As I walk out of my hostel and head towards the Old Port of Montreal, I don’t feel too cold. I can handle this. Winter in Montreal is no joke. The temperature was 12 degrees Fahrenheit. After walking for a while I stopped in a shop briefly. Stepping outside it was suddenly frigid and I was not dressed for it. I had to drop off my bag at the hostel since I was too early to check-in and I hadn’t added on any extra layers yet, you see. By the time I returned to my hostel, my legs were a lovely shade of purple and I had to thaw out and add two more layers before I headed back out again.
The lesson here? Dress according to the temperature, not according to how you feel at the moment. I dressed quite appropriately and looked like a kid dressed for their first snow outing for the remainder of the trip. You know the kid I’m talking about, right? We have all been that kid. Where you can’t even put your arms down because you have so many layers of clothing under that poofy down jacket. Ah, the memories.
If you follow this blog, you may have already read my post about my first solo travel experience. This was my first time in Montreal, and despite being cold for four days straight I really love this city! There is so much to do and see that you will wear yourself out. Keep reading if you want to know more!
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate any purchases made as they help me continue to maintain this blog!
What to Pack
I usually don’t include this, but in this case, I think it is important. I managed to fit enough clothes into one backpack for this trip and really impressed myself. Winter in Montreal is cold. I was only there at the start of winter, and it was freezing. First and foremost, you will want a warm jacket. Not a light jacket. No amount of layers will be as good as a nice thick winter coat. I saw an old woman on the Metro wearing a knee-length fur coat. We could all learn something from her.
Next, we will start from the bottom layer. Long underwear is your friend. Cuddleduds are my favorite. I had a pair of leggings and a thin long sleeve shirt that served as a lovely base layer. After that, you want a sweater, or flannel, or some other warm material. For pants, I either wore normal jeans or flannel-lined jeans on the colder days. Flannel lined jeans are amazing. You should own some if you live in a place that has real winters. I miss the South sometimes…
That should be enough layering for December. If what I was told is true, January and February are the real brutal months. More snow,
How to Get Around Montreal
Once you arrive in Montreal, you will need to get into the city somehow. You could take a taxi, or rent a car, but they have a lovely bus service from the airport to the city center that I highly recommend. The 747 bus is $10 and can get you into the city in under an hour without traffic. It even has wifi. You will see the place to get a bus ticket as you are leaving the airport. It is close to the international baggage claim.
When you go to buy your ticket, I would suggest getting an Opus card. You can load more passes for the metro and city bus system onto this card. It costs an extra $2, but it saves some paper, and you look way cooler swiping a card instead of dealing with a regular ticket. Your bus ticket from the airport also gets you a 24-hour pass for the Metro and other buses in the city. Once mine was up I bought a 3-day pass because that was how many days I had left, and that ticket got me back to the airport.
Transportation in Montreal is really easy and efficient. Once you get the hang of it and realize that it is cold outside, you will use it often. Winter in Montreal demands public transportation instead of walking. When warm the city is very walkable.
The Language
If you are concerned about a language barrier, worry no more. While basically everyone in Montreal speaks French primarily, they also speak English very well. The skill varies from person to person, but anyone that you need to talk to will be able to converse with you in English. Just politely let them know that you do not speak French and they will seamlessly switch to English. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to know a few words of French. A little goes a long way, and you could earn some brownie points.
What to Eat
In a word, poutine. Poutine is said to be Canada’s national dish, and for good reason. It is delicious and will put you in a food coma. I only had it once and truly savored its delicious unhealthiness. There are many options for poutine in Montreal, but I can recommend Chez Claudette. You could split a small portion with someone, but I tried my best to eat it all. I turned in early that night, due to the aforementioned food coma.
Also, when in Montreal you must try a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz’s Deli. I had a smoked meat sandwich at another place before going to Schwartz’s and you could tell that theirs is next-level. It is also a really quick meal that you can grab on the go.
An honorable mention is Lola Rosa Cafe, which is a vegetarian cafe near McGill University. The food is so good that it makes you smile and the service is great too. My meal of samosas and salad was simple yet flavorful. I am not vegetarian or vegan and I loved this place. Also, try the iced tea, it is like a party in your mouth. You won’t regret it.
Old Montreal
Montreal is an incredible city. It is modern and lively and cultured. Old Montreal is the older part of town as the name would suggest. Also known as the Old Port of Montreal, this area is located on the Saint Lawrence River, and has a vibe that will take you back. Cobblestone streets will lead you through shops, art galleries, and cafes. You can find museums and churches with beautiful architecture. This is the part of Montreal that should not be missed.
Notre Dame Basilica
The Notre Dame Basilica is a national
I chose something a little different. You can purchase tickets to visit the basilica at night for a special light performance called Aura. This is a sensory experience where you will walk through the church and view the artwork under special multimedia lighting and with sound effects. After that, you will take a seat. The show that follows is stunning. The Basilica goes dark only to be lit by a spectacular show of lights that seems to take you through all four seasons as well as all types of weather. It becomes a party of lights as you gaze up, in front of, and behind your seat. The music that flows with the lights picks you up and brings you where ever you need to be to most enjoy this show. You can get tickets to see the show online, here. I highly recommend this show!
Bonsecours Market
If you are walking through Old Montreal, I would recommend stopping in Bonsecours Market. This has been the main public market in Montreal for over 100 years. It even contained Parliament for a short period of time. You can find all sorts of good souvenirs and locally made items in this market. There are also restaurants and cafes located inside. This place is definitely worth a visit if you enjoy shopping. If you don’t like to shop, I would say skip this unless you want to try out one of the restaurants.
Mont-Royal in the Snow
Winter in Montreal comes with lots of snow! If you are an outdoorsy type, you will love this park. Honestly, if you are not outdoorsy, I think you would still love it. Mont-Royal is the namesake of Montreal. Smack dab in the middle of the city, this “mountain” is a popular place for locals and visitors alike. I say “mountain” because it is more like a really big hill. If I can walk through the park without laying on the ground and crying about being tired, then anyone can manage a walk through this park.
I started my hike from The Monument for Sir George-Etienne Cartier. This is an impressive monument that deserves some photographs. Apparently, Cartier was a well-known politician who helped lead to the Canadian constitution. I didn’t dig too deep in his history (if anyone knows anything interesting, feel free to share). I continued my hike into the woods where some people were running, others were walking, and some kids were sledding down the hills.
I believe that you can rent skis for some cross-country skiing in the winter months. I did see some tracks but never ran across any skiers. My hike led me up to the vista point of Belvedere Camillien-Houde, where you can see all of Montreal. There is a bus stop here so you could just take a bus if you prefer. From there I wandered to find the Mont-Royal Cross, a massive steel cross that is lit at night. Then I walked to the Mont-Royal Chalet where I rested my feet and had a nice warm hot chocolate. It wasn’t anything special, but the hot chocolate really warmed me up. Behind the chalet, you get even clearer views of the city, but it is windy and cold so you may not stick around for long.
My walk back down the hill was a bit treacherous, as I almost slid down the hill and busted my ass multiple times. Stairs covered in snow are death traps, and muddy hills covered in ice await you. Make sure that you wear good boots that have some grip. I would not have made it without them!
Montreal’s Underground City
I wasn’t sure when I planned this trip if I would spend any time in the Underground City of Montreal. Once I got that first taste of cold and realized the next day was even colder, I quickly changed my mind. I spent most of the day underground. The Underground City is about 20 miles long and connects several Metro stations throughout the city. I got lost a lot, but sort of figured out my bearings by the end of the day.
If you are trying to decide where to go, Place des-arts and Complexe Desjardins are a good place to start. These buildings are right next to each other. Place Des-Arts contains restaurants, shops, art galleries, a contemporary art museum, and holds musical events, shows, and conferences. Complexe Desjardins is an underground mall, complete with a fountain and a stage for some local Christmas performances. I would also recommend the Eaton Centre for more shopping and Palais des Congres in December for the Nutcracker Market.
Tis the Season
If there is one thing that I learned in Montreal, it is that they love Christmas. There are decorations everywhere. They have multiple Christmas markets around the city, and you can always find some Christmas themed show. I passed a sign for a comedic Twelve days of Christmas show. I am sad that I couldn’t stay to see it!
Parc du Noel
There are three parks in the city that are set up for Christmas events every year for an event called Noel Dans le Parc. The parks are Place Emilie Gamelin, Park of the Companions of Saint Laurent, and Lahaie Park. These are interspersed throughout the city, so you can visit one or all of them. Place Emilie Gamelin just happened to be right next to the Metro station that I used frequently, so I made a point to stop by in the evenings to see what musical act I may catch. Grab a warm alcoholic beverage and hang out by the fire while you listen to some local music. These festive parks are showing Christmas spirit from the first of December through Christmas day.
Village de Noel
The Montreal Christmas Village is located near the Lionel-Groulx Metro Station. You will find warm drinks, delicious maple candy, local products, delicious food, and live music. This one even had some people dressed up in Christmas attire for the kids. Olaf from Frozen was wandering around and was a big hit with the kids. Speaking of kids, there was also a goat all dressed up with reindeer antlers and all! This market is great for families to visit. Village de Noel runs from November 30th through December 23rd.
Nutcracker Market
The Nutcracker Market is in the Palais de
Even if it is cold, winter in Montreal is worth experiencing at least once. I fit so much into these four days, but I think that I made an even longer list for next time. I will definitely be revisiting Montreal in the warmer months to learn more about what this fun city has to offer. There are even more Christmas activities in the city that I didn’t get to experience. If you have attended a Christmas festivity in Montreal that I didn’t mention, please let me know! I would love to hear about it!
If you haven’t already, check out my previous post about my first solo travel experience! I share my honest account of my time alone in Montreal.
If you found this post helpful, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!
