The best things to do in Montreal in winter [a local’s guide]

Get ready to have fun, and play in the snow but also be completely frozen! Visiting Montreal in Winter will be a trip that you won’t forget.

If you are looking for the quintessential winter vacation, then this is it. The City of Festivals has a ton of winter-centric activities to enjoy.

In this guide, I’m giving you a list of activities to do inside and outside. How you should dress to brave the cold and other insider tips to make the most out of your winter trip. After all, I have braved 20 winters in the city, you can take my advice ;)

My first tip will be to plan well. You need to know that Montreal winters are LONG! They stretch from November to the early weeks of April. So, of course, we invented a ton of things to do so that we do not hibernate for 6 months. If an activity catches your eye, plan accordingly. Also, some of these 6 months are warmer, and January and February are the coldest months.

Are you ready to plan your awesome Montreal winter vacation?

Outdoor Montreal Winter activities

Have you ever wanted to build a snowman, or do a snowball fight? Then this is your chance!

Psst: did you know that not all snow will be suited for this, only the fresh snow will work. After all, you will not want your Olaf to look like a mutant. 

Montreal during and after a snowfall looks straight out of a postcard. Trees are contoured with a thin white line, and the roof and other beautiful architectural details on the buildings are also enhanced by the snow. The city of festivals also has winter festivals and other winter wonderland-related activities to get you playing outside.

Christmas markets 

Christmas is a lovely time to visit the city, everything is decorated, and the cold hasn’t fully settled yet. There are numerous Christmas markets to go to and buy your souvenirs. It will make you forget that you couldn’t go to Europe for the real Christmas markets! The big outside markets have plenty of free performances and activities. Some of the holiday markets are Le Grand Marché de Noël de Montreal,  Noel dans le Parc, Nordic Square and Montreal’s Christmas Village The village is located in the cool Neighourhood of Saint-Henri, you should go and visit it after the market. This year, Saint-Henri also had the first edition of the SOUK. These designers market for your rare and local finds. 

Salon Des Métiers D’Art Du Québec and the Nutcracker Market are the most famous ones, they are both located inside. Some of the funds of the market go towards the initiative of bringing sick and underprivileged children to attend a free performance of The Nutcracker. There is also the Holiday Market from Etsy Montréal. 

Miracle Bar, ok this is not a market, but a cool Christmas-related activity. So, put on your ugly sweater and go to the kitsch pop-up bar for some fun Christmas cocktails, beyond the classical eggnog. 

Pro tip: Before planning your visit to these markets and bars, I suggest checking the dates and locations as they might change from year to year. 

If you are with kids you can attend the Santa Claus Parade downtown. It’s been running for over 70 years, with seasonally decorated floats, marching bands and performers.

Winter activities in le Quartier des Spectacles

The Quartier des Spectacle is the HQ of all the festivals in Montreal. If you like festivals and other events of these types, chances are you will have a fun time here! 

Luminotherapie is a temporary participatory public art installation that runs from November to January. These are original interactive winter experiences in the Quartier des Spectacles at the Place des Festivals. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this fun activity the theme is POP POP POP! There are 5 fantastical creatures popping out of luminous huge boxes to party! POPO, POPUP, POPLI, POPETTE and POPOTIN will be the stars of this show. Don’t forget to look up, there is also an architectural projection starring all of the POP! Creatures. In other years, I have found Impulse, 30 public seesaws that created dynamic light and sound to create symphonies when played together.

MONTRÉAL en LUMIÈRE is the Flagship event of Montreal in winter. For eleven days the festival mixes art, technology, theatre, circus performances, culinary delights and parties, it is in fact, one of the largest winter festivals in the world! The festival attracts more than 500,000 people every year!

The first component - and the yummiest- this festival holds several workshops and restaurant deals to delight your taste buds. The themed food and circuits change from year to year, you can check all the programming here. La Nuit Blanche is the major event of this festival, where the city will pull an all-nighter for parties, museums open 24h and other crazy outside events. The programming changes from year to year so check the activities in advance but you can be sure that there will be around 200 cultural activities for you to pick. The festival takes place from the end of February to early March.

Old Montreal

The old port and old Montreal sure look beautiful with their veil of snow. A visit to Montreal will be incomplete without visiting the Old Port, especially for first-timers. Walk along Saint-Paul Street for that old European charm with cobblestones and colonial architecture. A lot of the walking tours (free or not) start here.

Igloofest This is the other main event in the city. If you like electronic music, this is the music festival for you! Held outside in the Old Port, you will dance the night away and forget about the cold! Don’t forget to wear your flashy snowsuit for the “Iglooswag” snowsuit competition. Get warm by the ice bar and try Caribou — a mix of whisky and maple syrup— as well as mulled ciders. The festival takes place between mid-January and the beginning of February.

From dusk until 11 pm, enjoy the projections of Cité Mémoire. Download the app, choose a circuit, and walk through the old port hunting for the multimedia projections loosely telling the history of Montreal in a playful way. Check the schedule online as they run annual maintenance in winter. Bota Bota is another great activity to do in the Old Port, it is a spa with a Scandinavian water circuit. Being in your bathing suit outside in the middle of winter sounds surreal, I know. The water is so hot that you will be hot and you will want to get out and enjoy the cold temperatures.

The Notre Dame Basilica is a beautiful church that has an immersive experience and Aura light show. There is an entrance fee for the basilica but if you pay for the show, the price of the entrance is waived. The show, done by Moment Factory (they are the ones that do the visuals for the concerts for Muse, and Madonna, among others), is modern and non-religious, a must-see.

To warm up in Old Montréal, my recommendation will be to go to the Petit Dep or Tommy for a good Chai Latte or Coffee. Philemon is a chic wine bar. The Crew Cafe is a breathtaking Coffee shop. It used to be an old bank and it kept all of its glamour from the ‘30s, this is a true masterpiece! This is a must-stop!

If you are looking for beautiful views of the city, hop on the La Grande Roue Montreal, the giant Ferris wheel in the Old Port of Montreal. The trip on the wheel takes around 20 minutes and you can see the entire city from above. This is also where the old port ice skating ring is (more about this in the next section.)

If you are into fishing then you can go ice fishing in the port. This classic sport is usually done out in nature but you can experience this quintessential winter sport right in the city with Pêche Blanche Ice Fishing Village.

Ice skating and other winter activities

Ice skating is the quintessential outdoor activity. You can rent skates and have a great time in the numerous outdoor rinks such as the beautiful Beaver Lake by Mount Royal. You can also try the one at the Old Port of Montréal's Natrel Skating Rink, where it will make you feel that you are in a winter wonderland, with themed music nights and occasional fireworks in December. You can rent your skates at Patin Patin and get ready to skate among one of the most beautiful spots in the city, between the water, and the Ferris wheel of La Grande Roue Montreal.

The brand-new Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des Spectacles has a gigantic outdoor ice skating rink! This rink has light and music installation experience. The best of it all is that it is completely free! From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day, you will have fun and colourful, interactive video projections that follow skaters as they move across the ice. You will also have disco nights for you to skate along to the music. To warm up the Esplanade has free books to browse and coffee.

The other well-known rinks are the quaint Parc La Fontaine in the Plateau neighbourhood, the pond in Parc Jarry near Little Italy, and along the wide ice paths in Parc Maisonneuve. 

In Mount Royal Park, go tobogganing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking, then warm up at the cottage for some hot chocolate. I personally love Snowshoeing. Did you know that it is a tradition that takes back to the First Nations? You can also go tobogganing in Parc Francesca-Cabrini, Parc Ahuntsic or Westmount’s Murray Hill.

It will not take you long to see that Montreal is full of street art. For the complete itinerary of where to find the best graffiti and murals, go to my other article.

If you are with the little ones, Fete des Neiges (Montreal snow festival) at the Parc Jean Drapeau can also be a good activity, especially if you are with little ones. The festival offers not only ice skating and snow tubing but also ice sculptures and snow games. The facilities also have food trucks and souvenirs. There are also musical performances.

Riverside Bar, is a summer favourite but in winter they have an ice bar! This ice bar by the Lachine Canal is the perfect winter bar. “Hiverside” (Riverside’s winter alter-ego) has hot and cold cocktails, along with mocktails. 

Indoor activities Montréal

Hockey

Ice hockey is one of Montreal’s passions. The city vigorously roots for the Montréal Canadiens as the NHL season unfolds. Go cheer for the Habs at the Bell Center and enjoy the joyful crowd. The team was founded in 1909 and it has never stopped being part of the NDA of the city. Through this experience, you will understand why Canadians love ice hockey so much!

The Underground city

This is a place that amazes most visitors. A lot of people think this is an actual city underground but it is not, you will probably be disappointed! It is just a few malls connected to each other. It goes from the Palais des Congrès and the World Trade Center, located in the Quartier International and connects to all the major malls in downtown Montreal like Eaton Center and Promenade Cathedrale, all connected underground. The concept was born in 1962 with the creation of the commercial center of Place Ville-Marie and its lower level and it is all accessible by the metro system. If you like shopping, this is the place to go!

Museums & art galleries

Visiting the city museums is always a great option to get warm, and of course, to get cultured! (But seriously, they are great to take a break from the cold). Did you know that the city has more than 40 international museums?

The two main museums are the Montreal Fine Arts Museum (MMFA) and the Contemporary Art Museum (MAC). In fact, MMFA is one of the 10 most-visited museums in North America and showcases art from the great masters of history to more contemporary pieces. McCord Steward Museum is a social history museum located downtown. Museée Pointe-à-Callière is the largest and most frequently visited history museum in Montreal, and the largest archaeology museum in Canada. It is located in old Montreal, this is a great museum for understanding the history of the city. The Montréal Holocaust Museum shares the history of the Holocaust from the perspective of survivors.

Art Souterrain brings art to different places around the city, think about the metro stations or even workplaces. This free activity showcases different artists throughout the year. Phi Foundation for Contemporary Art and Phi Centre always inspire if you are into contemporary and abstract art. If you have kids, then the Montreal Science Centre is worth a stop. The city has also numerous art galleries worth visiting. My favourites are Station 16 and Gallerie Leroyer.

Where to eat and drink in Montreal

With all the outdoor activities and the cold, you will be hungry! If you need to warm up, the city is full of great little coffee shops. Did you know that Montreal is a foodie hot stop? In fact, Montreal has the highest number of restaurants per Capita in Canada and the second in North America after New York.

Our foodie capital has many great choices from small local eateries to international chef celebrities. A visit to Montreal before tasting Poutine, Bagels or Smoked meat sandwich is incomplete. In fact, there are 10 must-try dishes, you will need to try at least some of these. The city is having a food hall craze, there are 3 major food halls that have opened or are about to open, and the Time Out Market is the most famous one. Or you can join a Montreal food tour.

Montreal offers a world-class beer scene with more than 20 craft breweries scattered around the city! Check out my craft beer guide to know which one is the best. Or you can take a beer tour, I would recommend City Brew Tours.

I’m sure you have heard of the famous Sugar Shacks or Cabane à sucre. This Quebec specialty is available in spring (which is technically still winter) from March to April. If you see Sugar Shacks before this time, it is a tourist trap. You need a warm temperature to release maple water. To know more about this delicious tradition, go to my other article, What is a Cabane à sucre?

There are several farmers’ markets to go to for the freshest food! The two most well-known markets are the Jean-Talon market in Little Italy and the Atwater Market in Saint-Henri.

How to survive the cold?

You must be wondering, how bad are Montreal winters? How cold does Montreal get? Cold has never bothered you anyway? Well, think again!

To tell you the truth, I hate winter. I’m a Caribbean girl so I hate cold temperatures and frankly, in Montreal, we have more than our fair share of -35°C! In the spike of winter, your eyelashes will freeze, when you go outside, you feel like the cold is punching you in the chest making you cough the second you step outside. You will feel like your thighs are numb because of the cold temperatures. No, I’m not exaggerating! But despite all these sensations, you will survive your stay and you will most likely have a great time! 

The average temperature is -15°C. To this, you will need to add up “feels like” as the wind factor. You will need to pay extra attention to this factor! So for example, it can be -15°C but with the wind chill and humidity, you will feel the cold like it was -25°C. This is a 10°C difference! 

The REEAALLYY cold months are January and February. The cold season lasts for about 4 months, 3.3 months to be exact, from December 4 to March 12th. We get an average of 10 days of snow per month. However, don’t fall into the trap, the snowy days are the hotter ones and the days with the most sun, and chilly winds are the coldest. Go figure!

There are also BIG snowstorms! We are talking about over ten cm in a day! These only happen five or six times a year. During these huge snowstorms, the city turns into chaos, roads are closed, schools close and public transport gets extremely delayed. During this time an eerie calm takes on the city. Perfect to watch the snow with a hot chocolate from the comfort of your hotel.

In recent years, we have gotten a lot of freezing rain, these are the WORST. It gets super slippery and you can fall, and it is really uncomfortable to be in the rain when it is cold. So be prepared for this too! In the case of freezing rain, I will recommend buying ice grippers, so you don’t fall. If you see that the floor is shiny DO NOT step on it, these are the most slippery spots on the ground.

Also, daylight is way shorter, it gets dark around 4:30 pm, which means we get an average of 8 hours of sunlight. I know it's depressing. The latitude is not very high so the days here are not as short as in other Nordic countries. So no, you will not experience days of total darkness. 

Usefull guide that shows how to walk on ice to minimize the falls. Source: https://uhr.umd.edu/news/walk-like-a-penguin/

How to dress?

This is a KEY component to enjoying a good time in the city in winter. These tips will save your butt, you can thank me later!

You MUST pack the following items:

• Tank top will be your initial layer, you will tuck it into your pants so no wind can go through your waist.

• Sweaters, big or thin. Whatever you prefer, you are better off dressing in layers than having a very thick sweater that will make you sweat instantly. Think that you will need to peel off layers inside.

• Tights or leggings, you will use these underneath your pants. I will recommend wearing think jeans.

• Jacket, a cute fall jacket won’t do the trick. You need a heavy waterproof coat that will protect you from the wind, snow and rain. If you don’t have an appropriate winter jacket, GO BUY ONE!

• Insulated and water-resistant shoes are a must. There is nothing worse than having your feet wet when it's -15°C. I like my boots to go mid-calf. Feeling cold at your ankles is a real feeling that you might have never experienced. #thestuggleisreal Good shoes are a must!

• Tuques (winter hats) scarves and mittens are a must! Mittens are warmer than gloves since all your fingers are together and you will generate heat. 

• Get lip balm and cream, your lips and hands will thank me.

• Merino wool is also widely used. I personally don’t own anything with wool but it is used by local and tourist alike.

Practical tips and travel tips

GETTING AROUND

Montreal can be easily visited by foot and public transportation.

The Public transportation system works fairly well. The STM is the name of the public transport company and has buses as well as a subway system. The STM offers great deals on weekends and weekly passes to help you see the city by public transportation.

Taxis and Uber are also widely used in the city.

If you are driving

First, I will recommend not driving in Montreal, it is a real nightmare driving at any moment of the year. Second, driving in the snow can be tricky and it requires extra attention. You will need to remove all snow from your vehicle’s hood, roof, windows and lights. Clear windows from frost and fog. It can also be very dangerous to drive in the snow and ice if you are not used to. Check where you are parking since there is a good chance you cannot park in many streets because of the snow removal. 

GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CITY

If you are taking a plane to leave the city, you might have a chance that your flight might be delayed because of the snow. Take this into consideration for your winter travel planning.

Whether you are looking for a day trip or a multi-day trip, here is the ultimate list of great getaway trips from Montreal that you have been looking for! Mont Tremblant offers world-class skiing or you can check out Ottawa with my other winter guide to the capital city. Quebec City also looks very beautiful in the winter. These last 2 trips ideas can be reached by train.

Where to stay in Montreal?

Montreal is a city of neighbourhoods, much like New York, every neighbourhood feels like its own little city. Most hotels are located in Old Montreal and Downtown. Other great places to stay are The Plateau, Little Italy and the South West. All of these parts of the city are filled with great restaurants, bars and shops. Here is a curated list of the best hotels to stay in the city, by other travel bloggers.

With all these tips, tricks and a list of activities, you are all set to embark on your new winter destination in Montreal! So, what are you waiting for to visit Montreal during winter?

BRB acknowledges that Montreal is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodian of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montréal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples.

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