Montreal or Quebec?

Never been to either. Which is the better destination? Opinions please

Montréal is nice (edit and have a good choice of great restaurants) and you can get around fairly easily with the Metro. That being said there is a lot of homeless people around asking for attention ( disclaimer this was from my last visit a montah ago I doubt they went away).


That being said I am from Qc and, depending on what your are looking for there is a lot to do, incredible gastronomy and wonderful sightseeing. ( I know I know I am biased but …)

I would vote for Québec because it is tourist oriented and everyone will smile and greet you ( try saying hello to a perfect stranger in Mtl lol)

There is amazing food in Montreal. Other than that I didn’t find very much to like on our last trip there.

I grew up in Montreal, great food like everyone is saying. Montreal is a bigger city, more modern, and much more diverse. Quebec’s economy is a bit more limited tourism and government. While the old city centers in both places are must visits, Quebec’s is more quaint. You could easily spend a few days in Montreal seeing sites, but Quebec is one day. While you are in the area, they are about 3 hours apart by car, and you pass through some very good agricultural areas, which would make for some good stops, even some wineries (mostly fruit).

If driving by car, Ottawa is less than 2 hours in the other direction from Montreal. If I was recommending a trip, I would nix Quebec and do Montreal and Ottawa.

BTW - if you are planing on a trip this month, the Montreal Canadians hall of fame in the Bell Center is free, and will be closing at the end of the month.

I don’t think you can go wrong. Both have great food scenes if that is your thing. Montreal seems to feel more like what one would expect if Detroit (of the 1960/70’s) and London had a baby. Montreal is bigger, so you could spend a bit more time here likely without feeling that you have seen it all. Quebec City retains a more quaint, Euro-feel while retaining it’s own persona. Quebec City has its poutine, whereas Montreal has its smoked meat. My wife and I took a late summer cruise through the St Lawrence, stopping at both and wished we had more time in each. I would love to go back in the winter as my guess is that is when the cities both reveal some of their distinct charm.

I grew up in the Midwest (Ohio/Michigan/Indiana/Minnesota) so Montreal was more familiar and easy to identify with, but if I had to pick just one to return to it would likely be Quebec City as there were some stops outside the city that interested me (e.g. Sugar Shack, Apple Cider).

I think you would be happy with either, Neal. Montreal is a much better food city and has a number of interesting neighborhoods, Quebec City (particularly the old city) is preserved pretty well and has a more historic feel. I would give QC more than a day, but not more that 3.

I was surprised how much we liked Ottawa (any country that has carved beavers in their parliament is OK by me), but I would probably hold off on it unless you have extra days in your schedule

Thanks everyone; I am enjoying the feedback.

The good news is that the train between Montreal and QC appears to be dirt cheap – $35 (I can’t tell if that is loonies or US dollars). The bad news is that it is 4 hours. That’s a lot of time to lose on a long weekend, which is what I am planning for the fall.

Depends how you travel, Neal

You should take a couple of extra days.

I think the bagels are St Viateur

When you make it to Montreal:

Yup. Reason #1 to choose Montreal

4 hres by train is hard to believe. Usually you make it in 2h30 maximum.

As for the better restaurants, having tried both cities I can tell you that Québec can give a good competition to any city as the quality as dramatically risen in the last few years.

Pretty surprised by this post. I had a great time with my wife last week. Lots of walking across parks and the town, some nice sight seeing, etc.
Guess it depends on what you like to do and your age…

Alain

Goodness … I dream of Montreal… a lovely city I miss being able to get to more often. When I lived in NH we would drive up often for long weekends and had such wonderful times. Flying in since, it continues to charm.

If you are going in the near future, check on outdoor festivals because Montreal has tons and they are great - two favorites of mine are the Chinese Dragon Boat races at the old Olympic site and the African Music festival held downtown. Also the International Fireworks competition each summer is amazing but skip the formal site for it and watch instead from the piers in Old Montreal with the rest of the city’s populace … one of the best nights of my life was spent doing just that and then enjoying to spontaneous block party that tool over the quarter with dancing and silliness. And for a bit of throwback fun, stroll through Mont Royal park on a Sunday when the Tam Tams are playing - hundreds of all sorts of drummers and folks dancing around the fountain … just gotta smile.

Favorite restaurant - Chez L’Epicier is so warm and charming yet so superb on the plate.

Now I’m reconsidering my holiday plan and wishing to be in Montreal.

Depends on what you’re looking for, Neal. QC is an adorable, quaint historical city. It bleeds old world touristy charm. Picnic on the Plains of Abraham. Have a drink at the bar in the Hotel Frontenac. It’s the Québécois version of Charleston, SC. Montreal is a real metropolis. Wide variety of food/drink/culture.

As a connoisseur of NYC pastrami, don’t get your hopes up too much for their smoked meat. It’s good, but not really special imo.

If you’re only talking a long weekend and you’ve never been to either, I suspect QC makes little sense. Can you get a direct flight to QC? As others have said, they are very different from each other. Montreal is a real city. Loosely speaking, a French Canadian version of NYC. You will have no trouble having a good time there for several days. QC is really not like anything else in North America. It’s more like a small, historic European city. My recommendation would be to go to Montreal this trip. If you like it, then plan a longer trip to hit QC and the countryside. It’s almost like going to France without crossing an ocean.

Thanks Ken. That’s what really made me think QC might be the choice.

Yes, there are direct flights available to both from DC, I think. And I’ve got miles to burn

Ken is wrong about smoked meat. I love pastrami. Smoked meat is even better. Not even close.

While I like both, I see QC as more special. You’ll think you were in Europe.

I love Katz’s and i love Schwartz’s. Just like I enjoy Montreal bagels. For a short weekend, I would go with Quebec city assuming easy air travel to there. There are several great restaurants in QC, and while no Schwartz’s, much more opportunities for fois gras.

There’s a great waterfall and park outside town that makes a nice break. Great food market by the river - fantastic cheeses.

While I don’t think you can go wrong, the one I’d go back to for a weekend is QC.

Loved visiting both. If I were picking based on diverse entertainment I would probably pick Montreal and the Museum of Fine Arts is a gem … https://www.mbam.qc.ca/en/exhibitions/on-view/

Montreal is an awesome city. QC is quaint. The chemin du roy, connecting the two, is among the best drives I have made.