In One Day

This exploration of historic Montréal allows time for random exploring, shopping, or lingering in sidewalk cafes. If you're staying only 1 night, book a room in one of Vieux-Montréal's boutique hotels. Visitors find themselves drawn to the plazas and narrow cobblestone streets of this 18th- and 19th-century neighborhood, so you might as well be based there. Start: Vieux-Montréal, at Place d'Armes.

1. Place d'Armes

Begin your day in the heart of Vieux-Montréal, at the site of the city's oldest building, the Vieux Séminaire de St-Sulpice, erected by priests who arrived in 1657. Next to it is the Basilique Notre-Dame, an 1824 church with a stunning interior of intricately gilded rare woods. Its acoustics are so perfect that the late, famed opera star Luciano Pavarotti performed here several times.

Consider taking our walking tour that takes you past every historic structure in Vieux-Montréal and eventually to our next stop. Or, to go to Pointe-à-Callière directly, walk down the slope from the basilica.

2. Pointe-à-Callière

The Pointe-à-Callière (Museum of Archaeology and History) is an engaging and educational museum. Its below-ground tunnels have remnants of Amerindian camps and early French settlements.

3. Olive et Gourmando

This special cafe is a city highlight -- and great for seeing American celebrities who are filming movies in town. Eat in, or take out if the weather's nice for a picnic lunch by the river. The Cuban sandwich is a popular choice. 351 rue St-Paul ouest. tel. 514/350-1083.

Unless you're a very ambitious walker, take a cab, the Métro to Guy-Concordia, or a BIXI rental bike to get to:

4. Musée des Beaux-Arts

This is the city's glorious fine-arts museum. Permanent exhibits are free, and temporary shows are dazzling.

5. Rue Crescent

From the museum, walk south on rue Crescent. If you're in a shopping mood, Ste-Catherine, 2 blocks down, is the nexus for department stores and midpriced shopping (turn left and head east). Rue Crescent itself is downtown's primary nightlife district, albeit a touristy one. If it's warm, grab a seat on a terrace for great people-watching. During the Grand Prix this place is packed.

6. Sir Winston Churchill Pub

Epicenter of the rue Crescent scene for ages, this pub is filled with chatty 20- to 40-somethings. It's a good spot to nurse a pint while taking in the passing parade. 1459 rue Crescent. tel. 514/288-3814.