Like any major city, Montreal has two sides — one the tourists see and one they don’t.
For folks passing through, essential stops throughout the city often include a handful of bucket list items such as climbing Mount Royal, having a world-famous Montreal bagel, and attending a Canadiens game.
However, not everything catered to visitors is worth their while.
With that in mind, we asked MTL Blog’s social media followers one simple question: “What do you think is Montreal’s biggest tourist trap?”
Our readers didn’t disappoint, getting specific with what they thought tourists (or locals!) should skip the next time they’re in town.
With that said, here’s a list of activities visitors might want to think twice about based on the top responses.
The “underground city”
Visitors often get excited when they hear about Montreal having a grand underground city. In reality, it’s more of a shopping mall connected through a series of tunnels and Metro stations.
“Tourists think it’s a historic archaeological underground urban wonder, like Troy. Boy, are they disappointed to see only an extended shopping mall,” one Facebook user remarked.
Unless you’re looking to escape a snowstorm, this might not be the hidden wonder that you’re expecting.
Eating in the Old Port
Montreal is notorious for having an excellent food scene. Unfortunately, most of its finest establishments are outside the city’s central tourist hub.
“I used to live in the Old Port,” one Facebook user said. “A lot of the restaurants are, how should I say this, not catering to return customers.”
Others took the opportunity to vent about the current state of the area. “It has been converted into a shanty town of T-shirts and souvenir shot glass vendors… Used to be a classy neighbourhood,” another Montrealer chimed in.
While the Old Port itself is worth a stroll, you may want to venture elsewhere for a genuinely authentic Montreal meal.
La Ronde
Most Montrealers have been to La Ronde at least once. While some love it, plenty of folks were quick to call Quebec’s largest amusement park a total tourist trap.
“There was a time when La Ronde was a great theme park. But no longer,” one local noted.
If you’re used to bigger theme parks like Canada’s Wonderland or Six Flags, you might find some of La Ronde’s attractions underwhelming to say the least.
La Grande Roue
It’s hard to miss this massive Ferris wheel in the Old Port, but opinions are divided on its value.
Many commenters agreed the view was nice but not worth the steep entry price.
Considering adult tickets go for upwards of $27 a ride, we see their point.
Schwartz’s Deli
It may be hard to believe, but this beloved Montreal institution topped the list of Montreal’s biggest tourist hotspots, according to our readers.
Many claimed the 98-year-old smoked meat shop’s famous sandwich wasn’t worth the hype or the long lines.
“Schwartz’s Deli. Mediocre smoked meat at tourist prices,” one straight-talking user commented.
Others hesitated to call it a tourist trap, torn between the steep price and the undeniable taste.
“I hate to say it, but Schwartz’s Deli,” another added.
While the deli is not cheap and can be a bit crowded, it’s hard to call it a “trap” once you’ve taken a bite of their iconic sandwich. Nevertheless, the people have spoken!
What’s more, it seems like some of these responses reflect wider trends when it comes to Montreal’s overrated destinations.
Last year, Preply analyzed Tripadvisor reviews from over 130 tourist attractions across the country. Montreal’s La Ronde was crowned Canada’s second-worst attraction (behind Marineland in Niagara Falls), with 51.86% ” of reviewers describing it as “disappointing.”
Two more Montreal spots ranked on the list: the Olympic Park (30.80% of people were disappointed) and the Biodome (21.86%). Zoom out to the top 20, and Montreal makes the list again (yikes), with Rue Sainte-Catherine placing 16th.
Meanwhile, some of our readers took the question a little too literally, either calling the entire city a tourist trap or pointing to people getting “trapped” in the city’s infamous array of potholes.
“Probably the potholes, tourists get in one and just can’t get back out,” one user commented
Looking for more local insights? In a video we filmed a few months back, Montrealers shared their thoughts on other popular spots often labelled as tourist traps, such as the Orange Julep, La Banquise, and the Montreal Science Centre.
Taking all these responses into account, it’s become clear that tourist traps are often just a matter of perspective.
What you may deem a rip-off, others might see as an unmissable experience — and hey, at least these hotspots help keep the crowds away from Montreal’s real hidden gems.
