Montreal

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Built atop Montreal's Central Station, this Fairmont landmark is where John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their famous 1969 bed-in for peace. Recently renovated, it sits just blocks from the Bell Centre and offers fans a central base with direct underground access to the metro and trains.

Hôtel Nelligan

Chic boutique hotel in Old Montreal occupying restored 19th-century stone buildings, with a celebrated rooftop terrace overlooking the basilica. Its cobblestone-street setting gives visiting fans a distinctly European base just a short walk from Bell Centre.

Hôtel William Gray

Chic boutique hotel in Old Montreal with a rooftop terrace and pool overlooking the port. Steps from Notre-Dame Basilica and the Bell Centre, blending heritage architecture with contemporary design.

Le Petit Hôtel

Charming 24-room boutique hotel in a heritage Old Montreal building with exposed brick and modern comforts. Hockey fans love its walkable location to the Bell Centre and proximity to Montreal's legendary smoked meat delis.

Where to Eat in Montreal

Beauty's

Legendary Mont-Royal brunch counter operating since 1942, famous for its Beauty's Special bagel with lox and cream cheese. Weekend lines snake down the block as Montrealers and visiting fans fuel up before exploring the Plateau or heading to a Canadiens game.

Fairmount Bagel

A 24-hour wood-fired bagel bakery operating since 1919, serving Montreal's legendary sesame and poppy seed bagels. Canadiens and F1 fans grab bags of hot-from-the-oven bagels at any hour, settling the eternal Fairmount-vs-St-Viateur debate.

Joe Beef

Named after a 19th-century Montreal tavern keeper, Joe Beef in Little Burgundy is one of Canada's most celebrated restaurants. Chefs David McMillan and Frédéric Morin serve indulgent Quebecois-French cuisine: lobster spaghetti, foie gras, and legendary steaks. A splurge-worthy fan dinner in a convivial atmosphere.

La Banquise

Montreal's most famous poutine destination on Rue Rachel, open 24 hours and offering over 30 varieties of Quebec's beloved dish. Canadiens fans flood in after late games at Bell Centre, debating plays over heaping plates of cheese curds and gravy.

Schwartz's Deli

Open since 1928 on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Schwartz's is Montreal's legendary Hebrew delicatessen famous for its hand-cut smoked meat sandwiches. The queue snakes down the block but moves fast. Canadiens fans have been fuelling up here before Bell Centre games for generations. Order it medium-fat.

Best Bars in Montreal

Bar George

An elegant British-inspired bar in a historic greystone mansion on Stanley Street with plush interiors and classic cocktails. F1 weekend and Canadiens playoff crowds fill this sophisticated downtown retreat for post-event celebrations.

Benelux

Airy Belgian-inspired brewpub in Old Montreal with house-brewed beers and a sprawling summer terrace. Canadiens fans and visiting hockey supporters toast with craft pints after catching a game at the Bell Centre.

Brutopia Pub

A beloved Crescent Street brewpub where Canadiens fans gather in Habs jerseys before and after Bell Centre games, debating hockey in French and English with equal passion. The house-brewed beers and warm unpretentious atmosphere make it one of Montreal's best pre-game bars. The proximity to the Bell Centre means jerseys are the unofficial dress code on game nights.

Burgundy Lion

Beloved Little Burgundy gastropub that doubles as one of Montreal's premier sports-watching venues. Its large screens, rotating craft beer taps, and elevated pub menu draw Habs fans and Premier League supporters alike for every major match.

Crescent Street Sports Bar Mile

Crescent Street in downtown Montreal is the anglophone party mile that transforms into a massive outdoor fan zone during Canadiens playoff runs, with patio bars overflowing onto the street. Sir Winston Churchill Pub and the Peel Pub are legendary gathering spots for sports fans in the city. The bilingual crowd of francophones and anglophones united by the Habs is one of sport's great multicultural fan scenes.

Dieu du Ciel!

One of Canada's most celebrated craft breweries with an intimate Mile End taproom pouring world-class Belgian-inspired ales. A Montreal institution and essential stop for beer-loving Canadiens fans.

Hurley's Irish Pub

Hurley's on Crescent Street is the anchor of Montreal's legendary sports bar strip and an institution for Canadiens fans celebrating or commiserating after games at the Bell Centre three blocks away. Live Celtic and rock bands play nightly while NHL jerseys of every era cover the walls, and the pints of Guinness pour perfectly until 3 am. On Habs playoff nights, Crescent Street outside becomes one of the great urban fan celebrations in all of hockey.

McKibbins Irish Pub

Montreal's most beloved sports Irish pub, McKibbins draws Habs faithful from across the province for every Bell Centre game with its forest of screens, excellent Guinness pour, and bilingual hockey commentary. The pub's convivial atmosphere perfectly captures Montreal's unique blend of French passion and Irish pub culture. On playoff nights the singing can be heard from St. Catherine Street.

McLean's Pub

Steps from the Bell Centre, McLean's Pub is the definitive Montreal Canadiens pre-game bar. Packed with Habs fans in red, white, and blue on game nights, it serves pub classics, cold beer, and wall-to-wall hockey memorabilia. The energy before a Canadiens playoff game is absolutely electric.

Fan Attractions in Montreal

Bell Centre

The most passionate hockey building in the world according to many longtime observers, the Bell Centre erupts on Canadiens game nights in ways that feel physically overwhelming. The Habs culture — hockey as Québécois identity — makes every game feel like a matter of cultural pride. The Canadiens Hall of Fame and retired jerseys in the rafters is a pilgrimage for any hockey fan.

Bell Centre Canadiens Tour

The Montreal Canadiens are the most storied franchise in hockey history with 24 Stanley Cup championships, and the Bell Centre tour celebrates every one of them. The Canadiens Hall of Fame inside the arena is a world-class sports museum covering Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur, and Patrick Roy. With over 21,000 seats, the Bell Centre is also the loudest building in the NHL when the Habs are on a run.

Centre Bell Arena Tour

Home of the legendary Montreal Canadiens, the NHL's most decorated franchise with 24 Stanley Cups. The 21,302-seat Centre Bell offers behind-the-scenes tours featuring the Hall of Fame, retired jerseys, and the storied Canadiens dressing room. The pre-game atmosphere on Rue de la Gauchetiere is electric on hockey nights.

Things to Do

Crescent Street Fan District

Montreal's legendary entertainment strip becomes the de facto Canadiens fan zone on game nights, with every bar on the street packed with Habs jerseys and the CH logo illuminating the night. On playoff runs the street becomes an outdoor party that lasts well into the morning. The linguistic mix of French and English hockey passion is unique to Montreal.

Things to Do

Jean-Talon Market

Jean-Talon Market in the Mile End is North America's finest outdoor market, where fans planning a big game-day spread stock up on Québec cheeses, artisan charcuterie, local cider, and maple products. Sports fans visiting for the Grand Prix or a Canadiens playoff game treat a Saturday morning visit to Jean-Talon as a sacred ritual before the main event. The multilingual chaos of vendors and shoppers feels like a sporting event in itself.

Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame

Located within the Bell Centre, the Canadiens' Hall of Fame is one of hockey's most comprehensive club museums, celebrating 24 Stanley Cup championships and the greatest dynasty in professional sport. Interactive exhibits honour legends from Howie Morenz in the 1920s to Patrick Roy in the 1990s. Touching the actual Stanley Cup replicas while surrounded by bleu-blanc-rouge history is overwhelming for hockey fans.

Montreal Olympic Park & Tower

The iconic leaning tower of the 1976 Olympic Stadium is the tallest inclined structure in the world at 175 metres. The complex includes the stadium (home to legendary moments in Olympic history), the Biodome, and a funicular ride to the observatory offering sweeping city views. Essential for any sports history enthusiast.

Notre-Dame Basilica

Montreal's breathtaking neo-Gothic basilica in Old Montreal is a must-see between Canadiens games — the stunning blue interior and light show are unforgettable.

Olympic Stadium (Stade Olympique)

The 1976 Olympics leftovers include one of architecture's most divisive buildings — the leaning tower and flying saucer stadium — now offering fascinating tours of its sporting legacy. The Montreal Expos played here until 2004 and baseball fan pilgrimages are made regularly to the site. The tower observatory gives the best view of Montreal's geography from any sporting venue.

Saputo Stadium (CF Montréal)

Home of CF Montréal in MLS, Saputo Stadium in the Olympic Village neighborhood has one of the most colorful supporter cultures in North American soccer. The Ultras de Montréal tifo displays and the bilingual chanting create a genuinely European atmosphere. The stadium's location in Parc Maisonneuve makes it ideal for a post-match stroll.