Winter Charms of Old Montreal Walking Tour

SPECIAL OFFER!
Early booking offer – Reserve your tour before April 30th, 2023 and receive -15% off discount.
Apply the following discount code at checkout: DETOUR15

Visiting Montreal in winter? This tour is for you! Although there’s no shortage of things to do in Montreal in winter, Old Montreal is extra charming during the winter months. Blanketed in snow, the carpet of white showcases the enchanting architecture and unique features of our old city. Enjoy this fun and informative 2-hour winter walking tour experience in the historical district and discover the history, buildings, streets, and stories that make up one of the most picturesque parts of Montreal.

Our winter walking tour of Old Montreal will show you the seasonal charms of the Old City. The tour meets outside the Marché Saint Laurent cafe and boutique. This cozy shop and coffee spot is just a 5-minute walk from the Place-d’Armes metro station. If you arrive before your guide, you can warm up with a hot beverage from the cafe or browse the unique local souvenirs in the shop!

Your guide will kick off the tour with an introduction before you head to Place d’Armes, one of Old Montreal’s central public squares. At Place d’Armes, you’ll hear about the history of this centuries-old square and admire the snow-covered buildings from different eras, a particular highlight being the stunning Notre-Dame Basilica.

From Place d’Armes, we’ll visit the city’s old financial district, admire the buildings of the old “Wall Street of Canada”, and visit the inside of a re-purposed bank!

Continuing on, we’ll make a stop at Montreal’s Museum of Archaeology and History, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, to hear the history of where the French colony of Ville-Marie (Montreal) first began back in 1642. As a bonus, we might take you to a little-known lookout to admire an exclusive viewpoint of the Old Port of Montreal.

Next, we hit Rue Saint-Paul, the oldest street in the city. Once Montreal’s main road, we’ll twist and turn along this narrow commercial artery, which is today studded with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries. We’ll take a detour from the main street at some point to show you the courtyard where Montreal’s very first hospital was built, before heading back to Saint Paul Street.

The detours don’t end there! Next, you’ll hit some back alleys, as your guide tells you all about why Montreal was once nicknamed “Sin City”. We’ll then head to Place Jacques-Cartier to learn about the old marketplace and its current reputation as the heart and soul of Old Montreal.

On the final leg of our winter walking tour of Old Montreal, we’ll see City Hall and Chateau Ramezay, travelling back in time as we learn about the French regime era and Montreal’s political scene.

Finally, we head to Marché Bonsecours, once the main public market in the city, to hear stories about this impressive building with the huge silver dome and the neighbouring Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. Your guide will drop you off here, leaving you with fascinating tales from history, personal recommendations for the best places to eat and winter activities to do in Montreal, and a newfound appreciation for the seasonal charm of Old Montreal in the winter months.