6 Days in Montreal and Quebec
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The 5-day plan’s Montreal core, Quebec City, Ottawa, and the Eastern Townships, plus a sixth day north to Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians, about 1.5 hours by car, a ski village in winter and hiking and lake country the rest of the year. Fewer days? Use the 5-day version ; with a full week, our 7-day itinerary closes with Trois-Rivières.
Book these before you go
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Old Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port |
| Day 2 | Mount Royal, downtown, a fast Mile End food stop |
| Day 3 | Quebec City day trip by VIA Rail |
| Day 4 | Ottawa day trip by VIA Rail |
| Day 5 | Eastern Townships day trip, wine route and Magog |
| Day 6 | Mont-Tremblant day trip, Laurentians |
Day 1: Old Montreal, fast
Morning
Old Montreal, free to wander, and the Notre-Dame Basilica, about $16 for a daytime visit.
Afternoon
The 1847 Bonsecours Market and the Old Port.
Evening
Dinner near Gare Centrale.
Day 2: Mount Royal, downtown, and a fast food stop
Morning
Mount Royal and the Kondiaronk Belvedere.
Afternoon
The RÉSO underground city, then Mile End bagels.
Evening
Schwartz’s Deli smoked meat.
Day 3: Quebec City by VIA Rail
Morning
VIA Rail, about 3 hours to Old Québec, the corridor’s genuine UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afternoon
The fortified old city and Château Frontenac.
Evening
Return train to Montreal.
Day 4: Ottawa by VIA Rail
Morning
VIA Rail, about 2 hours to Parliament Hill.
Afternoon
Ottawa’s museum cluster.
Evening
Return train to Montreal.
Day 5: Eastern Townships
Morning
Rental car or tour to the Eastern Townships, about 1-2 hours southeast, wine route through Bromont and Sutton.
Afternoon
Magog and Lake Memphremagog, or the Balnea spa.
Evening
Drive back to Montreal.
Day 6: Mont-Tremblant
Morning
Drive or join a tour north to Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians, about 1.5 hours from Montreal.
Afternoon
In winter, it’s ski-village territory; the rest of the year, hiking trails and lakes around the village fill the day comfortably as a day trip, or plan an overnight if you want more time on the mountain.
How much should you budget for 6 days in Montreal and Quebec? Plan on $155-260 CAD a day mid-range in Montreal, plus VIA Rail fares for Quebec City and Ottawa and car or tour costs for the Townships and Tremblant, before Quebec’s 14.975% sales tax throughout the trip.
Evening
Drive back to Montreal for a final night in the city before your last day.
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) or a taxi (about $49.45). VIA Rail from Gare Centrale covers Quebec City and Ottawa car-free; the Townships and Mont-Tremblant both need a car or tour. Keep an eye on your bag in Old Montreal, the RÉSO, and Berri-UQAM métro.
With a seventh day, our 7-day version adds Trois-Rivières, back on the VIA Rail line toward Quebec City.