Montreal in 5 Days: everything you need to know

Montreal is a vibrant and exciting city that offers a wide range of activities to enjoy over five days. You'll have the opportunity to explore the city' s most elegant and historic neighbourhoods, such as Old Montreal and Plateau Mont-Royal. You'll also be able to enjoy a variety of restaurants and bars, and experience the city's rich French-speaking culture.

In five days you'll have time to visit Notre-Dame Basilica, take a trip to Montmorency Falls, and explore Parc Mont-Royal. In addition, if you're more of a nature lover, I recommend a visit to the Botanical Gardens or a stroll through the city's beautiful old harbour, some of the best things to see and do in Montreal.

On the first day of a five-day itinerary in Montreal you'll find a wide variety of attractions and activities to choose from. Primarily, you can start your tour by exploring the historic heart of the city, Old Montreal, which is noted for its beautiful architecture and cobblestone streets that will take you straight back in time.

You'll also get to see the Notre-Dame Basilica with its impressive stained glass windows and decorations. And throughout the day, you can't miss the opportunity to enjoy the French-Canadian blend of French and Canadian cuisine.

Visit Old Montreal

To start your day, you'll head straight from your hotel or accommodation to Old Montreal, a historic neighbourhood located in the heart of the city and basically one of the most picturesque and charming areas in all of Canada. You' ll love strolling through its narrow cobblestone streets, terraced cafes and restaurants, as well as old buildings with a rich architectural heritage.

The start time for this tour should be around 9:00 or 10:00 to avoid the crowds. In fact, a good way to get to know Old Montreal is to sign up for one of the best Montreal tours, which usually take a few hours. With this in mind, I recommend you spend at least half a day exploring the place.

Explore the Notre-Dame Basilica

After you've had a full tour of the city of Montreal and some special Canadian food for lunch, it's time to move on to the next activity of the day which is to enter the Notre-Dame Basilica, which is located within the Vieux Montréal neighbourhood itself. It is an impressive Catholic church famous for its Gothic architecture and detailed interior decoration.

Upon entering the Basilica, the first thing that will strike you is its sacred atmosphere and its dim lighting and acoustics. Inside you will also be able to see the details on the walls, windows and ceilings. In addition, you will see works of art such as paintings, sculptures and magnificent stained glass windows. I recommend scheduling your visit from 14:00 onwards, so you can spend the rest of the afternoon admiring its beauty. Just after leaving the church you will have the opportunity to visit the harbour.

Stroll along the old harbour and admire the views of the San Lorenzo river

Just a few metres from the Basilica of Notre-Dame, you'll find Montreal's harbour, which is located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, also within Vieux Montreal and from where you'll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the city. This is the perfect place to complete an afternoon of sightseeing and exploring in Montreal. Doing this tour during the evening hours will be ideal for enjoying the tranquillity of the harbour as the sun goes down.

With its wonderful views of the St Lawrence River, the harbour is sure to inspire you to sign up for a cruise from Montreal. Or if that's not your plan, you'll love the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of this place, as well as its combination of local tourism and culture, making it a great place to enjoy any time of the year.

For this second day's itinerary in Montreal, you'll have the chance to travel outside its borders to see another of Canada's most interesting cities, which is none other than Quebec City, located almost three hours from Montreal. The experience, which is undoubtedly one of the best excursions from Montreal, will start with a visit to the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency in Quebec, where you will be able to see the 83-metre waterfall called Montmorency, the largest waterfall in the province of Quebec.

Once there you can take the cable car to the top of the waterfall, from where you can see the entire St. Lawrence River and its surroundings, and also feel the power of the falls. After an hour you will continue to the Observatoire de la Capitale to visit its 360-degree observation deck on the 31st floor, from where you will have a panoramic view of the capital.

Free time to visit Quebec City

During this excursion you will have free time to visit the ancient fortified city of Quebec, which is one of the oldest on the American continent, and where you will be able to discover the city from many different angles, historical, political, military, architectural, among others. Finally, you will have the opportunity to visit the Canyon Sainte-Anne, which consists of three suspension bridges that cross the canyon, a great experience if you like nature and its transformation through time.

At the end of this full day tour, your tour guide will take you back to Montreal, where you can find a place to have dinner and then go to rest at your hotel or accommodation, to continue the next day with other incredible experiences.

The third day of this five-day Montreal itinerary promises to be full of culture and diversity. You'll get to know Plateau-Mont-Royal, one of the city's most vibrant and multicultural neighbourhoods. You'll also visit the Parc du Mont-Royal, an iconic park offering breathtaking views of the city, outdoor activities and tree-lined trails.

Another place you'll visit during this day is the Montreal Botanical Garden, a place where you can enjoy a wide collection of plants and gardens of all designs. You' ll also visit the city's public market to sample some of the quintessential Canadian flavours.

Explore the Montreal Botanical Garden

To start your day, you'll visit the Montreal Botanical Garden. The Botanical Garden is open between 9:00 and 17:00 every day of the week, so it would be perfect to get in early in the morning.

Among the attractions you'll love to see are the Japanese Garden, home to bridges and koi-filled ponds, as well as the Morgan Arboretum, a space dedicated to the exploration of different species of trees.

I recommend spending at least two hours to enjoy the Botanical Garden in all its splendour, which is why you should be out of the Botanical Garden by 11:00 to continue your tour. To get to the garden, I recommend you sign up for a sightseeing bus tour of Montreal, which will take you to visit the most interesting places in the city, including the botanical garden.

Visit the multicultural neighbourhood of Plateau-Mont-Royal

After leaving the botanical garden around 11:00, it's time to immerse yourself in Montreal's diverse and vibrant culture, which is only found in the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood, about 15 minutes from the Botanical Garden. You'll love this place mainly for its vintage shops, international restaurants and small cafés.

As the Plateau-Mont-Royal is such a lively place, I recommend spending at least two to three hours exploring it and experiencing its atmosphere. The main activity to do here is to wander the cobblestone streets, full of street art and local shops where you can buy souvenirs to remember your trip. I recommend using the rest of the morning, between 11:00 and 13:00, to explore this neighbourhood that represents the creativity, modernity and multicultural spirit of Montreal.

Visit the Marché Jean-Talon, a public market

After exploring the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood, it's time to head to the next stop on your itinerary, the Marché Jean-Talon, one of the largest public markets in North America, located about 20 minutes from the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood. You'll find a wide variety of fresh food and local produce here, so it's a good place to grab a bite to eat before exploring the entire market.

You'll arrive around 13:00, so you can grab a bite to eat first and then enjoy the surrounding area. As with all the other places you'll have visited during the day, I recommend spending at least a couple of hours exploring the market. You'll see numerous stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, handmade breads and chocolates, as well as a wide selection of restaurants offering traditional Canadian foods.

Visit Parc de Mont Royal

For this third day you'll leave Parc de Mont Royal last on the list because it's a must-see destination if you like to enjoy nature and urban sights at the same time. What makes this park stand out the most is its large terrain with trails surrounded by nature, so it's a great place for hiking, cycling or just strolling in the open air.

The park is open to the public every day of the week, from 8:00 to 18:00. You also have to know that to go to this place you will have to pay a minimum fee of approximately 5 euros per person.

The plan inside the park is basically to get lost in the trails and let yourself be carried away by the natural beauty that surrounds you. You' ll also get to see an incredible panoramic view of the city from the top of the park, which you'll want to take lots of pictures of to remember the trip. At the end of the day you have the option to go and enjoy the nightlife in Montreal, or head straight back to your hotel or accommodation to rest and prepare for your fourth day in the city.

On your fourth day in Montreal, you'll explore two of the city's iconic attractions, one of which is the vibrant Chinatown, where you can experience historic Chinese culture and sample some of the city's most popular dishes. You'll also check out the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where you'll be able to see its extensive collection of Canadian and international art.

Visit Chinatown

On this day you can go straight to Chinatown, which is the second largest of its kind in North America. A good tour of Chinatown should start around 11 o'clock, which is when the commercial activity starts to pick up.

I recommend staying about three hours, at least to see as many places as possible and to get to know in depth the Asian culture in Montreal.

One place you have to include in your visit to Chinatown is the Discalced Carmelite Monastery, a place dedicated to experience an atmosphere of tranquillity and peace in the city, at the same time that you get to know the universe of oriental culture and spirituality. You can't leave Chinatown without having eaten an Asian dish for lunch.

Explore Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts

After three hours in Chinatown, it's time to move on to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, which is located about 10 minutes from Chinatown. You'll enter this place around 14:00 to see some of the most important European and American collections. With these works on display, this is one of the best museums in Montreal.

I recommend you to spend a little more than two hours to visit this place, to know each one of the galleries and exhibitions, which is ideal considering that the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is open from Tuesday to Sunday, between 10:00 and 17:00, but it closes on Mondays; so you will visit this place between 14:00 and 16:00. You can check the museum's website to see what's on show, so you'll know what you're going to see when you go.

Walk around the Quartier des Spectacles neighbourhood

Once you leave the museum you can continue your tour to the Quartier des Spectacles neighbourhood, which is one of the most vibrant and exciting places in Montreal. Its streets are lined with a rich cultural scene and a wide variety of attractions and events. I recommend spending the rest of the afternoon here, so it should take you about two hours to explore the whole place.

As the Quartier des Spectacles neighbourhood, which is a 10-minute walk from the Musée des Beaux-Arts, has a lot to offer, you'll love spending the evening and the rest of the night here. After dark, the neighbourhood transforms into an exciting place with numerous bars, clubs and live entertainment venues for high quality music and entertainment, so it's a good place to find some of the best things to see and do in Montreal at night.

To finish off your five-day itinerary in Montreal, you'll have a fifth day full of exciting adventures that include some of the city' s most breathtaking panoramic views. During the day you'll enjoy a nice experience at the Montreal Observatory, but you'll also have the opportunity to explore the biodiversity of the Biodome.

This being the case, your day will start not so early, considering you enjoyed the night before and it might be a bit tiring to be out on the streets so early in the morning. So you would be having breakfast around 9:00, to continue your tour of the city.

Enjoy a panoramic view from the Montreal Observatory

After breakfast, it will be a good time to enter the Montreal Observatory, which is one of the city's most popular attractions thanks to its breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding cityscape. The observatory is located on the 46th floor of the Place Ville Marie building and is considered to be the highest point in Montreal, at a height of 185 metres.

The Montreal Observatory is open daily between 10:00 and 18:00. Every day of the week you will have the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and appreciate the unique architecture that characterises it. You can stay as long as you like enjoying the views and taking pictures of the skyline, but I recommend that you stay for at least two hours to take in the city and its nuances at your leisure.

Visit the Biodome, a place that recreates four different ecosystems

You'll leave the Observatory around 12:00, so it's a good time to grab some lunch before continuing on to the second place on your fifth day's tour, which is none other than the Montreal Biodome, an impressive attraction that recreates four different ecosystems inside and gives you the opportunity to observe and learn about the flora and fauna unique to each one. It's located about 20 minutes from the Observatory.

The Biodome is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday between 9:00 and 17:00, while it is closed on Mondays and certain public holidays. If you love nature and the environment, you'll love this place full of wonders. You can see at least four ecosystems inside, including rainforest, deciduous forest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Arctic. Each environment is meticulously recreated inside the Biodome, so you'll gain in-depth and accurate knowledge of each.

I recommend spending at least two hours visiting the Biodome, or the rest of the afternoon, because this is a park that is always full of activities to do. You will leave the Biodome at closing time, around 17:00, to leave some free time to explore the city of Montreal at your leisure and then go to your hotel or accommodation to rest. For your return home the next day, I suggest you book your transfer to Montreal Airport in advance.

Your visit to the Biodome is the end of your five-day Montreal itinerary, so after this activity, all you have to do is wait for your flight home.