As one of North America’s most dynamic cities, Montreal blends historic cobbled streets with a vibrant, modern energy, making it an ideal destination for a weekend break. Old Montréal’s European charm gives way to neighborhoods like the Plateau and Mile End, where independent boutiques, cafés and a constantly evolving dining scene provide plenty to do and see. For an easy way to explore, the Passeport MTL card (from $60) provides free or discounted access to many of the city’s leading attractions.
What To See – New Exhibitions
View of the exhibition The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture. Front, from left to right: Statue of a Boy with Dogs, and Statue of the Infant Bacchus on a Ram.
Fondazione Torlonia. Photo Agostino Osio
A rare exhibition of Roman sculpture has arrived from Rome at Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts and will be on show until 19 July 2026. The Torlonia Collection, the world’s most important private collection of Roman sculpture, was assembled in the 19th century by prince and banker Alessandro Torlonia. After a widely acclaimed presentation at the Louvre in Paris, “The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture” is now being shown to North American audiences for the first time. Featuring finely carved bas-reliefs, mythological figures and compelling portraits — the exhibition includes the renowned Maiden of Vulci, from the mid-first century B.C., representing one of the finest examples of Roman female portraiture, once adorned with gold inserts, gemstones, and real earrings. The Montreal version of the show features 57 sculptures from a collection of over 600 works, making it relatively intimate — but still one of the most significant groups of Roman sculptures ever shown in Canada.
Also currently on show at the Museum of Fine Arts is “Richard Avedon: Immortal – Portraits of Aging, 1951–2004” running to 9 August 2026. Bringing together nearly 100 portraits spanning five decades, the exhibition focuses on one of the 20th century’s most influential photographers’ sustained exploration of aging — not as decline but as a record of lived experience. Icons such as Truman Capote, Toni Morrison and Patti Smith appear alongside less known subjects, all captured with the same unflinching clarity. Stripped of artifice, Avedon’s portraits show wrinkles, gestures and expressions, turning the passage of time into something both intimate and universal.
Musée McCord Stewart
Roger Aziz
Musée McCord Stewart, a landmark in the heart of Montreal for over 100 years, focusing on the history of the city. With six collections of 3.2 million images, objects, documents and works of art, it’s an essential stop for any history buff. Recognised as one of North America’s leading food cities, Montreal is home to nearly 5,000 restaurants and the current exhibition “On the Menu,” on until October 2026, explores Montreal’s rich and inventive food scene from the 1960s to today. The show, featuring audiovisual testimonials, photographs, archives and objects, traces how restaurants — from neighborhood delis to fine dining institutions — have shaped the city’s and province’s identity.
Where To Eat
St-Viateur Bagel, Montreal
Corbis via Getty Images
Montreal’s dining scene is shaped by its French culinary roots and multicultural influences. From polished fine dining to casual, chef-driven neighborhood spots highlighting seasonal Quebec produce, markets and late night dining, there’s plenty of choice for foodies. And no visit to Montreal would be complete without a stop at the famous 24 hour St Viateur bagel shop, in the Mile End neighborhood, serving thousands of wood oven bagels since it opened in 1957.
A first in Canada, Timeout Market, on St Catherine street, features a mix of 15 of the city’s top chefs and best restaurateurs, leading mixologists at two bars, a demonstration kitchen, a cooking academy and a retail shop. Visitors share a range of cuisines from Japanese to Italian at communal tables, less a food hall, more a social hub built around eating well.
Mama C, a Mediterranean restaurant and cafe, is a great choice in Old Montreal. The cafe side is less formal with a shorter menu of dishes like seabass tartare and cherry tomato salad to lamb kebabs and Greek platters. Nearby, sister restaurant Modavie offers a French bistro menu and features live jazz music upstairs.
Where To Stay
Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile
getty
The “Golden Mile,” a historic downtown district along Sherbrooke Street West with Victorian and Beaux-Arts architecture, once known for grand mansions, today has some of the city’s top hotels including two five stars, The Ritz Carlton and the Sofitel. The Sofitel has recently undergone a refurbishment of their dining spaces including the restaurant, Renoir and the addition of Nini Salon, a new cocktail lounge. These hotels are ideally located for visits to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the McCord Stewart Museum dedicated to Canadian history and the Redpath Museum, for natural history.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com