How to Spend 24 Hours in Montréal

By Andrea Bennett, author of Moon Montréal

Infinitely bikeable, walkable, and packed with picturesque alleys and parks, Montréal is the kind of place where you can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Getting from point A to point B is easy with Bixi, the city-wide bikeshare system that has hundreds of stations throughout the city, and there are plenty of parks and public spaces to kick back and relax after a day on the go. Plus, with such a diverse restaurant scene, you can eat your way through several continents and cultures in one day. So, if you’ve got one day in Montréal, here’s how you should spend it.

plants and flowers display in front of a brick building — Dragon Flowers, on avenue Bernard, is a Mile End icon. Photo © Andrea Bennett.

Morning

There’s no better way to start your day in Montréal than with a bagel (or two). Not to be confused with the New York-style specialty, Montréal bagels are smaller, denser, and sweeter, and at the iconic 24-hour St-Viateur Bagel Shop, each bagel is hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and cooked in a wood fired oven. Grab one of the classic sesame seed or poppy seed varieties and enjoy it as you stroll the surrounding neighborhood.

Window-shop the vintage stores on rue St-Viateur and avenue Bernard and browse for books and comics at Drawn & Quarterly. When you’re ready for a pick-me-up, get your caffeine fix at local institution Café Olimpico, which has kept the same espresso recipe since it opened in 1970. Strike up a conversation with the diverse clientele, watch a little soccer on the TV, or snack on cannoli on the lovely patio.

Afternoon

Hop on a Bixi and ride downtown to Qing Hua Dumpling, where you can get a veritable feast on the cheap. This hole-in-the wall eatery is unassuming, but the food speaks for itself. The dumplings come fried or steamed and stuffed with any combination imaginable—the pork and cabbage is especially popular. If you’re seeking a trendier ambience, dine on the colorful Japanese dishes at nearby Kazu instead.

Once you’ve had your fill, it’s a quick bike ride over to the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. With over 7,000 works in the permanent collection, including pieces by some of the biggest names in Quebec art, the museum also hosts some truly boundary-pushing exhibits. Afterwards, head outside to the open-air courtyard of Place des Arts, the largest cultural and artistic complex in Canada, to rest your weary legs and people-watch.

view from the shore of a park lake on a sunny day — Take your picnic dinner to Parc Lafontaine. Photo © Will Keats-Osborn.

Evening

Find the nearest Bixi stand and ride over to Rotisserie Romados, a Portuguese restaurant where you can pick up a picnic meal of rotisserie chicken and poutine as well as authentic fare like Portuguese rolls and egg tarts (called natas). Grab a bottle of wine or some beer and head to Parc La Fontaine or Parc Jeanne Mance to enjoy your meal al fresco. You can hang out until 10pm enjoying buskers and the summer air, but don’t forget that if you want to wine, you have to dine—alcohol in the park must be accompanied with food.

For a more intimate, indoor dining experience in the area, try L’Express, which ranks among the best French bistros in the city. Exclusive and inviting all at once, the service is impeccable, the food is classic French bistro, and the ambience is perfect for a date.

At the end of the night, catch an up-and-coming band or dance the night away to the city’s most eclectic DJs at Casa del Popolo, a hip vegetarian café that moonlights as a music venue.