Montreal

A city of festivals, food and culture

Montreal stands out as a city where European charm meets North American energy. Its streets carry historic brick buildings alongside modern glass towers, creating a visual mix that feels both familiar and fresh. The city’s public spaces host lively festivals each season, drawing people together through music, food and art. Bilingual signs guide visitors easily between French and English, while local cafés serve coffee in bustling squares. Montreal balances cultural heritage with innovation, making everyday life here accessible yet dynamic for residents and travelers alike.

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City in Canada

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 8.9

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	8
Tap water:	9

Read details

4/5

While French is the official language, most people in Montreal are bilingual, especially in tourist areas. English is widely understood in restaurants, hotels, and shops, though some locals prefer French first.

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Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Montreal Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.

Read how our scores work

Strong for festivals and historic charm. Explore old town streets, visit museums, enjoy diverse cuisine and attend major cultural events.

Place score

8.6

Best at:

Local cuisine

Street food

Guided tours

Luxury shopping

Nightlife

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 8

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

💻 9

Digital Nomads

Canada – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	120 V, 60 Hz Plug: Type A , Type B Type A: Type B: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Canadian Dollar (CAD) £1 ≈ CA$1.87
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted, especially in urban areas. Most businesses accept credit and debit cards, and mobile payment options like Apple Pay are popular. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is customary in Canada, with a typical tip of 10-20% in restaurants. Tipping is also expected in taxis and for hotel staff, usually 1-2 CAD for bellhops and housekeepers.
Public drinking:	Public drinking laws vary by province, but it's often allowed in designated areas such as festivals or certain parks.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public spaces and in most outdoor spaces in urban areas. Some provinces have stricter laws than others.

Canada Day (July)	The country celebrates with fireworks and festivals. Expect crowded tourist spots and high demand for accommodations.
Thanksgiving (October)	A major family holiday with many businesses closed, especially in rural areas.
Christmas (December)	Festive markets and winter activities are popular, but expect higher accommodation prices and busy cities.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 911 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Lyft, Bolt
Other:	Canada is vast, so be prepared for long distances between cities and varying weather conditions depending on the region.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Montreal, Canada

🌨️

Jan

🌨️

Feb

🌨️

Mar

🌥️

Apr

🌤️

May

🌤️

Jun

☀️

Jul

🌤️

Aug

🌤️

Sep

🌤️

Oct

🌥️

Nov

🌨️

Dec

High season:	June - Oct.
Shoulder season:	May, Dec.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Montreal International Jazz Festival late June to early July, Just for Laughs in July, F1 Canadian Grand Prix in June

Many hotels and attractions are booked out during the Grand Prix and big festivals

The Underground City keeps downtown walkable in the harsh winter months

Don't miss

🏙️ Wander the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal
🌄 Admire panoramic city views from Mount Royal Park
⛪ Visit the breathtaking Notre-Dame Basilica and its illuminated interior
🍟 Savor poutine and smoked meat sandwiches at iconic eateries
❄️ Explore the underground city’s shops and walkways during winter
🖼️ Experience Montreal’s vibrant art scene at the Museum of Fine Arts

You've been here?

Why travel to Montreal?

Montreal is a city for food lovers, culture seekers and those who enjoy a lively atmosphere. Walk through cobbled streets in Old Montreal, enjoy breathtaking views from Mount Royal or immerse yourself in one of the city's countless festivals. The city’s bilingual charm and warm hospitality make every visit special. Winter can be brutally cold, but the underground city keeps things moving and summer transforms Montreal into an open-air playground.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Saint Joseph's Oratory
2 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
3 Notre-Dame Basilica
4 Old Montreal
5 Montreal Biodome
6 Underground City
7 Mont-Royal

🎡Places for activities

1 Casino de Montréal
2 Centre des sciences de Montréal
3 La Grande Roue de Montréal

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Parc La Fontaine
2 Morgan Arboretum - Check-in - Pines Office
3 Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park
4 Montreal Botanical Garden
5 Jean-Drapeau Park
6 Mount Royal Park
7 Lachine Canal
8 Parc Nature de L'ile Bizard
9 Parc des Rapides

🛍️Shopping

1 Atwater Market
2 Jean Talon Market
3 Rue Sainte-Catherine
4 Centre Eaton
5 Place Ville-Marie
6 Hudson's Bay

🎈Events

Montreal International Jazz Festival (June-July)
Just for Laughs Comedy Festival (July)
Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix (June)
Osheaga Music Festival (August)
Mural Festival (June)
Montreal en Lumière (February-March)
Igloofest (January-February)
FrancoFolies de Montréal (June)
Montréal Pride (August)
World Film Festival (August-September)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Expect bilingualism: most locals speak French and English comfortably.
Base yourself near a métro line; the network is efficient, safe and ideal for reaching key neighborhoods and attractions.
Winters are brutally cold, summers festival-heavy; pack accordingly and check dates for major events and road closures.
Spend evenings wandering Plateau and Mile End for local cafés, bagels, street art and a more authentic, less touristy vibe.

How to travel to Montreal

Montreal is served by Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), with flights from major global cities. The 747 bus connects the airport to downtown in about 45 minutes. Rail and bus options also link Montreal to other Canadian and US cities, including Toronto, Ottawa and New York.

Access summary

From Montréal–Trudeau Airport (YUL): 747 airport bus to downtown, about 30–45 minutes.
From Toronto: Frequent direct flights or VIA Rail trains, roughly 1–5 hours.
From Quebec City: Intercity buses or trains to Montreal, typically around 3–4 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Montreal

Accommodation ranges from boutique hotels in Old Montreal to budget-friendly hostels and luxury stays downtown. Mile End and the Plateau offer stylish, artsy options, while downtown is best for business travelers. In winter, consider staying near a metro station for convenience.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hotel Faubourg Montreal Centre Ville Downtown 183492

8.2

Hotel Bonaventure Montreal

Hotel Zero 1 Montreal

8.4

Le Nouvel Hotel

8.4

Novotel Montreal Aeroport Hotel

7.9

DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal Downtown

8.8

Le Dauphin Montreal Centre-Ville

9.4

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Montreal

The metro system is fast and efficient, covering most of the city. Buses complement the metro and Bixi bike rentals are a great way to explore in summer. Walking is enjoyable in many districts, but winter conditions can make it tricky. Taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber are available.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-8 %

Daily expenses in Montreal are around 8% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-10 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to CAD) is 10% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£60	£134	£370
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£23	£60	£150
🍝 Food per day	£30	£65	£191
🚕 Transportation per day	£8	£8	£29

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£25
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£12.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£9
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£10.50
☕ Cappuccino	£3
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.80

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.10
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£16
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£90
🤧 Cold medication	£8.50
💇 Basic haircut	£17

Safety information overview

General safety

Montreal is generally very safe, with low violent crime. However, petty theft like pickpocketing can occur in busy tourist areas. Avoid certain outer neighborhoods at night and be mindful of your belongings in crowded places.

Health & Medical

Healthcare is high quality, but visitors may need travel insurance as non-residents must pay for services. Pharmacies are widely available and emergency services are reliable. Be prepared for extreme cold in winter to avoid frostbite risks.

Accessibility

Many public places and transport options are accessible, but some older buildings lack facilities. The metro has limited elevators, which can be challenging for those with mobility issues. Streets can be slippery in winter.

Tap water

Montreal’s tap water is clean and safe to drink. Public drinking fountains are common in parks and public spaces. In winter, keep hydrated despite the cold as indoor heating can be very drying.

Packing recommendations for Montreal

📷

Camera

👟

Comfortable walking shoes

🚰

Reusable water bottle

if visiting in winter

📱

Translation app or phrasebook

🥾

Winter boots

if visiting in winter

📱

Travel eSIM

🔌

Universal travel adaptor

💳

Credit card with no foreign transaction fees

Nearby recommended places

New York City

Boston

Toronto

Ottawa

Quebec City

Halifax

Niagara Falls

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Temperature:	-13 – -6 °C
Snow:	30 cm (Light-to-moderate snow, often)
Crowdedness:	Few tourists

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Snow:	12 cm (Regular light snow)
Crowdedness:	Not touristy