7(ish) hours to kill in YUL. Any suggestions
 

I'll have a 7 hour layover in YUL on an April Saturday between 10:00 and 15:00. I've never been to Montreal. Any suggestions on some quick and/or easy things to check out in that time? Or should I just chill in the MLL at the airport?

It is not a huge amount of time, depending where you are flying to afterwards. You are close to an hour from downtown, after clearing customs and immigration, which can take a while, and you could be selected for random testing. To add to that returning and going back through security, and maybe US immigration. It is really the worst amount of layover time, too much and not enough. I would stick to the lounge.

Whether or not you have in-bound immigration or out-bound immigration (to the US) will impact your planning.
On a Saturday, it should not take more than 30-40 mins in a cab or Uber.
If it's sunny, go to Place Jacques-Cartier or Notre-Dame Basilica. Walk around Old Montreal and soak in the atmosphere.
If it's raining, go to Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History.
All three places are near each other and are perfect for a first-time visitor.
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13F

Thank you both for the responses. My flights in and out are domestic so I shouldn't have to worry about immigration wait times. I also, however, realised that I failed my grade 3 maths here in that I reported a layover from 10:00 to 15:00 as 7 hours when in reality it's only 5. What can I say? I'm a moron.

Thanks again for the suggested sights. The museum sounds very interesting. I'll google it for more information.

https://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/ Museum is known locally as the Pointe-a-Calliere museum, based on it's location. It is indeed fabulous.

The 747 Bus from the Airport to Rue St Katherine would be interesting at least.

I'll be honest; I had to Google that to be sure that I wasn't being set up for some sort of untoward "adventure". But it turned out to be a very interesting suggestion. Thanks for that.

I had two 4-ish hour layovers in YUL last weekend. I used the first one to go to Schwartz's for some smoked meat and the second to go to Banquise for some poutine. Although I also lived there for four years, so no particular need for sightseeing, just a desire to enjoy my favourite Montreal foods :)

Now we're talking! Both of those are on the shortlist for sure. Thank you.

If you are going to Schwartz's, you might also want to pick up some bagels nearby https://fairmountbagel.com/

And if you like a good coffee and Leonard Cohen you can see his childhood home at parc du Portugal and have a Coffee at Cafe Le Darling on the other side of Saint-Laurent.
5min walk from Schwartz's.
Thats what I call Montreal on a clock :)
Edit: and in between Schwartz's and Fairmont bagel.

I walked from Fairmount Bagel to Schwartz's a few weeks ago. The hard part was to resist the scent of bagels from my bag while waiting in the ~45min line outside Schwartz... this was for take-out, the dining in was still closed at the time.

I'm reasonably sure I won't get bagels through security for the outbound flight. And I _really_ want some poutine. So I'm seriously leaning towards La Banquise at the moment.

FYI I brought 4 dozen bagels home last trip with no checked luggage. Security let me keep all the bagels but confiscated my cream cheese spreads.

Why would bagels not be okay through security? :confused: I have taken them many times...