Montreal Old Port and Notre-Dame Basilica: A Walking Day

Old Montreal is the part of the city that looks like Europe, and the Old Port is the part that feels like a weekend. Both fit into one walking day of about six kilometres, with a long lunch in the middle.

Morning: the basilica and the old streets

Start at Notre-Dame Basilica on Place d'Armes. The Gothic Revival interior, with its deep blue ceiling and carved wood, is the reason people queue, and the guided visit explains more than the self-guided route. Then walk Rue Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier, and climb to the Chateau Ramezay for the small museum and the garden.

Afternoon: the Old Port

The waterfront has the clock tower, the promenade and the river. In summer there are zip lines, a Ferris wheel and boat departures; in winter the ice rink and the igloo village take over. The Science Centre is the rainy-day option. Finish with a drink on a terrace on Place Jacques-Cartier.

Evening: AURA at the basilica

The AURA light show projects onto the basilica interior after dark, and it is worth booking separately from the daytime visit. Shows run most evenings; check the schedule, since it changes by season. Arrive 20 minutes early for a good seat.

Practical notes

• Cobblestones are uneven: flat shoes, not heels.
• Parking in Old Montreal is expensive; the metro at Place-d'Armes is two minutes from the basilica.
• Restaurants on the main squares charge tourist prices; one street back is better value.