Top 10 Montréal Attractions Including Map

When traveling to Eastern Canada, you should not miss the diverse attractions of Montréal. Here you will learn more about the most remarkable highlights of the city, including their opening hours and ticket prices.

A vast underground city, the magnificent Notre-Dame Basilica, a historic old town, and more - the sights in Montréal are diverse and popular at any time of year. In this article, I will introduce you to the Top 10 Montréal attractions so that you know which spots you must visit while sightseeing in the vibrant metropolis in Québec. One thing is guaranteed: There are highlights for every taste.

1. Mount Royal | 2. Notre-Dame Basilica

3. Olympic Stadium | 4. Botanical Garden

5. Saint Joseph's Oratory | 6. Biosphère Montréal

7. Vieux-Montréal | 8. Old Port | 9. Underground City

10. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

To give you a good first overview, I created a map with the Top 10 Montréal attractions. This way, you can see the hotspots at a glance:

Mount Royal is the mountain range made up of three peaks that gives the city its name. Montréal's local mountain, or rather, the Mount Royal Park, is one of the most popular recreational areas of this modern metropolis due to its artificial lake and the panoramic view that visitors can enjoy here.

Getting to Mount Royal Park

To get to the park, you can take buses 11, 165, or 80. From the bus stop, you can walk to the park.

You don't have to be a climber or hiker to reach Mount Royal - just rent a bike or take one of the many buses that go to Mount Royal Park. Once at the top, you can take one of many hiking or cycling paths to explore Mount Royal, or relax on a lawn overlooking the skyline and simply enjoy the fantastic view. A trip to Mount Royal is also worthwhile in winter: Best to strap on some snowshoes and stomp through the white landscape.

Guru Tip: If you can, you should definitely come to Mount Royal Park on Sunday afternoon. Starting around 1 PM, the Tam-Tams event takes place at the Cartier Monument, where artists come together to play music. Everyone is invited to join or just listen.

The Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal is one of the city's landmarks.

Info & Tips for Notre-Dame Basilica

Location: 110 Notre-Dame Street West

Metro Stop: U2 (orange) Place d'Armes

Admission: $8 Adults, $5 Children & Youth up to 17, Free for Children under 6

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM - 4:30 PM, Sat 8 AM - 4 PM & Sun 12:30 PM - 4 PM

It is located in the beautiful old town of Montréal, on Place d'Armes, where it has attracted attention with its two bell towers since 1824. The lavish interior of gold and finely carved wood, as well as the intricate and colorful windows of Notre-Dame Basilica, are truly worth seeing. I recommend the guided tours where you can learn all the important details about the magnificent religious building in just 20 minutes. Just inquire at the entrance if you can join the next tour. If you want a deeper insight into the history, architecture, and fascinating legends of the church, you can participate in the 60-minute Grand Tour (Adults $15, Children $10, Free for Children under 6).

Guru Tip: A special highlight is the light and laser show Aura, where you can discover the beauty of the Basilica in a completely new light. Tickets for the show cost $26.50 for adults, $15.50 for children, and $19 for students.

Completely different from the historical Basilica, but equally distinctive in the cityscape of Montréal, is the Olympic Stadium, Stade Olympique, which was built for the Summer Games in 1976.

Info & Tips for Olympic Stadium Montréal

Location: Pierre-de Coubertin Ave

Metro Stop: U1 (green) Pie-IX

Due to its characteristic shape, locals call it Big O or - due to the high construction costs that led to criticism in the 70s - The Big Owe. The highlight is the tower, which at 175 meters is the tallest inclined tower in the world. Today, the Olympic Stadium of Montréal rarely hosts sports events; rather, it is used as a venue for concerts by international artists and other large events.

The Olympic Stadium is located in Parc Olympique, not far from the Botanical Garden, which I will present to you next. You can easily combine both Montréal attractions.

Montréal is home to a total of 17 different parks, but I particularly recommend the Jardin botanique de Montréal.

Info & Tips for Botanical Garden

Location: Sherbrooke St E

Metro Stop: U1 (green) Pie-IX

Admission: $20.50 Adults, $10.25 Children & Youth up to 17, Free for Children under 6

Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs 9 AM - 6 PM, Fri & Sat 9 AM - 10 PM & Sun 9 AM - 9 PM

The garden, with its enormous size of over 748,000 m², is not only one of the largest botanical gardens in the world but also considered one of the most beautiful by connoisseurs. It should definitely be on your agenda, as among the 22,000 plant species presented in various greenhouses and 30 themed gardens, you will find rare and beautiful flowers and other plants from all over the world. Special highlights include the Chinese Garden, the largest of its kind outside of China, and the Japanese Garden, where you can admire ancient bonsai trees. Take a few hours to stroll through the gardens and let the scent of the flowers enchant you!

Guru Tip: From September 6 to October 31, 2019, the Chinese Garden will be adorned with numerous colorful lanterns as part of Gardens of Light. The best time to visit is in the late afternoon to see the light installations in their full beauty.

A highlight that must not be missing from the list of the most important attractions in Montréal is the Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal.

Info & Tips for Saint Joseph's Oratory

Location: 3800 Queen Mary Rd

Metro Stop: U5 (blue) Côte-des-Neiges

Admission: Free

Opening Hours: Daily 6 AM - 9 PM

The pilgrimage church, which has been awarded the title of Basilica minor by the Pope since its construction in 1924, is located on a hill near Mount Royal and is a real eye-catcher with its green dome, visible from afar. You will need to climb almost 300 steps to reach the entrance of Canada's largest church. Alternatively, you can take the free shuttle bus that operates daily from 5:15 AM to 8:45 PM from the main entrance on Queen Mary Road to the Saint Joseph's Oratory entrance. You can enter the basilica for free.

Built for the World Expo in 1967, the Biosphère Montréal has been used as an environmental museum since 1995.

Info & Tips for Biosphère Montréal

Location: 160 Chemin du Tour de l'isle

Metro Stop: U4 (yellow) Jean-Drapeau

Admission: $15 Adults, Free for Children & Youth up to 17

Opening Hours: Daily 10 AM - 5 PM

The building, located on Île Sainte-Hélène, consists of a 62-meter-high steel sphere placed in Parc Jean-Drapeau. But not only is the museum's architecture interesting; its exhibitions also address contemporary topics. Visitors can learn about the interplay between humans and nature in the delicate ecosystem of Canada's and America's Great Lakes as well as the Saint Lawrence River. In times of debate over climate protection and global warming, this is a very important topic.

Located in the city's center, between Mount Royal and Île Sainte-Hélène, lies the historic old town of Montréal. One sight in Vieux-Montréal, the venerable Notre-Dame, I have already introduced to you in my Montréal attractions. However, hidden in the old alleys are several other highlights, best explored during a leisurely stroll.

Notable, albeit very touristy, is the approximately two-kilometer-long Rue St-Paul, lined with numerous shops and cafés. The Place Jacques-Cartier, featuring the city hall and Nelson's Column, is also worth a visit. On nice days, you can watch street performers and musicians here or sit comfortably at one of the cafés and let your thoughts wander. If you haven't found the right souvenir yet, you are sure to find it at Marché Bonsecours, a large market hall in Vieux-Montréal. The many small shops and boutiques of local designers invite you to wander and discover.

The next Montréal attraction borders directly on the historic old town, allowing you to seamlessly continue your sightseeing tour. The Old Port boasts charming historical buildings, inviting restaurants, and small shops. You can even find a beach, the Clock Tower Beach, right by the Saint Lawrence River. It's best to grab a small snack or smoothie from the market halls in Vieux-Montréal and then stroll along the waterfront promenade.

For those who want a stunning view and are not afraid of heights, the Old Port also offers exceptional views from Canada's tallest Ferris wheel, La Grande Roue de Montréal. This experience is especially recommended after dark. A ride costs $25 (Children and youth between 3 and 17 pay $19.50).

Guru Tip: From January 16 to February 1, 2020, the popular Igloofest takes place here, a festival featuring various artists who will heat things up for you in the cold Canadian winter.

Did you know that there is a city beneath the city in Montréal? The Montréal souterrain is even the longest underground city in the world, stretching 32 kilometers. However, for those thinking of dark tunnels and mysterious corridors, I must disappoint - the Underground City is a network of pedestrian tunnels, offices, and shops, where you can theoretically walk around in a T-shirt even in the coldest winter.

Welcome to the longest underground city in the world

Construction of the Underground City began in the 1960s, and many public buildings, metro stations, and stores are now connected to the underground complex, allowing you to easily descend into the 'underworld' and do a little shopping or even go to the movies. Incredible!

For the last of the Montréal attractions I present in this article, we turn to Canada's oldest art museum, founded in 1860.

Info & Tips for Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Location: 1380 Sherbrooke St W

Metro Stop: U1 (green) Station Peel

Admission: $24 Adults, Young Adults 21-30 $16, Free for Youth

Opening Hours: Fri-Wed 10 AM - 5 PM, Wed 10 AM - 9 PM, Closed Mondays from September to July

The museum displays collections and artworks from antiquity to modernity across 13,000 m², including crafts, photographs, sculptures, and the works of well-known Canadian artists and designers. A colorful mix of themes that addresses various interests and tastes. Temporary exhibitions also complete the offerings, ensuring that there is always something new to discover at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. However, you should plan enough time and ideally think in advance about which exhibits you absolutely want to see, as the size of the museum is truly impressive.

In addition to the ten attractions presented, there are more Montréal sights waiting for your visit. Are you interested in a food or bike tour to the best spots in the city? Or are you more inclined to visit the Place Ville Marie Observatory? With just a few clicks, you can buy tickets online here:

Montréal is truly a special city, not only with its diverse attractions but also with a unique vibe. The best way to experience this modern metropolis in Québec for yourself is to visit - I certainly want to return very soon!