---
title: "Trip Planner: A Must-Do List For Your First Trip to Montréal"
author: "Mayssam Samaha"
language: en
slug: "a-must-do-list-for-your-first-trip-to-montreal"
url: "https://gocanada.com/en/a-must-do-list-for-your-first-trip-to-montreal"
published_at: "2024-12-10T09:33:00.000Z"
updated_at: "2025-01-28T10:35:20Z"
created_at: "2024-10-30T09:26:56Z"
excerpt: |
  From charming neighbourhood strolls and exploring world-class museums to shopping and dining, here’s your ultimate must-do list for a first-time visit to the charming city of Montréal.
categories:
  - name: "Destinations"
    slug: "destinations"
  - name: "Guides"
    slug: "guides"
subcategories:
  - name: "Montréal"
    slug: "montreal"
  - name: "Québec"
    slug: "quebec"
  - name: "Lists"
    slug: "lists"
---

# Trip Planner: A Must-Do List For Your First Trip to Montréal

Montréal is a city with a unique blend of European charm and North American spirit. This multicultural metropolis offers a mix of culture, history and gastronomy and an array of must-do activities for first time visitors.

## **Walk through history**

No visit to Montréal is complete without a stroll around Old Montréal’s cobblestone streets. Admire the historic architecture, visit some of the small boutiques, catch an exhibit at the [Phi Centre](https://phi.ca/en/centre/), and bask in the splendor of the [Notre-Dame Basilica](https://www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en/).

## **Climb the mountain**

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (creator of New York’s Central Park), the [**Mount Royal Park**](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mount+Royal+Park/@45.5015664,-73.5932179,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cc91a3b89d50ee1:0x4c8dc463a4718c9a!8m2!3d45.5015664!4d-73.5932179!16s%2Fg%2F1229bqvc?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTEwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) is Montréal’s green lung. Head there for a stroll around Beaver Lake, to bike the trails, or to hike up to the **Chalet **and the **Kondiaronk** for the best views of the city and the St. Lawrence River beyond. In winter, enjoy ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or tobogganing.

## **Shop and museum hop**

Downtown Montréal is the ideal destination for a shopping spree in the boutiques lining up Sainte Catherine Street or around the famed underground city, a pedestrian network linking metro stations and shopping malls such as the [**Eaton Centre**](https://www.centreeatondemontreal.com/) or [**Place Ville-Marie**](https://placevillemarie.com/fr). Art lovers should check out some of the downtown museums such as the [**Montréal Museum of Fine Arts**](https://www.mbam.qc.ca/) or the **[MAC](https://macm.org/) **(Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal).

## **Explore the Mile End**

One of Canada’s trendiest neighbourhoods, Mile End is the hotbed of Montréal’s vibrant art and music scenes and home to many independent boutiques and bookstores such as [**Drawn and Quarterly**](https://drawnandquarterly.com/). Hang out at [**Café Olimpico**](https://cafeolimpico.com/), an old school coffee shop ideal for people watching, or grab dinner at [**Lawrence**](https://lawrencemtl.com/lawrence/), a tiny eatery featuring local ingredients. While you’re in the neighbourhood, you can join the city’s most heated debate: which of Montréal’s two famous bagel shops is the best? [**St-Viateur Bagel**](https://www.stviateurbagel.com/) and [**Fairmount Bagel**](https://fairmountbagel.com/) are only a couple of blocks apart.

## **Eat and drink**

With one of the highest number of restaurants per capita in North America, Montréal’s incredibly diverse dining scene is reason enough to visit. Start your day with a coffee and croissant from [**Hof Kelsten**](https://hofkelsten.com/), an independent café and bakery. For lunch, sample a Montréal-style smoked meat sandwich at [**Schwart's Deli**](https://schwartzsdeli.com/) or a [**Wilensky**](http://www.top2000.ca/wilenskys/) special.

You’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to dinner with so many restaurants vying for attention, from Canada’s 100 Best’s number one restaurant [**Mon Lapin**](https://vinmonlapin.com/) to other great options such as** [Beba](https://restaurantbeba.ca/)**,** [Candide](https://www.restaurantcandide.com/)**,** [Bar St-Denis](https://www.barstdenis.com)**, [**Hoogan et Beaufort**](https://www.hooganetbeaufort.com/), [**Juliette Plaza**](https://montrealplaza.com), [**Restaurant Gus**](https://www.restaurantgus.com/), and so many more.

Cap your evening at the [**Atwater Cocktail Club**](https://www.atwatercocktailclub.com/) or [**El Pequeño Bar**](https://www.elpequenobar.com/), two of the city’s award-winning establishments. And don’t forget to visit the [**Jean Talon Market**](https://www.marchespublics-mtl.com/en/marches/jean-talon-market/), one of the largest open-air farmers markets in North America in operation since 1933.

---

Source: [https://gocanada.com/en/a-must-do-list-for-your-first-trip-to-montreal](https://gocanada.com/en/a-must-do-list-for-your-first-trip-to-montreal)