Historical Buildings Walking Tour, Montreal

Historical Buildings Walking Tour (Self Guided), Montreal

Whenever you gaze upon the historical buildings of Montreal, you are reminded that the true measure of a city's greatness lies in its ability to preserve its past while embracing its future. Old Montreal – home to four centuries of architecture shaped by French sophistication and English practicality – is a place all its own.

Here, modern buildings coexist with some of the oldest and most fascinating structures like the domed Bonsecours Market (Marché Bonsecours) and the impressive Second Empire-style Montreal City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). These historic landmarks stand out tall as silent witnesses to the passage of time and enduring sights that continue to thrive and define the city's architectural identity. Much the same is the Old Saint-Sulpice Seminary, featuring a blend of French and Quebecois grandeur.

Another guardian of local heritage, preserving the soul of a place, is the Montreal History Center (Centre d'Histoire de Montréal). Just a few blocks away, at the corner of Saint Jacques and Saint Pierre streets, you will find a Beaux-Arts architectural gem known as the Molson Bank.

Among other prominent “storytellers frozen in time” who share tales of the past generations with every brick and arch are the Hudson's Bay (La Baie d'Hudson), the Sun Life Building, and Windsor Station (Gare Windsor).

Montreal's historical buildings are like pages of a living book, each one telling its own chapter of the city's story. If you wish to hear some of them and appreciate first-hand the enduring elegance and artistic vision of those who shaped the skyline of the Quebec capital, embark on this captivating self-guided journey with GPSmyCity.
How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Historical Buildings Walking Tour Map

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Historical Buildings Walking Tour
Guide Location: Canada » Montreal (See other walking tours in Montreal)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk)


Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.
Click here to view route map
Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions


1. How do I access my walking tour in Montreal?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “Montreal Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in Montreal?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in Montreal, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Montreal

Create Your Own Walk in Montreal

Creating your own self-guided walk in Montreal is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
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Historical Churches Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles
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Although Montreal's...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Old Montreal Walking Tour

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Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) is a historic neighborhood southeast of the downtown area, home to many architectural monuments of the New France era. Founded by French settlers in 1642 as Fort Ville-Marie, the settlement gave its name to the city borough of which it is now part.

Most of Montreal's earliest architecture, characterized by uniquely French influence, including grey stone...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
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Canada’s second-most populous city likes to keep things interesting. Montreal is old enough to have stories carved in stone, yet modern enough to reinvent itself every few decades. It sits comfortably on an island in the Saint Lawrence River, with Mount Royal rising at its centre—the triple-peaked hill that gave the city its name. In 16th-century French, “réal” and “royal” were...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles

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