Having chosen to attend college in a place that’s home to just over 12,000 people, one might hold a natural appreciation for small towns like Hanover. But even those allured by the quaintness of New England may yearn for some more excitement now and then — and a weekend in Montréal, Québec just might do the trick.
A mere three-hour road trip — or 60-song playlist — away, Montréal offers an abundance of new sights, sounds and sweets. Visitors can soak in the historic feel of the Old City, spend an evening at a jazz bar or take a bite into their first sweet Montréal-style bagel — a “must-try,” according to one Canadian. No matter what adventure you’re looking for, from dining in a pitch-black restaurant to submerging yourself in an ice bath, this north-of-the-border edition of Weekenders has it all.
Mount Royal
While a weekend away from Hanover can be restful, it can also blow by in the blink of an eye. Once arriving in Montréal, you might find yourself unsure which spots are tourist traps and which are really worth your time. But, fear not, for Noémie Longchamps ’28, who has lived in the city her whole life, can point you in the right direction: Mount Royal. The mountain — which Longchamps describes as more of a “hill” — is located immediately west of downtown Montréal. According to Longchamps, a trek to the top will reward you with “the best view of Montréal.”
Noah Pilnitz ’28, who grew up in Toronto, Ontario, agreed that the view from Mount Royal is “the highlight of Montréal.”
“You can see the city and then you can see the river behind it, and you can see the opposite [river] bank, so it is a quite wonderful view,” he said.
The hill also contains Mount Royal Park, the city’s “Central Park equivalent,” Pilnitz explained. Among hiking and cross-country skiing trails, the park also includes Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Canada’s largest church. Although Pilnitz acknowledged that the church might not be “something that [Dartmouth students] want to see” during their weekend away, he noted that the site offers particularly good views of the city.
Restaurants and Bars
As a small town, Hanover offers limited food options, so be sure to take advantage of the wide variety of flavors Montréal has available. According to Pilnitz, the Montréal-style bagel is a must-try — and “much better than New York-style bagels.”
“They’re denser, and they’re dipped in honey [water] ... before they’re baked, so they have a little bit of a sweetness to them, and it makes it really nice to eat by itself,” he said.
Amelia Hartshorn ’25, who has visited Montréal three times, said her favorite bagel shop is Fairmount Bagel — a 24-hour shop located in the Mile End neighborhood, which she’s visited two times.
Longchamps, on the other hand, recommends that readers visit Saint Viateur Bagel, where the bagels are always “fresh out of the oven.” She singled out the shop’s sesame bagel as her go-to menu item.
For another similarly shaped sweet treat, head over to Bernie Beigne — a famous donut shop also in the Mile End neighborhood that also comes highly recommended by Longchamps. Though she said the apple fritter in particular is “really good,” Longchamps noted that the shop boasts a variety of donut options — with flavors ranging from Oreo to Fruit Loops.
To taste another Montréal classic — smoked meat — head to Montréal’s most famous deli, Schwartz’s, located on Saint Laurent Blvd, Pilnitz said.
“Their thing is Montréal[-style] smoked meat,” he explained. “It’s kind of like pastrami, but a little bit less salty and more smoky and with a lot of mustard, so that’s usually [my] go-to order.”
For those looking for a more conventional sit-down meal, Montreal also boasts a variety of restaurant options — from traditional French-Canadian cuisine to experiential dining venues.
If you’re in the mood for something more experimental, try O.Noir, a restaurant that removes visual stimuli from the dining experience. Hartshorn, who dined at the restaurant in spring 2023, explained that the entire O.Noir wait staff is visually impaired, while customers eat “in a completely… pitch black” room. According to the website, this experience is meant to give diners “a better understanding of what it’s like to be blind.” Not only is the experience unique, but the food is as well. Instead of ordering one specific dish, Hartshorn said the restaurant offers several set menus, each with a different “meal style.” One of her most memorable moments involved passing a “massive lamb bone … around the table.”
“Because all of your other senses are elevated, I just remember [the bone] being so large and so sticky,” Hartshorn said. “It was just such an experience.”
For a more affordable, but equally delicious option, try Drogheria Fine, a gnocchi spot located right next to Fairmount Bagel. Hartshorn said she visited the restaurant when she was “trying to ball on a budget” during a trip with members of her sorority. According to Hartshorn, the street-style gnocchi dish is served in boxes similar to Chinese takeout containers.
For a nighttime outing, there’s a speakeasy in the basement of Japanese restaurant Fleurs et Cadeaux called San Soleil. According to Loane Bouguennec ’25, who has been to Montréal four times, this space has a “great stereo system and a nice D.J.”.
Old Montréal
According to Pilnitz, the Old Montréal area, located downtown by the Saint Lawrence River, is a “very European” and “very touristy” neighborhood with many historic 17th and 18th-century buildings.
“Definitely, if you visit Montréal, go to the Old City,” Pilnitz said. “It’s completely worth it. … It’s built in a very interesting style.”
Old Montréal is also the home of Igloofest, an annual electronic music festival that takes place each winter and is a popular weekend destination among Dartmouth students. The festival recently celebrated its 17th anniversary, running from Jan. 16 to Feb. 8, 2025, according to the Old Port of Montreal website. Igloofest is also “known as the world’s coldest rave,” according to Hartshorn.
Pilnitz said Igloofest is his favorite music festival due to its embodiment of the Canadian spirit.
“The concerts are outside in the dark, in the cold, but people are all wearing colorful jackets and just having a blast in the snow,” he said. “It’s quintessentially Canadian.”
The Plateau neighborhood
After spending some time in Old Montréal, take a stroll through Plateau — which Bouguennec described as “the trendy place in Montréal” — for a younger feel of the city.
One evening while in the Plateau neighborhood, Bouguennec stumbled upon an atmospheric pub located near Mount Royal, called Pub Pit Caribou Montréal with her friends. She called the locale a “secret find.”
“[Pub Pit Caribou Montréal] was just a nice chill vibe,” she said. “We had a beer and just had a good time talking, and it was surprisingly really cozy.”
According to Pilnitz, the neighborhood is home to “lots of trendy bars, restaurants [and] shops” and is close to several nightlife options.
“That kind of neighborhood — I feel like it’s just so rare to find in North America,” Pilnitz said. “Overall, Montréal as a city is a very unique combination of North America and Europe, so I think it’s really embodied in those kind[s] of neighborhoods.”
If you’re in search of a relaxing end to a long day of walking, a jazz bar just might hit all the right notes. Pilnitz recommended Diese Onze, a “nice place to experience jazz” on Saint Denis Street.
Also located in the Plateau area is Saint Laurent Boulevard, which is “generally known as a street with good nightlife,” according to Pilnitz. For additional offerings, check out Saint Urbain Street, which is located “right next to Saint Laurent,” he added.
According to Longchamps, Saint Laurent is a popular hangout spot for young people and the place to go “if your friends want to go to a bar [and] have fun.” The street also has “a lot of vintage stores” and “cute boutiques” and is a great location for thrifting, she added.
Another relaxing option, also located on Saint Laurent Boulevard, is Idolem Hot Yoga Chaud — a yoga studio where Bouguennec found a free yoga trial the last time she visited.
“[It] has an ice bath too that you can try for free for your first time,” she said. “It’s a really nice little studio.”
Whether you take a weekend to expand your cultural knowledge or you simply want an adventure with friends, a trip to Montréal offers an opportunity to gain something new: a new taste, perspective or even just a reminder of how much there is to explore beyond Hanover.
Additional recommendations:
Restaurants:
- Alphabet Cafe
- Club Social
- Le Speakeasy
- Les Enfants Terribles
- Reuben’s Deli & Steakhouse
- Time-Out Market Montréal
Bars and Clubs:
- APT 200
- Cafe Campus
- Club Unity
- Le Red Room
- TRH Bar
Shopping hubs and streets:
- Montréal Eaton Centre
- Sainte-Catherine Street
Attractions and arenas:
- Bell Center
- The Biosphere
- Habitat 67
- La Grande Roue de Montréal
- Notre Dame Basilica of Montréal
- Parc Jean-Drapeau
