Why go to Montreal? The 10 good reasons to go Montreal

In urban centers like Montreal, points of interest are generally open year-round, with limited opening hours outside the summer season (e.g., closed on Mondays). In the regions, however, they are often seasonal, open from May to October. While they are open every day in summer, opening hours are often reduced from Patriotes Day (Monday before May 25) to June 24, and from Labor Day (^1st Monday in September) to Thanksgiving (^2nd Monday in October).

Reservations are rarely necessary, except for guided tours, workshops and special activities, or immersive shows such as Aura at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal and Tonga Lumina in Tremblant (Laurentians). If the point of interest requires transportation, such as a shuttle bus, it is best to reserve a seat on board. Note that some points of interest also offer lodging on site, often experiential. In this case, it is strongly advised to book your package in advance.

Admission is usually between CAN$10 and CAN$25 for adults. Children, students and seniors almost always benefit from discounts or even free admission. For example, access to national parks and historic sites is always free for under-18s. Many points of interest are also completely free, although some require a voluntary contribution. To make the most of all that Montreal has to offer, there are three passports that can help you save big. First of all, there are the Montreal Museum Passes, which offer three packages, with or without public transit passes, to discover the city's museum institutions https://museesmontreal.org/fr/cartes-musees. Then there's the MTL Passport, which allows you to visit up to 28 must-see attractions in a 2 or 3-day package, including public transit https://www.mtl.org/fr/passeport-mtl. And if you're planning to study in Montreal, find out more about Passeport MTL étudiant international.

Countless festivals take place every year in Montreal, with themes as varied as homemade beer, blues music, African and Creole cinema, comedy and circus arts. Among the main and most famous is Igloofest, a huge outdoor electro music event held in the middle of winter. In summer, the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Osheaga attract the world's greatest singers and musicians. And we couldn't pass over in silence the Formula 1 race taking place at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal.

All kinds of guided tours are available in Montreal, from traditional city bus tours to helicopter flights over the metropolis and cruises on the St. Lawrence River. There's something for everyone, too: a tour of craft breweries, gourmet stops in an emerging neighborhood, a lantern-lit "haunted" walk, a historical tour with characters in period costume, a local-style discovery with a local, and more. The choice is yours! A number of Quebec cities are also members of the international Stroll Buddy (formerly Greeter) network, including Montreal and Mont-Tremblant (strollbuddy.com).

Whether on a guided tour or in a museum, smoking is prohibited. For outdoor points of interest, such as interpretation sites and national parks, smoking areas are often provided.

If you are taking a guided tour in Montréal, make sure your guide is properly accredited and has a city permit (this must always be visible while performing his or her duties). Guides have completed a mandatory training program recognized by the Ministère du tourisme and the Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec. This ensures the quality and truthfulness of the information transmitted during the visits.