Itinerary · Montreal
Montreal 7-Day Itinerary
A realistic 7-day Montreal itinerary: what to see each day, where to stay, how to move between areas and when to go.
Updated 2026-07-01
How this 7-day Montreal plan works
Montreal + Laurentians fall foliage
Each day below is grouped geographically so you spend your time in Montreal rather than in transit. Metro (4 lines, CA$3.75 per ride) reaches YUL airport via new REM light rail (opening in phases through 2027; 747 bus CA$11 the current fallback). BIXI bike-share CA$12 day pass. Uber + Lyft everywhere. Vieux-Montréal, Downtown, Plateau + Mile End are all walkable to each other. RÉSO (Underground City) connects 32 km of Downtown climate-controlled walkway.
Day by day
Day 1
Day 1–3 — Full Montreal highlights.
Day 2
Day 4 — Drive to Mont-Tremblant (2h) — village stroll, chairlift foliage tour.
Day 3
Day 5 — Laurentians hiking + spa (Scandinave Mont-Tremblant).
Day 4
Day 6 — Return via Sainte-Adèle patisseries + Fairmont Le Château Montebello.
Day 5
Day 7 — Farewell Montreal — MMFA (Musée des Beaux-Arts) + Rue Saint-Denis Plateau lunch.
Where to base yourself
Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal)
Cobblestone, boutique hotels in 200-year-old warehouses — Hotel Nelligan, Auberge du Vieux-Port, William Gray, Le Petit.
Downtown / Ville-Marie
Business core, shopping (Sainte-Catherine), RÉSO gateway — Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (Lennon/Ono Bed-In), Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons.
Plateau Mont-Royal
Spiral-staircase Victorians, bagels (St-Viateur, Fairmount), smoked meat (Schwartz's), Mile End cafés.
Mile End
Bohemian arts quarter, Ubisoft HQ, indie boutiques, best coffee scene.
Best time to run this itinerary
June–September is peak — 20–28°C, festival season (Jazz Fest late June, Just for Laughs mid-July, Osheaga early August), packed terrasses. October is foliage magic in the Laurentians (2h north). November–March is very cold (–10°C to –5°C, RÉSO underground city becomes essential). April/May thaw is muddy shoulder. December for Christmas markets + Old Montreal snow atmosphere.
Before you go
Tipping 15–20% at restaurants + 5% GST + 9.975% QST added at register.
Bagels here are boiled in honey water, wood-fired — St-Viateur + Fairmount are the two temples (24/7).
Winter needs –20°C-rated coat + insulated boots + hat + gloves; RÉSO covers most Downtown transits.
Ready to book your Montreal trip?
Everything in this guide is bookable through Marhaba's licensed partners.
