Montreal - Day 2: Parc du Mont-Royal, Old Montreal, and Old Port of Montreal
Parc du Mont-Royal
I started Friday, May 12, 2023 with a trip to St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal, a bakery that is considered to be one of the best in all of Montreal. I had the Traditional, a classic lox bagel sandwich. It’s their most popular item, and it definitely lived up to the hype. One thing to note: St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal is cash only, which I didn’t realize until I arrived. Luckily, they accepted my $20 USD and gave me change in Canadian dollars, which came in handy shortly thereafter.
Next, I walked west on Mont-Royal toward Parc du Mont-Royal, a sprawling urban green space in the middle of Montreal that sits atop the mountain and offers beautiful city views. I had planned to walk all the way up, but as I reached the Mont-Royal and Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine intersection, the 11 Parc-du Mont-Royal / Ridgewood bus, which drops you off at the top, pulled up. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to shave off some time since the opportunity presented itself. By taking the bus, I did wind up cheating a bit and skipped climbing up the Grand Staircase of Mont-Royal. I didn’t feel too guilty, though, as I wound up walking 18 miles that day, and I took the staircase on the way down!
One thing to note about Montreal buses is that they don’t accept credit cards on board. They do in Chicago, so I incorrectly assumed that might be possible there as well. Luckily, I had a $5 CAD bill from the change I’d gotten at St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal. But, the fare was only $3.50 CAD, and the bus doesn’t give change. Thankfully, a very kind gentleman on the bus exchanged my bill for coins so I could pay the fare.
Travel tip: If you’re going to take public transit in Montreal, and as a Chicagoan, I definitely believe public transit is the way to go when visiting any city, I recommend stopping at a metro station to get an OPUS card or carrying exact change.
Once I got to the bus stop for Parc du Mont-Royal, I walked to Beaver Lake and then continued on to the viewpoint to get all the photos.
Downtown Montreal
When I was done, I walked down the staircase to Peel St and Ave Pins, then continued along Peel Street, a prominent thoroughfare in downtown Montreal, heading towards the Royal Bank of Montreal. On the way, I stopped at Victoria Square, a town square and public space by the Square Victoria-OACI metro station.
The Royal Bank of Montreal is a historic landmark that has been repurposed into a beautiful cafe/coworking space named Crew Collective & Café. I had initially been thinking of getting lunch there, but changed my mind on the flight to Montreal. While on that flight, I sat next to a lovely lady named Giselle. We struck up a conversation, she reviewed my itinerary, confirmed I was hitting all the major places I should, and gave some suggestions of restaurants/bars to check out, which is something I always kind of struggle with when traveling. There are just so many restaurants and bars to choose from! She suggested I get lunch at Olive et Gourmando instead. More on that in a minute.
Old Port of Montreal
I then continued on to the Old Port of Montreal, stopping at Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal, a public waterfront space on the St. Lawrence River that offers beautiful views of both the river and the city.
Next, I doubled back to grab lunch from Olive et Gourmando. I ordered The Deluxe with pecorino, which was fantastic. I had planned to eat there, but there was already a wait for a table around 12pm, as it’s a popular restaurant (rightfully so). Since it was such a beautiful day, I decided to take my food to-go and headed back to the Grand Quay to enjoy my lunch while relaxing in one of the many Adirondack chairs overlooking the water. It was a perfect way to rest my feet before continuing the day.
Travel tip: If you would like a table at Olive et Gourmando, try to arrive before noon to beat the lunch rush.
Old Montreal
After lunch, I walked to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture known for its intricate woodwork and vibrant, vaulted interior. Admission was $16 CAD for adults in May 2023, with free entry for those attending mass.
Just outside the basilica is Place d'Armes, the historic public square that has served as a gathering spot for centuries. I spent some time there taking photos of the square and its monuments before moving on.
After taking photos to my heart's content, I continued on to Place Jacques-Cartier, a lively, sloping square in the center of the Old City that stretches from the waterfront to City Hall.
While in that area, I stopped at Musée Château Ramezay to see its garden. There is an entry fee for the museum itself, but the garden is free. While I had read the museum was one of the 1001 Historic Sites You Must See Before You Die by a team of experts in collaboration with UNESCO, I opted to only see the garden. The museum is definitely on my list for a future visit!
I then walked through Bonsecours Market, a two-story domed public market known for its stunning architecture, looking through the shops, making sure to get some maple syrup and a magnet while there!
Just down the road was Notre Dame de Bon Secours Chapel, Montreal’s oldest chapel, also known as the Sailors’ Church. It was a beautiful place to visit, and entrance is free.
Old Port of Montreal
From there, I walked to the Tyrolienne MTL Zipline, the biggest urban zip line in Canada! It’s open daily from 11:00am to 8:00pm and cost $26.43 USD in 2023. It was such a fun experience! I rented a cell phone holder for $5 CAD so I could film my descent. Unfortunately, the video didn’t turn out quite as well as I’d hoped. Even though it was a quick ride, I still had a blast!
La Grande Roue de Montréal, (the Ferris Wheel) is another amazing activity in the Old Port of Montreal. It is Canada’s tallest observation wheel at 60 meters tall, offering amazing views of Montreal and 18-minute rotations. That cost $22.61 USD in 2023.
Next, I walked to the Montreal Clock Tower to capture photos of the harbor, city skyline, and the Saint Lawrence River.
After taking countless photos in Old Montreal, I stopped at Comptoir400 for a beer (Sleeman Original) and a quick break.
Le Plateau Mont-Royal
I then headed back to the hotel to swap my camera bag for my purse before going to dinner at Les Deux Gamins, a spot recommended by the concierge. I wasn’t exactly sure where to eat that night, but I knew I wanted to sit outside since it was such a beautiful evening. As I was heading out, I asked the concierge for a recommendation with outdoor seating. He suggested Les Deux Gamins, which was only a four-minute walk from the hotel, and even called ahead to confirm they had space on the patio.
At Les Deux Gamins, I had the Ravioli au Ricotta and a glass of Château de Gourgazaud Minervois Cuvée Morgane. The food was delicious, and the patio was perfect for people-watching. Unfortunately, the restaurant has been closed since November 2024. Hopefully, something equally wonderful takes its place in the future.
After dinner, I explored the nightlife in the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood, starting with La Distillerie No. 1, a speakeasy-style bar known for its inventive cocktails and funky, eclectic vibe. I ordered the Basilic Romantique, which was a very refreshing and creative cocktail.
From there, I headed toward Le 4ᶱ Mur, the first speakeasy bar in Montreal. On the way, I passed Turbo Haus and heard upbeat music coming out the door. I couldn’t resist stepping inside and ended up catching a Blink-182 cover band that instantly took me back to my high school years. When the set wrapped up, I continued on to Le 4ᶱ Mur and finished the night with a Baton Rouge.
With that, I headed back to the hotel and called it a night, ready to rest up for day 2.
