28 of the most Instagrammable places around Montreal

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Now that the temperature is cranking up, it’s time to get outside and get focused (literally) on the everlasting beauty of Montreal.

From spectacular colours, gorgeous vantage points, interesting people, iconic landmarks, and charming places, here are the most Instagrammable place around Montreal.

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Some locations come easy but some spots are a tad trickier. But, if you want those Instagram likes, you better be willing to take them Instagram hikes.

Here are 28 places around the island that’ll help boost your ‘Gram game.

Belvédère Camilien-Houde Lookout – Mont-Royal

The Belvédère Camilien-Houde Lookout is arguably the most postcard-esque spot in all of Montreal. Perched atop Mont Royal, the spot offers city-wide views of the entire island and beyond. With the city’s trees, flowers, and colours blossoming, springtime atop the mountain is primetime for photo ops.

Address: Voie Camilien-Houde, Mont-Royal
Hours: 6 am – 12 am

Maison Pepin – Old Montreal

Tucked away off of St-Paul, Maison Pepin is a boutique at the end of a narrow, stone-walled alleyway that looks like it’s right out of a Harry Potter film.

If the magical alley isn’t your cup of tea, Old Montreal itself is oozing with picturesque spots.

Dating back to the 17th century, Old Montreal’s narrow cobblestone streets will make you feel like you’re a time traveller instead of a spring photographer.

From the Notre-Dame Basilica to a slew of bustling restaurants and shops, and gorgeous views of the St. Lawrence River, there’s fantastic photo opportunities in every inch of Old Montreal.

Address: 378 Rue St-Paul Ouest
Time: 10 am – 5 pm

Farine Five Roses

The Farine Five Roses sign has been a feature among Montreal’s skyline, in some form, since 1948.

Whether photographed at night, or during the day, the flour mill’s sign is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Feature the recognizable emblem in a spring photo and you’ll get all the Instagram love from locals.

Address: H3C 1Y4

Place Ville Marie

PVM is an exceptionally located esplanade in the heart of downtown Montreal, offering majestic sites of the city landscape. Try to get some snaps in once the $200 million renovations are finished for some mega Insta-likes.

Address: 1 Place Ville Marie

Notre Dame Basilica

This 190-year-old basilica takes over the skyline of a historic district of Old Montreal and is exuding with photo opportunities, both inside and out.

Address: 110 Notre-Dame Ouest
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm

Palais des congrès de Montréal

The Palais des congrès is a convention centre at the northern end of Old Montreal. Built above the Ville-Marie Expressway, this gorgeous and colourful structure has 200,000-sq-ft of exhibition space and is an absolute treat to the Instagram eye.

Address: 201 Viger Avenue
Hours: 8 am – 6 pm

Place Jacques-Cartier Montreal Clock Tower

Constructed in 1922, The Old Port’s Clock Tower sits at the end of a pier, offering spectacular views of both the St. Lawrence River and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

Address: 1 Clock Tower Quay
Hours: 11 am – 7 pm

Olympic Stadium and the Montreal Tower

The Olympic Stadium, the largest amphitheatre in the province, cost Quebecers a boat-load of money so you might as well get snapping (because let’s be honest, it’s not being used for much else).

Originally built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, at 541 feet, the Big O is the tallest inclined structure in the world.

Address: 4141 Pierre-de Coubertin Avenue

Pont Jacques-Cartier

Accessible by foot (and by car obviously, though not ideal for taking pics), the Pont Jacques-Cartier is a magnificent steel structure that crosses the island of Montreal to the South Shore over the St. Lawrence River.

So, there are ample spots to take breathtaking pics of Montreal, the South Shore, the river, and the bridge itself in all its springtime glory (especially when it’s illuminated).

Address: 134 Jacques-Cartier Bridge

Pastel Rita

Pastel Rita is a shared space in the Mile End. If all this Instagram hunting is getting tiresome, make a quick pit stop at cafe and wine bar for some drinks and grub.

And, while you’re at it, keep that camera snapping because Pastel Rita’s colours and style will make you feel like you’re inside a Barbie Playhouse.

Address: 5761 St-Laurent Boulevard
Hours: 8 am – 8 pm (8 am – 10 pm from Thursday – Saturday)

Square Saint-Louis

Square Saint-Louis is an urban square in The Plateau.

The square is architecturally rich and will make you feel like you were teleported to 19th-century European homes, primetime for IG.

Address: Rue St-Denis

Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal

Saint Joseph’s Oratory is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine on Mont Royal’s Westmount Summit.

It is the largest church in Canada and claims to have one of the world’s largest domes.

Along with spectacular views of the city at the oratory’s top standing, the spot is covered in gorgeous colours, trees, and flowers – all in bloom during springtime.

Address: 3800 Queen Mary Road
Hours: open 24/7

Mont Royal Cross

On the northeastern peak of the mountain, a giant 26-ton steel cross overlooks the eastern part of the island, originally erected in the 17th century, the Mont Royal Cross used to be made out of wood.

As a background filler, or as the main, the cross is a Montreal symbol and has some serious value in the Instagram game.

Address: Olmsted Trail
Time: 6 am – 12 am

Jean Talon Market

The highlight of Little Italy is undoubtedly the Jean Talon Market. The Jean Talon market has been supplying Montreal with fresh Quebec products and specialty items from around the world since 1934 and Instagrammers with pictures since 2010.

From a wide variety of produce, flowers, fish, meat, and desserts, go snap crazy at the Jean Talon Market for detailed-heavy posts.

Address: 7070 Henri Julien Avenue
Hours: 7 am – 6 pm

Atwater Market

The Atwater Market is a massive farmers’ market located in Saint-Henri that’s been running since 1933. The market features both indoor and outdoor vendors from a vast variety of local options: meat, bread, cheese, fruit, vegetables, flowers, candy, pizza, and ice cream.

The market is free to enter and a lot of outlets hand out samples. Take a stroll through the market, it’s lovely.

Address: 138 Atwater Avenue
Hours: 8 am – 6 pm

Marché Bonsecours

Old Montreal’s Marché Bonsecours is a two-story domed public market. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area and now, while still functional, is a gorgeous option for the ‘gram.

Address: 350 rue St. Paul Est
Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Crescent Street

Along with hosting a slew of great restaurants and bars, Crescent is constantly bustling with locals and tourists.

Gracing the skyline is an 8,500-square-metre mural of the legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

Address: Rue Crescent, from Sherbrooke to Ste. Catherine

Dorchester Square – Place du Canada

Dorchester Square is a 5-acre park found smack in the middle of downtown Montreal.

Lined by the Dominion Square Building, the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, and the Sun Life Building, Dorchester Square is loaded with history.

Centred by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Robert Burns statues, the Boer War Memorial is the only equestrian statue in the entire city.

Add that little tidbit of information for extra Instagram points.

Address: 2903 rue Peel
Hours: 9 am – 9 pm

Beaver Lake

Taken from an old beaver damn discovered during its construction in 1938, Beaver Lake is definitely a lot more lake than it is beaver.

The lake, trees, and greenery are a stunning visual found inside a giant park on Mont-Royal.

Address: 1260 chemin Remembrance

Lov Restaurant

LOV restaurant has a healthy balance of delicious vegan food and totally drool-worthy Instagram options, both of which will delight your spirits.

The white exposed brick, low hanging lights, plants and wood tables makes it a feast for the ‘gram crowd.

Address: 1232 rue De la Montagne, 464 rue McGill
Hours: 11:30 am – 10 pm

Lachine Canal

One of Montreal’s top tourist attractions, the Lachine Canal runs through 14.5 kilometres from the Old Montreal to Lac Saint-Louis, through the boroughs of Lachine, Lasalle, and Sud-Ouest.

It’s essentially 14.5 kilometres worth of photo ops.

Parc La Fontaine

Mont Royal’s 34-hectares urban park is full of trees, flowers, greenery, sports, and events and may well be the city’s most popular park (sorry Westmount Park).

Regardless of the season, there’s always something snap-worthy happening at Parc La Fontaine.

We’d recommend bringing a picnic during the warm months, once inside, you might not leave.

Address: 1619 QC-138
Hours: 6 am – 12 am

La Ronde

Quebec’s biggest amusement park, originally built as part of Expo 67, now owned by Six Flags, is full of colours, excitement, people, and happy rollercoaster riders (some of whom are upside down) – an ideal environment for Instagram fans.

La Ronde’s lease with the City of Montreal runs until 2065 so you’ve got some time to spare.

Address: 22 Chemin Macdonald
Hours: 10 am – 8 pm

McGill University

Besides being regarded as one of the best universities in the world, the renowned campus is located at the foot of Mont Royal and is bordered between Doctor Penfield and Sherbrooke, offering a beautiful mix of greenery and stylish bricked buildings.

Address: 845 Sherbrooke Ouest

The Gay Village’s Rainbow Balls

The rows of 180,000 multi-coloured decorative balls that hang over a stretch of Ste. Catherine Street have been set up in the Gay Village for the last time so Instagrammers best get their licks in before it’s too late.

Address: Rue Ste. Catherine, Gay Village

Quartier des Spectacles

From public art installations and giant chess pieces to creative light projections, Quartier des Spectacles is always bustling with a cultural vibe. While constantly changing based on events, the Quartier des Spectacles has equal parts history and contemporary sites to snap away at from Place des Arts to Club Soda.

Address: Rue City Councillors to Saint-Hubert between Sherbrooke and René=Lévesque

Westmount Summit

Westmount Summit is the summit of one of Mont Royal’s three peaks and it offers a great blend of Montreal’s concrete scenery with the city’s outdoor greenery.

The summit’s adjacent Summit Woods is an equally gorgeous park that’s quiet and offers great in-city views of a deep, green forest.

Plus, there’s parking!

Address: 36 Summit Circle, Westmount
Hours: 5 am – 12 am

La Grande Roue

If you’re looking for a great vantage point over the city, and you want to have some fun getting there, get to the top of Old Montreal’s La Grande Roue, Canada’s largest observational wheel.

Address: 362 rue de la Commune Est
Hours: 10 am – 11 pm