MONTREAL – Everyone loves when summer comes around – because temperatures over freezing are so rare – but the city really comes alive during the warmer months.
There are the usual activities like the Jazz Festival and Osheaga, but what if you want to do something a little different?
Here are five free ways to rediscover Montreal this summer:
Join a free walking tour
What better way to discover your city than to take part in a free walking tour of Montreal?
Not only will you get to meet tourists from all over the world, but you might learn a thing or two – tour guides can answer any and all questions about the city’s history, architecture and more.
Many of them start in the Old Port and will take you on a whirlwind tour of the city’s biggest monuments and most interesting corners.
Ommm…outdoor yoga
Get your om on with Moksha Yoga Montreal as they offer free 60 to 75 minute yoga classes every Sunday in July and August at Parc des Amérique on the corner of Saint-Laurent and Rachel streets.
Classes start at 11 a.m. and are open to everyone from the yogi-obsessed to the inflexible newbie.
Don’t unravel your mat if it’s raining though – classes won’t be on.
Explore a new neighbourhood
Montreal is full of amazing neighbourhoods and interesting nooks and crannies – from Hipster-central Mile End to family-loving Montreal West.
Why not take the time to walk, cycle or bus across the mountain to a part of town that you’ve never been to?
Discover the Circuit Jardins
Did you know Sentier Urbain is a group of Montrealers dedicated to restoring “wasteland” areas of the city into beautiful urban gardens?
You can see the amazing, green transformations around the Ville-Marie and Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve boroughs.
According to the organization, it’s not only a gorgeous place to wander through and breath some cleaner air, it’s also a great place to forget about the hustle and bustle of city life and strengthen that human-nature connection.
Have a picnic at the Lachine canal
The Lachine canal is a perfect picnic spot – but surprisingly, not a lot of people take advantage of it.
Not only can you walk or bike all the way to Atwater market for a snack, but there are enough trees to sit and read a book and plenty of sun to play soccer or toss a football around.
You might even see a couple people floating by on their boats.
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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