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Illustration of a snowy Montreal street at blue hour with holiday lights and a glowing market

Montréal Top 10 This Month

Sixty picks for December 2026, in six short lists, checked by locals. Nobody pays to be on them.

Things to do this month

Top 10 Things to Do in Montreal in December 2026

Christmas markets, The Nutcracker, Bach at the OSM, Greek heroes in Old Montreal and more: our Top 10 things to do in Montreal this December 2026.

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  1. Wooden market chalets and a giant lit tree on a snowy square at night, a glass pavilion glowing behind 1. Grand Marché de Noël de Montréal The big downtown Christmas market takes over Place des Festivals, right in the Quartier des spectacles, with a giant Christmas tree at its centre.
  2. Wooden huts with warm lights in a snowy Christmas village at dusk, melting raclette and a child's mittened hand 2. Village de Noël de Montréal at Atwater Market This is the smaller, more family-minded sister of the downtown market, set up at the corner of Saint-Ambroise and Atwater, steps from Atwater Market and the Lachine Canal.
  3. A ballet stage with a glowing Christmas tree and falling snow, seen from behind silhouetted audience members 3. The Nutcracker, Les Grands Ballets For a lot of Montreal families, December isn't December without Fernand Nault's Nutcracker.
  4. A hooded acrobat silhouette leaping across beams on a hazy stage lit with warm amber light 4. HEREDIS, an Assassin's Creed show by Les 7 Doigts Montreal's own 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts) bring Assassin's Creed to the stage, with 17 performers doing acrobatics, parkour and choreographed combat.
  5. A golden wooden concert hall with an orchestra and choir seen from the balcony, snow outside the windows 5. Nagano Conducts Bach's Christmas Oratorio, OSM Kent Nagano returns to the OSM podium for Bach's Christmas Oratorio, with the OSM Chorus and four soloists: soprano Carolyn Sampson, mezzo Olivia Verm…
  6. A hurdy-gurdy and fiddle on a warmly lit stage with an orchestra blurred behind and snow outside 6. Holiday Traditions: Le Vent du Nord with the OSM Quebec trad band Le Vent du Nord celebrates 25 years with the OSM, conducted by Dina Gilbert, in symphonic versions of songs like "Lanlaire", "Au régi…
  7. An ancient bronze helmet and clay vase under warm museum spotlights, snowy old rooftops through a window 7. Heroes of Greece: The Age of Troy, Pointe-à-Callière If you haven't caught this one yet, December is a good time.
  8. Three abstract pine sculptures in a quiet gallery with framed prints, snow falling past a window at dusk 8. Anne Kahane: Structures, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts A quieter pick for a snowy afternoon on Sherbrooke Street.
  9. Hands beading a pattern on dark fabric beside colourful woven textiles, snow falling outside a window 9. Sovereign Stitches + Wild Weaves, McCord Stewart Museum This new show brings together 39 Indigenous artists from more than 30 nations, curated by Wanda Nanibush and Sage Paul.
  10. A small silhouetted figure with a scarf beside a rose on a tiny planet, stars glowing on a dark stage 10. Le Petit Prince, Monument-National For the slow days between Christmas and New Year's, this one-hour staging of Saint-Exupéry's story mixes theatre, visual arts and digital "augmented" magic.

New and notable restaurants, cafés and bars

Top 10 New Restaurants, Cafés and Bars in Montreal: December 2026

Ten new Montreal restaurants, cafés and bars worth a cold walk this December, from a Mile End bistro to a Filipino café in LaSalle. Addresses, hours, dishes.

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  1. Pan-fried fish with lemon and a glass of white wine on a bistro table by a snowy night window. 1. Bistrot à Franky Francis Blais spent years running Menu Extra pop-ups before opening his own room on Bernard Street, and the waiting shows.
  2. A burger and a martini on a wood-and-burgundy diner counter, snow falling past the window. 2. Croquette This Saint-Henri spot takes the Quebec diner and dresses it up: warm wood, burgundy banquettes, a counter facing the kitchen and a U-shaped bar.
  3. Pork skewers grilling over charcoal in a warm tavern, a snowy street visible through the windows. 3. Taverne Popina The team behind Buvette Beaubien opened this Duluth Street tavern on September 25, and it runs on fire and smoke.
  4. Skewered olives and cured ham with red wine on a yellow bar counter, snow outside at night. 4. Riposte Riposte took over the former Nozy space on Notre-Dame and painted it butter yellow with red accents.
  5. An espresso and pastry on a small table in a tiny rough-walled café, snow on the sidewalk outside. 5. Éléphantine The name is a joke about size: this café on Larivière fits into a 540-square-foot former gym.
  6. Dumplings in steamer baskets, seared beef and a cocktail on a dark pub bar under paper lanterns. 6. Pub Gaijin Pub Gaijin opened quietly on Rosemont Boulevard and held its official opening on November 5.
  7. Ribbon pasta, small flatbreads with cured ham and red wine on a candlelit table, wooden casks behind. 7. Osteria Berto Riccardo Bertolino ran the kitchen at Maison Boulud for eight years before opening this Villeray osteria in May with his wife, sommelier Isabel Bordeleau.
  8. Raw fish in green herb sauce and braised meat in broth with star anise on a small bistro table. 8. Bistrot Fortune Phong Thach first opened this Jean-Talon East space in 2007, and in April he reopened it as a 22-seat bistro mixing Quebec ingredients with Vietnamese…
  9. Potato and pepperoni pizza slices on a counter by a steamy window, a snowy sidewalk outside at dusk. 9. Pizzeria Crosta On Saint-Viateur in the Mile End, three partners (Shawn Giannone, Andrew Hanna and chef Josh Michael) soft-opened this sourdough slice shop in June.
  10. Purple cannelés, a bread-roll sandwich and a matcha drink on a café counter, snow outside. 10. Café 5thFloor This LaSalle café started as a micro-bakery in the owners' fifth-floor apartment, which explains the name.

Free things to do

Top 10 Free Things to Do in Montreal in December 2026

Free things to do in Montreal in December 2026: outdoor holiday shows, the Ogilvy windows, free museum nights, rinks, sledding and New Year's Eve downtown.

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  1. Small crowd seen from behind at a lit outdoor stage in a snowy park at dusk 1. Noël dans le parc Noël dans le parc is back for its 33rd year, starting December 4.
  2. Children seen from behind looking at a lit mechanical Christmas window on a snowy street at night 2. Ogilvy Christmas windows at the McCord Stewart Museum For many Montrealers, Christmas started at the old Ogilvy windows.
  3. A visitor seen from behind in a warm museum gallery with snowy windows on a winter afternoon 3. Free first Sunday at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts On Sunday, December 6, the first Sunday of the month, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts opens its collection for free to Quebec residents.
  4. Small figures walking into a warmly lit museum on a snowy evening downtown 4. Free Wednesday evenings at the McCord Stewart Museum Every Wednesday the McCord Stewart Museum stays open until 9 pm, and admission is free from 5 pm.
  5. Small figures seen from behind near a lit carousel and fountain in a decorated indoor atrium 5. Santa's Kingdom at Complexe Desjardins When it's too cold outside, head underground.
  6. A choir in the far distance inside a candlelit domed basilica, seen from the back pews 6. Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal Christmas concert The boys' choir of the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal gives its traditional Christmas concert in the Basilica of Saint Joseph's Oratory on Sunday, December 13, at 3:30 pm.
  7. Distant skaters on a downtown outdoor rink lit by colourful projections on the ice at night 7. Esplanade Tranquille rink The big rink in the Quartier des spectacles is free for everyone, at all times.
  8. Tiny skaters on a lakeside rink beside a lit pavilion on a snowy wooded mountain at dusk 8. Beaver Lake rink on Mount Royal Skating on Mount Royal is a classic December outing.
  9. Small figures with sleds on a snowy park hill at sunset, city towers glowing in the distance 9. Sledding on Mount Royal and city hills All you need is a sled and some snow. The City of Montréal lists dozens of hills where sliding is free.
  10. Crowd seen from behind on a winter waterfront pier watching fireworks over the river at midnight 10. Grand Minuit, New Year's Eve at the Old Port Ring in 2027 on the Quai Jacques-Cartier in the Old Port.

Day trips and weekend escapes

Top 10 Day Trips and Weekend Escapes from Montreal in December 2026

Christmas markets in Quebec City and Ottawa, glowing villages, ski hills, a Nordic spa and a sugar shack: 10 December 2026 day trips from Montreal, checked.

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  1. Painted Christmas market stalls glowing in a snowy old stone square at night, gloved hands holding steaming mugs 1. German Christmas Market, Quebec City Old Quebec turns into a string of wooden kiosks for five weeks, spread over six sites: Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville and its gardens, Place d'Armes, rue S…
  2. Painted Gothic parliament building lit in coloured lights on a snowy night, small figures walking in front 2. Ottawa weekend: Winter Lights and the Christmas Market at Lansdowne Ottawa is close enough for a long day and easy enough for a weekend.
  3. Painted 1800s village of wooden houses and a church covered in lights, a horse-drawn carriage on a snowy lane 3. Alight at Night, Upper Canada Village A living-history village near Morrisburg, Ontario, covered in lights after dark.
  4. Painted gondola rising over a snowy mountain village at dawn, with tiny skiers on pink-lit slopes 4. Tremblant, early-season skiing Tremblant opens its 2026-27 season with an Opening Day event on Thursday, November 26, at the base of the Express Gondola, with music and first runs.
  5. Painted steaming outdoor pool by a snowy river at dusk, with a lit footbridge and a glowing glass pavilion 5. Strøm Nordic Spa, Saint-Sauveur Strøm's Saint-Sauveur spa sits on both banks of the Rivière à Simon, and it is getting much bigger.
  6. Painted village street with lit market kiosks and old wooden houses on a snowy evening, dark hills behind 6. Baie-Saint-Paul Christmas Market This one is a weekend, not a day trip, and it is worth it.
  7. Painted old farmhouses and a wooden church outlined in lights at night, a horse-drawn sleigh passing in snow 7. Village illuminé, Village Québécois d'Antan Drummondville's heritage village of old Quebec houses opens in the evening for the holidays, with traditional dancing every 30 minutes from 5:30 p.m.,…
  8. Painted village shopfronts with glowing windows and wreaths on a snowy evening, a frozen lake in the distance 8. Knowlton and the Brome-Missisquoi Christmas markets Brome-Missisquoi, in the Eastern Townships, runs nine village Christmas markets between November 28 and December 13, so you can stack two in one Saturday.
  9. Painted snowshoe trail through a pine forest toward a frozen lake in low winter sun, one small figure far ahead 9. Oka National Park, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing A Sépaq national park about 45 minutes from downtown.
  10. Painted log sugar shack in a snowy maple forest at dusk, chimney smoke and a horse-drawn sleigh outside 10. Sucrerie de la Montagne, Rigaud A traditional sugar shack in Rigaud that is open all year, not just in spring.

Local shops and Made-in-Montreal finds

Top 10 Montreal-Made Gifts and Local Shops for December 2026

Bagels, bean-to-bar chocolate, handmade mugs, cloth toys and coats made here: 10 Montreal shops and craft fairs to support for holiday gifts this December.

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  1. Handmade cloth doll and plush carrot on a sewing table by a frosted window with snow outside 1. Raplapla This little shop on rue Villeneuve in the Plateau makes soft cloth dolls with lived-in personalities, in small batches and locally.
  2. Sesame bagels on a wooden paddle coming out of a wood-fired oven, snowy street through a fogged window 2. St-Viateur Bagel Myer Lewkowicz opened this Mile End bakery in 1957, and the method has stayed the same: dough rolled into ropes, shaped by hand, boiled in honey water…
  3. Dark chocolate squares, cacao beans and a steaming mug of hot chocolate by a snowy window at dusk 3. Avanaa Chocolat Avanaa makes bean-to-bar chocolate in its Montreal workshop: beans sorted by hand, roasted in micro-batches and ground for days under granite stones.
  4. Winter parka on a hanger near a sewing machine, heavy snow falling over rooftops outside 4. Kanuk Founded in Montreal in 1974, Kanuk sells what it calls Montreal-made winter coats from its flagship on rue Rachel Est in the Plateau.
  5. Cloche hat and recycled fur scarf beside tailor's shears, snowy street glowing outside the window 5. Harricana Since 1993, Harricana has kept old fur coats and other fabrics out of landfills by turning them into hats, scarves and mittens.
  6. Hands shaping a clay cup on a wheel, wine-red mugs on a shelf, snow falling past the studio window 6. Céramiques Monokiini This atelier-boutique on Saint-Laurent in Little Italy sells cups, plates and serving pieces handmade in Montreal.
  7. Stacked bars of handmade soap with dried lavender on a wooden shelf by a frosted window at dusk 7. Savonnerie M'Nonga M'Nonga makes its soaps and bath products on site, on boulevard Saint-Laurent, with simple ingredients and a zero-waste approach.
  8. Bag of coffee beans and an espresso cup on a counter at a snowy winter market with string lights 8. Café Saint-Henri Café Saint-Henri is a Montreal micro-roaster that roasts its beans at its own facility on rue de Port-Royal Ouest.
  9. Riverside hall with craft stalls under warm lights, snow and harbour lights through tall windows 9. Salon des métiers d'art du Québec The big Quebec craft fair turns 70 this year.
  10. Craft tables with prints, pottery and knitwear inside a stone church lit by warm bulbs on a winter night 10. Puces POP winter edition Running since 2004, Puces POP is a curated market for Montreal designers, crafters and artists, and it says plainly that it is not a flea market.

Montrealers making a difference

Top 10 Montrealers Making a Difference This December (2026)

Ten Montreal people and groups feeding, housing and lifting up their neighbours this December 2026, with clear, simple ways to donate or volunteer.

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  1. Gloved hands packing groceries into cardboard boxes in a warm warehouse on a snowy night 1. Moisson Montréal Canada's largest food bank works out of a warehouse on Côte-de-Liesse and supplies 292 community groups across the island.
  2. A chef's hands ladling hot soup into containers in a kitchen at dusk, snow outside the window 2. Jean-François Archambault, La Tablée des Chefs In 2002, Jean-François Archambault, a hotel-school graduate who had worked in hotel sales, set out to move good surplus food from hotel and arena kitc…
  3. A cyclist from behind carrying a meal bag through a snowy Plateau street at blue hour 3. Santropol Roulant In 1995, two Café Santropol waiters, Christopher Godsall and Keith Fitzpatrick, started a meals-on-wheels service that paired young volunteers with seniors.
  4. A long table with steaming bowls in a warm stone hall, snow falling past arched windows at night 4. Old Brewery Mission It began in the winter of 1889-90, when Mina Douglas and Eva Findlay opened a soup kitchen.
  5. A volunteer from behind stacking cans on grocery shelves, snowy brick houses visible through a low window 5. Share the Warmth (Partageons l'espoir) In the winter of 1989, three Montreal women started collecting warm clothes and food for people without homes.
  6. A warm window on a snowy night with a sweetgrass braid and a mug of tea on the sill 6. Na'kuset, Native Women's Shelter of Montreal Na'kuset started as a front-line worker at the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal and became its executive director in 2004.
  7. Two teacups and a small wrapped gift by a frosted window, snow on a balcony at dusk 7. Les Petits Frères Since 1962, Les Petits Frères (Little Brothers in English) have matched isolated people aged 75 and over with volunteers who become a kind of chosen family.
  8. A van glowing on a snowy downtown street at night, small distant figures holding steaming cups 8. Dans la rue In 1988, Father Emmett "Pops" Johns asked young people living on the street a simple question: what can I do to help you?
  9. A warm spotlight on a pair of dance shoes on an empty stage, snow seen through a back window 9. Cindy Schwartz, Les Muses Cindy Schwartz, a dance performer, founded Les Muses in 1997.
  10. A child's mittened hand dropping a coin into a collection tin on a snowy sidewalk at dusk 10. Dr Gilles Julien and the Guignolée Dr Julien Dr Gilles Julien is the pediatrician who founded social pediatrics in the community, a model that gives care and services to children in very vulnerab…

Images are AI illustrations, not photos of the places or people featured.

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