Located atop an architectural wonder of downtown, the Place Ville Marie, this terrasse-based restaurant and club is where you’ll see the greatest views (and beautiful sunsets) in Montreal. As the highest outdoor vantage point, it’s where you can enjoy a late afternoon of lounging or a late night of dancing long after the moon rises.

Café Vasco de Gama is a relaxed downtown Montreal café that’s great for a quick bite or coffee break. Located in the business district, it’s a popular choice for lunch, offering Portuguese staples like frango piri piri (grilled chicken) and pastéis de nata (custard tarts). The atmosphere is casual, and the menu keeps things simple but flavourful. You can pop in for a sit-down meal or grab something to go—either way, it’s a solid choice for a taste of Portuguese comfort food right in the city.

Mount Royal is a central part of Montreal’s landscape, offering a mix of walking, hiking, and biking trails through wooded areas and open spaces. It’s a popular spot for locals to take in views of the city or enjoy some time outdoors. On summer Sundays, the Tam Tams, a casual drum circle near the George-Étienne Cartier Monument, has been a fixture for over 40 years. The park is also well-suited for winter activities, with maintained paths making it accessible year-round. It’s a practical, everyday green space for both casual visits and more active outings.

ensō yoga stands out in downtown Montreal as more than just a yoga studio—it’s a space designed for personal and communal transformation. Since its inception, ensō has aimed to inspire balance, growth, and positive action through its heated yoga and hot barre classes, known for their challenging yet uplifting approach. The studio is renowned not only for its carefully crafted environment and expert instructors but also for its commitment to giving back. With 50% of its profits dedicated to empowering women, ensō blends yoga with philanthropy, creating a community where physical practice meets purpose. It’s a place to stretch, reflect, and elevate both body and spirit.

Club Sportif MAA has been a staple in Montreal’s fitness scene since 1881, and it’s got the history to back it up. From its early days hosting Stanley Cup-winning hockey teams to producing Olympic champions, the MAA is a part of Canadian sports heritage. Its original Peel Street location has undergone a major facelift, offering everything from HIIT and spinning to yoga and Pilates. With luxury services like laundry and top-notch instructors, it’s always been about providing a premium experience in a historic home with cutting-edge facilities for fitness and community, ready to welcome the next generation of Montrealers.

Originally a bespoke tailor shop, Cloakroom expanded in 2015 to include a hidden speakeasy accessible through its coat check. This 25-seater bar in Montreal's Golden Square Mile quickly gained acclaim for its exceptional cocktails, leading to a second location in Brisbane. The ambiance is swanky, with drinks crafted to order and crystal-clear ice that adds a touch of elegance. Cloakroom eschews a traditional menu, instead offering a bespoke cocktail experience. Guests discuss their preferences with the expert bartenders, who then create tailored drinks, often inspired by pre-Prohibition classics like the Martinez or Old Fashioned. Founded by Andrew Whibley, Cloakroom blends the charm of a clandestine bar with top-notch mixology.

Restarted by chefs Pablo Rojas and Hakim Rahal of Provisions Bar à Vin and Andrew Whibley of the Cloakroom cocktail bar, Bar Dominion's less of a reinvention of the old Dominion Square Tavern and more of a revisit to its formula, drawing inspiration from both its last form and the one from when it first opened in 1927 as a hotel restaurant. The menu's now toned down from the ploughman's lunches and Sunday roasts of yore and now focused on more drinks and snackable food, with Rojas and Rahal opting for a leaner but refined offering of seafood and fish, like a full raw bar brimming with oysters, crab, caviar and lobster. As for drinks, in addition to wine there are 25 cocktails in all on a menu broken down into martinis, negronis (boulevardiers, white negronis, and so forth), a whiskey-forward cocktail section, a selection of 75s and spritzes, and a section for highballs and fizzes.

Since 1998, Bleu Comme le Ciel has quietly become a beloved gem in downtown Montreal—pun most absolutely intended—thanks to offerings of jewelry that feel both personal and timeless. The boutique welcomes with a warm, Mediterranean-inspired vibe and a collection of pieces sourced from Paris and the Côte d’Azur. Something delicate, bold statement pieces, and more; their selection showcases the best of French artistry—gold, silver, and precious stones, each with their own story.

Since opening in 2016, Campo has cemented itself as a top spot for Portuguese-style chicken in Montreal. The Ferreira family’s commitment to quality shines through every bite, with grain-fed, hormone-free birds marinated in piri piri sauce for 24 hours before hitting the grill. As part of the renowned Ferreira Group, Campo offers a casual yet elevated dining experience, serving everything from whole chickens to poutine with Portuguese flair. The cozy 35-seat space, designed by Provencher_Roy, feels inviting, with thoughtful touches like hanging lights and a neon flaming chicken.

This is a major lifeline for downtown Montreal, stretching for over 11 kilometres and lined with (or easily connected to) everything from high-end shops and local boutiques to cafés, bars, and more restaurants than you can shake a fork at. Looking for a shopping spree? No problem. Just want to people-watch and soak up the city’s energy? This is the spot. This bustling street offers it all. Day or night, it’s where the heart of the city really beats.

The McCord Stewart Museum might officially focus on Montreal’s history and its people, but its scope extends far beyond that. It serves as a dynamic hub for culture, offering everything from yoga sessions to Indigenous concerts and film screenings. Alongside its engaging programming, the museum houses an impressive archive of over a million objects, including artwork, fashion, photography, and historical documents. Many of these go on display via curated displays, which explore the city’s rich narrative.