Boulevard St-Laurent

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A dividing line between the city’s east and west, Blvd St-Laurent (previously ‘the Main’) has always been a focus of action, a gathering place for people of many languages and backgrounds. In 1996 it was declared a national historic site for its role as ground zero for so many Canadian immigrants and future Montréalers. The label 'the Main' has stuck in the local lingo since the 19th century. Today it’s a gateway into the Plateau and a fascinating street to explore.

For a food- and culture-focused tour of the Main, from Chinatown to Little Italy, contact Fitz & Follwell.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • October 18, 2017: Visitors seated on the grass around a lake in Mont Royal Park during autumn.

    Parc du Mont-Royal

    1.01 MILES

    The charming, leafy expanse of Parc du Mont-Royal is charged for a wide range of outdoor activities. The wooded slopes and grassy meadows have stunning…

  • Montreal, Quebec, Canada - 18 May 2017: Sherbrooke Street West with the Facade of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. 688955530 fine, arts, culture, exterior, classical, column, sightseeing, outdoor, view, building, construction, scene, american, famous, place, historical, heritage, architectural, chagall, totem

    Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal

    1.35 MILES

    Montréal’s Museum of Fine Arts is an accessible and beautifully updated oasis of art housed in architecturally striking buildings. A visit here is a must…

  • Notre Dame Basilica (Montreal, Canada).

    Basilique Notre-Dame

    1.55 MILES

    Montréal's famous landmark, Notre Dame Basilica, is a 19th-century Gothic Revival masterpiece with spectacular craftsmanship – a visually pleasing, if…

  • May 28, 2017: St Joseph's Oratory on Mont Royal with a woman praying on steps.

    Oratoire St-Joseph

    2.47 MILES

    The stunning Oratoire St-Joseph church built on the flanks of Mont-Royal commands grand views of the the Côte-des-Neiges area and northwest Montréal. The…

  • 1197761248

    Jardin Botanique

    3 MILES

    Montréal’s Jardin Botanique is the third-largest botanical garden in the world, after London’s Kew Gardens and Berlin’s Botanischer Garten.

  • Montreal, Canada. July 31, 2019 . Exterior of the basilica of Notre Dame in Quebec. Sunny day. 1219240147

    Place d'Armes

    1.5 MILES

    This open square is framed by some of the finest buildings in Old Montréal, including its oldest bank, first skyscraper and Basilique Notre-Dame. The…

  • The Old Port of Montreal on a sunny day. 613324236 Skyscraper, Photography, Vieux, City, River, Old Port, Canada, Horizontal, Crowd of People, Summer Solstice, Outdoors, Capital Cities, Monument, Crowded, Summer, Montreal, Street, Cityscape, City Street, People, Quebec, Pedestrian, Downtown District, 100326, 60595

    Old Port

    1.66 MILES

    Montréal's Old Port has morphed into a park and fun zone paralleling the mighty St Lawrence River for 2.5km and punctuated by four grand quais (quays)…

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Nearby Montréal attractions

1. Parc du Portugal

0.12 MILES

This quaint little park is dedicated to Portuguese immigrants and their community, founded in Montréal in 1953. At the rear of the park, next to the…

2. Église St-Jean-Baptiste

0.24 MILES

Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the patron saint of French Canadians, this church was the hub of working-class Catholic families in the late 19th and…

3. Georges-Étienne Cartier Monument

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On the park's northeastern edge, on Ave du Parc, this statue draws hundreds of revelers every Sunday for tribal playing and spontaneous dancing in what…

4. Avenue du Mont-Royal

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Old-fashioned five-and-dime stores rub shoulders with a wide array of trendy cafes and fashion boutiques on Ave du Mont-Royal. The nightlife here has…

5. Carré St-Louis

0.59 MILES

This lovely green square with a three-tiered fountain is flanked by beautiful rows of Second Empire homes. In the 19th century a reservoir here was filled…

6. Croix du Mont-Royal

0.7 MILES

About 550m north of Kondiaronk lookout stands the Mont-Royal Cross, one of Montréal’s most familiar landmarks. Made of reinforced steel, the 31-meter-tall…

7. Belvédère Camillien-Houde

0.73 MILES

This is the most popular lookout on Mont-Royal thanks to its accessibility and large parking lot. Naturally enough, it’s a magnet for couples once night…

8. Église St-Viateur d’Outremont

0.82 MILES

If you are already on Ave Laurier for the shopping and food, poke your head into this church, opened in 1913. The interior is pure Gothic Revival with…