2 Days in Montreal: The Ultimate Itinerary

2 Days in Montreal: A Complete Itinerary

For this itinerary, we’ll spend our first day exploring Old Montreal, a charming district situated along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. This area is home to the city’s historic landmarks and is where Montreal was first founded. One of the first places I highly recommend you visit is Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, and you will see why the moment you enter this place.

Out of all the attractions in Montreal I visited, Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal is hands down the most beautiful of all. It is probably one of the most beautiful basilicas in Canada, with its stunning Gothic Revival architecture and an interior that will blow your mind!

Built in the 19th century, the basilica is best known for its magnificent interior, which features a deep blue vaulted ceiling—a color rarely seen in churches—adorned with golden stars, intricate wooden carvings, and vibrant stained glass windows. I was completely blown away by its sheer beauty, and I have seen many churches in my lifetime!

To get inside, you can either buy a ticket at the entrance, which often has long queues throughout the day, or you can reserve a time slot and book your ticket online here to skip the queue. I got mine online using my phone right at the entrance as soon as I realized how long the physical ticket queue was! Do yourself a favor and book it online!

After you are done at the church, you can make your way towards the river and check out the Old Port of Montreal (Vieux-Port de Montréal), a historic waterfront district that stretches along the Saint Lawrence River, adjacent to Old Montreal.

The area was established in the 17th century as a bustling fur trading hub and has since evolved into a vibrant destination with tons of amazing things to do and see. There are beautiful green parks, numerous museums, and even an amusement park with a massive ferris wheel, an adventure park, and even a skating rink in winter. The place is always lively throughout the day, and I love coming here when the sun is out.

While you’re here, make sure to check out the Clock Tower, a historical monument located at the northern end of the port. Head to the Port of Montreal Tower for a stunning elevated view of the area, or enjoy a ride on the ferris wheel at La Grande Roue de Montréal.

Cross the street to shop at the Bonsecours Market or spend some time wandering along Saint-Paul Street, the main pedestrian thoroughfare running parallel to the Old Port. You’ll find plenty of restaurants here, making it the perfect spot for a quick lunch break before continuing on.

After lunch, you can spend a few hours exploring the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History, a museum built atop the very site where the city was founded in the 17th century. The museum consists of several interconnected pavilions, each dedicated to different facets of Montreal’s history. You can explore some of its best permanent exhibitions, such as “Where Montréal Was Born”, which highlights the city’s founding and early development, and “Building Montréal”, where you’ll be whisked back in time to relive key moments in the city’s past under French and British regimes, from the 17th to the 19th century.

As sunset approaches, I highly recommend you spend the evening strolling around and watching the sunset at Parc Jean-Drapeau, a prominent recreational area established in 1967 during the World’s Fair, Expo 67 located on Saint Helen’s Island and Notre-Dame Island in the Saint Lawrence River.

One of the most iconic attractions here, which you’ve probably already seen across the river from the Old Port, is the massive Biosphere, an environmental museum housed in a striking geodesic dome. It’s a place where you can learn more about sustainable development and environmental issues. Even if you’re not interested in the museum’s content, you can still admire its massive scale from the outside and take some photos while exploring the rest of the island.

On the island, you’ll find several gardens with benches where you can enjoy some solitude and relax. One of my favorite spots to sit back, unwind, and enjoy the sunset over Montreal’s cityscape is by Trois Disques, a massive obelisk sculpture gifted by France in 1962. There are several chairs here where you can watch the sunset over the city in solitude.

After the sun sets, head back to the Old Port or Saint-Paul Street to enjoy dinner and relax for the rest of the evening. When you’re ready, return to your accommodation to rest and prepare for another long but exciting day ahead.

Day 2: Explore Montreal’s Natural Wonders

One of the most impressive botanical gardens you can visit in Canada is Jardin botanique de Montréal, a massive urban oasis full of beautiful architecture and greenery that covers more than 75 hectares. It is considered one of the largest botanical gardens in the world, with more than 22,000 plant species across 10 exhibition greenhouses and approximately 20 thematic gardens, a perfect place to begin our second day in Montreal.

From the city center, you can take the Green Line metro to Pie-IX Station. The ride takes approximately 30 minutes, bringing you close to the botanical garden. The entrance is located at the bottom right corner of the park (when viewed on a map) and is just a short walk from the metro station.

There are a variety of gardens inside, with one of my favorites being the Chinese Garden, where you’ll find a stunning pond, a small waterfall, and several incredible pavilions that were made in China, shipped, and reassembled here in Montreal for visitors to enjoy. I highly recommend starting your journey here as you continue along its multiple crisscrossing walking paths.

Another awesome garden is the Japanese Garden, with its beautiful zen rock garden, a stunning recreation of Japanese minimalist interior architecture, and many stone altars and shrines scattered across its rolling green hills. I visited the botanical garden in early October, and my goodness, the autumn colors were absolutely breathtaking. Really, if you can visit Montreal during autumn, do it—it’s one of the best times to see the city!

There is also a garden and an exhibition dedicated to the First Nations, or the Indigenous peoples, which showcases the many faces of Indigenous cultures, as well as their ways of life, artifacts, and more. Be sure to keep an eye out for it as you explore the gardens.

In addition to the gardens, you’ll also find the Montreal Insectarium, with displays of live and mounted specimens, beehives, and free-flying butterflies; the Space for Life museum, where you’ll find a greenhouse full of plants; and so much more. You can expect to spend half a day exploring the botanical garden alone.

Next up, we are going to visit Jean Talon Market, one of the best markets located in Montreal’s Little Italy district and considered one of the largest open-air markets in North America. You can spend some time exploring the market or stop here for lunch before we continue on to visit Mount Royal.

From Jean Talon Market, you can take the metro blue line to Côte-des-Neiges Station to visit Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, one of my favorite attractions in Montreal. It is a Roman Catholic basilica situated on the northern slope of Mount Royal and is famous for being the world’s largest shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph. You can see its massive dome from miles away!

The church features a massive dome that rises over 97 meters in height. Combined with its location on the hillside of Mount Royal, it is considered the tallest church in Canada and one of the largest domed structures ever built in the world. As you scale the stairs and reach the balcony, you are rewarded with an incredible view of the city from above, perfect for capturing some amazing photos.

As you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the main basilica on the upper level of the church. From there, you can make your way down floor by floor, exploring all of its hidden gems, from the Crypt Church to the Votive Chapel and beyond. I thought it would be a quick visit, but it took me more than an hour to explore all the floors inside. There’s just so much to see here!

For today’s sunset, we are going to visit Kondiaronk Belvedere, an incredible viewpoint on the hillside of Mount Royal, which is a prominent hill and park located not too far from the basilica. You can catch the bus #11 to get to the park’s parking lot and from there, you can walk for about 10 minutes to reach the viewpoint.

Kondiaronk Belvedere offers an incredible vantage point over Montreal, and you can see much of the city’s skyline from here. Sunset up here is pretty incredible, which is why I leave this at the end of the itinerary so you can enjoy the golden hour here at your leisure. At the top, you’ll also find a large building with a small café and restrooms where you can take a break and shelter if it gets too windy.

Once you’re finished, you can hike back down to the city center via the hiker’s staircases. The hike is easy, straightforward, and takes about 10 minutes. After arriving back in the city, head to Bishop Street, where you’ll find plenty of charming restaurants and bars to enjoy for the night before completing this itinerary. Congratulations!

Where to Stay in Montreal?

Budget

Auberge Saintlo Montréal Hostel

$ | Dorm

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👍 Top Pick

Mid-Range

Manoir Sherbrooke

$$ | Double Room

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High-End

Hôtel Birks Montréal

$$$ | Double Room

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When to Visit Montreal?

Autumn, from late September to early November, is without a doubt the best time to visit Montreal. This region of Canada boasts some of the most breathtaking autumn colors in the world, with entire forests transforming into vibrant shades of orange and yellow by late October.

I was lucky enough to visit during this time, and the colors were absolutely stunning, especially around Mount Royal—I’ve never seen anything like it! Canada is, without question, the most beautiful country to visit in autumn. Summer months are fine too, but you won’t get those beautiful autumn colors and perfect weather like you will get in autumn.

How to Get to Montreal?

Montreal is a huge travel hub in French Canada and you should easily find direct flights from the US and Europe. If you are traveling from Asia, you can also rely on great airlines like Emirates or Qatar to get to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Montreal’s main airport. You can use platforms like Skyscanner or Expedia to find the most affordable options from your home country.

How to Get Around Montreal?

By Walking: Montreal is actually surprisingly walkable despite how far things seem to be, thanks to all the little attractions scattered throughout the city, which makes the walk more interesting and seems to go faster. Most of the attractions are located within the Old Montreal district and if you want easy access to all the city’s attractions on foot, I recommend staying in and around that area.

By Metro/Bus: For destinations farther away, like Jean Talon Market and the Botanical Garden, you can rely on the city’s metro or bus system, which covers much of the city. Google Maps makes it easy to find the right bus or metro to take and the time you need to be at the stop. The fare is 3.75 CAD per trip, or you can opt for a 24-hour pass for about 11 CAD. Unfortunately, the transit system requires you to pay each time you transfer between different modes of transportation. Luckily, this itinerary avoids such transfers.

You can easily pay for metro and bus tickets using your credit card directly on the bus or at metro stations, which is extremely convenient! I wish more cities were like this! Paper tickets are no longer available for purchase on buses as they have been phased out. You can also buy an OPUS card, add some money into it, and use it to pay for all modes of public transportation in the city.

How Much Money Do I Need for 2 Days in Montreal?

From this 2-day itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:

Accommodation: For 3 nights in Montreal, you can expect to pay around 69 USD for accommodation at a minimum, considering you are staying in hostels.

Food: For 2 days, 3 meals a day in Montreal, you can expect to pay around 90 USD for food, considering you eat out for every meal. It will be cheaper if you cook them yourself.

Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to spend around 11 USD on transportation, mostly for metros to visit further away places. Other than that, you can walk pretty much everywhere in the old town.

Activities: Depending on how closely you follow my itinerary, you can expect to spend between 64.89 USD on activities.

Total Budget for 2 days in Montreal: 234.89 USD

Is it Safe in Montreal?

Montreal is generally quite safe, all things considered. While there are more homeless people compared to Quebec City, the number is noticeably lower than in Toronto. During my four-day visit, I walked around alone both during the day and at night and didn’t encounter anything out of the ordinary.

That said, as with most big cities, it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings and avoid making yourself an easy target—especially when walking alone at night. Be sure to keep your belongings secure in public areas, as petty theft tends to be more common in a city of this size. Once again, just like in the U.S., being street-smart is essential here!

Which tourist SIM card is best for the Canada?

There are three major carriers in Canada, namely Rogers, Telus, and Bell, that offer prepaid SIM cards for tourists to purchase while traveling in the country. You can usually grab these SIM cards right at the airport, but if you have a smartphone and want data immediately when you arrive, you might want to consider an eSIM.

If you have a smartphone that supports eSIMs, I highly recommend you take a look at this eSIM. They have a variety of data packages, price points, and durations for you to choose from, ranging from 1 GB for 7 days costing only 6 USD to 20 GB for 30 days costing 49 USD.

The setup is fast and instant, and you can buy it before your trip so you don’t have to scramble to get one at the airport after a long flight. The data speed is also equivalent to what you get with a local SIM card, with 4G speed across the entire country.

For more information on eSIMs in Canada, click here: Check the Canada Available eSIM.

What to Pack for Montreal?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Montreal, Canada:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi’s jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It’s lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker’s towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It’s a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You’ll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It’s large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it’s stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can’t go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Further Reading for Canada

If you are looking for more articles about Canada, here are a few articles that might help you plan your trip:

• Want to visit Canada in 10 days? Here’s an itienrary for you: 10 Days in Canada: A Backpacking Itinerary without Cars.
• Toronto’s true charm lies within its diverse neighborhoods. To really experience the best the city has to offer, you are going to need this guide: Discover Toronto: 12 Awesome Things to Do and See.
• You can experience so much in Toronto in just 3 days! Check out this complete itinerary for first-time visitors: 3 Days in Toronto: A Backpacking Itinerary.
• Niagara Falls is as epic as it gets when it comes to natural destinations. If you want to visit it, you are going to need this travel guide: Exploring Canada’s Niagara Falls in a Day: A Complete Travel Guide.
• Being the largest city in French Canada, Montreal strikes the perfect balance between nature and city life, and it is jam-packed with awesome things to do and see. Here are the 10 Incredible Things to Do in Montreal.
• One of my favorite cities in Canada, Quebec City is a fascinating destination to visit. From its rich history to a charming touch of European romanticism that you can’t find anywhere else in North America, you do not want to miss it when you are in Canada. Here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Quebec City.
• Wondering how many days to spend in Quebec City? Here’s a complete itinerary for you: 2 Days in Quebec City: A Backpacking Itinerary.
• To see all articles about Canada, be sure to check out our Canada travel guide page.
• For a complete itinerary of both the US and Canada, check out: One Month in USA & Canada: A Backpacking Itinerary without Cars.
• Looking for more travel guides for North America? You will find more over at our North America page.
• For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.