by  David Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Most European City of North America

A. About Montreal

Nickname: Québec's Metropolis

Montreal, the second-largest French-speaking city in the world, feels more European than North American.

Old Montreal's cobblestoned streets lined with buildings dating from the 17th through 19th centuries blend into a 21st-century skyline.

You will also find a vibrant dining and club scene that reflects contemporary Montreal's culturally diverse population.

Best Things to do in Montreal

The Good

While Montreal ranks in none of the categories extremely high, it still consistently scores solidly in most of them and is also known for its very friendly locals.

Negative Aspects

There is neither a standout sight nor many sights in total and Montreal is not cheap.

The city is also famous for its harsh winters.


B. Best Things to Do in Montreal in 2025 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)

In total, we count more than ninety sights in Montreal. These sights contribute to a score of 6.55/10 in this most important category:

# Basilique Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Basilica) 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Dedicated in 1829, this grand Gothic Revival church is best known for its outstanding deep blue interior and its stained-glass windows.

Roman Catholic Basilica Completed: 1672 | Style: Gothic Revival

by David Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# Vieux-Montréal 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Charming Vieux-Montréal with its narrow cobblestone streets is one of North America's oldest urban areas with historic sites and buildings dating from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

City District

by Joanne Lévesque / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Parc du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Park) 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Inaugurated in 1876 Montreal's largest (2.8 km2 /692 acres) and the most beautiful park boasts wonderful views over the city from its two lookout points.

Other features of the park are a small artificial lake, a snow tube, and toboggan run, cross-country skiing trails, and a sculpture garden.

Park Land Area: 2.8 km2 / 692 acres | Created: 1876

by JustLiza / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Underground City 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Officially called RÉSO, the Underground City is a multi-level network of 32 kilometers of pedestrian tunnels connecting office towers, hotels, shopping centers, residential and commercial complexes, convention halls, universities, and performing arts venues.

Despite its name, is not a city and most of it is not actually underground.

Series of Interconnected Buildings

by Ancien et moderne / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# Botanical Gardens 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Established in 1931 and often regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world, Montreal's Botanical Gardens feature ten large, themed greenhouses as well as outdoor gardens (covered with snow from about November until about April).

Botanical Garden Land Area: 190 acres / 0.76 km2 | Established: 1931

by Thomas1313 / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# Museum of Fine Arts 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Spread across five pavilions Montreal's most prestigious museum houses a fine collection of Canadian and international works.

Fine Arts Museum

by Thomas1313 / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# Biosphere 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Housed in a two-thirds sphere constructed for Expo 67, this museum is promoting the environment and its protection.

Environment Museum

by Hamidreza / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# St. Joseph's Oratory 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

Sitting adjacent to Mont-Royal, this neo-renaissance-style domed basilica is Canada’s largest church

Roman Catholic Church Consecrated: 1904 | Style: Neo-Renaissance

by Laslovarga / CC BY-SA 3.0

 

# Plateau Mont-Royal 5 2.5 out of 5 stars

This dynamic borough is considered the nerve center of the Montréal artistic community.

City District

by Chicoutimi / Public domain

 

#10 | Place Jacques-Cartier 4 2 out of 5 stars

Car-free in summer, this charming cobblestone square overlooked by Nelson's Column is surrounded by historic buildings.

Square

by Chester / CC BY-SA 2.0

Scoring and Icons Legend (Click here for detailed information)

10 = top-10 sight in the world

9 = world-class  

8 = outstanding

7 = excellent 

6 = impressive

5 = interesting

4 = decent

3 = mediocre

2 = bad

1 = abysmal

🌍 = World Heritage Site

= Excursion

C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Montreal

    • Habitat 67 (Modern Houses)4
    • Olympic Park 4
    • Musée d'Art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) 4
    • Ritz-Carlton Hotel 4
    • Exporail, The Canadian Railway Museum 4

D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Montreal

Ottawa 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Ottawa, Canada's capital, features historic Parliament Hill, national museums, and a rich cultural calendar.

City  Distance from Montréal: 203 km

by Saffron Blaze / CC BY-SA 3.0

Québec City (City, 261.6 km from Montreal) 5


E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Montreal (including close-by excursions)

To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Montreal for at least three entire days:

Basilique Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Basilica) 6

Vieux-Montréal (City District) 6

 Parc du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Park) 5

Underground City 5

Botanical Gardens 5

Museum of Fine Arts 5

 Biosphere (Museum, Modern Building) 5

St. Joseph's Oratory (Church) 5

 Plateau Mont-Royal (City District) 5

 Place Jacques-Cartier (Square) 4