6 Days in Montreal: First-Timer Plan

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Six days keeps building on the 5-day plan : Old Montreal, Mount Royal, downtown, Olympic Park, Saint Joseph’s Oratory and Griffintown, then a sixth day that circles back to Old Montreal’s history and out to The Village. No day trips on this list, all six days stay inside Montreal proper. With a full week, our 7-day itinerary rounds it out further.

Book these before you go

Day Focus
Day 1 Old Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port
Day 2 Mount Royal, Plateau and Mile End, a bagel and smoked meat crawl
Day 3 Downtown, the RÉSO, Museum of Fine Arts, Jean-Talon Market
Day 4 Olympic Park and Space for Life, east end
Day 5 Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Atwater Market, Griffintown
Day 6 Pointe-à-Callière, The Village, craft beer

Day 1: Old Montreal and the Old Port

Morning

Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal), free to wander, cobblestones around Rue Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier. The Notre-Dame Basilica’s deep blue and gold interior depicts the city’s founding; daytime entry runs about $16.

Afternoon

The 1847 Bonsecours Market (silver dome) and the adjoining Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours chapel, both free.

Evening

Dinner in Old Montreal, a walk along the Old Port. Book the evening AURA show at the Basilica, about $33.50, ahead if it fits.

Day 2: Mount Royal, Plateau, and Mile End

Morning

Climb Mount Royal; the free Kondiaronk Belvedere delivers the classic skyline view.

Afternoon

Wander the Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End, free, and try both Fairmount Bagel (1919) and St-Viateur Bagel (1957).

Evening

Schwartz’s Deli, smoked meat since 1928, about $9.75 a sandwich, then poutine at La Banquise.

Day 3: Downtown and Jean-Talon Market

Morning

The RÉSO underground city and Sainte-Catherine Street. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts runs about $31, free for 25 and under.

Afternoon

Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy.

Evening

Dinner downtown.

Day 4: Olympic Park and Space for Life

Morning

Olympic Park; the Tower’s observation deck is closed for renovation until around spring 2027.

Afternoon

Space for Life: the Botanical Garden and the Biodôme. Combo pass roughly $55-65.

Evening

Dinner in the Plateau or downtown.

Day 5: Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Atwater Market, and Griffintown

Morning

Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Canada’s largest church, free shrine, museum about $4-5, open roughly 6am to 9pm.

Afternoon

Atwater Market, Art Deco and canal-side, then Griffintown next door for its dining and nightlife scene.

How much should you budget for 6 days in Montreal? Plan on $155-260 CAD a day mid-range, hotel, meals, and a handful of paid sights, plus Quebec’s 14.975% sales tax at checkout. Six days entirely in the city means no train or car costs, just Montreal itself.

Evening

Dinner in Griffintown.

Day 6: Pointe-à-Callière, The Village, and craft beer

Morning

Back in Old Montreal for Pointe-à-Callière, the archaeology museum built directly over the spot where Montreal was founded in 1642, about $29, closed Mondays, so confirm it’s open before you go.

Afternoon

Head to The Village, Montreal’s LGBTQ+ neighborhood, a pedestrian summer strip with cafes and shops.

Evening

Try Montreal’s craft-beer scene at a spot like Dieu du Ciel, the city’s best-known brewery, a fitting last night for a trip that never left the city.

Getting around and one honest note

YUL airport sits about 20 kilometers from downtown; the REM doesn’t reach it yet, use the STM Bus 747 (about $11.25, 24/7) or a taxi (about $49.45). The STM metro, $3.75 a ride, covers this whole six-day loop, no car needed. Keep an eye on your bag in Old Montreal, the RÉSO, and the Berri-UQAM métro, pickpockets rather than anything violent.

Book Pointe-à-Callière tickets and your hotel ahead of the Formula 1 weekend (May 22-24, 2026) or Jazz Festival (June 25-July 4), both push demand up across the city.