The ultimate Montreal guide for first-time visitors

ultimate Montreal guide

If you’re visiting Montreal, Canada for the very first time you might find it helpful to read this guide. Montreal is the second most populated city in the country, and it’s located in the Québec province, on the northeastern side of Canada. In this part of the country, French is the spoken language. The city of Montreal has countless amazing sights, a long list of exciting entertainment options, and a rich culture to experience.

We made an ultimate guide for you with lots of thrilling activities, sights, and opportunities in Montreal and the province in general. Whether you like nature, sights, eating out or vibrant nightlife, Montréal has it all.

ultimate Montreal guide

Fun entertainment in Montreal

If you’re a nightrider you should explore the city’s many entertainments options. In Montreal, you will find the famous Casino de Montreal, which is a cool experience whether you’re already a gambler or just want to see what a real-life casino looks like. The casino is very beautiful at night, because of the lights surrounding it, but be prepared to be amazed once you step inside the casino. Inside the building, you will find a huge casino game selection in beautifully decorated casino-themed rooms.

Perhaps you want to try your luck with one of the selected games there? If you have previous knowledge of online casinos but have not yet seen and experienced a land-based one, consider visiting the casino in Montreal. For online entertainment, check out Cherry red casino for online casinos in New Zealand. Maybe a little comparison of New Zealand and Canadian casinos could be relevant for you?

A night out

If you’re looking for a night of barhopping, Montreal has great variations. The city is very famous around the world for its nightlife, so don’t even think about being bored during your stay. If you want a night out, you should consider visiting Cloakroom Bar, The Coldroom, or Club Pelicano. Other great bars to check out are Bar Pamplemousse, Bar Renard, and Bar Henrietta.

Dining in Montreal

For ‘foodies’, Montreal is the perfect destination. Many restaurants in the city have achieved great ratings from customers, and there is something for every taste and need. Some of the best-rated restaurants in Montreal include Vin Mon Lapin, Le Mousso, and Joe Beef. Expect both fine-dining restaurants and quirky and hip cafés as well. Many cafes have unique decorations and interiors, which is an experience just to admire. Best cafes are Le Darling, Café Saint-Henri, and Café Parvis.

Smoke-Meat

Must-tries in Montreal:

  • Poutine – is one of Canada’s most famous dishes. This dish is a mixture of French fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. You cannot go to Canada and not try this out.
  • Bagels – you must try one of their famous and yummy bagels, perhaps with smoked meat.
  • Smoked meat in any type of sandwich – Montreal is very famous for this.
  • Canadian pancakes – can you even visit Canada without having their pancakes and world-famous maple syrup?
Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal

Check out the city attractions

Montreal has several sights and attractions not to miss out on. The Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal is a beautifully decorated church, which is also known as ‘The Blue Church’, because of the way it looks. The church has seating for 4000 people, which makes it one of the largest churches in all of North America.

If you’re into arts, Musée des Beaux Arts (fine arts museum) is a great place to visit. Not only is this museum the oldest in Canada, but it’s also full of important collections of archeological items from the medieval times, as well as sculptures, pictures, and other arts from all around the globe.

Other places to consider visiting in Montreal

You can easily spend many days exploring the city, with so much to do and see. Below we have highlighted even more great attractions to consider while visiting:

  • Lachine Canal National Site
  • Chinatown
  • McCord Museum
  • Place des Arts
  • Parc Jean  Drapeau

Canada’s wonderful nature

Canada is world famous for its wild and wonderful nature. In the country, there are many forests, lakes, and dramatic mountains. Snowsports and hiking are extremely popular in the country and are also possible in Montreal. Depending on when you visit, hiking is brilliant around Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mont Rigaud as well as Morin Heights. In the winter you can go skiing at popular destinations such as Mont Tremblant, Mont Blanc, and Bromont.

How to get around when visiting Montreal

Depending on your travel plans and the length of your stay, as well as where it might be worth considering renting a car. Around Montreal, you can easily get around by taking public transport, but if you’re traveling around other parts of Canada, a car might be favourable. It might even be worth it to consider a campervan if you want to experience sleeping in nature.

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