Old Montreal Walking Tour: 2-Hour History with Guide

A private guide means the tour bends to what you actually want to see.

A private 2-hour walking tour of Old Montreal with a local guide who leads you through the narrow streets and public squares that shaped the city from 1642 onward. You meet at Notre-Dame Basilica and visit Place d'Armes, Place Royale, and Place Jacques-Cartier; pass the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel and City Hall; walk St-Jacques Street, the former financial heart of Canada; and see the Sulpician Seminary, the oldest building in the historic district. The itinerary is flexible: your guide adjusts it based on what interests you most. Maximum group size is 15 people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Old Montreal2h
2. Montreal Place d'Armespassing by
3. Jacques-Cartier Squarepassing by
4. Quebec City Old Portpassing by

Explore Old Montreal's historic sites

• Meet guide at Notre-Dame Basilica
• Walk through Old Montreal streets
• Pass Place d'Armes and Place Royale
• See Place Jacques-Cartier monuments
• Pass Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel and City Hall
• Walk along former Wall Street (St-Jacques Street)
• Photo at Sulpician Seminary
• Learn about Old Port history

The experience

You meet your guide at Notre-Dame Basilica and walk into Old Montreal's maze of narrow streets, where the city's layers of history are still visible in the buildings and squares around you. The 2-hour tour moves at a pace that lets you stop and look, not just pass by. Your guide knows which details matter: the foundation of Fort Ville-Marie in 1642, the role of the Old Port in shaping the city, the architecture that survived and what it tells you about who lived here and when.

The route typically includes Place d'Armes and Place Royale, where you can read the city's story in the monuments and buildings facing the squares. Place Jacques-Cartier opens onto views of the Château Ramezay, the three courthouses, and Bonsecours Market: each one a marker of a different era. You'll walk St-Jacques Street, which once rivaled Wall Street as a financial center, and find the Cours Le Royer, where the city's first hospital stood. The Sulpician Seminary, the oldest building in the district, gives you a chance to step back and photograph it in context.

Because this is a private tour, your guide can linger where you want to linger and skip what doesn't interest you. If you want to enter Notre-Dame Cathedral, you can. If you'd rather spend more time at the Old Port understanding how it shaped the city's economy and growth, that's possible too. The guide speaks English, Spanish, or French. You choose the language when you book.

What’s included

• A professional local guide who leads the entire 2-hour tour.
• a private route through Old Montreal's historic streets and squares including Place d'Armes, Place Royale, and Place Jacques-Cartier.
• views of the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, City Hall, the Sulpician Seminary, and Bonsecours Market.
• a walk along St-Jacques Street, the former financial center of Canada.
• and access to the Old Port area at the end of the tour.

Options for this experience

3 options

English private tour10:00 and 14:00

French private tour10:00 and 14:00

Spanish private tour10:00 and 14:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Guidatour

Is this one for you?Walk Montreal's oldest streets and squares (Place d'Armes, Place Royale, Place Jacques-Cartier) with a guide who adjusts the pace and focus to what interests you, without waiting for others or following a fixed schedule.

Traveler reviews

4.90★★★★★★★★★★

357 verified traveler reviews

5 ★332

4 ★17

3 ★6

2 ★0

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What's the oldest building I'll see on this Old Montreal tour?

The Sulpician Seminary is the oldest building in the historic district. Your guide will point it out and explain its role in the city's early settlement.

Can I enter Notre-Dame Cathedral during the tour, or do we just walk past it?

Notre-Dame Cathedral is the meeting point, and you can choose to enter it during the tour if you want to. It's not mandatory, so the time is yours to decide how to spend.

How many people will be on this private tour?

The tour is private to your group, with a maximum of 15 people per booking, so it stays small enough for your guide to adjust the route and pace to what your group wants to see.

What's included in the 2-hour tour price?

The professional guide is included. The tour covers entry to public squares and streets, and passes by major landmarks like City Hall and the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, though entry fees to any paid attractions are separate.

Do I need to be in good shape to walk for 2 hours through Old Montreal?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, and the narrow streets of Old Montreal are accessible to strollers and wheelchairs, so families with small children and travelers with mobility needs can participate.