From Boston to Montréal, with a French kiss
French flair is waiting just north of the border, with a flight from Boston to Montréal.
Whether you’re watching the Canadiens take to the ice in the Bell Centre, or ducking in and out of the underground shops in La Ville Souterraine, there are always cool things to do in Montréal. This centre for business and culture mixes work and play with a European twist.
Walking along the cobbled streets of Vieux-Montréal, down to the Vieux-Port de Montréal , you’ll pass hundreds of years of French-Canadian history, written in the stone of the area’s buildings. Keep your camera handy for postcard-perfect pictures of sites like the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal and Vieux Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice.
Atop the city’s eponymous hill, Mont Royal, the l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph shines as one of the city’s most famous buildings. Draping the hillside in green, the Parc Mont Royal is a 200-hectare jewel in Montréal’s park system. If you’re here during the winter, the Biodôme de Montréal is an evergreen escape from the snow. You can walk from the tropical rainforest to the Labrador coast in this indoor collection of constructed ecosystems.
After getting a glimpse of the Laurentian Maple Forest in the biodome, see the same wilderness on canvas at the Musée des Beaux-Arts Montréal. Like Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, this vast collection of artwork will keep you in awe for hours.
For a final museum fix on your trip from Boston to Montréal, make your way to the Musée McCord. Tracing Montréal’s history over the centuries of its existence, this museum is your window into the past behind the winding streets and charming cafés of this French Canadian city.
La Petite Patrie
A little taste of Montréal
The boundaries of this up-and-coming neighbourhood in Montréal’s Rosemont borough aren’t entirely clear. Locals may bicker, but the general consensus is that La Petite Patrie contains three parts. Rue Beaubien, Little Italy, and Mile-Ex each add their own flavour to La Petite Patrie, making this neighbourhood a treat for any trip from Boston.
Along Rue Beaubien, you’ll find La Petite Patrie’s best bars. Drink in the street life from one of the trendy patio bars or cozy up inside a more traditional pub. Whether you’re looking for a quiet evening or a night of heavy metal music, Rue Beaubien’s bars will be music to your ears.
After a few drinks, there’s nothing quite like warm poutine. Combining poutine with Montréal smoked meat, Le Roi du Smoked Meat has created a masterpiece. Meat meets potatoes in the comfort food of this diner.
If your palate is looking for a little Italian, head down to Little Italy. Family-run Italian bistros punctuate every corner, so you’ll run out of room before you run out of options. A perpetual favourite for pizza is Ristorante Elio. La Petite Patrie residents have been visiting this institution since 1964.
At the Marché Jean-Talon, you can get a glimpse of the ingredients behind your meal. Everyone from bakers to beekeepers hawk their wares at this historic market.
Nearby, Mile-Ex is the site of numerous artists studios, built in hollowed out former textile factories. The artistic influence on La Petite Patrie is evident in Cinéma Beaubien. This all-French, art-house movie theatre is an avant-garde way to spend the evening.
Rosemont’s more northern neighbourhoods await as you leave La Petite Patrie. Whether you walk to the Jardin botanique de Montréal or take the metro to the Village Olympique, La Petite Patrie’s location helps you make the most of your visit from Boston.
Saint-Henri
A new twist on an old neighbourhood
The best part of your trip from Boston to Montréal is waiting in Saint-Henri. History serves as the colourful backdrop for this newly revived neighbourhood.
This former working-class neighbourhood lost the source of its livelihood during the Great Depression. As Saint-Henri’s leather tanneries closed, the neighbourhood began a decline that would last for decades.
What was once the centre of the leather-tanning industry in Montréal is now the site of artistic renewal. Once abandoned warehouses now house Saint-Henri’s art galleries. These converted spaces splice together the neighbourhood’s two identities.
Among the renovated artist studios, you’ll find art deco edifices and cozy diners. Local old-timers, creative types, and young families all share the streets of the new Saint-Henri.
Make a meal out of your visit to Saint-Henri at one of the area’s restaurants. Trendy options and traditional Québecois fare make for difficult decisions on where to dine. But there’s one thing both trendy and traditional restaurants agree on the fish. The close by Atwater Market is always stocked with fresh fish, ensuring Saint-Henri’s restaurants have their pick of the day’s catch.
After eating, take a stroll on the shores of the Lachine Canal. This site once served for industrial shipping, but now its quiet shores invite walkers and cyclists to amble along. The Lachine Canal bike path is perfect to tour this scenic waterfront, whether you’re on two wheels or two feet. Before flying back to Boston, take in the view as your make your way through this old-new neighbourhood.
How to get to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Porter’s check-in desk is located in Terminal E.
Logan International Airport (BOS) is about 6 km / 4 mi from downtown Boston.
Hotels near Boston Logan International Airport
Looking for a hotel near Boston Logan Airport for accommodation before your flight? Here are some hotels close to the airport:
Hilton Boston Logan Airport
Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor
Hilton Garden Inn Boston Logan Airport
Courtyard by Marriott Boston Logan Airport
Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
And more…
For pricing and reservations, please check the hotel website.
Transportation to Boston Logan International Airport
Water taxis from downtown cost about $15 USD.
Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft offer services to Boston Logan International Airport. Passengers may only be dropped off on the upper Departures level of each terminal at Boston Logan.
Take the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority Silver Line SL1 bus to any one of the airport terminal stops. The fare is $2.25 USD.
The Logan Express shuttle bus provides service to the airport from downtown. The fare is $3.00 USD by credit/debit only.
Please allow sufficient time to drop off your car rental before your departing flight.
Taxis from downtown cost about $25 USD. Car service costs about $80 USD.
Boston Logan International Airport Parking
Driving to Boston Logan International Airport? There are many parking options at Boston Airport with convenient access to all terminals. Choose from the Central Parking Garage, Terminal B Garage or Terminal E Lots, with rates starting at $35 USD per day.
The information and figures above are for reference only, and may not be current. Please visit each airport's website for up-to-date details.
Landing in Montréal
There are many options for transportation to downtown Montréal from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
The trip is about 20 km / 12 mi from downtown Montréal.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Downtown
Car rental services are available at the kiosks on the ground floor of the multi-level parking complex, located in front of the passenger terminal building of Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
Taxis to downtown cost about $40 CAD. Car service costs about $50 CAD.
Uber pickup is available at Montréal Airport. To find your ride, exit through door 6 on the Departures level. Fares from YUL to downtown Montréal start at $36.
The 747 P-E-Trudeau Airport / Downtown shuttle bus provides service from the airport to downtown. The fare is $10 CAD.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) Parking
There are many parking options at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montréal. Choose from Terminal, Economy, or Indoor parking, with rates starting at $7 for 20 minutes and at $20 for 24 hours. The airport also offers the convenience of ValetParc parking for $42 for 24 hours.
The information and figures above are for reference only, and may not be current. Please visit each airport's website for up-to-date details.
Flights may be operated by Porter Airlines (Canada) Ltd or Porter Airlines Inc.
