Things to Do in Montreal

Built for the 1976 Olympic Games, this park now houses several attractions that form Montreal's Space for Life museum district. There's the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, the 56,000-seater Olympic Stadium, the Biodome, an indoor zoo with around 4,500 animals, as well as the Botanical Gardens and Insectarium in neighboring Maisonneuve Park.

 

Visitors to Montreal's Olympic Park can purchase individual tickets for each attraction. Admission to the Biodome comes with entry to the indoor zoo's five temperature-controlled ecosystems, where you can spot animals including penguins and capybaras. A ticket to the Olympic Stadium includes access to a bi-level cable car ride up the 540-foot (165-meter) Montreal Tower (Tour de Montreal). Tickets can be purchased for individual shows at the planetarium, and for the Botanical Gardens and Insectarium, which are considered one attraction and are accessible with the same ticket.

 

Visit more than one attraction at the Space for Life site with a multi-attraction ticket. Buy a 2-site package ticket and combine a visit to the Olympic Stadium with a trip to the Botanical Gardens, or opt for a sightseeing pass for free access to all Olympic Park attractions and other major city sights and, in some cases, unlimited public transportation. Some group and private tours of Montreal also visit certain attractions at Olympic Park.

 

 

To get to Olympic Park, ride the metro Green Line to Pie-IX station. The park is just a short walk from there.

 

Olympic Park is open year-round. The Botanical Gardens are arguably at their best during summer and autumn, as most of the outdoor exhibits are buried beneath snow for much of winter and spring. The Biodome makes a great year-round attraction, with the toasty tropical rain forest space providing respite from bitter winter weather.

 

Olympic Park hosts popular exhibitions, including the Gardens of Light display at the Botanical Gardens in September and October and sees the garden atmospherically lit after dark. In winter, the Botanical Gardens hosts the Butterflies Go Free exhibition, where thousands of butterflies flutter freely within the garden's main greenhouse, perching on plants and sometimes people. Olympic Stadium, meanwhile, is the setting for First Fridays, a food truck festival during the summer season.

Pointe-à-Callière traces the history of Montreal, from First Nations' settlements to the arrival of the Europeans and beyond. As well as immersive and interactive exhibits, the museum also displays authentic archaeological and architectural remains including parts of centuries-old fortifications and a 17th-century cemetery. 

The museum hosts several permanent exhibitions, which together provide a fascinating and comprehensive take on the city's history. Wander through a 19th-century sewer, which was once used to collect rainwater and wastewater; learn about the history of the city at the "Where Montreal Began" exhibit, which includes parts of the original 17th-century Fort Ville-Marie fortress; and learn about key moments during British and French rule in the archaeological crypt. Children can unearth treasures at the Archaeo-Adventure workshop and relive sea battles at the "Pirates or Privateers?" exhibition. 

Guided tours of specific exhibits, family tours, activities, and introductory talks take place daily and are available on a walk-in basis. Given in English and French, tours are included in the price of admission.

Pointe-à-Callière is located in Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal). The nearest metro station is Place-d'Armes, which is serviced by the Orange Line. Alternatively, take bus 715 from the Berri-UQAM or Peel metro station. 

The museum is closed on Monday and busiest on weekend afternoons, particularly during the summer tourist season. Come early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

For history buffs with an interest in Montreal's past, Musee McCord makes an interesting complementary attraction to visit alongside Pointe-à-Callière. While Pointe-à-Callière showcases archaeological finds and key historic moments, Musee McCord hones in on Montreal's social history through exhibits of clothing, photography, prints, drawings, and decorative arts, including First Nations' artworks, crafts, and textiles. 

Built in the 1960s by Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, Place des Arts is Canada's largest cultural complex. In addition to housing the Contemporary Art Museum and outdoor art installations, the performing arts center boasts six concert halls where guests attend a range of cultural and musical performances, including ballet, opera, and theater.

Walking tours of Old Montreal often include Place des Arts, one of the area's most popular attractions. Some visitors opt for private day tours of the city, tacking a walk through the Entertainment District (Quartier des Spectacles) and Place des Arts onto the day's customized itinerary. A private guide provides context and details about the center's history and architecture that visitors often miss when exploring alone. For a wholly immersive experience, attend a performance"”but reserve tickets in advance, as they often sell out quickly.

Centrally located in the Entertainment District, Place des Arts is easily accessible via Montreal's comprehensive public transit system. The nearest metro station is the green line's Place des Arts, which exits into the arts center through an underground tunnel. Buses 15, 55, 80, 125, 129, and 435 Express also stop here. Alternatively, bike racks are located outside the Maison Symphonique entrance.

Place des Arts is open to the public from 12pm to 6pm every day but Sunday. As a cultural hub for both locals and visitors, the center is most crowded on Friday and Saturday evenings. Place des Arts is at its busiest during the summer: Each July it hosts the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the Just for Laughs comedy festival"”both the largest of their kind in the world.

Montreal winters are notoriously frigid. To keep residents and visitors out of the cold, the city's 20 miles (33 kilometers) of underground tunnels connect metro stations, buildings, shopping malls, performance spaces, and universities. Place des Arts is part of this underground city, affording visitors with easy access to the metro, Complexe Desjardins shopping center, Universite de Quebec à Montreal, and the Contemporary Art Museum.

St. Patrick's Basilica, located in the heart of Downtown Montreal, was built in 1847 to serve Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine. Best known for its church bells and decorative motifs that combine the French fleur-de-lis and Irish shamrock, the basilica holds English-language mass throughout the week.

St. Patrick's Basilica is a short walk from the Downtown stop on most hop-on, hop-off bus tours, a convenient way to explore without the hassle of navigating. Visitors can take in the basilica's Gothic Revival architecture on select bike tours, as well as on self-guided tours using Montreal's BIXI bike share program. Others opt for private tours, which allow the flexibility to add a visit to the basilica onto the day's customized itinerary.

St. Patrick's Basilica is easily accessible using Montreal's comprehensive public transit system of buses and metros. The nearest stops are Beaver Hall and Belmont on bus 168, Rene-Leveque and Union on bus 747, and Square-Victoria metro station on the red 2 line. A BIXI bike share dock is conveniently located in front of the entrance.

The daily mass schedule changes depending on the season and is available on the church's website. Apart from mass times, St. Patrick's Basilica rarely feels crowded and is open daily to the public until 5pm. For those in town during the holiday season, the basilica offers a popular Christmas Mass and Christmas carol performance.

In 1888, Mark Twain visited Montreal and wrote, "This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window." Nicknamed "The City of Saints," Montreal is home to four basilicas, six cathedrals, and a total of over 300 churches. In addition to St. Patrick's Basilica, the city's most iconic churches include Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint Joseph's Oratory, and Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel.