26 reasons to visit Montréal in 2026

2026 is packed with anniversary celebrations of some of its most iconic landmarks and festivals. Get ready to party all year long! 

1. 2026 marks the 50^th anniversary of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, with a full line-up of activities and commemorations to mark the occasion. It’s also the perfect year to take in some current sports at Montréal’s new women’s sports bar Nadia, named for the gymnast Nadia Comǎneci, who scored the first perfect 10 at Montréal’s Olympics at just the age of 14 (not to mention six further perfect 10s and three gold medals at those games alone)!

2. Mount Royal Park, the leafy heart of the city, turns 150 in 2026. Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and inaugurated in 1876, Montréal’s beloved mountain park overlooks the city with stunning vista views and wildlife.

3. Getting around Montréal with public transit is a snap, and 2026 marks 60 years of the city’s bustling Métro system! And the city’s public transport networks continue to grow, with the shiny and new REM (Réseau express métropolitain) running from Central Station to as far away as Deux-Montagnes on the South Shore.

4. The Festival international Nuits d’Afrique brings the sights, sounds and tastes of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America to the Quartier des Spectacles for its 40^th edition in July 2026.

5. February 2026 marks the 35^th anniversary of Black History Month in Montréal, with cultural events lined up throughout the city all month long.

We like to keep things fresh here in Montréal, and there’s always new and exciting things to see and do. Here’s 8 things we know you’ll be hyped about experiencing in 2026. 

6. Thrill seekers—and those who like to watch—jump for joy from Montréal Bungee’s take-off perch 210 metres above the water from the Old Port’s historic Conveyors Tower. Catch some similarly eye-popping views from the La Grande Roue de Montréal ferris wheel. Did somebody say date night? 

7. Bustling city square in the spring, summer and fall (with a charming year-round café on-hand), the Esplanade Tranquille transforms into a world-class skating rink in the winter months, perfect for family fun or romantic moments. That’s what we call versatility! 

8. Snap the ultimate trip photo at Tourisme Montréal’s BONJOUR Montréal sign overlooking the Old Montréal and Downtown skylines. 

9. Check out some of Montréal’s biggest attractions with the seasonally-updated Passeport MTL, stacked with deals and savings. 

10. Take it all in from the heights of the Port of Montréal Tower, perched over the mighty St. Lawrence River. 

11. Explore contemporary Indigenous art at daphne, Tiohtià:ke's (the Kanien’kéha word for Montréal) first-ever Indigenous artist-run centre. 

12. Telling the story of Montréal through local memories and personal histories, the sparkling gallery spaces of the MEM—Centre des mémoires montréalaises documents city life in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. 

13. Get your shop on at Royalmount, Montréal’s newest shopping mall featuring high-profile luxury brand storefronts and an inner court urban park punctuated with public artworks. 

It takes more than a little snow to keep Montréalers off the streets and out of the city’s parks. In fact, the city buzzes with physical activity 365 days a year, and here’s just a few of our favourite ways to keep active in Montréal in 2026. 

14. The world-class 2026 UCI Road World Championships turn Montréal into the international epicentre of world cycling, with one of the most significant sporting events in the city since the Olympic Games! And as one of the world’s top cycling cities, Montréal is a real treat seen from atop two wheels—very easily done with the BIXI bike-sharing system available 12 months a year. Check off some of the city’s bucket list bike rides and go home with bragging rights in hand. 

15. Montréal’s world-class urban skateparks are the perfect spots to work on your jumps and tricks, from the Olympian-level Vans Pro Skate Park at the Montréal Olympic Park to the graffiti’d Van Horne Skatepark under the Van Horne Underpass in the Mile End. 

16. The island oasis Parc Jean-Drapeau continues its epic transformation with continued redevelopment of green spaces and waterfront public areas that play home to some of the city’s biggest summer festivals. There’s no finer spot for a long walk, jog or swim (in the on-site Olympic Aquatic Complex, no less). 

17. Explore the Quartier des spectacles entertainment district all dressed up in lights during MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, a glittering feast for the senses of lighting installations, rides and culinary delights you deserve for walking so much! 

OK, we admit it—one of the reasons we’re so active here in Montréal is due to how much we love to eat. A culinary hot spot of North America, Montréal’s gourmet scene will have you reaching for second portions. 

18. Check out the city’s ever-growing list of new bars, brasseries and restaurants and say you were there first! And wash it down with some of Montréal’s finest microbrewery brews. 

19. The MICHELIN Guide arrived in Québec in 2025, awarding bibs and stars to some of Montréal’s favourite dining spots including L’Express, Le Petit Alep, Jérôme Ferrer — Europea, Sabayon and Mastard. Yum! 

20. Explore and embrace some of Asia’s tastiest creations at the outdoor Montréal Asian Night Market, celebrate Japanese culture and cuisine at both the YATAI MTL and Ramen Ramen Fes, and step into a bonafide Vietnamese street food market at Chợ Đêm MTL. 

21. Go plant-based at the city’s vegetarian and vegan restaurants, from classic casse-croûte greasy spoon fare to fine dining, and celebrate the holiday season with the Vegan Christmas Market each December. Don't miss the chance to join over 20,000 fellow vegan foodies at the Montréal Vegan Festival, gathered en masse to discover the newest innovations in green cuisine. 

22. Montréal’s Jewish food scene is a local mainstay, with classic spots and new upstarts exhibiting the full range of Jewish culinary finesse and expertise. 

23. MTLàTABLE is our annual celebration of Montréal’s one-of-a-kind foodie scene, with over 150 local restaurants offering special menus, gourmet events and unforgettable dining experiences including vegan and vegetarian options. 

24. Keeping it classic is also cool—no trip to Montréal is complete without a hearty helping of poutine, a bag or two of world-famous Montréal bagels or a bursting Montréal smoked meat sandwich. 

Montréal is a city of “musts” for first-time visitors, with mouthwatering public markets, hip neighbourhoods, trend-setting streets, iconic sights and the world-class Casino de Montréal for when you’re feeling lucky. But we’d also suggest adding these to your list for a glimpse of Montréal from some alternate angles. 

25. The MMFA (Montréal Museum of Fine Arts) guarantees another year of blockbuster shows, including the Indigenous arts exhibition space ᐆᒻᒪᖁᑎᒃ uummaqutik. And while construction continues on the full-scale remodelling of the MAC (Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal)’s home base in Place des Arts, their temporary home at Place Ville Marie will keep that thirst for modern art sated. (Want to sound like a local? Just say you’re heading to the MAC at PVM and we’ll know just what you mean). 

26. Montréal is an island, with the St. Lawrence River flowing around it on all sides. Get up close and personal with these rushing waters with Ohana Sailing Agency, staffed with skilled crews eager to share the joys of sailing on our majestic fleuve. (You can also surf on the rapids too!)