One Day In Montreal Itinerary : See The Best Of The City
Deciding what to do with just one day in Montreal can be tough, especially considering it’s the second largest city in Canada and the tenth in North America. Nevertheless, it is a great place to visit for just one day because of how condensed the city is and how many private and public transportation options there are. With this Montreal itinerary you’ll know you are using your time in the best way, so you can get the most out of your day and see the best things that this great Canadian city has to offer.
To fit everything in comfortably and cut down on transportation time, make sure to stay in downtown Montreal if you’re able to. I recommend Uber for getting around the city, since it will save you time. Even better, Uber is relatively cheap and very easy to get in Montreal. I also include parking instructions for each part of the day in case driving is more your style and the metro is also a good option. Enjoy this Montreal travel blog and your one day in the city!
- 9:00-11:00: Mount Royal Park Lookout & Optional Hike
- 11:00-1:30: Montreal Underground City & Lunch at Timeout Market
- 1:30-4:30: Explore Old Montreal
- Optional Activities If Staying The Night:
- 4:30-6:00: Break/Downtime
- 6:00-7:00: Le Mal Necessaire For Pre-Dinner Cocktails OR Greenspot for Pre-Dinner Poutine
- 7:00-11:00: Dine at a Montreal Supper Club
Map For One Day In Montreal Itinerary
Mount Royal Park Lookout & Optional Hike – 9:00-11:00
Start the day by doing an easy hike (or hard if you’d like) at Mount Royal, right in the middle of the city for great panoramic views of the Montreal skyline. The hike can be as easy as a walk from the parking lot to the look out spot, which is shown on the map at the top of this blog, or up to 5+ miles long depending on which route you take. You can check out this Mount Royal park map for more info on each trail. If you’re familiar with All Trails, here is the 5.3-mile full loop trail.
Since you only have one day in Montreal and there’s no time to waste, I suggest starting at the lookout spot, getting photos and then moving on to see more of the mountain until you’re ready to move on.
Mount Royal Park Parking & Closest Metro
The best and easiest parking option at Mount Royal park is right at the top of the mountain, for a small fee. The lookout spot is just a short walk from this parking lot making it super convenient. Alternatively, you can find parking in the city and walk up the Rue Peel steps to the top of the mountain, which will also be a harder workout for anyone up for the challenge!
Closest metro station: Atwater (2 miles away)
Montreal Underground City, Shop & Lunch – 11:00-1:30
Although the Montreal Underground City was set up mainly as a matter of function, to survive the harsh winter months, it’s also a fun tourist attraction since so few cities have anything like it. The Underground City is a network of interconnected hotels, shopping centers and more which is super unique. It was fun feeling like we were exploring and finding new places we had never seen before when I was visiting this past winter.
The shopping and dining will most likely be what you’re interested in, but it’s also really cool just to explore and see it regardless! You can see with the map below that the entire place is massive, so you’ll want to stick to one area. We found the area near the Bonaventure metro station to be the most entertaining but we were only able to see a smart part of it!
Head to Time Out Market Montreal for lunch, which is a restaurant hub that features cuisine from all around the globe located in the Underground City near Bonaventure. There usually aren’t too many lines and it’s great for groups that have differing food preferences, or being adventurous and trying something new! Time Out Market functions as a cafeteria type eatery and there’s a little something for everyone. The gnocci at Il Miglio and the Poke place were both great.
Montreal Underground City Parking & Closest Metro
There are plenty of parking garages that are attached to subway stations, and this is the best parking for accessing the Underground City. Bonaventure is a great option although it can get fairly pricy. You can also park at 1801 McGill College Ave to be closer to Time Out Market.
Closest metro station: McGill or Bonaventure
Montreal Underground City Map
As you can see in the map of the Underground City above, it’s absolutely huge and connects a lot of downtown Montreal. Perfect for snowy days!
Explore Historic Old Montreal – 1:30-4:30
No trip to this Canadian city would be complete without visiting the historic Old Montreal. You’ll feel transported back in time, surrounded by historic architecture and cobblestone streets. Start at the oldest building in the city, the Old Saint-Sulpice Seminary. Next check out the stunning Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, both inside and out.
For history lovers, if you’re up to it pop into the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History which is great for learning all about the history of Montreal, the city’s culture and its archaeology. There are also temporary exhibits that rotate out which you can find on their website here.
There are also tons of cafes, shops, bars and restaurants to see and explore if you’d rather, both old and new.
Old Port of Montreal Ice Skating or Ferris Wheel Ride
Next up, head down to Place Jacques-Cartier square which is one of the entrances to the Old Port of Montreal on the St. Lawrence river. If you’re visiting in the winter months and like to skate, the Old Port Iceskating Rink is a great time and something you don’t want to miss during your one day in Montreal. The scenery is stunning and they usually have music going. It’s big enough that it rarely feels packed, so you’ll have plenty of space to show off 🤣.
If you happen to visit during the summer months, take a ride on the Ferris Wheel or check out the many activities that are available to do on the river like paddle boats or a thrilling speed boat ride.
Old Montreal Parking & Closest Metro
There are plenty of paid parking lots right near the Old Port of Montreal, close to the water. Although somewhat pricy these will be the best option.
Closest metro: Place-d’Armes
Break/Rest – 4:30-6:00
Because everyone needs some downtime, especially when there are drinks involved. 😉 If you’d rather stay in the area, the next stop is just down the street from the Old Port of Montreal.
Pre-Dinner Drinks or Appetizers – 6:00-7:00
You have two great options for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers. If you’d like to try poutine, option 2 is the best pick. Personally my husband and I don’t love poutine and we do love cocktail bars, and option 1 is for people in the same boat.
Option 1: Le Mal Necessaire For Pre-Dinner Cocktails
It’s Happy Hour time! Le Mal Necessaire offers the best cocktails in the city in an intimate setting and you won’t be disappointed. The Champagne Papi Cocktail is one of the most memorable drinks I’ve ever been served still to this day. I wish I could make drinks like this!
You’ll want to make a Le Mal Necessaire reservation on Resy ahead of time if possible as this place can get super packed, especially around this time.
Parking & Closest Metro
Le Mal Necessaire is right in Old Montreal, so you can park in Old Port and walk over.
Closest metro: Place-d’Armes
Option 2: Greenspot for Pre-Dinner Poutine
Montreal is known for poutine, which is the city’s well known snack that is basically French fries with cheese curds and gravy. If you haven’t tried it and think its something you’ll like there are tons of places to get it in the city, but Greenspot is one of the best spots and its not too far from the center of downtown Montreal.
Parking & Closest Metro
Greenspot is right near the Lionel-Groulx metro stop. There’s also free street parking around the restaurant.
Closest metro: Lionel-Groulx
Montreal Supper Club For Dinner (And Dancing?) – 7:00-11:00
Having dinner at a supper club is the perfect way to end your amazing one day in Montreal. Make sure to reserve a table ahead of time to make sure you secure a spot.
Soubois is one of the best supper clubs in Montreal and a great option, with a really cool underground forest theme with music to match. Up until close to midnight it’ll be more tame, so if you’re feeling tired you can have dinner and then end your night there. Around 11:00pm or midnight is when “the festivities of the forest begin as she transforms, dances, and erupts” as put on their website. Sounds like a night to remember!
Yoko Luna is another favorite supper club, which is close to Soubois and offers a totally different atmosphere – and sometimes a show to accompany your meal. Similar to the other Montreal supper clubs, the party starts close to midnight – so stick around if you like to dance on the table and let loose.
Closest Metro: Peel
Lauren Kessel
Lauren Kessel is the author of this blog post and the creator of the Inspired Backpacker travel blog. She is a passionate digital nomad, with the mission to make slow travel a more accessible way of life for everyone. Lauren believes travel is an important means of education and more importantly, a way for people of different cultures to come together and understand each other better. She has a BS in Tourism and has planned countless domestic and international trips for herself, her family and friends, having visited over 12 countries and 30 states so far.
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