stop before or after wandering around Place Jacques-Cartier.

Dessert:

Montreal has a couple food dishes it’s known for (put ‘poutine’ on your list) and one of them is a ‘beaver tail’. No, it’s not an actual tail from an animal, it’s just shaped like one! It’s a delicious fried pastry with your choice of sweet topping(s). I’m a Nutella and peanut butter cups gal myself. If you’re in the Old Montreal neighborhood, I highly recommend Queues de Castor. Beware, they can get a little messy!

Where to explore

• Old Montreal- The closest you’ll get to a European feel in North America (and Quebec City!). It’s one of those neighborhoods where you can happily spend hours just wandering. Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) is full of cobblestone streets, historic stone buildings, little boutiques, cafés, and galleries. The neighborhood's oldest buildings date back to the 1600s, so there's plenty to look at even when you don't have a specific destination in mind.

• Mount Royal- Spend an afternoon around Mount Royal for a mix of greenery, city views, people-watching, and playgrounds. We took the opportunity to get outside, enjoy the area, grab lunch, and—of course—get some ice cream. It also has rowboats you can rent and paddle around the pond and, in the winter, ice skating! Plus the hills are big enough for sledding.

• Rue Saint-Hubert- Calling all fabric lovers! Rue Saint-Hubert has a fun collection of fabric and textile shops, making it a great place to browse for everything from everyday fabrics to more unique finds.

  And even if you're not shopping for fabric, the street and surrounding area is worth exploring for its boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and local shops.

Other recs

• Mount Royal Lookout
  Since you already have Mount Royal on your list, I’d specifically add the Kondiaronk Belvedere. It’s the classic panoramic viewpoint overlooking downtown Montreal and the St. Lawrence River (especially pretty around sunset).

• Jean-Talon Market
  It's basically a combination of food + shopping + people-watching. The market is in Little Italy and is Montreal's largest and most diverse public market, with produce, specialty foods, flowers, cheese, and local products.

• Atwater Market
  Another great market option, especially if you're already exploring the Lachine Canal area. It's a little more compact than Jean-Talon and has an Art Deco building, specialty food shops, and plenty of things to snack on.

• Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
  If you want an art stop, this is the big one. The collection covers everything from Québec and Canadian art to European works, contemporary art, decorative arts, and design.

• McCord Stewart Museum
  Right up my alley because it focuses on Montreal's social history, photography, fashion, textiles, and material culture. If you’re here it might be your alley too. Check it out!

Bonus Tip!

If you’re into winter sports like me, I highly recommend visiting Ski Bromont. It’s only an hour outside of Montreal and is the cutest little town with delicious restaurants. The slopes are amazing (perfect for a turquoise rider like me, IYKYK) and very well priced for a ski area.

Montreal is basically the perfect combination of charming old-world streets, incredible food, cute cafés, and very good shopping. Add in a little Mount Royal exploring and plenty of carbs, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great city getaway. Plus, if you live in the Northeast of the US, just a drive away!

Samantha Shammas, Author

A true travel enthusiast, Samantha has been going around the globe her entire life and has visited over 40 countries and counting. With a lust to wander, she’s always excited to visit new places and soak in inspiration for her artwork.