Montreal is a vibrant city with lots to see and do, and there are many budget-friendly ways to spend your time in the city. If you’re looking to save, but still have fun, here are some cheap and free things to do during your stay.
Explore Old Montreal
A visit to Old Montreal is like taking a trip to a quaint European town and is something that shouldn’t be missed on any trip to Montreal. As the name would suggest, it’s the oldest area of Montreal, much of which has been preserved in its original state. There are cobblestone streets, charming cafes and shops to browse. There are also free walking tours of Old Montreal that run Monday to Thursday at 3:30. You can book online here.
Visit a public market
One of the best things to do when you travel is to visit a public market – it’s fun and free if you don’t make any purchases. Montreal has many markets you can visit including Jean Talon Market, one of the oldest markets in Montreal. You can also check out Atwater, Lachine and Maisonneuve markets among others depending on how much time you have.
Check out the gardens in Jean Drapeau Parc
Get a dose of greenery during your Montreal visit without spending a cent. During the warmer months you can enjoy a walk through the gardens in Jean Drapeau Parc, where you’ll get to see thousands of flowers, many types of trees and shrubs, lagoons and public art work.
Visit a museum
There are many museums you can visit for free in Montreal, either all the time, or on certain days of each month. The Redpath museum, located at McGill University, is always free, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art is free the last Sunday of every month, the McCord Museum is free every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m., and the Canadian Centre for Architecture is free on Thursdays after 5:30.
Hang out at Mount Royal Park
Spend some time at Montreal’s best known and largest park. The 470 acre green space is perfect for picnics, walking, cycling and bird watching in the summer. In the winter you can go skating, snowshoeing or take a winter forest trek. The mountaintop park can be accessed on foot, by bike or by public transportation, and the views from the top are beautiful.
Discover Montreal’s underground city
Montreal is home to the largest underground city in the world. The series of connected tunnels (33 km of tunnels to be exact) are a way to get around the city without going outside, which is a blessing during the bitter cold winters. But whichever season you happen to be in Montreal, why not explore what’s going on underground?
Lead photo: Clément Belleudy used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license
