montreal underground city tour

Explore RESO Underground City - MTL Detours

Characteristics

• Walking tours

Montréal is famous around the world for its vast underground city, a network connecting a large part of the downtown core, over 32 kilometres to be exact, with underground shops, restaurants, cafes, art installations and much more. Take a specially designed guided tour of the extensive subterranean system known as RÉSO and learn more about this interesting and unique part of the city. 

You may also like

Enjoy the best of montréal.

The Tourisme Montréal newsletter gives you the inside scoop on everything happening in the city.

• Private & Custom Tours
• Meet the Team
• +1-514-293-2109
• [email protected]
• Our Reviews

RESO Underground City + Downtown Montreal Tour

This can also be a Private Tour. Get in touch .

• Max Guests: 12
• 10:30am / 2:00 pm
• Year-round, variable schedule
• Language: English (Français disponible en format tour privé)

Our Old Montreal walking tour was named as one of the Top 20 Experiences in Canada!

Reso underground city tour of montreal.

Get around like a local, delving into the culture, architecture, and history of Montreal from beneath the city on this  informative walking tour of the RESO underground city in Montreal ! Thanks to Montreal’s chilly winters, inhabitants have long found creative ways of getting around the cold—and that includes the RÉSO, the world’s most extensive underground pedestrian network, that stretches over 20 miles (32 kilometres). Join our  underground city tour  and experience the best way to navigate the RÉSO – with a passionate local, guiding you through the extensive system of subterranean walkways and tunnels, and  sharing the fascinating history and hidden gems  along the way! This tour is part inside and part outside. We walk through some interesting areas in the  heart of Downtown Montreal ! During your unique experience, your engaging guide will share intriguing stories about Montreal’s history,  people and culture .

Price Includes

Price Excludes

• Your certified guide’s expertise as a local Montrealer
• A personal list of recommendations for things to see, do, and eat in Montreal
• Gratuities (recommended – merci!) — Although optional, a tip/gratuity for your guide is customary and very appreciated.

Tour Highlights

• Navigate the sprawling RÉSO with ease and see the heart of downtown Montreal, thanks to your certified Montreal guide, who is familiar with the in-and-outs of our intricate underground network and city centre.
• Learn about the RÉSO’s history, dating back to the 1960s, while you explore the maze of tunnels and passageways. The tour pops outside for portions for you to visually and spatially get your bearings and to see outdoor points of interest
• Discover the RÉSO’s hidden historical treasures, from a piece of the Berlin Wall to an authentic Parisian metro entrance, plus all the art, atriums, and fountains along the way
• Enjoy the personalized experience that comes with a small-group tour with no more than 10 guests

What We'll See On This Walking Tour

Our Montreal underground tour begins in the lobby of Hotel Fairmount The Queen Elizabeth, where you’ll meet your MTL Detours guide. They’ll give you an overview of how the RÉSO – the world’s largest pedestrian underground network – came to be, and then it’s time to hit the tunnels!

You’ll follow your friendly guide as they lead you through the maze of underground passageways that span many parts of the city and buildings of importance. You’ll make a stop to visit Place Ville-Marie, an impressive office and commercial complex and Montreal’s first skyscraper. As you walk, you’ll discover the abundance of shops and services that can be found in the underground city – everything from restaurants and liquor stores to public services like metro stations, banks, and post offices. We’ll peek outside to admire the impressive “The Ring” art installation.

Next up, a visit to Gare Centrale, Montreal’s central train station, which was built in the 1940s. Learn about the transportation hub’s history and the important role it had in the development of the city. Adjacent to Gare Centrale, we might head to the nearby 1000 de La Gauchetière, Montreal’s second-tallest building, to admire its popular indoor skating rink, self-proclaimed the “liveliest skating rink” in the city.

Your local Montreal guide will lead the way past Place Bonaventure to tell you a bit about the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and see its headquarters, before heading to Square Victoria. Visit a piece of history and snap a photo with an authentic Paris metro sign! Brought over when Montreal’s metro first opened in the 1960s, the sign is a tribute to the Canadian city’s French heritage. Then it’s time to hit some more cool tunnels!

If you didn’t get enough of Montreal history, architecture, and art in the first half of our walk, don’t worry, the later leg of our tour has plenty more of all three! We’ll visit the World Trade Centre Montreal and see a piece of the Berlin Wall that was gifted to the city in the 1990s. You’ll stop by Montreal landmarks, including the Convention Center and Complexe Desjardins, get a taste of Montreal’s multicultural side with a brief glimpse of Chinatown, and visit Canada’s largest performing arts centre, Place des Arts.

Finally, we’ll head to Montreal’s entertainment district – Quartier des Spectacles – and see where the world-renowned Montreal Jazz Festival and other major events take place each year. This is where your tour will finish, but not before your MTL Detours guide gives some personalized recommendations for things to do in Montreal, places to see, and the best food to try to make the most of your visit!

Meeting Point

Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Your MTL Detours guide will meet you in the lobby of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel (near the concierge desk).

Please note , we ask that all guests  arrive at least 10 minutes before  the tour start time. As our tours begin on time, latecomers may not be able to join the tour.

Our meeting location is centrally located in the heart of downtown Montreal, less than a 10-minute walk from either Peel metro station (subway) on the Green metro line or the Bonaventure metro station (subway) on the Orange metro line.

This tour ends in the Quartier des Spectacles (Entertainment District), near the Place-des-Arts metro station (subway) on the Green metro line.

What our customers say

Participation requirements.

This tour has an age minimum of 12 years old. Please  check out our private tour  option to include guests under 12.

Not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for guests with mobility restrictions, impairments or serious health issues. Please inquire about the possibility of booking a private tour.

Most of the 2-hour tour is walking or standing and places to sit are limited.

We cover approx. 2.5 mi/4km and guests can expect several staircases (mostly going down) and escalators.

What to Bring

• A camera or cell phone for taking photos
• Water to stay hydrated
• As this is an intense walking tour, comfy footwear is essential!

About your guide

All MTL Detours guides are trained, certified, and licensed with the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec and the Association professionnelle des guides touristiques , as required by the City of Montreal.

Check out our About Us for more info on each of our amazing guides!

What language is my tour in?

Our walking tours are offered in English by default. If you’re looking for a tour in French, please contact us or check our private tours option to make arrangements. Merci beaucoup!

What is your minimum age?

The minimum age to attend is 12 years old. Please contact us or check our private tours option to schedule a tour with younger kids.

Does weather affect the tour?

This tour runs in all weather – rain, shine, or snow! However, we occasionally have to cancel a tour in the event of extreme or violent weather (severe thunderstorms, freezing rain, high winds, or major snowstorm, for example). Should this occur, you will be offered another date or a full refund. Please monitor your messages/email if inclement weather is expected.

How should I dress?

Please dress appropriately for the weather conditions! 

Cancellation policy

Our tours are 100% refundable up to 24 hours before the tour start time. Please be mindful that the later you wait to cancel, the harder it is for us to fill your spots. If you cancel less than 24 hours ahead of time or do not show up for the date and time that you booked, unfortunately, any sums paid will be 100% non-refundable. No-shows, bookings for incorrect dates/times and late arrivals are not eligible for refunds. We can try to fit you onto another tour, pending availability, but cannot guarantee this option. If you can’t make it, please contact us in advance to notify of your absence. For PRIVATE tours, the cancellation policy is 72 hours.

Already A Member?

Username or E-mail

Forget Password?

Don't have an account? Create one.

Or continue as guest, adding item to wishlist requires an account.

+1-514-293-2109 [email protected]

Related Tours

Montreal’s Sin City Golden Age Era & The Red Light District

Little Italy & Jean Talon Market Walking Tour

Explore Plateau Mont-Royal & Mile End Walking Tour

Underground City

Top ways to experience Underground City and nearby attractions

• McGill • 4 min walk
• Square-Victoria-OACI • 5 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Underground City - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Quick links

Jan. 26, 2024

Montréal’s Underground City Tour: A Guide to Hidden Treasures

Regardless of the season, shopping malls – perfect shelters against bad weather – become favorite places for weekend shopping. Montreal’s famous underground pedestrian network, known as the RÉSO , offers a unique shopping experience in the heart of the metropolis.

Connecting metro stations to numerous shopping centers over a distance of 32 kilometers, the RÉSO is located mainly in the city center. This playful and fascinating journey is ideal for an outing with friends, a shopping session as a couple, or a moment of relaxation sheltered from the rain, snow, or cold.

Here is our recommended itinerary for a relaxed stroll full of unique discoveries in Montreal’s underground walkways, featuring our current favorites.

Le Complexe Desjardins: An ideal starting point

With an area of 4 million square feet, Le Complexe Desjardins is the most spacious building in Montreal. It houses the prestigious DoubleTree by Hilton hotel , three office towers, 110 shops and restaurants, as well as one of the most beautiful food courts in downtown. Impressive indeed!

The large public square at the heart of the complex, modernized and functional, offers a space for relaxation near a spectacular fountain. There, you can take a pleasant break while admiring the luminous water jets dancing up to the ceiling.

The Historic Mural by Frédéric Back at Place-des-Arts

Just a few steps from Le Complexe Desjardins is the entrance to the Place-des-Arts metro. There, you will discover a mural dating from 1966 designed by Quebec artist Frédéric Back, which tells the story of music in Montreal.

The work visually represents important moments and prominent personalities from the city’s music scene, from the first concert held on the island in 1535. It features emblematic figures such as Guillaume Couture, Calixa Lavallée, and Emma Lajeunesse, alias La grande Albani.

An original tasting at Place Montréal Trust

After admiring Frédéric Back’s work at the Place-des-Arts metro, head to Place Montréal Trust where a unique experience awaits you: The Carlo’s Bakery Cake ATM!

Each generous slice, carefully prepared in the original bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, is a true feast for the taste buds. With an enticing choice of flavors such as rainbow vanilla, chocolate fudge, funfetti, and the famous carrot cake, there is something for everyone’s taste.

Montr.al Bagel Factory at Carrefour Industrielle Alliance

Located in the Carrefour Industrielle Alliance , La Fabrique de Bagel offers a selection of fresh bagels with various flavors. An authentic taste experience for bagel enthusiasts. No more room after your generous slice of Carlo’s Bakery cake? No problem, you can take them to go for a tasting later, thus adding a delicious touch to your Montreal gourmet tour.

Harry Potter-themed Candies and Barbie Exhibition at Cours Mont-Royal

Continue your walk by passing through Les Cours Mont-Royal , a must-visit place for those who love cultural discoveries and unique shopping. This destination offers an experience blending art, history, and fashion, with its diverse boutiques and fascinating exhibitions.

Here, a stop at Carré Confiseries is an absolute must. This shop will delight both children and Harry Potter fans with its range of candies inspired by the iconic characters of Hogwarts.

Les Cours Mont-Royal also hosts the Expo Barbie , a free exhibition celebrating one of the most beloved dolls. With over 1000 figurines on display, including unique models inspired by Hollywood stars or dressed by major international designers, this exhibition is sure to please a wide audience, including those who are not particularly fans of Barbie.

A social break at Le Cathcart

Le Cathcart , located near the Bonaventure metro in Montreal, is the ultimate epicurean space for locals. This spacious 35,000 square feet area, located in Place Ville Marie, offers a variety of food counters, full-service restaurants, cafes, and a Biergarten.

You will also be charmed by its large garden flooded with light thanks to the glass pavilion that overlooks the place. This location offers a perfect setting for a coffee break or an evening drink.

Atrium Le 1000 Skating Rink: Year-Round Skating Joys

End your journey with a wow effect at Atrium Le 1000 de La Gauchetière! This venue boasts a year-round skating rink beneath a glass dome, delighting both skating aficionados and families. 

Located on the ground floor of the tallest building in the city center, the rink operates from Thursday to Sunday, providing a distinctive urban skating experience .

New openings in downtown Montreal – January 2024

The best places for a business lunch in downtown Montreal

An Enchanted Walk Along Downtown’s Most Magical Winter Illuminations

Stay tuned for downtown news.

We have received your request correctly.

You will receive an email with a summary of your bookings.

Can't find it? Leave us your email and we'll send you a summary of your bookings.

Underground City of Montreal Tour

• 10 / 10 1 review | 6 travellers
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the service starts
• X (Twitter)

On this  guided tour of the Underground City of Montreal , you'll discover the most important sections of the largest underground complex in the world . You'll be amazed!

Description

At the indicated time, we'll meet at the central Fairmont, The Queen Elizabeth Hotel . From there, we'll set off to explore the Underground City of Montreal on this guided tour. Let's go!

Have you heard of the RÉSO ? It's the largest underground pedestrian network in the world , stretching 32 kilometers (19.8 miles). For 2 hours, we'll walk through the famous place where Montrealers avoid the cold during the winter months .

These labyrinths of tunnels and passageways connect the interior of shopping centres , universities and hotels , among other buildings, with the exterior of the city . In addition, during our visit, we'll discover some hidden treasures, such as a piece of the Berlin Wall and even an authentic Parisian metro entrance . Impressive, right?

Finally, at the end of the tour, we'll say goodbye at the Place-des-Arts metro station .

More Information

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English.

English–speaking guide

When to book?

You can book up until the same day (11:59 pm) if there are still places available. Book now to guarantee your spot.

Type of voucher

Electronic. Show the voucher on your phone.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible.

Sustainability

All services published on Civitatis are carried out in accordance with our Sustainability Code .

Our providers commit to:

• Provide a safe and satisfying experience.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Incorporate eco-conscious technologies.
• Uphold fair employment standards.
• Foster the growth of local communities.
• Preserve the integrity of local culture.
• Safeguard both cultural and environmental heritage.
• Ensure ethical treatment of animals.
• Operate with honesty and transparency.
• Encourage sustainable behaviors among customers and staff.

This particular activity contributes as follows:

• No printing of documentation required.

Mtl Detours Show more

Corporate name: MTL Detours (Lesley Thompson)

Not permitted.

Frequently asked questions

Q - Why do this activity with Civitatis?

A - At Civitatis we guarantee the best quality and prices, click here if you want to know how we select our activities .

Q - How to book?

A - To reserve the activity, choose the date and complete the form on this page. You will receive your confirmation immediately.

If you have any other questions please contact us.

Free cancellation

Meeting point, where does the activity end.

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel

Place-des-Arts metro station

You may also be interested in

Montreal Walking Tour

Montreal Evening Cruise

Montreal Bike Tour

Login to add activities to your favorites and access them from any device

This site is reCAPTCHA protected and Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Basic information regarding personal data protection

Person responsible for the processing: CIVITATIS TOURS, S.L. (CIVITATIS). Purpose: Provision of the services requested; Sending commercial communications about CIVITATIS products and services, for which commercial profiles of our customers may be drawn up; Sending surveys in order to assess the services offered and their degree of satisfaction, as well as the publication of opinions about the service received; Compliance with accounting, legal, fiscal and administrative obligations; Publication of customer images and processing of data for statistical purposes. Rights: You have the right to access, rectify and delete data, to limit its processing, to oppose its processing and to its portability. Additional Information: You can consult additional information on Data Protection in the General Terms and Conditions .

Log in to rate the opinions of other travelers

The MTL Detours Montreal Underground City + Downtown Tour provided by MTL Detours - Montreal, Canada

• North America
• Montreals Underground City How To...

Montreal’s Underground City: How to Get There & What to Do

With its intriguing name, the Underground City in Montreal might bring to mind a labyrinth of hidden passages that create a fully developed city below street level. Locally referred to as RÉSO (for réseau , the French word for network), it’s an integral part of Montreal’s downtown core—though it might be better to call it an “indoor city,” as much of it is not actually underground.

The Underground City constitutes a multi-level network of tunnels and stairways that connect various shopping malls, metro stations, offices, hotels, libraries, schools, concert halls, and restaurants. Around 500,000 people make use of the network every day.

Past and present

The history of the Underground City started in 1962, the year when the first interconnected sections were constructed. When Montreal ’s subway system began operating in 1966, further connections were built. Urban planners designed it with the idea that this extensive indoor access area would reduce downtown traffic while also offering a way for pedestrians to circulate inside without having to go outdoors—especially during the harsh winters when temperatures can drop below -20°C (-4°F).

Today more than 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) of tunnels span the network, which covers over 12 square kilometers (4.6 sq mi) of the most densely populated area of the city. These underground passages create a vast indoor maze of sorts that at first glance looks like a giant shopping mall—but it has developed haphazardly throughout the decades and incorporates much of the most important artistic and cultural venues in Montreal .

How to get there

It’s so easy to access the Underground City that you’ll probably not even realize that you’re already there. There are more than 190 exterior access points to the network, including malls (such as the Eaton Centre and the Complexe Desjardins), metro stations, and even museums. The most central section, in the downtown core, is demarcated by metro stations Peel and Place-des-Arts on the Green Line, and stations Lucien-L’Allier and Place-d’Armes on the Orange Line.

Throughout the network, you’ll find schematics with the RÉSO logo to guide you—though it’s easy to get disoriented along the way. After all, it connects to 10 metro stations, two bus terminals, over 1,000 offices and 2,000 stores, 200 restaurants, nine hotels, four universities, 40 cinemas and other entertainment venues, and so much more.

Shop till you drop! Yes, one of the most obvious activities to enjoy throughout the Underground City is shopping, since the complex incorporates a total of six different shopping centers. Additionally, however, you can catch a movie at the Scotiabank Theatre or visit the Musée d’art contemporain de Montreal , which is connected via Place-des-Arts metro station.

Become a Culture Tripper!

Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $1,656 on our unique trips..

See privacy policy .

At the same time, there are other fascinating things to see. Historic buildings have been repurposed and incorporated into the RÉSO network. The Cours Mont-Royal, for example, is now a chic shopping mall that was once the luxurious Mount Royal Hotel. In the early 20th century, this was the largest hotel in the British Empire, with more than 1,100 rooms. Nowadays, a former outdoor courtyard of the hotel has been transformed into the shopping mall.

As you walk through the various layers of this vast indoor network, then, you will be able to engage with both the past and present of Montreal’s urban design.

Although it might be a bit disappointing to visitors who are expecting something a little more mythical, the Underground City adds another layer to Montreal’s creativity and diversity, which is also linked to the culture of shopping and consumption in the downtown core.

Culture Trips launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes places and communities so special.

Our immersive trips , led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

All our travel guides are curated by the Culture Trip team working in tandem with local experts. From unique experiences to essential tips on how to make the most of your future travels, we’ve got you covered.

See & Do

For one night only, this montreal underground cave will transform into a bar.

Guides & Tips

Great bachelor party ideas in montreal.

This Canadian City Is Hosting a Fully Legal Pot Festival This Year

Architecture

The most beautiful streets in montreal, canada.

Festival Mode & Design Launches New Fashion Talent in Montreal

14 Unmissable Summer Festivals in Montreal, Canada

National Parks in Quebec You Need to Visit

Falling in Love with the Autumnal Colours of Québec

Great Bachelorette Party Ideas in Montreal

Must-Visit Waterfalls in Quebec

How to Spend a Family-Friendly Day in Montreal

Best Places to See Wildlife in Quebec, Canada

Culture trip spring sale, save up to $1,656 on our unique small-group trips limited spots..

• Post ID: 1680646
• Sponsored? No
• View Payload

38 years of helping you (re)discover Montréal in good company

• Our Partners
• Testimonials
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• What’s New
• Old Montréal East & West
• Old Montréal VIP
• All About Montréal’s Murals
• Christmas Secrets of Old Montréal
• Montréal Ghosts
• Gift certificates
• Old Montréal
• Downtown and Old Montréal

Underground City and Downtown

• Old Montréal Culinary Tour
• Montréal’s Neighbourhoods
• Old Québec and Ottawa
• Classic Montréal
• Multicultural City
• Classic Québec City and Ottawa
• In Montréal
• Discovery Visit Old Montréal
• Scavenger Hunts Old Montréal
• Entertainment District: « Quartier des spectacles »
• Multicultural City Tour
• Design Your Montréal
• Other Areas of Montréal
• Holiday Scavenger Hunt
• Scavenger Hunts
• Guided Tours

This walking tour will lead you not only through the streets of the downtown but beneath through its RÉSO (Underground Pedestrian Network), known by Montrealers as the Underground City . Measuring 33km in length, this network of interior galleries is one of the largest in the world. See how the buildings of the city and their different underground passageways make Montréal so unique.

Discover Montréal above…

Montréal’s downtown is both the heart of the city and one of its most vibrant and cosmopolitan areas. Accompanied by your guide, discover this effervescent neighbourhood and learn about its history with your guide.

And Beneath…

When passing through the interior city and its tunnels connecting metro stations and buildings (nearly 1,700 boutiques, 200 restaurants, universities, movie theatres, apartments, art centers, museums, arena and more), you will come to understand how 500 000 people per day can go to work, go to the movies, or even go shopping without having to go outside.

Highlights & Sites visited

Here is an example of a typical tour:

• See the luxurious Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel and its brand new interior design. Be amazed by the first indoor tableaux for  Cité Mémoire , a unique urban multimedia experience.
• See Dorchester Square and Canada Place . There you will be able to appreciate modern architecture as well as several buildings from the previous century, such as the Sun Life Building , Mary Queen of the World Cathedral and Windsor Station .
• Admire the many works of art on display from Promenades Cathédrale to Place Montréal Trust , passing through Complexe Les Ailes .
• Walk along Saint-Catherine Street , Canada’s most important commercial artery with over 1,200 shops.
• Also on the itinerary: Place Ville Marie , Central Station and McGill University .

Or choose an alternative route that includes:

• Place des Arts , the Palais des congrès (our convention centre) and the World Trade Centre Montréal , in the heart of Montréal’s Quartier international .

Practical Information & Reservation

Length: 2 hrs.

Schedule: Departures upon reservation at 10:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. year-round, in front of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, located at 900 René-Lévesque Boulevard West .

We can customize the departure time, the duration , the circuit and the content of the tour at any time, according to your needs and interests. Contact us for more information or to book a more customized tour over the phone.

Rate: $205 (including taxes) per group. Gratuity at your discretion.

Maximum recommended: 12 to 15 people per guide.

Reserve your Underground City and Downtown Montréal Private Tour

The rates below are in Canadian dollars and include taxes. Gratuity left to your discretion.

Please enable javascript in your browser to book _ _ _

Photo Credits 2 & 3: © Tourisme Montréal, Mario Melillo / © Montreal Eaton Center, Stéphan Poulin

← Back to Local Montreal Food Tours

Check out Local City Guides

• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Underground City Montreal: 16+ Amazing Attractions for 2023

Explore the Underground City of Montreal

In french we call it le RÉSO  (réseau) or  La Ville Souterraine , which translates to “the network” and “the Montreal underground city.” First built during the 1960’s, it now connects shoppers to over 1,000 retailers and restaurants through a network of tunnels, corridors and plazas. This city beneath the city, is most advantageous during those long winter months, making for convenient shopping and commuting without the slush and oversized coat. Needless to say, this alternative route can seem a bit daunting at first, and I’m not going to lie to you, it is pretty confusing if you don’t know your way around. So don’t worry about it, getting lost is part of the experience! But hey, just to be safe here is the map, and below are several places that you must drop by!

For unique inspiration at any elevation, these Exciting Things to Do in Montreal should do the trick.

16. Shop at the Eaton Centre

This shopping mall is located at the very centre of underground Montreal; it is four stories high and home to over 100 stores, a food court, and is host to many cultural events. Connecting through the McGill metro station, it is often considered the city’s main artery!

15. Catch a movie at Cinéma du Parc  

Cinema du Parc is an independent cinema that offers a variety of programmings and screenings that stem from indie flicks to artistic documentaries to great feature films. It is truly a gem for artistic minds, and of course it is accessible by the underground city!

14. Take the Old Montreal Food Tour

It’s no secret that Old Montreal is a gem to be discovered. The Old Port, the European architecture , the cobblestone streets, etc etc… but what is kind of new is its foodie scene. With more and more people moving to the area, remarkable food vendors have been opening up and are well-worth discovering. The Old Montreal Food Tour takes you on a journey to many of them, highlighting Quebec culture and history as it does. –>  Check out the Old Montreal Food Tour

–> More information about Montreal Food & Drink Tours  

13. Indulge at Jeff de Bruges

Located in the Place Montreal Trust area of the tunnel, Jeff de Bruge s is your one stop shop for sheer indulgence. This French brand makes decadent Belgian chocolate with only the best ingredients. Their goal is to combine quality with creativity. The chocolates are made in Brussels and are shipped out to their Montreal store every week. A 250g box goes for about 23$ and they also serve ice cream and frozen yogurt made with natural ingredients.

12. Visit the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal

This was Canada’s first museum devoted strictly to contemporary art. Displaying work by Québec, Canadian and international artists, its collections include contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs, installation, video and works on paper. Make sure to check out their latest expositions: Now Have a Look at This Machine by Emanuel Licha , Mundos by Teresa Margolles , and For Time is the Longest Distance Between Two Places (Conveniently accessible via the underground city Montreal).

11. Catch a show at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra House

This state of the art concert house seats 2100 and can seat an orchestra of 200. It was designed for unamplified music; the acoustics in the room are something to experience. It also houses the only functioning octobass in the world and an impressive organ that has 6,489 pipes! The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, conducted by grammy winner Kent Nagano, has 92 permanent members and puts on close to 100 shows a year. The venue also hosts many international and local shows that you can checkout here.

10. Dine in the Places des Arts Square at Tavern F and Brasserie T

A good meal is well deserved after navigating the underground tunnel (all 32km of it!). If you’re checking out a show in the Places des Arts area, these two restaurants are ideal stops for a refuel. Taverne F is a tapas restaurant that serves traditional Portuguese dishes that are mostly meat and fish-based. Their glass walls allow patrons to enjoy the bustle of the Places des Arts square.

Right down the square is Brasserie T , a high end contemporary French restaurant in a sleek, bright, and glass building. The menu includes charcuterie, cheese, tartars, and various fish and meats. It’s a great stop before or after a show and they’re also open for brunch if you’re catching a matinee performance.

9. Fuel-up at The Tunnel Espresso Bar

Coffee fanatics know how to locate this place by heart, but for those who want to find it without getting lost in the burrows of city, look for the blue neon sign. This trendy espresso bar is literally a hole in the wall, and located in the tunnel between Eaten Center and Ville-Marie. The coffee here is unbelievably rich and flavourful, plus it comes with super friendly service. Make sure to fuel up here!

8. Go to the contemporary art Festival  Art Souterrain

Each year this non-profit organization showcases international art institutions, artists, and the architectural and cultural heritage of downtown Montreal’s underground city. This unique festival aims at taking art and artist out of their traditional exhibition spaces. The 2017 theme is Art and Diversion and runs from March 4- 26. Last year, artists spanned through 7 km of the underground city Montreal! 

7. Enjoy the view at Les Enfants Terribles’ rooftop restaurant

Forty four floors up the Place Ville Marie building is a beautiful restaurant where you can wine and dine, all while feasting your eyes on Montreal’s city skyline. Les Enfants Terribles is a high-end bistro that serves-up classic French fares. Unlike their other 3 locations, this restaurant in particular has a more festive and friendly vibe that’s also family friendly. The menu includes comfort foods like burgers, ribs, macaroni, shepherd’s pie, and, of course, classic French tartars. It’s a great place to bask in the sun for brunch and lunch, enjoy a cocktail from 5-7, or see the sunset at dinner time.

Be sure to checkout the #MTLGO exhibit one floor up. The exhibit features over 500 archived and new images that explores famous Montreal personalities like Olympic athletes Jennifer Abel and Caroline Ouellette, comedian Sugar Sammy, and many more!

6.  Partake in the festival: Montréal en Lumière

Performing arts, gastronomy, free outdoor family activities, and a full night of exquisitely original discoveries await you at the festival Montréal en Lumière. As one of the largest winter festivals in the world, fans experience the joy of Montreal during wintertime! Each year the festival closes on the wildest night of the year called La Nuit Blanche ! Once a year a free shuttles service is offered to locals and tourists to enjoy a variety of activities, installations, exhibitions, and parties! (From February 19 to March 1st).

5. Visit the gorgeous metro station:  Station Champs-de-Mars

Champs-de-Mars metro station was designed by Adalbert Niklewicz back in 1966, and displays glasswork by Marcelle Ferron, who was one of the signatories of the manifesto  Refus global , written in 1948 by painter Paul-Émile Borduas. This is the only station where sunlight reaches the train platforms, and it is gorgeous! It’s worth checking out if you’re in this area of the underground city Montreal.

4. Meet the stars at the Grévin Museum

Ever dreamt about meeting your favourite celebrity? Well now you can at the wax Grévin Museum in the Eaton Centre. The museum contains the over 120 figures including those of Queen Elizabeth II, Scarlett Johansson, Albert Einstein, Lady Gaga, Mahatma Gandhi, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling and many more. It also depicts some of Quebec and Canada’s history, including figures like Jacques Cartier. Be sure to also checkout a Quebec favourite figure, Celine Dion!

3. Grab a Delicious Hestia Tea

If you’ve ever watched Dragon Den Quebec and wondered what they consider a good business idea, Hestia Tea is the answer. Tucked away in the Ville-Marie tunnel, this magical tea joint received the support and financial backing of those Dragons. Stay warm and cozy inside while you enjoy their unique concoctions such as a “matcha, ginger, and lime” tea, that you can sip along with one of their delicious scones. To get there, walk from the Eaton Centre towards Place Ville Marie. They’ve also got a loyalty program– one more reason to keep coming back for more! It’s a great place to relax in the underground city Montreal.

2. Go underground shopping at Les Cours Mont-Royal centre

Formerly known as the Mount Royal Hotel, this 1920’s hotel was refurbished into an upscale shopping centre. Its beautiful architecture and gorgeous interior still holds reminisces of the hotel, like the luxurious ceiling of the big entrance lobby. Decked out with a spectacular chandelier from the Monte Carlo casino and six bird-human sculptures under the main skylight by the  Inuit   artist  David Ruben , this high-end shopping centre is one of Montreal’s underground gems.

1. Skate indoors at Atrium  Le 1000

Ice skating is one of the most classic activities you can do in Montreal. At Atrium Le 1000, you can do it year round! That’s one of the many pros of having an underground city.  Located on the main floor of Quebec’s tallest building, Le 1000 De La Gauchetière, it’s easily accessible by the underground city Montreal. Make your way there from Monday, from 11:30am to 6pm, Tuesday to Friday, from 11:30am to 9pm, Saturday from 12:30pm to 9pm and Sunday from 12:30pm to 9pm. Happy skating!

Don’t forget to check out Canadian photographer Andrew Emond’s photo blog  Montreal Underground , documenting the City of Montreal’s sewers and other underground infrastructures.

Looking for more recommendations?

• Old Montreal Restaurants | June 2024 | 22 Very Cool places

17+ Amazing Things to Do in Montreal with Kids | All Seasons

Montreal bachelor party : 16+ daytime party itineraries, team building montreal | 16 exciting & gathering ideas 2024, montreal fireworks: 7+ excellent spots to watch | summer 2023, 20+ amazing montreal tourist attractions | summer 2023, 14+ unique holiday and christmas activities in montreal for 2023, 11+ gorgeous montreal bed and breakfast | summer 2023, best coffee in montreal: 14+ places you’ve got to try.

Things to do in Montreal

Things to do in Quebec City

Things to do in toronto, ready to eat.

Book your Tickets

Offer a Gift Card

Reserve a Private group Tour

Things to do

• Mile End Montreal : 27+ Best Things To Do In 2024 | Local Tips
• 20+ Restaurants for Groups in Montreal | Private Rooms
• Romantic Things to Do in Montreal: 13+ local Tips Summer 2024

The Ultimate Self-Guided Montreal Walking Tour

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you. Please refer to my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Table of Contents

Ah… Montreal. One of the most delightful cities in all of Canada , Montreal has endless amounts of incredible sights to see, from the enchanting architecture in Old Montreal to the breathtaking views from Mount Royal. And what better way to explore the city than on a self-guided Montreal walking tour?

Now, exploring Montreal on foot in just one day might sound impossible, but with this ultimate Montreal walking tour in your back pocket, you’ll be ready to rise to the challenge.

Granted, we won’t be able to see the entire city of Montreal — it’s the second-largest French speaking city in the world, after all. But if you’ve only got one day, this free Montreal walking tour will show you the best way to spend it. 

And not to worry, I’ll take you through this travel itinerary from morning til night, including tips for getting around Montreal, costs, and the best places to stop!

My Self-Guided Montreal Walking Tour at a Glance

• Mont Royal Park and Lookout
• Saint-Laurent Boulevard
• Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal (Optional Stop)
• Montreal Underground City (Optional Stop)
• Old Montreal
• Old Port of Montreal
• La Grande Roue de Montréal

How Long Will This Montreal Free Walking Tour Take?

Not including the time spent at each stop, this self-guided Montreal walking tour will take an estimated 1 hour and 45 minutes of pure walking from place to place. 

However, plan to start relatively early in the morning and set aside an entire day. That way, you can really take your time and check out all the cool things to see and do. As you’re about to find out, there are lots!

Tips for Making the Most out of your Walking Tour

• Choose a relatively small area packed with interesting sights (done — just read below!).
• Pack a light load with some snacks and a bottle of water.
• Wear comfortable shoes that you know won’t give you blisters.
• Bring a change of socks, just in case.
• Wear layers, as the temperature may rise and fall from morning to afternoon and night!

Now, let’s begin with the tour!

The Perfect Self-Guided Montreal Walking Tour

1. mount royal park and lookout.

• Start Point: The Sir George-Etienne Cartier monument
• Cost : Free
• Time Estimate : 1.5-2 hours
• Website : https://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en

​​ Say “Mount Royal” three times fast. Does it sound familiar?

That’s right, this park is where the city of Montreal got its name! Needless to say, there’s no better place to start your free walking tour of Montreal than at its namesake. 

Mount Royal Park is located on a hill, so be prepared to do a little physical exercise. If you’re really not feeling it, you can also take the bus number 11 from the corner of avenue du Park and avenue du Mont-Royal Est to the Remembrance/Chemin du Chalet stop. This will leave you a short walk away from the Mount Royal Lookout!

However, as the day is young and your tour has just begun, I recommend doing the 25-minute nature walk up the side of the mountain on foot. 

After all, that’s what Canada is known for — rocks and trees and trees and rocks — and it wouldn’t be a true Montreal walking tour without seeing any!

Take the Chemin Olmsted from the monument up to the staircase. There will be signs for the “Chalet du Mont-Royal,” “Belvédère,” and “Point de Due” — the latter is what you want to follow to reach the breathtaking view of the city skyline. 

In the summer, you’ll find dozens of joggers, bikers, and picnickers, but Mont Royal Park is an excellent place to find things to do in the winter in Montreal too. Cross-country skiing is a popular option, but you can also just stroll around and admire how mother nature transforms the leafless forest into a snow-capped winter fairy-tale.

Planning a day trip from Montreal to Ottawa? If so, click here to read my self-guided Ottawa walking tour !

2. Saint-Laurent Boulevard

• Opening Hours : None (outdoors)
• Cost : Any food you buy on the way
• Time Estimate : 30-60 minutes

Back down at the monument, you’re just a few blocks away from the Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Take your time to walk down this street nicknamed “The Main” as you head towards the river. 

Boulevard Saint-Laurent is teeming with boutiques, shops, cafés, clubs, bars, and restaurants, and the famous Schwartz’s smoked meat deli if you get the munchies. 

And make sure to keep your eyes wide open for the beautiful murals that decorate this street. But don’t dawdle too long; there are lots more sights to see on your Montreal walking tour, and you surely don’t want to miss them! 

3. (Optional) Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal 

• Opening Hours : To be determined once reopened
• Cost : Previously $10 
• Time Estimate : 1-1.5 hours
• Website : https://macm.org/en/

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Montreal was founded in 1964 with just a couple hundred works of art, and has since grown into a collection of over 8,000 art pieces by artists from Quebec and around the world. The art shows remarkable diversity, embracing historically significant events, current societal issues, and emerging practices.

This stop on your Montreal walking tour is optional, and in fact, until December 2021, it’s out of the tour entirely, as the museum building closed for reconstruction in June of 2021 .

The renovations will take four years to complete, doubling the building’s size and turning the museum into a representation of the very thing it houses — contemporary art. 

In the meantime, a temporary museum space will open in the nearby Place Ville-Marie, and will include exhibitions and creative workshops. 

This temporary relocation will open in late 2021, so if art is what you crave, wait to take your Montreal walking tour until after the holiday season!

4. Chinatown

• Cost : Any food or souvenirs you buy

It you’re a budget traveler looking for free things to do in Montreal , then Chinatown is a definite must! Just stroll around the block-sized neighborhood and let your eyes feast on the colorful streets soaked in history. 

Montreal’s Chinatown is one of the oldest Asian communities on the North American continent, emerging in the 1890s as Chinese immigrants moved from west to east on the newly built Canadian Pacific Railway. Most of them settled in Montreal, creating a residential neighborhood which has since become largely commercial.

This area is basically one large block, bordering rue Saint-Dominique, Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, avenue Viger Ouest, and rue Jeanne-Mance. It’s sliced in the middle by rue de la Gauchetière Ouest and Boulevard Saint-Laurent, where most of the businesses are concentrated. 

If you walk along the borders of Chinatown, you’ll find the four ornate gateways, or “paifang”, marking the entrances to the area. I highly recommend checking them out, as no other Chinatown in Canada has this many pairings! 

Of course, there are many other things worth seeing in Montreal’s Chinatown, including:

• The “May an Old Song Open a New World” mural : Prepare a good pose before you come here, as this is one of the most Instagrammable spots in Montreal!
• The Wing Building , built by the same architect as the Notre-Dame Basilica.
• Place Sun Yet Sen : a public square with a traditional Chinese decorative structure that doubles as a souvenir shop.
• The Lee Family Association and Wong Won Su Association , where newly arrived Chinese immigrants received support and counseling. Today, a display of photos and artifacts offers you a peek into the immigrant’s journey.

Interested in my other Canadian walking tours? If so, click here to read my self-guided walking tour of Vancouver, BC !

5. (Optional) Montreal Underground City

• Opening Hours : Varies by business, but usually 10 am-9 pm Monday to Friday, 10 am-6 pm Saturday, and 11 am-5 pm Sunday
• Cost : Any souvenirs, items, or food you buy
• Time Estimate : 1-2 hours
• Website : https://montrealundergroundcity.com/

If you need a change of scenery, why not dive down into Montreal’s Underground City? 

This optional stop will take you into a subterranean labyrinth right under the heart of the city. Stretching over 33 kilometers, the Underground City connects metro stations to shopping plazas, with every possible form of activity along the way.

If you’re lost, just follow the RÉSO network signs that tell you where things are located, from artisanal souvenir shops and stylish boutiques to endless food and entertainment options. Colorful fountains and extensive playgrounds also offer plenty of things to do with kids in Montreal!

Works left by the Art Souterrain Festival make sure art-lovers get their fill, while free Wi-Fi and the Espace Services charging station keep even the biggest social media addicts content. Basically, there is something here for every traveler. 

Diving into this underground pedestrian network is also a great way to escape the sweltering heat or face-numbing cold that frequently invades the city streets, all without holing yourself up at home. If you’re looking for things to do in winter in Montreal, look no further than the Underground City!

You could easily spend the entire day in the Underground City, but don’t lose track of time, because your Montreal walking tour isn’t quite over yet!

6. Old Montreal

• Cost : Varies, depending on the souvenirs or food you purchase

Now, it’s time for our Old Montreal self guided walking tour!

This stop is practically made for Montreal walking tours , as it’s Montreal’s historic center.

The word “historic” might feel somewhat exaggerated when it’s applied to buildings built predominantly in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially when you compare it to Europe where you can casually stroll past buildings that date back to hundreds of years BCE. But for a country that only recently celebrated its 150th birthday, 300 years is practically ancient. 

Needless to say, Old Montreal will give you a taste of Canadian history, with its colonial and European past etched into every cobble-stoned street. Some streets have even kept their original names! This area is also purely pedestrian, creating the perfect atmosphere for walking tours in Montreal. 

The buildings vary in architectural style and have been mostly preserved. Today, they serve as shops, boutique hotels, galleries, cafés, bars, and atmospheric restaurants. With so many beautiful spots scattered around, it’s one of the best Montreal solo travel destinations!

If you’d like to visit everything there is to see in Old Montreal, plan to spend up to 2 hours here. However, if you’d just like to see a few highlights, here are some landmarks worth noting:

• Edifice Aldred : A building with a strong resemblance to New York’s Empire State Building, and also built in the same year (1931)!
• Vieux Séminaire de St-Sulpice : The city’s oldest building (1657), and still surrounded by its original stone walls.
• Hôtel the Ville : The city hall which was nearly destroyed by a fire in 1922.
• Château Ramezay : Initially home to French governors, then taken over by British governors, then invaded and held by American rebels, and also a temporary home to Benjamin Franklin — if walls could talk, this building would put Gossip Girl to shame!
• Notre-Dame Basilica : An intricately decorated basilica and where Québec-born singer Céline Dion got married in 1994 — just step inside and you’ll see why!

Some destinations in our old Montreal walking tour, such as the Notre Dame Basilica, cost money to visit. But no need to worry – there are also many free things to do in Old Montreal!

If you’re staying late in the city, come back to see this part of town in a different light. And I mean literally — over a dozen buildings are illuminated at night, creating a wonderfully romantic atmosphere. It’s one of the best things to do at night in Montreal!

If you’re thinking of also visiting the Canadian Rockies, and you’re wondering how to plan your itinerary, click here to read my 7-day Canadian Rockies road trip !

7. Old Port of Montreal

• Cost : Free (outdoors)

As we near the end of our walking tour in Montreal, we come to the Old Port of Montreal. Once the commercial hub of the city, this area has since been transformed into a waterfront park. 

In the summer, there are an abundance of Old Port Montreal activities; it’s a prime spot for walking, jogging, cycling, and in-line skating. But if you’ve had enough physical movement for the day, I recommend sitting in the park and doing some people-watching!

You’ll also have a great view of Habitat 67 , a distinctive 158-unit housing project built for the 1967 World’s Fair. The architect’s original vision for the building was to show what affordable community housing could look like — but ironically enough, it’s become a private high-end apartment complex. 

8. La Grande Roue de Montréal

• Opening Hours: 10 am-11 pm, Monday through Sunday
• Cost : Just under $26 
• Time Estimate : 20-minute ride
• Website : https://www.lagranderouedemontreal.com/en/

The last stop on our Montreal walking tour is La Grande Roue de Montréal. You may be relieved to hear that this stop involves more sitting than walking — it is, in fact, a panoramic Ferris wheel.

The price may be a little steep, but this isn’t just any old Ferris wheel. Bringing you to a height of 60 meters, La Grande Roue is the biggest observation wheel in the country. 

Keeping in mind that Canada is prone to experiencing extreme weather conditions virtually any day of the year (Canada, eh?), La Grande Roue offers its guests the rare comfort of air conditioning or heating, making it one of the best things to do in Montreal in winter and summer!

This is the perfect ambiance for admiring a 360-degree view of the city. The ride lasts for 20 minutes, giving you ample time to soak up the twinkling lights of Montreal.

What better way is there to end your Montreal walking tour?

Wrapping Up Your Montreal Walking Tour

That was quite a day, wasn’t it? But if you’re wondering what to do in Montreal this weekend, this walking tour is the perfect way to spend it. And while this tour only scratches the surface of everything there is to see and do in Montreal, I’m confident it’s the perfect way to spend your Montreal weekend getaway!

Thanks for reading the article! If you have any questions, feel free to comment down below, and if you want to see more travel and hike-related content, make sure to check out my other articles.

Photos by Mia and Pixabay.

About to embark on a trip around Canada? Here are some helpful articles to make your trip as awesome and stress-free as possible:

• How to Travel Without Breaking the Bank
• 15 Things to Do Before a Trip
• How to Start Hiking: 15 Beginner Hiking Tips
• How to Travel as a Student (Even If You’re Broke!)
• Ottawa by Foot: Walking Guide of Ottawa

And here are some additional helpful links:

• Click here for my walking tours
• Click here for my hiking guides
• Click here for more posts on North America
• Click here for more posts on Canada
• Click here for more resources

Like this post? Share it!

Mia is the founder of Walk a While with Me, a travel blog dedicated to sharing the best self-guided walking tours, travel itineraries, and hikes for destinations around the world. A keen traveler, she has visited more than 20 countries in the past six years. She is excited for you to follow along on her adventures!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Flannels or FlipFlops

16 Cities We Loved for Underground Tours

Posted: June 4, 2024 | Last updated: June 4, 2024

We’re all familiar with the famous sites and landmarks of travel destinations– the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, Mount Rushmore–but who knew there was a whole underground world ready to explore?

The idea of a real-life Indiana Jones adventure, exploring hidden caves, dodging stalactites (those pointy rock formations in caves hanging from the ceiling), and maybe even witnessing ancient artifacts is definitely a step above your standard hop-on-hop-off city bus tour.

If you’re into digging a little deeper into the culture and history of a place, there’s nothing better than a subterranean tour. Here are some of the best cities to explore underground!

1. Paris Catacombs, France

Imagine walking through tunnels stacked with millions of skulls and bones—welcome to the Paris Catacombs! Beneath Paris’s 14th arrondissement, this eerie underground burial site was created in the late 1700s to solve Paris’ overcrowded cemeteries.

Descend 131 steps to see walls lined with human bones arranged in haunting patterns. A spooky sign greets you: “Stop! This is the empire of death,” but don’t worry, despite fictional horror movies taking place there, the real catacombs are perfectly safe and utterly fascinating!

Read more about Catacombs, one of the Haunted Historical Sites Around the Globe

2. Hallstatt Salt Mine, Austria

Want to slide down a giant miner’s tunnel like a kid? You can go to Salzwelten Hallstatt in Austria–the oldest salt mine in the world, dating back over 7,000 years ! Ride a funicular up the mountain, explore an ancient cemetery, and suit up to enter the mine. It’s an adventure-packed 90-minute tour that will make your visit unforgettable!

3. Maginot Line, France

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a World War II soldier stationed underground in a giant concrete bunker? Returning in time, exploring the Maginot Line at Hackenberg Fort in France!

Start with a scenic drive through the French countryside. Don’t be surprised to see a US Army tank at the entrance—it’s a reminder of the fort’s role in the Second World War. Then, explore a labyrinth of tunnels that stretch for almost a kilometer!

4. Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand

If you’re like me and love adventure, nature, whimsy, or anything little out of the ordinary, you’ll be enchanted by Waitomo Caves. Paddle through these ancient limestone formations, filled with thousands of twinkling glowworms unique to New Zealand.

The glowworms create a breathtaking starry night effect as you glide silently on a gentle boat ride. Try black water rafting and tube through the dark caves, exploring stalactites, stalagmites, and even underground waterfalls for an extra thrill!

5. Coober Pedy, Australia

Coober Pedy is unlike anywhere else in the world. You can tour opal mines and discover how opals are formed, but this place is special because most of the town lives underground to escape the intense heat.

There are underground houses, hotels, shops, and even churches! Don’t miss Faye’s Underground Home, built in the 60s and 70s and still in its original condition with furniture and a small indoor pool—it’s a fascinating glimpse into life below the surface!

6. Tunnels of Shinjuku, Japan

Shinjuku’s underground labyrinth is like a secret city, a sprawling network of tunnels connecting buildings, shops, and even a government office! Start your adventure near the cool, cyclopean Shinjuku Eye art installation.

From there, follow the southern tunnel on a sidewalk towards the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building or zip north towards Shinjuku Station. These wide underground avenues are packed with shops and building entrances, creating a fascinating subterranean world to explore!

7. Galleria Borbonica, Italy

Naples has a rich history that stretches back over 2,000 years; much of that history is hidden underground. The Galleria Borbonica was dug out in the 1850s as an escape tunnel for King Ferdinand II in case of riots. Today, it offers insightful daytime tours and hosts unique nighttime events like the Concert in the Dark , where musicians perform classical pieces in a pitch-black cavern.

Four tours are available, including options for those with reduced mobility. Bring your walking shoes and a light jacket for an unforgettable underground adventure!

8. Derinkuyu, Turkey

Derinkuyu is an ancient subterranean metropolis carved from volcanic rock in Cappadocia, Turkey. It originally housed over 20,000 people. This city is one of the most mysterious and deepest underground cities in the world, reaching up to 280 feet deep and with eight discovered levels!

There’s even talk of 18 floors in total! Fun fact: the city was accidentally rediscovered in 1963 by a local man renovating his home!

9. Moaning Caverns, California, USA

At Moaning Caverns in California, you can descend into the earth on a ten-story spiral staircase made from World War I battleship scrap metal. You can opt for the family-friendly Spiral Tour to explore ancient rock formations and learn about cave history comfortably.

Or, if you’re up for a real challenge, take on the Expedition Crawling and Spelunking Tour —crawling, climbing, and wriggling through narrow passageways with just a headlamp to guide you. 

10. Domus Aurea, Italy

Skip the ordinary tours and explore ancient Rome’s lost world with an underground adventure through Emperor Nero’s Domus Aurea!

Descend into the stunning chambers, marvel at the fresco murals and the Octagonal Room, and uncover the fascinating (and scandalous) story of Nero’s Golden House. With 3D technology, you’ll see the palace in its original splendor—golden walls, sparkling fountains, and all!

Read more about Nero’s Domus Aurea

11. Berlin Underworlds, Germany

Berlin is a city full of surprises, and one of the coolest things you can do there is explore its underground world with the Berliner Unterwelten (Berlin Underworlds)! Venture through World War II air-raid shelters to see where Berliners sought refuge from bombings and walk the Cold War escape tunnels that tell tales of bravery and freedom.

Forget traditional sightseeing; these tours are like history classes brought to life, complete with artifacts and exhibits at the Dark Worlds Museum.

12. Montreal Underground City, Canada

Montreal is a fun city to explore both above and below the ground! The coolest thing about Montreal is that it has the biggest underground city in the world, called RÉSO, which is over 20 miles long !

That’s right; you can walk for miles underground, visiting stores, restaurants, and even art installations, all without going outside! You’ll also see some hidden treasures, like a piece of the Berlin Wall and an authentic Parisian metro entrance. 

13. Guanajuato Tunnels, Mexico

Imagine a city built on top of another city! That’s Guanajuato, Mexico. This charming colonial city has a hidden world underneath it—a network of tunnels that used to be the riverbed. Initially constructed in the 1800s to prevent flooding, these tunnels evolved into a unique traffic system as the city expanded.

During festivals like the Cervantino Festival or the Day of the Dead, the tunnels come alive with DJ parties, concerts, food vendors, and art exhibits, offering a vibrant subterranean experience!

14. Raufarholshellir Lava Tunnel, Iceland

The Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel is one of the coolest (literally!) things you can do in Iceland. It’s just a 30-minute drive from the capital city of Reykjavík, making it a perfect half-day trip. This massive lava tube stretches over 4500 feet and features stunning colors and shapes created by minerals in the cave walls.

Walk the path where lava once flowed over 5,200 years ago—it’s like stepping into another world! Ideal for adventurers of all ages, it’s a family-friendly tour you won’t forget.

15. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, USA

Just about an hour south of iconic Mount Rushmore is Wind Cave National Park . Above ground, there are rolling prairies, forests, and wildlife, perfect for hiking and biking trails, plus great spots for wildlife watching.

Below ground, explore a massive cave system famous for its unique boxwork formations—calcite fins that resemble intricate honeycombs found nowhere else in the world. It’s a natural wonderland you don’t want to miss!

16. Edinburgh Vaults, Scotland

Right underneath the crowded center of the old town sits the Edinburg vaults. Constructed in the late 1700s, this set of chambers was originally created as part of the South Bridge building project . After the bridge builders abandoned the vaults, they became a secret space for more nefarious activities like smuggling, gambling, and possibly even hiding spots for corpses.

Many consider them to be haunted with reports of ghosts, odd happenings, witches, and more. If you’re into the darker side of history or the paranormal, you can catch a haunted vault tour!

6 Best US cities to watch Saturdays Solar Eclipse

Discover the 6 best U.S. cities to experience Saturday's solar eclipse, and click to read more!

These 15 Cities Are Solo Female Traveler Approved

Explore the top 15 cities that are perfect for solo female travelers, offering safety, adventure, and unforgettable experiences.

See list here!

More for You

Stephen Hawking once gave a simple answer as to whether there was a God

The 5 worst things you can do with your inheritance, according to a financial planner

14 arrested in largest child predator sting in Mooresville police history

Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Maryland Assault Weapons Ban

Gardener issues warning over the dangers of a common tomato-growing mistake: ‘Why do we all have to learn this the hard way?’

Reacher Season 3: Release, Plot, Cast & News

The Dollar Is at Its Strongest Since the 1980s. Can It Last?

Fact Check: We Looked into Actor Terrence Howard's Claim That He Holds Patent on Augmented/Virtual Reality Technology

3 Reasons Retirees Could Be Surprised by the Most Recent 2025 Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Forecast

Donald Trump Urged to Make Rare Supreme Court Move

Homeowner shares impressive before-and-after photos following their 66-hour battle with invasive species: ‘The impact this will have … is huge’

16 Popular Pizza Chains, Ranked Worst to Best

She thought he’d ghosted her. Then she stumbled on his GoFundMe campaign

Shocking Indian election results are a crushing blow to Modi

Can You Realistically Follow Dave Ramsey’s 8% Retirement Rule?

12 States Are Banning the Sale of Gas-Powered Cars

This U.S. State Is One of the Best Places to Retire for Low Crime, Taxes, and an Affordable Cost of Living

The High-Speed X-Plane That Could Revolutionize Warfare

34-year-old making $49,000 a month in passive income: What I always tell people who want to build successful side hustles

Crucial Mistakes To Avoid When Pruning Tomatoes

• Submit a News Tip

Cyclists take over streets of Montreal for 39th Tour de l’Île

By Swidda Rassy

Posted June 2, 2024 2:45 pm.

Last Updated June 2, 2024 6:31 pm.

Thousands of cyclists took over the streets of Montreal Sunday for the 39th edition of Tour de l’Île – the city’s biggest cycling event.

An estimated 18,000 people were expected to take part, organizers say.

“Tour de l’Île this year is in line with what we have had over the last few years; 18,000 is an awesome participation. We’re really excited,” said Vélo Quebec CEO Jean-François Rheault.

The Vélo Quebec-hosted event kicked off around 9:15 a.m., as cyclists embarked on a 28- or 50-kilometre tour of the city – with no cars sharing the street.

“The roads are free, the streets are free,” one rider told CityNews. “The potholes are there, but it’s OK.”

Cyclists began at Jeanne-Mance Park and made their way to Outremont, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, down to the Lachine Canal to René-Lévesque Park, across LaSalle Boulevard, back downtown through Wellington Street in Verdun and up to the Plateau.

• Montrealers ride for the 25th anniversary of Tour la Nuit
• Festival Go vélo Montréal encourages cyclists to enjoy their city on two wheels

“By cycling through the different neighbourhoods, we can connect them in our heads and really experience the city in a different way,” Rheault said.

“For us Tour de l’Île is really important as a tool to celebrate cycling culture. Cycling is fun, of course, but when we organize a big party like Tour de l’Île we bring it to another level.”

Riders got nice weather, albeit hot, for an all-day bike ride: sun and some clouds with no rain.

Canada’s environment minister was at the Tour de l’Île Sunday touting the benefits of active transportation.

“It’s also obviously very environmentally friendly,” Minister Steven Guilbeault said. “Federally now we have the first ever active transportation fund of $400 million where we’re working with communities, provinces, territories, municipalities to help them deploy, invest in more infrastructure, so it’s safer and nicer for people to be able to bike around, to go to work, to do all these things.”

The streets were filled with people from all ages, including first-timers to the event and folks from out of town.

“I’m here for a tour of Montreal,” one person said. “I’m from out of town, so bike ride, perfect. Going for a tour of the city, perfect. Weather, perfect.”

“It’s my first time doing the event,” added another. “It’s a great opportunity to just bike freely in the city with friends, with colleagues. It’s just great team spirit.”

Some even took part in the cycling event in costume.

“I’m getting in shape for the Christmas season because I have all these presents to deliver at Christmas,” said one person dressed in a Santa Claus outfit. “So Santa’s got to keep in shape and that’s what he does every year.”

Top Stories

Authorities located the vehicle that plunged into the waters of the Rivière des Prairies between Montreal and Laval Sunday morning, but police and first responders combed the banks and water searching...

Eight people, including four children, were taken to hospital with second- and third-degree burns after a fire and possible explosion at a home south of Montreal. The operations chief for the regional...

Quebec City police say they have forced protesters to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment that was being set up on the grounds of Université Laval. The force said today that three people were given...

The body of a child who was less than five years old was recovered from a lake in western Quebec following what authorities are calling a boating incident. Quebec provincial police are releasing few...

Adjust preferences

With your consent we may collect cookies and information to enhance our service, and improve your experience.

These cookies and data are essential for browsing our website and allowing services. Examples include, session, authentication, and security cookies.

These cookies and data enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalized content.

These cookies and data inform us which pages are most informative and engaging via analytics.

These cookies may track data across websites for marketing and interest-based advertising to provide personalized content, offers, and advertisements.

Crown The Empire Announce 2024 Not Dead Yet Tour

Featuring Special Guests Dark Divine, Capstan, and ONI

Tickets & vip packages available starting tuesday, june 4 with citi presales  , general onsale begins friday, june 7 at 10am local on livenation.com.

Today, Crown The Empire announced their 2024 Not Dead Yet Tour w/ support from special guests Dark Divine, Capstan and ONI. Produced by Live Nation, the 21-city tour kicks off on August 2 at Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ making stops across North America in Chicago, Toronto, New York and more before wrapping up in Dallas at House of Blues Dallas on August 31.

TICKETS: Tickets & VIP Packages will be available starting with Citi presale beginning Tuesday, June 4. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, June 7 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com .

CROWN THE EMPIRE: NOT DEAD YET 2024 TOUR DATES:

Fri Aug 02 — Mesa, AZ — Nile Theater

Sat Aug 03 — Los Angeles, CA — The Regent Theater

Sun Aug 04 — Sacramento, CA — Ace of Spades

Tue Aug 06 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot

Wed Aug 07 — Denver, CO — Summit

Fri Aug 09 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater

Sat Aug 10 — Davenport, IA — Capitol Theatre

Sun Aug 11 — Chicago, IL — House Of Blues Chicago

Tue Aug 13 — Detroit, MI — Saint Andrew’s Hall

Wed Aug 14 — Toronto, ON — The Opera House

Thu Aug 15 — Montreal, QC — Club Soda

Sat Aug 17 — New York, NY — Irving Plaza Powered By Verizon 5G

Sun Aug 18 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club presented by Citizens

Tue Aug 20 — Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of Living Arts

Wed Aug 21 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage

Fri Aug 23 — Atlanta, GA  — The Masquerade*

Sat Aug 24 — St Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live

Sun Aug 25 — Ft Lauderdale, FL — Revolution Live

Tue Aug 27 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground

Wed Aug 28 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

Fri Aug 30 — Houston, TX — House of Blues Houston

Sat Aug 31 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues Dallas

Sun Sep 1 — San Antonio, TX — Vibes Event Center*

*Not A Live Nation Date

ABOUT CROWN THE EMPIRE

Crown the Empire have steadily established themselves over the past decade as a force of nature in the rock world. They have shared stages with Slipknot, A Day To Remember, Dance Gavin Dance, Black Veil Brides, Falling in Reverse, Underoath, and more. To date, the band has released five studio albums – The Fallout (2012), T he Resistance: Rise of The Runaways (2014), Retrograde (2016), Sudden Sky (2019), and DOGMA (2023). They have garnered praise from Alternative Press , Billboard , Kerrang !, Nylon , Rock Sound , and more. Their impressive catalog has earned them 825M streams worldwide.

Crown The Empire is Andy Leo (vocals), Brandon Hoover (guitar), Hayden Tree (bass/vocals), and Jeeves Avalos (drums).

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CROWN THE EMPIRE, VISIT:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Live Nation Concerts

Monique Sowinski | [email protected]

Navier Grimes | [email protected]

Read more about

Abnormally Dry Canada Taps U.S. Energy, Reversing Usual Flow

Lower-than-normal rain and snow have reduced Canada’s hydropower production, raising worries in the industry about the effects of climate change.

Canadian hydroelectric plants, like the Robert-Bourassa Generating Station in northern Quebec, have faced low water levels because of a recent drop in rain and snow. Credit...

Supported by

• Share full article

By Ivan Penn

Photographs by Ruth Fremson

Reporting from Hydro-Québec’s Robert-Bourassa Generating Station, Montreal and Portland, Ore.

• June 3, 2024

In February, the United States did something that it had not done in many years — the country sent more electricity to Canada than it received from its northern neighbor. Then, in March, U.S. electricity exports to Canada climbed even more, reaching their highest level since at least 2010.

The increasing flow of power north is part of a worrying trend for North America: Demand for energy is growing robustly everywhere, but the supply of power — in Canada’s case from giant hydroelectric dams — and the ability to get the energy to where it’s needed are increasingly under strain.

Many energy experts say Canadian hydroelectric plants, which have had to reduce electricity production because of a recent drop in rain and snow, will eventually bounce back. But some industry executives are worried that climate change, which has already been linked to the explosive wildfires in Canada last year , could make it harder to predict when rain and snowfall will return to normal.

“We’ve all got to be humble in the face of more extreme weather,” said Chris O’Riley, president and chief executive of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, which operates hydroelectric dams in western Canada. “We manage from year to year the ups and downs of water, and when we have the downs like we’re having, the lower levels, it’s common for us to import power, and we expect to continue that this year.”

The United States and Canada have long relied on each other because power use tends to peak north of the border during the winter when Canadians use electric heaters, and American electricity use peaks in the summer during air-conditioning season.

The abundance of Canada’s hydroelectric power has been a cornerstone of the trade, providing relatively low-cost renewable energy to California, Oregon, Washington State, New York State and New England.

But the supply-and-demand equation for energy is changing. Demand for electricity in many states has been climbing sharply in summer and winter. Some experts predict that winter electricity demand in the United States could eclipse summer demand by 2050.

At the same time, utilities are increasingly reliant on intermittent resources like solar and wind power. Large hydroelectric plants, once considered a stable source of electricity, have struggled with low reservoirs in California, around Hoover Dam and recently in Canada.

“We are facing real changes in the weather, and we’re finding out in real time how that’s going to affect hydroelectric operations, pretty much across North America,” said Robert McCullough of McCullough Research, a firm based in Portland, Ore., who has been a consultant for corporate customers of Canadian utilities since the 1980s.

In addition, electricity use is expected to climb as people and businesses turn to electric heat pumps, cars and industrial equipment to replace devices that burn oil, natural gas and coal. Demand is also growing because of data centers .

One solution is to build more power lines, something the Biden administration and some states are working on. But energy experts say the United States also ought to add more such connections to Canada. That would allow, for example, solar farms in California to supply Canada when its dams don’t have enough water and for Canadian utilities to send more power south when they have an abundance.

“Most models suggest that a more interconnected grid is a better grid,” said Shelley Welton, a presidential distinguished professor at the University of Pennsylvania who helped write a recent report on electric grid reliability and governance. “I do think there is power in being interconnected across North America. We need scenario planning. We need long-term planning.”

Set among the pine and spruce trees of northern Quebec, the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric dam represents the promises and challenges inherent in harnessing renewable energy.

The plant’s operator, Hydro-Québec, a utility owned by the Canadian province, built the power plant on a bank of La Grande River as part of a network of stations that can produce more than twice as much electricity as the largest U.S. power plant — the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington State.

The La Grande complex has helped Hydro-Québec become a leading supplier to New York State and New England. But less snow than normal has forced Hydro-Québec and other Canadian utilities to import more power from the United States in recent months.

“It looks like conditions are abnormally dry,” said Gilbert Bennett, president of Water Power Canada, a nonprofit that represents the hydropower industry. “The year-to-year variations are becoming large.”

Hydro-Québec executives say they expect the dry spell to end soon, citing similar stretches in 2004 and 2014. Models predict an increase in precipitation of 6 to 8 percent for eastern Canada over the next 25 years, the company said.

Serge Abergel, chief operating officer for Hydro-Québec Energy Services, said Canada’s greater reliance on the United States had been a temporary way for hydro plants to save their water. He added that as both countries modernized and expanded their grids with more renewable and efficient resources, they would be able to complement each other.

“The transition is also creating opportunities,” Mr. Abergel said during a recent tour of the Robert-Bourassa dam. “You optimize these resources.”

In general, the United States would prefer to import more power from Canada because it’s much cheaper. Hydro-Québec’s residential customers pay about $50 for 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, Mr. Abergel said, compared with $236 in New York State and $276 on average in New England .

The company’s costs are low because its hydro plants were built and paid off long ago. But bringing that affordable power south is expensive — Canadian hydro energy costs homeowners in Massachusetts twice as much as it does residents of Quebec, according to an analysis by McCullough Research.

Hydro-Québec has been building more power lines. It is taking part in one project, the Champlain Hudson Power Express , which is expected to be completed by mid-2026. The $6 billion, roughly 339-mile-long transmission line will connect a substation in La Prairie, near Montreal, to a converter station in Astoria, Queens. The line will be able to deliver enough energy to serve more than a million homes in New York City.

“If you want to transition quickly, you need more transmission,” Mr. Abergel said. But, “we’re not incentivizing someone to come up with solutions,” he added. “We’re doing things piecemeal.”

Mr. Abergel said Hydro-Québec would meet all of its obligations to New York and other states despite the dry conditions because it can preserve water by reducing how much electricity its hydro power produces and importing more energy from the United States. This way, the company will still have enough water to export power when energy demand is higher in New York and New England.

But some energy experts are not so sanguine. Mr. McCullough, the consultant, said he worried that global warming could so strain reservoirs that it would no longer be feasible for Canadian utilities to keep enough water in reserve to make it through a very long dry spell.

“Each time we have one of these episodes,” Mr. McCullough said, “it’s a white-knuckle moment.”

How dependent the utilities in the United States and Canada are on each other is on stark display in Oregon. Portland General Electric, a utility serving about two million residents in the state, tracks water flows and snowpack in British Columbia from an operations center near Portland.

When drought and wildfires threaten areas around the Columbia River, hydroelectric plants and transmission lines that connect Canada, Washington, Oregon and California become vulnerable.

“What we’re really concerned about right now is the snowpack is low in Canada,” said Darrington Outama, senior director of power operations at Portland General Electric. “What we focus on as a region is how are they doing up there.”

In addition to importing electricity from British Columbia, PGE gets power from two small hydroelectric plants in the Bull Run watershed east of Portland.

Oregon’s Bull Run rainforest does not get water from the Columbia River. But a severe wildfire like one last summer could force officials to shut down those dams and stop drawing water from Bull Run. If that happened, Portland would have to rely on groundwater, which could in turn affect the Columbia River and hydroelectric dams tied to it.

“We have to think about all of the scenarios,” Kristin Anderson, water resources program manager for the Portland Water Bureau, said during a tour of the Bull Run. “We’ve been seeing more rapid shifts of weather moments. We’re planning throughout the season to be ready for anything.”

Hydroelectric plants often are the lowest priority for water use. As a result, wildfires, low snowpack and drought can lead to significant reductions in their production. If demand for electricity is high at the same time, regional energy grids could buckle.

“There were these historic patterns of power from north to south,” Mr. O’Riley of British Columbia Hydro said. “All of those patterns have been upended. Power’s flowing in all different directions.”

In a twist, California, which suffered a severe drought in recent years, has lately been awash. Blizzards, atmospheric rivers and other storms have covered the state’s mountains in snow and topped off reservoirs, enabling its dams to crank out lots of electricity.

The state also recently installed many large batteries that allow utilities to use the abundant solar power for hours after the sun has set.

California’s energy plenitude should be a boon to British Columbia, Oregon and Washington State, but energy executives said there weren’t enough transmission lines to carry all of that surplus electricity north where it is needed.

Ivan Penn is a reporter based in Los Angeles and covers the energy industry. His work has included reporting on clean energy, failures in the electric grid and the economics of utility services. More about Ivan Penn

Ruth Fremson is a Times photographer, based in Seattle, who covers stories nationally and internationally. More about Ruth Fremson

Advertisement