Montreal Canada
Things to do in Montreal in December 2026
By Tripnostic Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Montreal in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Montreal in December: -1.2°C high, -8.7°C low, 92mm rain over 12 days, 8.5h daylight. Dated picks to verify first include Image+Nation Montreal International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and Image + Nation. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Montreal in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
30°F / 16°F
-1.2°C / -8.7°C
Precipitation
12d
3.6in · 92mm
Daylight
8.5h
December is very cold, with Christmas markets, Notre-Dame Basilica, RÉSO, skating, and metro-linked food stops carrying the trip.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 6
Image+Nation Montreal International LGBTQ+ Film Festival
An annual film festival showcasing LGBTQ+ cinema from around the world, featuring screenings, panels, and special events. — Tickets available online and at festival venues; early booking recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
- Dec 4 – Dec 24
Montreal Christmas Market (Le Marché de Noël de Montréal)
A festive Christmas market featuring artisan vendors, food stalls, live entertainment, and holiday-themed activities in the Old Port area. — Free entry; some activities and workshops may require tickets.
Source: festival research
- Dec 10 – Dec 31
Igloofest 2026
An outdoor electronic music festival held in the Old Port, known for its vibrant light shows and winter party atmosphere. — Tickets must be purchased in advance; dress warmly.
Source: festival research
- Dec 19 – Dec 27
Montreal Hanukkah Festival
A city-wide celebration of Hanukkah with menorah lightings, cultural performances, and community gatherings. — Most events are free; check specific venues for ticketed performances.
Source: festival research
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 5 dated Montreal events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 1 public holiday in Canada; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Montreal day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Montreal plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and Tripnostic checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Montreal events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Montreal planAbout Montreal
City overview
Montreal sits on the Island of Montreal beside the St Lawrence River and Mount Royal, with Vieux-Montreal, Plateau Mont-Royal, Mile End, Outremont, Le Village, Little Italy, and Quartier des Spectacles linking French-speaking street life, festivals, food counters, churches, markets, parks, and metro stations. The city works best when Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Port, Mont Royal, Schwartz's Deli, Jean-Talon Market, and Place des Arts are treated as neighborhood anchors.
Food & drink
Montreal food is Jewish deli, Quebecois comfort, and market-driven: St-Viateur and Fairmount bagels are boiled in honeyed water and baked in wood-fired ovens, smoked meat stacks peppery brisket on rye, poutine covers fries with curds and gravy, and tourtiere wraps spiced meat in pie crust. Jean-Talon Market, Atwater Market, Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Mile End bakeries, Schwartz's, La Banquise, and Little Italy add sugar pie, maple taffy, Portuguese chicken, steame hot dogs, and Quebec cheeses.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- AMount Royal Park
- BNotre-Dame Basilica
- CMontreal Museum of Fine Arts
- DSaint-Joseph's Oratory
- EPlace des Arts and Quartier des Spectacles
- FJean-Talon Market
- GMontreal Biodome
- HOlympic Stadium
- ISchwartz's Deli
- JOld Port of Montreal
1Mount Royal Park
4.8★ · 26,789outdoorOpen dailyFrederick Law Olmsted helped design the mountain park in the 1870s, with Kondiaronk Belvedere, Beaver Lake, trails, winter tubing, and views over downtown. Bus routes and Peel station approaches lead uphill.
Wikipedia
2Notre-Dame Basilica
4.7★ · 37,655indoorOpen dailyJames O'Donnell designed the Gothic Revival basilica, completed in the 1820s on Place d'Armes, with a blue-and-gold interior, carved wood, stained glass, and a major Casavant organ. It anchors Vieux-Montreal near the Old Port.
Reserve entry and evening light-show tickets ahead on weekends.
3Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
4.7★ · 17,212indoorClosed MonThe museum on Sherbrooke Street holds Canadian, Quebec, Inuit, European, decorative-arts, design, and temporary exhibition collections across several pavilions. It is close to Guy-Concordia station and downtown hotels.
Wikipedia
Show 7 more sights
- 4Saint-Joseph's Oratory
- 5Place des Arts and Quartier des Spectacles
- 6Jean-Talon Market
- 7Montreal Biodome
- 8Olympic Stadium
- 9Schwartz's Deli
- 10Old Port of Montreal
Neighborhoods
1Vieux-Montreal and Old Port
Vieux-Montreal is stone-built and river-facing, with Notre-Dame Basilica, Place Jacques-Cartier, Bonsecours Market, museums, hotels, and Old Port piers.
2Plateau Mont-Royal
The Plateau is colorful and residential, with spiral staircases, Saint-Laurent, Mont-Royal Avenue, parks, cafes, bars, and Schwartz's nearby.
3Mile End and Outremont
Mile End and Outremont are food-and-arts focused, with St-Viateur Bagel, Fairmount Bagel, cafes, bookshops, galleries, synagogues, and quiet side streets.
4Quartier des Spectacles and Downtown
Quartier des Spectacles and downtown are festival-and-office driven, with Place des Arts, Sainte-Catherine, McGill, museums, hotels, and RÉSO access.
5Le Village and Latin Quarter
Le Village and Latin Quarter add LGBTQ nightlife, UQAM, Berri-UQAM station, theatres, terraces, bars, and late restaurant corridors.
6Little Italy and Jean-Talon
Little Italy and Jean-Talon are market-led and local, with Jean-Talon Market, cafes, bakeries, pasta shops, parks, and easy metro access.
Day trips
250km / about 3h by VIA Rail from Montreal Central Station
Quebec City
Old Quebec, city walls, Château Frontenac views, museums, and St Lawrence river walks make the strongest heritage day from Montreal.
130km / 1.5-2h by car or bus from Montreal
Mont-Tremblant
The Laurentian resort adds skiing in winter, lake walks, hiking, cycling, and a pedestrian village outside the city grid.
100km / 1.5h by car toward Bromont, Magog, or Knowlton
Eastern Townships
Lakes, vineyards, ski hills, villages, and food producers give a rural Quebec day south and east of Montreal.
Getting around
STM metro and buses use OPUS cards and app tickets, with Berri-UQAM, Bonaventure, Jean-Talon, Lionel-Groulx, and Place-des-Arts as useful nodes. Walk Vieux-Montreal and Plateau streets, use the Orange and Green metro lines across the core, and use VIA Rail from Central Station for Quebec City.
Common questions about Montreal in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Montreal in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Montreal list into Tripnostic and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Montreal days without crossing the city twice?
- Tripnostic groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- Best rainy-day things to do in Montreal in December
December averages 12 rainy days in Montreal, so keep these indoor stops as realistic backups.
- Notre-Dame Basilica — James O'Donnell designed the Gothic Revival basilica, completed in the 1820s on Place d'Armes, with a blue-and-gold interior, carved wood, stained glass, and a major Casavant organ. It anchors Vieux-Montreal near the Old Port.
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts — The museum on Sherbrooke Street holds Canadian, Quebec, Inuit, European, decorative-arts, design, and temporary exhibition collections across several pavilions. It is close to Guy-Concordia station and downtown hotels.
- Place des Arts and Quartier des Spectacles — Place des Arts opened in 1963 and anchors Montreal's festival district with concert halls, theatres, public squares, screens, fountains, and outdoor stages. The area is central for Jazz Fest and Francos events.
- Schwartz's Deli — The smoked-meat counter opened on Boulevard Saint-Laurent in 1928 and remains a city food stop as much as a restaurant. It sits between Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End routes.
- What to pack for Montreal in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Montreal checklist.
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around -1°C / 30°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average -9°C / 16°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 12 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Montreal
- 4 days covers the main Montreal highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Montreal worth visiting in December
- Yes. Montreal in December: -1.2°C high, -8.7°C low, 92mm rain over 12 days, 8.5h daylight. Cold and clearer — short daylight but skies open.