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MASA
The old town of Montreal, Canada
north america

MontrealTravel Guide

Canada5 stories

North America's great French-speaking metropolis — an island city of basilicas, bagels, markets, and festivals, draped around the green slopes of Mount Royal.

Is Montreal right for you?

When to come

Late spring through early fall

Around 27°C by day in July, -5°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We publish a multi-day route for this one.

Montreal is inA proper winter
When to go
January: around -5 degrees by day, -13 at night, 86 millimetres of rain, wet.
February: around -3 degrees by day, -12 at night, 66 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
March: around 2 degrees by day, -6 at night, 77 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
April: around 11 degrees by day, 1 at night, 90 millimetres of rain, wet.
May: around 19 degrees by day, 8 at night, 86 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
June: around 24 degrees by day, 14 at night, 84 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
July: around 27 degrees by day, 17 at night, 91 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
August: around 26 degrees by day, 16 at night, 94 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
September: around 21 degrees by day, 11 at night, 89 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
October: around 13 degrees by day, 5 at night, 103 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
November: around 6 degrees by day, -2 at night, 84 millimetres of rain, wet.
December: around -1 degrees by day, -9 at night, 92 millimetres of rain, wet.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Late spring through early fall

Average daily highs, recorded at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (WMO 71627), 36 m, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

Environment and Climate Change Canada (via en.wikipedia.org Template:Montreal-Trudeau weatherbox) — Used total 'precipitation mm' (includes snow water equivalent); the box also lists a separate lower 'rain mm' row for winter.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
Plan itWhere to stay in Montrealad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Montreal

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Montreal

A cobbled street in Old Montreal lined with stone buildings, café terraces, potted plants and a row of national flags, with a dome visible at the end of the street
01
Destinations

Montreal Essentials: Landing, Moving, and Reading the City Right

Montreal is far easier than its size suggests once you learn its shape — here is how to arrive, move, eat and time a visit to the island city.

Canada · 13 min
An espresso pulling into a glass on a domestic machine, a bag of dark-roast beans and a tamper on the counter beside it
02
Food

Coffee, Pastry and People-Watching in Montreal

Wood-fired bagels, an espresso culture older than the third wave, and terraces built for staring. A dish-led guide to sitting still in Montreal — and where to do it.

Canada · 2 min
The carved and gilded altarpiece of Notre-Dame Basilica in Old Montreal, lit in gold beneath the church's deep blue star-spangled vaulted ceiling
03
Hidden Gems

Green Montreal: The Mountain, the Gardens and the Easy Escapes

Montreal was built around a hill and laced with water — here is how to spend the days outdoors in it, from the mountain and the botanical gardens to the canal towpath and the escapes within an hour of the city.

Canada · 11 min
The Biosphère's geodesic steel lattice dome in Montreal, mirrored in the still water of the pond in front of it under a clear blue sky
04
Itineraries

Walk North, and Save Your Monday: Four Days in Montreal

Montreal is stacked in bands rather than clustered around a centre, so the order you walk it in matters more than the list of sights, and the day of the week you land matters most of all.

Canada · 9 min
Montreal's downtown skyline at night seen from Mount Royal, with the rotating beacon of Place Ville Marie sweeping the sky above the lit towers
05
The List

Montreal, Ranked: The Unmissable Experiences

From the summit of Mount Royal to a smoked-meat counter that has barely changed in a century — the experiences that define Montreal, in order.

Canada · 2 min
In pictures

Montreal, framed

The old town of Montreal, Canada
Photo: Asael Peña / Unsplash
Montreal bagel, Montreal
Photo: Mathias Reding / Unsplash
The old town of Montreal, Canada
Photo: snap shoot / Unsplash
The Biosphere and the green islands of Montreal seen from the air
Photo: Shayan Ghiasvand / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Montreal

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for Canada

Money

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Language

English and French; French is the working language in Montreal and Quebec City, where English is still widely understood.

Power

Type A/B, 120V 60Hz

Getting around

Each city has its own card - Presto in Toronto, Compass in Vancouver, OPUS in Montreal - and Toronto and Vancouver also let you tap a contactless bank card at the reader.

Tipping

Expected: 15-20% of the pre-tax bill in restaurants, and card terminals now routinely prompt 18% or more.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving

Right-hand side; a licence in English or French is accepted for a short visit, otherwise carry an International Driving Permit alongside it.

Emergency

911

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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