3 Days in Montreal Itinerary

Spending 3 days in Montreal and need an itinerary? This post will help you discover the city’s highlights, including museums, parks, and where to find the best food.

Located on the beautiful Île de Montréal (or Montreal Island) on the alluring Saint Lawrence River, Montréal is one of Canada’s highlights for any tourist.

While certainly a sprawling and populous city in its own right, its cozy neighborhoods, quaint cobblestones, and beautiful architecture give the city an intimate and Old World feel, and you will feel at home here immediately.

In this post, you will find a complete 3-day Montreal itinerary that will help you see the best the city has to offer.

3 Days in Montreal Itinerary

Montreal first became prominent as a hub for fur traders in the 18th century, but even as fur trading fell in importance as time passed, Montréal continued to be a sought-after place for shipping and a world-renowned center of culture, religion, and architecture.

Today, it’s a perfect place to visit for 3 days, where you will have your fill of gastronomy, museums, open-air spaces, and more, leaving you longing for a return visit.

If you’re able to extend your time in Canada, Toronto and Canada’s capital, Ottawa, aren’t too far away from Montréal and are absolutely worth a visit. Both are very different to Montréal, and the three together give you a good idea of what Canadian city life is like.

Ready for your 3-day Montreal itinerary? Read on for a guide to the top sights, great restaurants and snacks, and more.

3 Days in Montreal Itinerary: First Day

Start your visit with a trek up Mt. Royal, the three-peaked hill for which the city is named. Atop the hill, you’ll find almost 700 acres’ worth of beautiful walking trails, as well as panoramic vistas of the city below.

There is also a beautiful church at the summit called St. Joseph’s Oratory. If you visit in winter, there are opportunities to rent skis, snowboards, or snowshoes. Visiting Mt. Royal is an absolute must, one of the best things to do in Montréal, and worth prioritizing at the beginning of your visit.

If you’d prefer not to hike up (it can get quite steep at times!) it is also possible to drive up to the top, with accessible parking and handrails to the overlooks.

After spending some time at Mt. Royal, explore nearby La Fontaine park and head over to La Banquise to sample the quintessential Canadian snack food: poutine!

La Banquise has a slightly dive-bar feel and is very casual – just slide into a booth and let your imagination wander, because there are all sorts of intriguing things to try on the menu.

If you’ve never had poutine, you should try La Classique, which is traditional poutine: French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. If you have tried it before, La Banquise has all sorts of intriguing options, from vegan to Mexican-style.

If poutine is really not your cup of tea (it’s worth trying once, but is very rich and certainly not healthy!), never fear – there is another quintessential Montréal snack option nearby. St-Viateur Bagels is said to be one of the best places to get Montréal-style bagels, which are smaller and sweeter than American-style.

After you’ve had your snack, head down to the Mille Carré Doré area, or the Golden Mile. To get there, you’ll pass right through the McGill University area, which is well worth exploring for its neat architecture and sprawling academic buildings.

The Golden Mile is one of the most “happening” parts of town, with lots of restaurants, shopping opportunities, and Victorian architecture. Notably, the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is also here, Canada’s oldest museum. If you had to pick one museum in Montréal to visit, this would be a great choice.

In the evening, spend some time walking around Vieux Montréal, the old city. Much of the architecture here dates back to the 16th century, and the cobblestone streets are so romantic.

The Old Port area is especially charming, with lots of squares, small parks, and pedestrian-friendly areas to explore. There is ample waterfront dining, as well as many great places to grab a drink on a rooftop balcony.

Some favorites in this area are Jardin Nelson for its outdoor patio and live music, and Terrasse Perché for its rooftop views and sangria.

Montreal 3-Day Itinerary: Day 2

Vieux Montréal is also a must-see in the daytime, so start your day here so you can beat the crowds! Also among the top things to do in Montreal is a visit to the Cathedral.

It is a must-see, and worth the $5 CAD admission. Its stained glass windows are magnificent, and it is certainly an emblem and symbol of the city.

Opened in 1829, the church is a Gothic Revival masterpiece, and also has an enormous pipe organ and intricate wooden carvings that you will enjoy admiring in detail.

Also in the area is a huge Ferris Wheel called the Grande Roue de Montréal, which is another fun option for panoramic views of the city, but definitely spend some time exploring the cobblestoned streets, meandering alleyways, and cute places to stop for a crepe or an ice cream cone.

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In the afternoon, explore the Underground City, a sprawling maze of shops, cafes, and more spanning 30 kilometers – all underneath the city!

The Montréal metro has several stops here, and this is much, much more than just a shopping mall. The Underground City is one of the most unique places to visit in Montreal, and you’ll easily spend several hours wandering around its maze-like corridors.

For some very classy fine dining in the evening, consider booking a reservation at the Club Chasse et Peche, a renowned restaurant serving traditional Québec fare. If this is a bit too pricey for you, consider reserving somewhere else in the Old Port – you really can’t go wrong!

Later on, if you are interested in the clubbing scene, there is arguably no better place in North America than Montreal, with different offerings for any interest.

If you like the student nightlife scene, there are pubs galore near McGill and the University of Montreal (on the other side of Mt. Royal.). If you’re into the bottle-service scene or live music, there are also lots of options for that.

The live DJs at Datcha or La Rouge are very popular, as is the bar-hopping on Crescent Street.

3 Days in Montreal: Last Day

On the last of your 3 days in Montreal, opt outside for some of the city’s best outdoor attractions. Montréal hosted the 1976 Olympic Games, and you can still visit the sprawling Olympic Park.

While you’re here, don’t miss the massive Olympic Stadium, as well as the Montréal Tower, with its glass-walled funicular for spectacular views of the city.

The building that served as the velodrome (a track cycling arena) during the Olympics has been converted into a one-of-a-kind museum, called the Biodôme.

Inside the Biodôme, scientists have recreated 5 distinct ecosystems for visitors to enjoy: Sub-Antarctic Islands (which include penguins!); a Tropical Rainforest; views of underwater life in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; a Maple Forest (common in the Québec region); and birds of the Labrador Coast. The Biodôme is really spectacular and well worth a visit.

However, another can’t-miss museum is nearby – the Montréal Botanical Gardens. Spanning 185 acres and home to 20,000 distinct species of flora and fauna, you absolutely must visit the Botanical Gardens, our top recommendation in Montréal.

The gardens are filled with marvelous walking trails, pavilions, and beautiful flowers, trees, and plants to enjoy.

A particular favorite is a Japanese pavilion. Admission is fairly steep for the Gardens, at $20 CAD for adults and $15 CAD for students. However, it’s possible to purchase a joint ticket for the Biodôme for $37 CAD ($27 CAD for students), and the admission price is worth it.

In nearby “Little Italy,” enjoy local cheese, meat, and produce at the Marché Jean-Talon, an open-air farmers’ market. This is a lovely place to have lunch, and be sure to sample some pastries from local vendors.

If you’d like to take advantage and explore a second open-air market before settling down to eat your feast somewhere outdoors, Marché Atwater (located near Mt. Royal), is a great place to combine purchases.

Atwater is known more for gourmet goods, such as oils and spices, perfect to spice up your Jean-Talon purchases or take home as souvenirs for yourself or loved ones.

After you finish up at Atwater, walk over to the nearby Lachine Canal Park to eat. As its name suggests, it was first built in 1825 as a “canal to China”, but today it is a wonderful place for a picnic.

If you’re a fan of biking, it also has a wonderful bike path, spanning 13.5 kilometers between the Old Port and Lake Saint-Louis.

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In the afternoon, if you’re in the mood for a bit of a splurge, consider booking spa treatments at Bota Bota, a former ferryboat-turned-spa. It has fantastic saunas, baths, gardens, and more – unbelievably, all aboard a boat!

If you’d prefer to unwind over a pint or two instead, check out one of the city’s best micro-breweries, Dieu du Ciel. Its fun atmosphere and inventive brew flavors are always a hit with tourists and locals alike.

In the evening, consider taking in a Montréal Canadiens game, if they are playing when you visit. The Canadians – known in French as the “Habitants,” hence their nickname the “Habs” – are one of ice hockey’s most storied teams.

They have won the most Stanley Cup finals of any NHL team, with 24 victories, and the games are full of fun and frenzy, with serious fans and lots of light shows, cheering, and action.

If you were wondering what to do in Montreal in 3 days, we hope this itinerary will be helpful. We hope you enjoy your trip to Montréal, and that this will be the first of many!

The city’s blend of old-meets-new, cobblestoned streets and modern skyscrapers, and opportunities for fun both indoors and outdoors make it an ideal place for a 3-day trip.

The Authors: Tegan and Alex are travel, hiking, and biking enthusiasts currently based in Boston, USA and looking forward to moving to The Netherlands in 2021. They are the due behind the blog Why Not Walk?

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