Easter weekend is fun for all in Montréal, from brunches and chocolate to springtime sights

City sights and sugar shacks

Take a guided city tour to see spring coming into bloom and explore different neighbourhoods’ culture, art and history on foot, by bicycle or even on a scooter. See the entire city from above on the Grande Roue de Montréal, the highest observation wheel in Canada, or zoom over the Old Port on the 1,200-foot MTL Zipline.

Explore Old Montréal’s streets, shops and restaurants to see historic sights and find Easter weekend specials like new Québec maple syrup products at Délices, Érable & Cie on Saint-Paul Street East. Enjoy even more maple goodness at the best sugar shacks in and around Montréal!

Saintly experiences

The Holy Week seems like a good opportunity to experience some of Montréal’s rich religious heritage. Take a walk in Old Montréal to see Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, the city’s most visited tourist attraction, also holding Holy Week and Easter Sunday masses. Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal presents special Holy Week events and Easter masses throughout the week, including on Easter Sunday (get your ticket onsite) or watch the Easter masses online.

Feasts at every meal

Montréal’s restaurant scene is internationally renowned, and Easter weekend's special meals are ready to satisfy all tastes and cravings. Delight in Easter brunch at your favourite weekend brunch restaurants in Montréal’s many neighbourhoods, and don’t forget about the exquisite weekend brunches at downtown restaurants! If you’re looking for a quick lunch between adventures, we’ve got a list of exciting lunch spots. At Restaurant h3, you can feast on Easter brunch as early as 7 a.m. (great for those with young kiddos). And why not book a stay at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel to have Easter brunch at Rosélys or try out Sugar Town Brunch at Marché Artisans? If you're nearing your departure from Montréal, the Courtyard by Marriott Montreal Airport is serving its special Easter brunch buffet too!

Chocolatey treats

For gourmet chocolate rabbits and other melt-in-your-mouth desserts, pick up a sweet treat from Montréal’s best chocolate shops, like État de choc and Amango Cacao, or online store Ernestine - Les Chocolats, or stop by the Jean-Talon Market, Atwater Market and Marché Artisans as well! Find chocolates specially made for Easter, from rabbits and chicks to pastel-coloured Easter eggs and more.

Long weekend cocktails

Celebrate the long weekend with a fun 5 à 7 happy hour moment. Try a new cocktail or revisit an old favourite at one of the city's best cocktail bars, whether you’re in the mood for sharing drinks in social drinkeries, getting close in a cozy bar or feeling mysterious in a hidden bar.

Free art in the city

Among the many free things to do this spring, there’s art all over Montréal, whether it’s public masterpieces you can visit individually or as part of a tour. If you’re looking for an artful intro to Old Montréal, explore it through the lens of the light-and-history walking tour Cité Mémoire. There are tons of other light-filled installations to enjoy for free, starting with the light show of Jacques-Cartier Bridge, illuminated for Living Connections, an interactive display that reflects the city’s rhythms.

While in Old Montréal, visit the critically acclaimed PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art to take in major new works of contemporary art, public events and one-of-a-kind collaborations. Then walk over to the adjacent Phi Centre to experience cutting edge technological, immersive and interactive mixed media, live music, virtual reality exhibits and more. Don’t miss this year's Art Souterrain Festival, an art exhibition throughout Montreal’s famed “underground city” until April 7. And explore more amazing art galleries in our Montréal guide to gallery hopping and these affordable places to buy contemporary art.

Child’s play of all sorts

If you’ve already gone skating, tobogganing, walking and playing in the last remains of snow in the parks, then head indoors for kid-friendly fun at Montréal’s family-focused museums. The Pointe-à-Callière Archaeology and History Complex brings history to life with projections and interactive exhibitions about pirates, railroads and more. At the Montréal Botanical Garden, the grounds are springing to life and the greenhouses are in bloom, while outer space is the realm that awaits discovery at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium (experience the universe in ultra-HD thanks to new technology!), just be sure to book your tickets ahead of time since spots are limited.

Museum explorations

There’s always something fantastic to see in Montréal’s many museums, especially this highly-anticipated long weekend. At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, see the groundbreaking exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore: Giants of Modern Art (until June 2), and much, much more. 

Among the exhibitions at the McCord Stewart Museum, catch Becoming Montreal: The 1800s painted by Duncan, as well as Presence of the Past by multidisciplinary Kanien’kehà:ka artist MC Snow, and make sure to visit the permanent exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience. For some time travelling, visit the Château Dufresne museum and historic site.

Relaxation nation

Sometimes all you need out of a long weekend is a whole lot of tranquil nothing. Get your fill of peace, quiet and indulgent self-care at Montréal’s spas. Book a solo or couples massage or (starting just before Easter) spend a few hours at the spa, whether you’re in the mood for a completely unique sauna session on a boat docked in the St. Lawrence River, a water circuit experience followed by a massage, a next-level facial in a hotel spa or a romantic spa day for two on Île-des-Soeurs, our vibrant spa scene has all the aaaahs you need for a truly relaxing time over the Easter weekend.

Happy Easter!