1Old Montreal and the Old Port
★★★★★- Date
Open 6 a.m. to midnight, year-round.
- Address
333 de la Commune Street West, Old Montreal.
- Cost
Free riverside walk; Great Wheel and paid activities ($15–30).
This is where the city was born, in 1642: cobblestone streets, 18th-century facades, piers and river — half a day passes without noticing. Between Jacques-Cartier Square, City Hall and the lively piers, there is always something to see. It is Montreal's postcard: a thirty-minute walk takes you through the city's history, and the Old Port offers the best view of the river and downtown.
Behind this postcard lies a founding district listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most visited in Quebec, with 11 million visitors a year.
An architecture from the 17th to the 19th century — Jacques-Cartier Square, City Hall, the old piers and the Great Wheel, one of the tallest in the world — that makes it an open-air museum.
In summer, Montrealers gather here for festivals, the pedestrian strip along de la Commune Street and the waterfront terraces; on Sundays, Jacques-Cartier Square comes alive with musicians and jugglers.
Champ-de-Mars metro (about 5 min on foot from the Old Port) or Place-d'Armes metro (about 5 min on foot).
- Great Wheel: lagranderouedemontreal.com.
- Science Centre: centredessciencesdemontreal.com.
- Bateau-Mouche: bateaumouche.ca or by phone at 514-849-9952.
5 min walkPaidMontreal Science Centre
Interactive museum for the whole family, per the Old Port site.
10 min walkPaidBateau-Mouche
St. Lawrence cruises (60 and 90 min) departing from the Old Port.
8 min walkPaidThe Great Wheel
Panoramic view over the city from the pier.
