Pictures of Montreal That Will Make You Want to Visit

Updated: October 15, 2026

Montreal wasn’t originally on my travel wish list. When a trip to Europe wasn’t in the cards, a friend suggested Montreal and Quebec City. I knew very little about either, but the more photos I saw, the more curious I became. With miles saved from our last trip to Spain, I booked a flight to Quebec.

Montreal turned out to be an easy city to love and photograph. I came looking for a little European charm and found plenty of reasons to keep my camera out. These are some of my favorite Montreal photos, along with the places that made me so glad I gave the city a chance.

Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal): My Favorite Montreal Photos

Old Montreal was where my friend’s recommendation really started to make sense. If you love historic architecture and streets with a European feel, you’ll understand why I kept stopping to take photos.

At our first dinner, we sat by the window and watched vintage cars roll past. I’m guessing there was an event, but it felt like we’d arrived on a movie set. From that entrance to the picturesque streets lined with cafes, Old Montreal won me over.

Rue Saint-Paul is Montreal’s oldest street and dates back to 1673. It once served as Montreal’s main street. Today, its shops, galleries, and restaurants make it a beautiful place to wander with your camera. 

Le Plateau-Mont-Royal

We stayed in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal after reading that it was a great area to stay in, and it lived up to the recommendation. We were near so many great restaurants, cafes, and bars. But most importantly, we were close to all the colorful streets I love finding!

The Plateau is known for its colorful homes, balconies, and winding outdoor staircases, which make even the residential streets worth exploring. If you love photographing architecture, give yourself time to wander beyond the main shopping streets. There’s plenty to catch your eye without a major landmark in sight.

For a starting point, begin on Avenue du Mont-Royal or Rue Saint-Denis for shops and places to eat, then explore the surrounding side streets. Rue Drolet and Avenue Laval are great for colorful homes, while Rue Saint-Hubert has some beautiful, grander residences. Coffee stops and pretty facades? That’s my kind of sightseeing.

Montreal Botanical Garden

I wouldn’t normally go out of my way to visit a botanical garden, but Montreal’s turned out to be a beautiful photo spot. We visited in spring, and the colorful tulips were reason enough to pull out my camera before we even entered the garden.

There’s much more here than flower beds, though. The grounds include around 20 themed gardens, including the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, and First Nations Garden. You can move between different landscaping styles rather than feeling like you’re looking at the same flowers all afternoon.

For architecture lovers like me, the Chinese Garden is especially worth a look. Its traditional buildings, rock formations, and carefully arranged views offer a completely different backdrop from Montreal’s city streets. Its design was inspired by private gardens from China’s Ming dynasty.

These trees are everything!

Where to Eat and Drink in Montreal

Montreal is such a great city for food lovers. Between street photography and exploring different neighborhoods, we found plenty of places worth stopping for. These were the ones that stood out most to us.

L’Avenue: Such a great breakfast spot! I recommend the French toast, which was so good it made us wait in line twice during our trip. The Mont-Royal Avenue location is in the Plateau, making it an easy stop before exploring the neighborhood’s colorful streets. 

And the bathroom deserves a mention of its own. When we visited, it glowed in the dark, and the clock looked like someone was erasing the old time and writing in the new one every minute. Creepy cool is probably the best way to describe it!

Schwartz’s: Schwartz’s served one of the best smoked meat sandwiches I’ve ever had, including the ones I’ve tried in NYC and Chicago. This Montreal institution has served smoked meat since 1928, so that sandwich has a lot of history behind it. It’s a good stop when you want to try one of the city’s classic foods.

Olive & Gourmando: A great place for coffee and pastries, but they also serve more substantial breakfast and lunch dishes. The Old Montreal location is on Rue Saint-Paul.

La Banquise: You’re in Quebec. You need to try poutine! We sought out La Banquise and waited in line for a plate of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. After trying it, we realized we don’t like poutine, haha! It’s just not for everyone, but I’m glad we gave it a chance.

La Distillerie No.1 & 2: We visited two La Distillerie locations because we loved the cocktails. The drinks were affordable during our trip, and both stops were a hit. 

I hadn’t originally planned a trip to Montreal, but I’m so glad we went. Between Old Montreal’s historic streets, the Plateau’s colorful homes, and all those food stops, there was plenty to keep me (and my camera) happy. I hope these Montreal photos have given you a few reasons to visit, too!

Next Stop: Quebec City

If Old Montreal caught your eye, wait until you see Quebec City. Think colorful doors, flower boxes, and beautiful cobblestone streets. Check out my Quebec City photo guide for more photos.

 

---

This blog contains affiliate links to booking sites and products I recommend. If you book or buy through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep this blog running—thank you for being a part of it!