Montreal, Quebec Summer Trip Guide

Where we stayed: Our Accommodations in Montreal

My parents flew out to meet us for the first few days of our trip and they arranged for us to stay at Hotel de l’Institut the first night. The location was unbeatable.

Deprived of many luxuries after a year of Peace Corps, we were absolutely giddy over the beautiful modern decor, fantastic city views, amazingly comfortable bed, and generous selection at the breakfast buffet.

The remainder of the week, we stayed in an airy apartment in the trendy Plateau neighborhood, which we found through Airbnb.

It was a great choice for us, and the full kitchen allowed us to cook some of our own meals (although we also made sure to take full advantage of the variety of great restaurants in the area).

Getting Around Montreal: Walk and Bike!

Summer in Montreal is absolutely beautiful. We went jogging nearly every morning to explore the abundance of city parks and admire the quaint neighborhoods.

Parks like Mont Royal and La Fontaine made us seriously consider moving to Montreal.

During the day, we relied primarily on walking and the Bixi bike-share system, which we cannot recommend enough.

The fact that the city has bike highways all over the place–sometimes even separated by a median from vehicular traffic–plus Bixi bike locations every couple of blocks, made getting around super easy.

Whenever we got too tired of biking or walking, we just hopped on the Metro instead.

Montreal Things to See, Do, and Eat (for Cheap)

Among the many places we recommend touring by bike or on foot, are:
– Old Town and the Old Port
– Jean-Drapeau Park
– Mont Royal Park
– the Olympic Stadium and park
– the Latin Quarter
– Jean-Talon and Atwater markets
– the Lachine canals

After paying about $5 a day for the Bixi bike and a few bucks for the occasional metro ride, all of our entertainment and explorations were free.

We even saw several free, outdoor shows at the Just For Laughs festival. Montreal hosts a whole slew of festivals in the summer so there’s always something going on.

There are also free fireworks displays at the Port, thanks to the annual summer-long International Fireworks Competition. Each year, eight or nine pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute-long show, along with music, competing for trophies. 

Mont Royal overlook

Montreal Tours and Activities

Where to Eat in Montreal

We used Yelp to find some amazing eateries, like:

– Le Vin Papillon: French small plates, 2519 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
– Rotisserie Romado: carry-out, finger-lickin’ rotisserie chicken, 115 Rue Rachel E
– Restaurant l’Avenue: full brunch near Mont Royal station, 922 Avenue du Mont-Royal E
– Boulangerie Premiere Moisson: bakery with pastries and deli, multiple locations
– Satay Brothers SE-Asian, booth at the Atwater Market, 138 Avenue Atwater

French crepes!

Murals transform the city into a giant art museum

Montreal in July truly captivated our hearts. Perhaps we’ll spend a summer or two there in the future…

Have you ever been to Montreal? What were some of your favorite places to see or things to do? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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