Best Time to Visit Montreal

Summer is festival season, and September is the sweet spot

September is our top pick. Days are warm at around 21°C, nights are cool, and it's the driest stretch of the warm months, with rain on only 11 days. The summer crowds thin out after Labour Day, and patios (outdoor café and bar terraces) stay busy. You can walk up Mount Royal in comfortable weather, and the trees on the mountain start to turn at the end of the month.

June to August is high season. July and August are the warmest, both with highs of 25°C, and they feel sticky at times. Rain is common in June and July, usually in short bursts. Summer is also when the city's big events happen. The Montreal International Jazz Festival and Just for Laughs both fill the Quartier des Spectacles downtown. Jazz runs from late June into early July. Just for Laughs is in July. Hotels cost more then, so you'll want to sort out a room early if you're after a festival weekend.

Spring and autumn: shoulder seasons with a catch

May is the first month that feels properly good, with highs of 17°C. Terraces on Rue Saint-Denis reopen and the Plateau turns green. April is another story. It's cold, grey and wet, and snowmelt makes the streets messy. If you're on a budget, it's cheap, but it isn't pretty.

October is Fair for a reason. Early in the month the leaves on Mount Royal and in Parc Jean-Drapeau are lovely. By the end, it's wet and dim, with only about four hours of sun a day. November is darker and colder still, and it's the quietest time of year.

Winter: cold, but not dull

From December to March, expect real cold. January is the coldest month, with lows of -18°C and just under three hours of sun a day. Is it worth it? If you like snow, yes. The Underground City, a web of indoor walkways linking malls, metro stations and offices, keeps you warm downtown. Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy) tastes better after an hour outside.

Montreal en Lumière brings food, light shows and late-night events to the city in February and early March. Ice skating on the Old Port rink or on Beaver Lake is a good way to enjoy the season. Winter is also low season, so flights and rooms are often cheaper, apart from the holidays around Christmas and New Year.