In French, Montreal takes its name from “Mont Royal”, the mountain where French explorers planted their flag nearly 500 years ago. For English Canadians, the city represents good times, while the rest of the country adores this bilingual black sheep for the edge it brings to everything from fashion to fine dining to art. A riotous, 24/7 spirit pervades the wobbly cobbled streets of Old Montreal, while the back alleys (ruelles vertes) of the uptown Plateau neighbourhood are fuelled by friendly prices, late hours and super-sociable staff, quick with a “Bonjour, hello” in their chirpy Québecois twang. The francophone diaspora have got in on the action too: Haitians, Moroccans and even the actual French have all adopted this likeable city. You’ll find fading British influence in the grey-stone architecture (and raucous student pubs) of the Golden Mile, once the cultural heart of Montreal. While its grand glamour remains a draw, there’s a sense the city has moved on.
48 hours in Montreal — at a glance
Day 1
• Morning: Bota Bota
• Lunch: Olive et Gourmando
• Afternoon: Old Montreal
• Drink: Le 9e
• Evening: McGill University and Mount Royal
• Dinner: Mercuri 109
Day 2
• Morning: Mile End
• Lunch: Juliette Plaza
• Afternoon: Centre des Mémoires Montréalaises
• Drink: Pikliz
• Evening: Atwater market
• Dinner: Bonheur d’Occasion
What to see and do
Bota Bota is a floating spa anchored in Montreal’s Old Port
ALAMY
● Steam off the cobwebs on Bota Bota, a five-storey converted houseboat fitted with hot and cold tubs, saunas and sun decks. The “quiet zones” flow out to a deep garden and resort-sized pool where chatting is welcome. Views over the St Lawrence River take in mid-century landmarks such as the concrete Habitat 67 building and the diaphanous Biosphere geodesic dome, both built for the 1967 World Expo (two hours from £34; botabota.ca).
● Nearly 400 years ago a fur-trading post flourished on the narrow brick-lined roads by the river, with French settlers and Iroquois at the vanguard. Known today as Vieux (Old) Montreal, it is still wonderfully walkable, though the stock-in-trade has shifted to avant-garde fashion and souvenirs. Wander through Saint-Paul, Place d’Youville and Saint-Sulpice, home of the gloriously gothic Notre Dame basilica (£9; basiliquenotredame.ca).
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● Step around to McGill College Avenue. With the massive modern steel sculpture known as The Ring at your back, cut a swathe through McGill University, aka the Harvard of the North. The campus climbs midway up the eponymous Mount Royal, after which a mesh of forested paths take over. If you can manage it, scale the 350 steps to the lookout terrace. You’ll be rewarded with views across the river valley (free).
Colourful houses characterise the Plateau neighbourhood
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● The best literature, music and poetry (hello, Leonard Cohen) comes out of Mile End. So do the best shops. Indie and vintage boutiques cluster along Boulevard Saint-Laurent, known as “the Main”. The fabled denim emporium Jeans Jeans Jeans hides in an old warehouse off Rue Saint-Viateur (jeansjeansjeans.ca). Head in the other direction and you’ll find two outposts of the venerated St-Viateur bagel chain. Get ’em while they’re hot, for about £1 apiece (stviateurbagel.com).
● Umpteen museums exhibit Montreal art but the Centre des Mémoires Montréalaises (MEM) exhibits its soul. A maze of vintage neon signs at the entrance leads into galleries full of video and photography of city life going back a century. The souvenir shop is staged like a traditional dépanneur, or convenience store, and sells old-timey sweets, local sodas and £10 totes branded with the city’s Métro logo (£9; memmtl.ca).
● Locals converge at this spot on the Lachine Canal to stroll, set off on a waterside cycle and shop at Atwater Market, a striking art deco hall fringed with flower stalls. Inside, pick up a picnic at Fromagerie Hamel or a can of Québecois maple syrup in retro aluminium cans with their original 1951 design (marchespublics-mtl.com/marches/atwater).
Locals tuck in at the art deco Atwater Market food court
ALAMY
Where to eat and drink
Olive et Gourmando
Healthy but not too healthy, the “sconewiches” and salads at this deli-café in the historic old town hit a savoury and satisfying post-spa note. A challah grilled cheese features two types of Swiss and a tub of dipping ketchup; the Salty Ricotta “salad”, served with garlic bread, is light on rapini, heavy on nuts, parmesan, currants and house vinaigrette (mains from £11; oliveetgourmando.com).
Le 9e
Last year the 100-year-old Eaton department store reopened its ninth-storey restaurant — “the Neuvième” — after an epic restoration that brought back its “deco moderne” carvings and cruise liner-style windows to their gleaming glory (check out the stellar view from the women’s loo). The people-watching spectacle is best experienced at the original circular bar with a “Flip Écossais” whiskey cocktail (cocktails from £10; le9montreal.com).
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Mercuri 109
Montreal’s resident king of Italian cuisine, the chef Joe Mercuri relaunched his career with this long, shallow “bar à manger” in a former newsstand (sounded out in French, 109 translates to sang neuf, or “new blood”). Guests dine at the counter and can chat to Mercuri, who sauces the seared wild salmon and braises the oxtail for his ricotta ravioli himself every night (six-course menu £69; mercuri109.com).
Juliette Plaza
The fading market street Saint-Hubert is gentrifying, thanks to Juliette. Sister restaurant to the bistro next door, Montreal Plaza, it serves Québecois throwbacks such as maple syrup-steeped cocktail sausages, devilled eggs and pork belly with pineapple ketchup. The nostalgia extends to the decor: walls are papered in Asterix strips; toy figurines — bonhommes — sit on every table (mains from £10; montrealplaza.com).
Pikliz
It’s a revolving door of friends at this fizzy Haitian café in up-and-coming St-Henri, named after a kimchi-style condiment. They come at happy hour for lager in stubby bottles and “dranks” (per the Haitian Creole) such as hibiscus lemonade with tequila (from £6; restaurantpikliz.com).
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Bonheur d’Occasion
Inspired by Atwater Market — and a cadre of local fisheries and farms — this long woody restaurant crafts its menu around the perfect scallop, char, asparagus or squash au moment. Sparky waiters deliver sharing plates dusted with fresh herbs, doused in tangy vinaigrettes or steeped in creamy hazelnut butter (mains from £18; bonheurdoccasion.net).
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Where to stay
Hôtel William Gray
Boutique Hôtel William Gray has friendly staff and an excellent location
ALEXI HOBBS
Social whirl in the old town
Part heritage cottage, part glassy retreat, this newish boutique hotel feels like a private club on an ancient — and thronging — corner. Swish in past the doorman while the hordes ogle, then chill on the roof terrace where, in winter, each table is protected by its own private transparent dome. Staff are disarmingly kind and relaxed, even amid the clubby mayhem in the glittery atrium “living room”. A fully kitted-out spa and thermal water circuit cost extra; but Bota Bota (above) is nearby (room-only doubles from £154; hotelwilliamgray.com).
Auberge de la Fontaine
Neighbourhood pied à terre
This uptown inn doubles down on its cosy parkside charm with exposed brick, chintz quilts and a wood cabin feel. Folksy staff oblige with parking spots and poutine recommendations (Ma Poule Mouillée, five minutes down the road). Breakfast, a bargain £10 add-on, includes fresh croissants from the beloved neighbourhood bakery, though from this prime Plateau location you could eat anywhere (room-only doubles from £73; aubergedelafontaine.com).
Vogue Hotel
Vogue Hotel has spacious standard rooms
Downtown bolt hole
This Golden Mile grande dame just debuted a tailored new look in creamy leather and travertine. Standard rooms are nearly as spacious as superior kings, starting at 35 sq m, and packed with Le Labo treats for the tub (and separate shower). The name nods to the designer department store across the way — and the beau monde who pack the bar and restaurant on weekends. À la carte breakfast is comparatively hushed, and service sluggish (room-only doubles from £173; hilton.com).
Getting there and around
Air Canada flies direct from London Heathrow with an average journey time of about seven hours; the airport is about 30 minutes from the city centre. British Airways flights from Heathrow are comparable in price. Neighbourhoods are walkable — and walking is preferable by day, due to traffic. Taxis are easy to hail and rates are competitive. You’ll find Bixi Bikes (bixi.com) almost everywhere — download the app and unlock one for less than £1.
Visit responsibly
Montreal is well connected by train, making it easy to move around the province of Quebec. Pettitts offers a week-long twin-centre trip staying in Montreal and Quebec City, the historic provincial capital with a Unesco-listed old centre. Travel between the two cities is by rail along the St Lawrence River, with views of the Laurentian mountains and an optional day trip to Mount Tremblant — a popular destination for autumn leaf-peeping, winter skiing and summer sports; seven nights’ room-only from £1,700pp, including flights and train travel (pettitts.co.uk)
Ellen Himelfarb was a guest of Destination Canada (destinationcanada.com) and Tourisme Montréal (mtl.org)
Have you visited Montreal? Share your memories in the comments
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