Explore the oldest part of town, called Vieux-Montréal. It borders the resuscitated port, and boasts many restored buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Don't miss the Notre-Dame Basilica and the Pointe-à-Callière museum.
Then, for contrast, stroll through the downtown sections of the modern city, including its vibrant vest-pocket Chinatown. Visit the Musée des Beaux Arts, which houses an array of art, a big bookstore, and a gift shop in its neoclassical building. Enjoy a table d'hôte lunch or dinner in one of the city's fine downtown restaurants. (Table d'hôte consists of a fixed-price set menu as opposed to a la carte courses.)
If You Have 2 Days
Follow the itinerary above for the first day. On the second day, take the Métro to the Olympic Complex, which has an inclined tower and observation deck. Then go across the street to the carefully cultivated acres of the Botanical Garden. While there, see the Chinese Garden and take the informative open-air train tour. Next, visit the fascinating Biodôme, which replicates four distinct ecosystems, complete with live flora and fauna. In summer, make an island day of it on Ile Ste-Hélène, visiting the island's old fort, with its museum and changing-of-the-guard ceremony, and perhaps the new environmental exhibits at La Biosphère. Afterward, go to La Ronde amusement park, where fireworks displays are mounted many evenings in summer. Or head to Vieux-Montréal for the evening to take in a performance at the English-language Centaur Theatre, listen to jazz or folk in one of the clubs along Rue St-Paul, or, if it's in town, thrill to the magic of the acclaimed Cirque du Soleil.
If You Have 3 Days
On the morning of Day 3, take an exhilarating jet-boat ride through the Lachine Rapids, or a calmer harbor cruise aboard Le Bateau-Mouche. Get to know Montréal like a native by wandering along boulevard St-Laurent, the axis of the city's ethnic neighborhoods, to rue Prince-Arthur, then through Carré St-Louis (St. Louis Square) to the Latin Quarter, the center of activity for the Francophone population. In the evening, dine in one of the fine restaurants in adjacent Plateau Mont-Royal and cap the night with a club crawl.
If You Have 4 Days or More
On the fourth day, fit and athletic visitors might choose to climb Mont-Royal on rue Peel and admire the view of the city and river from the lookout, then stroll or take a picnic in the surrounding park. (If the prospect of that hike is daunting, take the Métro to the Guy station, then bus no. 165.) In the afternoon, take in a specialized museum, perhaps the McCord Museum of Canadian History or the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
On Day 5, visit the Oratoire St-Joseph, the city's most prominent shrine, which gives a glimpse into the spiritual life of devout Montréalers. If the weather's good, rent a bike and follow the Lachine Canal for 11km (7 miles) to Lake St-Louis. If the weather turns dicey, descend to the climate-controlled world of Montréal's underground city, a labyrinth of passages, subway tunnels, shops, and cinemas, all of which can be enjoyed without once stepping outdoors.
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