Notre-Dame Basilica
Gothic Revival church in Old Montreal, famous for an interior with a deep blue vaulted ceiling dotted with golden stars and richly carved wood. It is also an active place of worship.
Montreal
Festivals, a lively food scene, Notre-Dame Basilica and a historic old port feature in this French-speaking city.
Attractive locations
Mount Royal
Wooded hill rising above downtown, with a large park, walking paths and lookouts across the city. The summit is a favourite for sunsets, picnics and cross-country skiing in winter.
Saint Joseph's Oratory
Huge domed basilica on the slope of Mount Royal, a major pilgrimage place. Its long staircase and hilltop setting give broad views, and the interior is quiet and respectful.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Large art museum on Sherbrooke Street, spread across several pavilions with works from ancient times to the present, including European paintings, Canadian art and design.
Old Port of Montreal
Revitalised waterfront on the St. Lawrence River, with a long promenade, a clock tower, a science centre and summer activities such as zip-lining and boat trips.
Montreal Botanical Garden
Large garden with themed collections, including Chinese and Japanese gardens, greenhouses and a first-nations garden. An insect museum is on the same grounds.
Olympic Stadium
The large concrete stadium built for the 1976 Olympics, with a tall slanted tower that carries visitors up to an observation deck. It sits beside the Biodome and the Botanical Garden.
Airports
Montreal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport YUL
It is about 13 km in a straight line from Montreal.
Montréal / Saint-Hubert Metropolitan Airport YHU
It is about 13 km in a straight line from Montreal.
Montreal Mirabel International Airport YMX
It is about 40 km in a straight line from Montreal.
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan-11.3 °C72 mm
- Feb-9.6 °C68 mm
- Mar-3.3 °C76 mm
- Apr5.4 °C95 mm
- May13.2 °C93 mm
- Jun18.5 °C109 mm
- Jul21.7 °C95 mm
- Aug21.1 °C98 mm
- Sep16.9 °C88 mm
- Oct8.8 °C114 mm
- Nov1.4 °C81 mm
- Dec-6.6 °C98 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Mar. Wettest months: Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec.
Costs
Prices here are about 83% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
sport
Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix
Ile Notre-Dame hosts the F1 race.
Official sitefestival
Montreal International Jazz Festival
Concerts held outdoors, free of charge, number in the hundreds.
Who can help
Emergency
911 for police, fire and ambulance.
local government
Emergency number 9-1-1 (Royal Canadian Mounted Police page)
Helps with: The RCMP website tells people to dial 9-1-1 for emergency help. Canada has no national tourist police, so visitors use the local police through this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Canada who needs emergency help.
Phone: 911
embassy
Foreign representatives accredited to Canada (Global Affairs Canada)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or high commission. The Office of Protocol page links to a list of diplomatic missions in Canada and search tools.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy, high commission or consulate.
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Canada
Helps with: The UN migration agency's one Canadian office, in Ottawa. Its main work relates to Canada's refugee and humanitarian resettlement programme and to partnerships on migration.
Who qualifies: Refugees and migrants in resettlement programmes, and partner organisations. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +1-613-237-0651
Email: [email protected]
Address: 280 Albert Street, Suite 800, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5P3, Canada