FULL ITINERARY
THURSDAY JANUARY 29th
Flight ETA 6:40pm.
Uber to hotel, ETA 8:00pm.
How to get an Uber: Use your Uber app to request a car and then follow the in app instructions that will lead you to the pick up area (Parking Level 4)
Fun fact: Hotel William Gray was awarded Top 5 Hotel in Canada last year.
Dinner Reservation: 9:30p at Vin Mon Lapin. FYI there is no wine list. You tell them what you like, what you may order, and they will bring you options.
FRIDAY JANUARY 30th
Wintery Euro Day
Free breakfast at the hotel or coffee and pastries at Cafe Olimpico on the corner.
Walk to Parc La Fontaine and go ice skating on the frozen pond. It’s about a 30min walk each way.
Lunch Reservation: Stash Cafe at 1pm. This is a very old and very traditional Polish restaurant. Think light beer, pierogis, kielbasa, and warm cabbage.
Head back to the hotel to rest and reset before your early evening of French Canadian fare.
Go to Atwater Market around 3:30pm and browse the stalls for pâté, terrine, maple syrup, unique chips, and more. Walk a few blocks towards dinner and peruse Aesop and Grand Central Inc before your reservation. Make note: Le Vin Papillion is right here too! There are more opportunities to check out these shops on Saturday and Sunday. Note: Atwater Market is a 1hr walk or 15min drive from the hotel, and is only a few blocks from your dinner reservation.
Dinner Reservation: Joe Beef 5:45pm. Joe Beef is a world-renowned, French-Canadian restaurant located in the Little Burgundy neighborhood of Montreal, famous for its indulgent cuisine, lively atmosphere, and daily changing chalkboard menu. This is the place to get your steak dinner fix.
Save room for dessert? Hit Grinder on the way home for the (maple cake) and frozen yogurt. You could also do this after Le Vin Papillion tomorrow if you want. Note: be sure to peak in the windows at their museum like butcher shop on the corner.
SATURDAY JANUARY 31st
Day of Relaxation
Morning walk along the river and then breakfast at the hotel (or room service, because why the hell not?)
Spa Day at the hotel:
• Skin Regimen Longevity Treatment at 11:30a *arrive 15min early
• Thermal Circuit 12:30p-4:00p. Learn more about the thermal circuit regime here. Note: the outdoor pool will be closed. Water and Tea are available inside the spa and a robe and towel will be provided. Bring water sandals.
Choose your adventure: Rest and reset, and then head to the restaurant early for missed shopping opportunities yesterday. Or wander around Old Town. Note: the restaurant is about a 1hr walk each way and the Basilica is in Old Town by your hotel.
Dinner Reservation: Le Vin Papillion at 6:00p
Basilica Aura Lightship at 9:00p. Get there early to enjoy the light installations in the plaza and walk around the basilican when they open the doors before the show starts.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1st
Girl About Town Day
Early Brunch at Arthur’s Nosh Bar *Opens at 9:00a, get there early and wait in line.
Pro Tip: Get a hot drink to-go from Cafe Olimpio and Uber to the restaurant so you have a cozy warm beverage while you wait in line.
Take Uber to Mount Royal after brunch and go ice skating at Beaver Lake? Afterwards you can take a snowy walk through the park and down to the famous bagel shop or cozy gnocchi spot (or both? LOL):
• Drogheria Fine: a casual, counter-serve spot in Montreal's Mile End neighborhood, famous for its affordable, homemade gnocchi served in Chinese takeout boxes.
• St-Viateur Bagel: the original location for an iconic Montreal institution, famous for its authentic, hand-rolled bagels baked in a wood-fired oven
Uber back to the hotel to rest and reset, or make a pit stop at the apres ski pop up terrace bar [Horse-Piste at Belvu Terrasse at the Marriott Chateau Champlain]
Dinner Reservation: L’Express at 6:00p. This is a very old-school and classic place, well known amongst restaurant industry workers as the late night spot for wine and nosh. There is a large jar of cornichones on every table. This is the place to indulge in things like pâté, terrine, and cheese.
Note: This restaurant is a 40min walk, but if you want to leave early I suggest mapping to Cinema L’Amour and walk up Saint Laurent for a more entertaining walk. When you hit the “cinema”, take a right and the restaurant is 8 blocks down.
Extra fun? Get a a very unique night cap cocktail at Le 4º Mur, maybe check out the burlesque show at 9pm.
If you walk home, stop in Place Jacques-Cartier on your way home and take in the wintery night time vibes and the Igloo Fest across the river.
MONDAY FEBRUARY 2nd
Shop & Spa
Free breakfast at the hotel and shopping walk up Saint Laurent Boulevard. You will first walk through China Town (maybe stop in C&C Cosmetics and look for Korean skin care?) and then make your way to Eva D and Eva B for some thrift shopping. There is also a nearby underground mall, a couple cafes, and bars the further you go.
Spa Appointment: 1:00p Thermal Circuit at Scandanav. The facilities are available to you for the rest of the day. You will be provided with a robe, towel, and locker. There are hooks for your robe and towel around each thermal offering. They also have water and juice available.
Dinner: Poutine at Patati? Bar Henrietta?
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3rd
Flight departure is 9:25a. It is recommended to order your Uber at 6:45a in order to arrive at the airport early enough to get through customs.
NIGHT CAPS NEAR THE HOTEL
Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel
Historic restaurant in Old Town. Built in 1688 and the first establishment to receive a liquor license in 1754, it offers a unique experience with stone walls and a cozy, romantic ambiance
El Pequeno
a highly-rated, Cuban-inspired cocktail bar in Old Montreal, known for being the smallest bar in Canada with a legal capacity of around 11 people. It offers an intimate, cozy atmosphere and specializes in rum-based classic and original cocktails, along with a single food item: an acclaimed Cubano sandwich
The Coldroom
a secret speakeasy-style cocktail bar hidden in a historic 19th-century cold storage warehouse in Old Montreal. How do you find it? if you are standing in front of the cuban bar, look to your left. You will notice a black door, and if you look closer you will notice a security camera and doorbell. Ring the he bell for assistance, they will come get you and escort you down to the bar.
CONFIRMATIONS AND TICKETS
RECOMMENDATIONS
I have a Google List full of all my favorite places in Montreal. Make sure you have the Google Map app downloaded on your phone, and then tap the button below to see my Montreal Google List. I recommend “adding to your map” so that you can easily navigate and see what recommendations are around you at any given time during your trip. You can also add this webpage (your itinerary) to your cell phone’s home page for easy access. If you are worried about cell service during your travels, be sure to screen shot anything you want handy.