Mount Royal and the Plateau: Montreal Bagels, Lookouts and Streets

Mount Royal is the hill that gives Montreal its name, and the Plateau is the neighbourhood that gives it its reputation. Together they make the best free day in the city, as long as you accept one long staircase and a lot of eating.

Up the mountain

Enter the park from Peel Street and follow the switchback path to the Kondiaronk lookout, about 30 minutes uphill, for the classic view over downtown and the river. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also worked on Central Park. From the lookout, the wooded loop to Beaver Lake is another 20 minutes and much quieter than the main path.

The Plateau and Mile End

Walk down to Avenue du Mont-Royal, then east to Rue Saint-Denis and the Plateau's residential streets, where the outdoor staircases are the photo everybody takes. Continue north to Mile End for the bagel argument: St-Viateur and Fairmount, both wood-fired, both worth trying. Smoked meat on Boulevard Saint-Laurent is the other essential stop.

Practical notes

• Metro Mont-Royal puts you at the bottom of the Plateau; the walk up is easier from there.
• Bagel shops are cash-friendly and busy on weekend mornings; go early or late.
• Add Jean-Talon market and St. Joseph's Oratory if you have a car or a full day.

In winter the same route works with boots, and the lookout is at its best after a snowfall, before the paths turn to ice.