2 Days in Montreal and Quebec
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This is the base version: two fast days through Montreal’s core, Old Montreal, Mount Royal, downtown, before you head out to Quebec City, Ottawa, or the wine country beyond. Treat Montreal as the gateway to French Canada rather than the whole trip, and add day trips as your schedule allows, our 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , and 7-day versions each add one more. Want to stay in the city the whole time instead? Our 3-day Montreal-only itinerary covers the same core at a slower pace.
Book these before you go
- A place to stay near Gare Centrale or in Old Montreal
- VIA Rail schedules and tickets for your day trip out of Montreal
- Notre-Dame Basilica’s evening AURA show
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Old Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port |
| Day 2 | Mount Royal, downtown, a fast Mile End food stop |
Day 1: Old Montreal, fast
Morning
Go straight to Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal), free to wander, and the Notre-Dame Basilica, its blue and gold interior depicting the city’s own founding rather than a biblical scene, about $16 for a daytime visit.
Afternoon
Walk past the 1847 Bonsecours Market (silver dome) toward the Old Port, skip lingering if you’re tight on time, this base itinerary is built to move.
Evening
Dinner in Old Montreal or near Gare Centrale, since that’s where tomorrow’s day trips, if you add one, will start. The Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth sits directly atop the station, worth considering if VIA Rail is part of your plan.
Day 2: Mount Royal, downtown, and a fast food stop
Morning
Climb Mount Royal for the free Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout, the same Olmsted-designed park that names the city.
Afternoon
Downtown for a quick pass through the RÉSO underground city and Sainte-Catherine Street, then a fast stop in Mile End for St-Viateur Bagel or Fairmount Bagel, both wood-fired since 1957 and 1919 respectively.
Evening
An early dinner, maybe Schwartz’s Deli for smoked meat since 1928, about $9.75 a sandwich, then an early night if a day trip starts tomorrow.
Where to head next
Montreal sits at the hub of the Quebec-City corridor, with VIA Rail running car-free from Gare Centrale to Quebec City and Ottawa. Here’s the honest rundown of what’s reachable:
| Day trip | Time from Montreal | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec City | ~3h by VIA Rail or drive | The marquee pairing, UNESCO Old Québec, but overnight is genuinely better than a rushed day |
| Ottawa | ~2h by VIA Rail | Canada’s capital, a long day trip works fine |
| Eastern Townships | ~1-2h SE | A true day trip, wine route and Magog |
| Mont-Tremblant | ~1.5h N | Day trip or overnight, ski village and lake trails |
| Trois-Rivières | ~1.5h NE | A true day trip, and a scenic stop on the way to Quebec City |
| Montérégie | ~40-45min | The closest true day trip, apple and cider country |
| Sugar shacks | ~45-60min | Spring only, late February through April |
Read more: our day-trips guide breaks each of these down with real costs and booking notes.
How much should you budget for a Montreal base before day trips? Plan on $155-260 CAD a day mid-range for the city portion, hotel, meals, and one paid sight, before Quebec’s 14.975% sales tax at checkout. Add VIA Rail fares separately once you pick a day trip.
Getting around and one honest note
YUL airport sits about 20 kilometers from downtown; the REM doesn’t reach it yet, so it’s the STM Bus 747 (about $11.25, 24/7) or a taxi (about $49.45). Inside the city, the STM metro runs $3.75 a ride, no car needed for these two days, you’ll only want one, or the train, once a day trip is on the table. Keep an eye on your bag in Old Montreal, the RÉSO, and the Berri-UQAM métro, pickpockets rather than anything more serious.