Montreal & Quebec City Canada Guide

Written By Sadie Cornelius

What to do in 36 hours in Montreal & Quebec City

Montreal

Getting There:

  • Porter Airlines via Toronto, affordable fares, free food/booze, fly at a lower altitude to see Niagara Falls and views, breeze through customs at Billy Bush airport (downtown regional airport on the water)

Eat:

  • Liverpool House (next door to infamous Joe beef sister restaurant). Get the crab legs and shrimp Louis....one of my favorite meals of all time! Obama and Trudeau ate there in 2017 (reservations a must, books months in advance)

  • Au Pied de Cochon, hipster spot in residential area for meat lovers by Martin Picard, get the Foie gras poutine! One of the world’s best restaurants (get reservations)

  • Lov Plant-based food in old Montreal, lovely ambiance and fresh food/drinks/smoothies!

  • Fairmount Bagels, grab and go bakery, a Montreal must (since 1919)

  • Burgundy Lion (across the street from Liverpool) Didn’t make it here but supposedly good spot for dinner and/or pre/post-dinner drinks

  • La Banquise, another popular spot, we didn’t make it to but supposedly a classic Poutine spot (and a little touristy)

  • Schwart’z Deli, another classic if you have time (and like world-famous smoked meat)

Drink:

  • “The Caesar” ie a Bloody Mary made with Clamato (tomato juice with Clam juice), much lighter/less thick than a Mary

  • Local Beer, tons of craft breweries

  • Maple Syrup, a Canadian Delicacy, put on anything and yes drink it too! (If you have time for a day trip go out to a Sugar Shack ie Maple Farm)

  • Canadian Whiskey

Stay:

  • Hotel Le Dauphin Montreal Downtown affordable, modern spot great location and free breakfast (Macs in every room and rainwater showers)

  • Hotel Le St. James Montreal (Old bank turned hotel, stay in a slice of history)

  • Queen Elizabeth, where Yoko Ono and John Lennon had their “Bed in” protest, a Fairmont property and across the street from train station

  • Airbnb in old Montreal with lots of affordable rooms and amenities

Do:

  • 3 hour walking tour of old Montreal (with local guide and includes admission to Notre-Dame Basilica) great way to learn about the city

  • Bota Bota, old ship turned spa with 4 levels of saunas, soaking tubs, hot tubs and steam rooms, no reservations needed unless you book a spa service. Perfect place to relax/unwind with views of the city (pro tip: go early to avoid crowds and specials for weekday water circuits)

Quebec

Getting There:

  • Take Train via VIA Rail (Business Class is worth the minimal extra cost for a meal, unlimited drinks and access to business lounge at Train Station)

Eat:

  • L’Affaire est Ketchup, reservations required (via phone only) make months in advance, menu announced nightly off chalkboard, two seatings nightly 6 and 8pm

  • Chez Muffy (inside Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel) weekend brunch for more affordable options, rustic meets chic

  • Bistro Le Sam, for snacks inside the Fairmont Hotel with views of the St. Lawrence River

  • La bûche, Quebec City's best sugar shack, cozy environment and delicious comfort food

Stay:

Do:

Sadie Cornelius

Sadie K Cornelius is a proud Longhorn and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody School of Communications with a Bachelor's in Advertising and a minor in Business.

She has more than 15 years of experience in Squarespace website and graphic design for 200+ clients all over the world.

A fourth generation business owner Sadie is passionate about helping others through creating compelling visuals and cohesive brand identities. She’s been featured in Forbes as a female-owned company, has taught several digital marketing classes at General Assembly, is a volunteer for non-profit organizations.

Sadie enjoys traveling the world, spending time with her husband, King Charles Cavalier, and families in the Carolinas. Originally from Kansas City, Sadie resides in Washington DC (but is forever an Austin girl at heart).

https://www.skc-marketing.com
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