It’s like a Montréal 101, for those who are willing to leave the Old Town

Duration

2 Hours 45 Minutes

About

If there’s one district that is beautiful year-round, it’s Old Montréal. We start our Montréal walking tour by skipping the line at the ornately decorated Notre-Dame Basilica before wandering the elegant streets of Vieux-Montréal. We’ll be popping into some historic and architecturally impressive gems to get an understanding of the district with a local before heading out and leaving the tourist crowds behind. This tour does a lot of in and out so it’s great for year-round conditions.

We stroll through a segment of our interior or underground city as a part of our tour. It’s the largest indoor network on the planet and lets us make our way to Chinatown for a quick snack as we get the skinny on the area.

Then it’s off to our old Red Light District, turned entertainment Mecca to see where the biggest festivals take place. This is the cultural heart of the country! We pop into a whacky often missed institution for a visit. Up Saint-Laurent boulevard, we check out half a dozen impressive works of art from Montréal’s MURAL Festival in the borough that is home to the highest concentration of artists in Canada. This is such a cool area to end in.

With a coffee from a local third wave shop in hand we walk the hip parts of the lower Main before leaving you with a custom list of recommendations. This route is a great way to see a lot in a small amount of time. From classics and historic to modern and funky hoods this is an excellent intro to our city.

Frequently Asked Questions About our Montreal Walking Tour

• How much walking do we do?

About 3.5 km with breaks and stops along the way at a decent pace. There is one hill when switching neighbourhoods and some stairs in the interior city.

• Is this the right tour for me?

This is a great intro to Montréal from some classics and mains up to the more funky and happening neighbourhoods.

• How should we dress?

To impress, obviously, but most importantly to stay warm. We have real winter here so dress like a Canadian would. Ears should be covered and good gloves too. We don’t take our long johns off between November to April and they change our lives! If you show up showing off your ankles at -20C we’re all going to laugh except you.

• Do we end at the same location we started in?

No. We end in the Plateau Mont-Royal area. We can help you with directions to keep exploring for the afternoon when we hand you a recommendation list.

• Should I leave my guide a tip?

Yes, if they did a good job it is customary to drown them in money.

Here are some important things that might help make your experience a great one.

• Show up 5-10 minutes before the tour starts. We can't wait for latecomers.

• Bring a refillable water container; we don’t give out plastic bottles. Winters are cold, dress like a Canadian, not like a chump.

• Have some cash for tips.

• Street closures for festivals, both cultural ones and the construction ones make driving hell. We warned you... do not drive. BMW is the best. Bike Métro Walk.

• The guide will be waiting for you next to the monument at Place d'Armes across from the Basilica, where it says 1642. Get as close to that statue as possible.

• If you want our recommendations list (cheat sheet) ahead of time, it's great...follow us on Instagram and DM us we can send it there.