Things to Do in Old Montréal

At the base of the Clock Tower is a park and a man-made beach. In summer, umbrellas and chairs provide a comfortable place to enjoy the waterfront.

Those looking for views should visit the historic Clock Tower. Dating from 1919, this iconic structure is 45 meters high and performs double duty as a lighthouse.

Today, the building houses a number of interesting shops and boutiques and is a popular spot with tourists. Montréal's oldest church, the Chapel of Our Lady de Bonsecours, is at the end of the street.

If you are traveling with small children, an excellent playground is located on Clock Tower Quay near Hanger 16.

Lovingly restored in recent decades, the area is very popular with tourists and locals alike. Simply wandering the curving cobblestone streets, with 19th-century buildings as your historical backdrop, is the most popular thing to do here. The whole area is a maze of narrow streets and alleyways, with interesting shops and restaurants tucked in hidden areas.

Located right on the waterfront, Montreal's Science Centre is a perfect family destination. Inside, you'll find seven permanent exhibitions covering topics ranging from organic waste right through to windmills.

Rivaling Ferris wheels in other world-class cities, La Grande Roue de Montreal (Montreal Observation Wheel) towers over the old city. From a climate controlled gondola, you and seven of your friends will be able to see the St. Lawrence River, Mount Royal Park, and the Olympic Stadium. Be sure to look towards Old Montreal, and the warren of streets you've been wandering in Old Montreal will suddenly make sense.

The busy square of Place d'Armes is very much in the city center. The twin towers of Notre-Dame Basilica front the public space, as does a historic Bank of Montreal and its small museum. The Old Seminary of Saint Sulpice, adjoining the Basilica, dates from 1685.

At the southeast corner of Place Royale in Montréal lies the Pointe-à-Callière, the "cradle of Montréal city." Place Royale was the heart of French colonial life, its market, and its parade ground, until transformed in the 19th century with various government buildings.

The delightful Rue Bonsecours, off Rue Notre-Dame, is one of Vieux-Montréal's oldest streets. It exhibits a whole range of the French architectural styles featured in the 17th- to the 19th-century townscape of New France.

In the heart of Old Montreal, running from the Old Port to Rue Notre-Dame, Place Jacques-Cartier is a welcoming, open space with benches for resting and leafy trees for a bit of shade in the summer. Restaurants and retail outlets in 19th-century townhouses and mansions line both sides of the square, and at the top is Nelson's Column.