{"id":34872,"date":"2026-05-06T22:09:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T22:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/34872\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T22:09:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T22:09:24","slug":"weekend-travel-guide-for-exploring-montreal-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/34872\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekend travel guide for exploring Montreal, Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BotaBota Bota\u2019s floating spa offers one of Montr\u00e9al\u2019s most relaxing escapes \u2013 Photo courtesy of Bota Bota<\/p>\n

For me, travel has always been about escape\u2014the urge to experience something new, see unfamiliar places and meet people unlike me. But an early Mother\u2019s Day trip to Montr\u00e9al offered something entirely different.<\/p>\n

Yes, the city checked all the girls\u2019 weekend boxes: dinners at French-inspired restaurants, indulgent spa experiences and a direct flight just over an hour from Boston. Add in shopping with an exchange rate that favors the U.S. dollar, and it felt like an easy win.<\/p>\n

But what I\u2019ll remember most are the moments you can\u2019t buy: the chance to connect more deeply with my late father\u2019s Mi\u2019kmaq Nation heritage.<\/p>\n

His family traces its roots to eastern Canada, and while his dark hair and skin were everything mine are not, we shared the same green eyes\u2014and a curiosity about where we come from. Over four days in Montr\u00e9al<\/a>, I explored that connection firsthand through museums, culture and meaningful experiences on my first heritage-driven trip.<\/p>\n

Where to stay in Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n

\"OldOld Montr\u00e9al\u2019s cobblestone streets and boutique hotels like the Hotel William Gray feel like stepping into Europe. \u2013 Photo courtesy of Hotel William Gray in Old Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n

Our home base for three nights was Hotel William Gray<\/a> in Old Montr\u00e9al (Vieux-Montr\u00e9al). The neighborhood\u2019s labyrinth of cobblestone paths feels like stepping back in time.<\/p>\n

The hotel itself is a collection of 18th-century limestone buildings seamlessly stitched together. Inside, the interiors are modern yet ultra-cozy. No two rooms are alike, but our spacious corner king offered views of the Ferris wheel at Old Port and the twinkling lights lining Place Jacques-Cartier.<\/p>\n

Another bonus is that the hotel sits steps away from Caf\u00e9 Olimpico<\/a>, one of Montr\u00e9al\u2019s most charming coffee spots. While we grabbed takeaway cups for afternoon pick-me-ups, our favorite memory was a slow Sunday morning tucked into a booth, admiring the stone walls and pressed tin ceiling while sharing Olimpico\u2019s signature pistachio doughnuts.<\/p>\n

\"Hotel<\/a>What to eat and drink in Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n

After dropping off our luggage, Mom and I set the tone with afternoon tea at Paparmane Tea Room<\/a>\u2014a maximalist dream filled with candelabras and bold decor that felt like stepping into a Lady Gaga set.<\/p>\n

Petit fours dyed pink with cherry juice and delicate sandwiches on beetroot-stained rolls made the experience as memorable as it was delicious.<\/p>\n

That kicked off three days of treat-yourself dining focused on local ingredients and elevated flavors\u2014well beyond Montr\u00e9al\u2019s famous poutine<\/a> (which we agreed is best saved for another trip).<\/p>\n

\"Le<\/a><\/p>\n

Our first night brought us to Annette<\/a>, a neighborhood wine bar that feels effortlessly cool. It\u2019s come-as-you-are (perfect for post-flight outfits), but its Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand designation and Wine Spectator Award of Excellence reflect a refined Parisian bistro vibe.<\/p>\n

We continued exploring global flavors at Le Virunga<\/a>, where Quebec meats like mutton are elevated with African spices, and at Kwizinn<\/a>, where Haitian-French culinary influences shine\u2014especially in dishes like charcoal-grilled Cornish hen with curry-pineapple sauce.<\/p>\n

One must-do? St-Viateur Bagel<\/a>. Watching each bagel hand-rolled, simmered in honey water, and baked in a wood-fired oven is as entertaining as it is delicious.<\/p>\n

\"WatchingWatching bagels baked at St-Viateur is part of the full Montreal experience. \u2013 Photo courtesy of St-Viateur Bagel<\/p>\n

What to do in Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n

Carbs before shopping isn\u2019t usually the plan\u2014but in Montr\u00e9al, it worked.<\/p>\n

Mom and I spent an afternoon exploring Mile End and Plateau Mont-Royal<\/a>, two neighborhoods known for their independent boutiques and vibrant street culture. With end-of-season sales and a strong U.S. dollar, it felt like the perfect place for retail therapy.<\/p>\n

Our guide, Montr\u00e9al historian and fashion insider Thom Seivewright, met us at St-Viateur Bagel and led us through a curated shopping experience featuring Canadian designers.<\/p>\n

At Rudsak, a cult-favorite outerwear brand, one fur-trimmed puffer coat priced at $295 CAD was nearly 80% less than its U.S. equivalent. It wasn\u2019t my size\u2014but it was hard to walk away.<\/p>\n

At Desloups<\/a>, where designer Isabelle Deslauriers crafts winter wear for temperatures as low as -25\u00b0C, my mom scored a sample jacket for just $75 USD\u2014arguably the best find of the trip.<\/p>\n

\"BoutiqueBoutique shopping in Montr\u00e9al\u2019s Mile End comes with major savings for U.S. travelers. \u2013 Photo courtesy of Desloups<\/p>\n

Beyond shopping, we leaned into wellness. The spa at Hotel William Gray features Montr\u00e9al\u2019s only Himalayan salt room and a Finnish sauna. For a truly unique experience, Bota Bota<\/a>\u2014an indoor-outdoor floating spa on the St. Lawrence River\u2014offers steam baths and waterside relaxation with skyline views.<\/p>\n

\"BotaBota Bota\u2019s floating spa offers one of Montr\u00e9al\u2019s most relaxing escapes \u2013 Photo courtesy of Bota Bota<\/p>\n

What to see: Exploring Indigenous culture in Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al proved to be just as enriching culturally as it was visually.<\/p>\n

At the McCord-Stewart Museum<\/a>, we immersed ourselves in Indigenous Voices of Today, a multimedia exhibit curated by Wendat Nation artist Elisabeth Kaine. Through film, music, archival photography and traditional crafts, the exhibit offers a powerful, contemporary perspective on Indigenous identity\u2014one rarely seen in North American museums.<\/p>\n

The experience felt deeply personal, connecting past and present in a way that stayed with me long after we left.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Indigenous Voices exhibit at McCord-Stewart Museum offers a powerful cultural perspective. \u2013 Photo courtesy of McCord-Stewart Museum<\/p>\n

The next day, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts<\/a> offered a striking contrast with the work of Cree artist Kent Monkman<\/a>. His large-scale oil paintings explore themes like colonialism, religion, gender identity and climate change\u2014balancing bold, provocative storytelling with moments of humor and emotional depth.<\/p>\n

\"L'Oratoire<\/a><\/p>\n

Our most immersive experience was at Wachiya<\/a>, a gallery\/boutique\/educational center that means \u201chello\u201d in Cree, the largest group of First Nations communities in Canada. Stepping in was like walking back in time to childhood pow-wows with my dad, flashes of vibrant beadwork moving in time with drumbeats, the smoke of a center campfire forming heart and hearth. This time, instead of gathering near the pond in our hometown, I was in the center of Old Montreal. Greeted by the scent of BakeCree coffee<\/a> and woodsmoke, First Nations musicians playing in the background, we learned about Wachiya\u2019s mission of supporting the artists who have called the land home for thousands of years. I bought a cookbook as an homage to my grandmother, who\u2014despite being Mik\u2019maq\u2014favored many of the herbs and fish in its pages.<\/p>\n

My favorite piece was a tamarack wood decoy<\/a>, its wings stretched toward the sky for imminent flight. Even after just three days in Canada and about to fly back to Boston, I felt like the little bird, who rather than carved whole, was an amalgamation of tightly woven pieces. My heritage trip was about learning more about my pieces, and how together they make us whole.<\/p>\n

Now my next adventures aren\u2019t on the road, but in the kitchen trying my hand at those recipes, and climbing what could be a mountain of paperwork pursuing Canadian citizenship. A new law, Bill C-3<\/a>, removes the limit that previously prevented citizenship from passing beyond one generation born outside the country. Like the best heritage trips<\/a> that inspire us, the endeavor means reconnecting with the extended family that as we get older are still part of our Christmas card list, but aren\u2019t on speed-dial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bota Bota\u2019s floating spa offers one of Montr\u00e9al\u2019s most relaxing escapes \u2013 Photo courtesy of Bota Bota For…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34873,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,8465,50,15373,237,15372],"class_list":["post-34872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-canada","tag-canada","tag-hotels","tag-montreal","tag-mothers-day-travel","tag-travel","tag-travel-guide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}