16 Red Zone-friendly things to do in Montreal this weekend: March 22 to 26

Montreal, Lanaudière, Laval, Laurentides, and Montérégie remain in the government’s COVID-19 red zone (Level 4–Maximum Alert). Restricted measures in red zones prohibit non-essential activities where the risk of the virus “cannot be sufficiently contained.” The government urges citizens to avoid gatherings, wear face masks inside public spaces, maintain two-metre physical distances, limit their social ‘bubble,’ and frequently wash their hands.

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This past weekend’s warmth and sunshine has extended into the start of the week and there’s plenty of things to do in Montreal as springtime kicks off on the island.

Even though the forecast calls for some rain later on this week, temperatures are expected to hover above double-digits for the remainder of the workweek.

If you plan on hitting the town, or feel more comfortable staying in, here are a bunch of things worth checking out around Montreal this week.

•  See also:
  • 9 trails for spring hiking in and around Montreal
  • Check out these groovy photos of Montreal from the 1970s (PHOTOS)
  • 12 popular movies that were filmed in Montreal

Get a massage

 

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Life is pretty hectic these days. Scandinave Spa Vieux-Montreal is offering in-person massages with reservations

Get a 60-minute Swedish massage, deep tissue, Thai, couples, or therapeutic massage starting at $160.

The spa is following all of the necessary COVID-19 protocols and will reopen their baths and water circuit as of April 1.

Indulge in some Easter treats

 

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Easter is still a few weeks away but that hasn’t stopped a slew of the great bakeries from concocting everyone’s favourite treat: Mini Eggs.

Support some of these local spots and check out some seriously impressive cretions.

Montréal en Lumière

Place des Festivals is offering a number of COVID-19-friendly, physically distanced outdoor exhibitions for this year’s Montréal en Lumière until the end of March.

Check out the site’s Splinter, Chimes, Passage, Heat Island, and the timeless Grand Roue.

Virtual reality

 

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The real world is pretty wild right now so maybe diving into the virtual world will do you well.

Since reopening at the end of February, the Phi Centre is focusing on art, astronomy, and VR.

Check out every lot in Montreal (virtually)

Speaking of the virtual world, why not check out all of Montreal from the comfort of your own home?

Started in August 2020, @everylotmtl is a bot that shows a Google Streetview picture of, well, every single lot in Montreal, along with details like the year it was built, the number of units, and the size in square metres.

Check out some art galleries

Montreal is (finally) waking up from its winter slumber and we couldn’t be happier about going outside for the first time in months — so what better way to spend the weekend than checking out some local art galleries?

Though many museums like the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the McCord Museum now require reserving a spot in advance, some of the city’s smaller galleries allow spontaneous visitors to stop by as well.

Check out Never Apart, La Guilde, OBORO, and so many others.

Espace pour la vie

The newly renovated Biodôme de Montréal has reopened amid Quebec’s latest round of eased COVID-19 restrictions.

In fact, both of the Espace pour la vie venues have reopened as of two weeks ago. The Jardin Botanique is open to the public as well.

The Biodôme is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm, and the Jardin Botanique is open daily from 7:30 am to 5 pm. Tickets cost a smooth $19 to enter each one.

In September, before the second wave of COVID-19 shut down venues and museums across the province, Espace pour la vie reopened after more than two years of construction and refurbishment work.

The iconic space’s renovations are highlighted by a new “multisensory and immersive experience,” as guests can make their way through five ecosystems of the Americas.

The OASIS Immersion Gallery

The OASIS Immersion Gallery in Montreal opened last week, and the pictures of it look just as cool as we thought they would.

If you don’t already know what it is, OASIS is a new permanent immersive art centre at the Palais des Congrès. With 119 surround-sound speakers, 105 laser projectors, and a whole LED lighting system, Montrealers are in for a breathtaking experience.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA)

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has reopened its doors for the first time in over four months.

The four exhibitions on display are “brimming with artistic discoveries and reflections on the major issues of our time.”

The MMFA is following all COVID-19 protocols and “ensures customer safety.”

Go thrift shopping

 

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If there’s one thing Montreal and Macklemore have in common, it’s their love of thrift shopping.

Truly, there’s nothing like diving into a colourful rack of secondhand clothes and finding the sweatshirt you’ve been trying to find for months, or a skirt that fits like a glove and matches with everything you own.

As post-lockdown makeovers begin, it can be difficult to revamp your style in a way that is sustainable, ethical, and won’t make your wallet cry. Despite the vast big brand thrift stores like Value Village and the Salvation Army, finding something decent often takes many hours and hundreds of failed trips to the fitting rooms.

Time travel back to Montreal

If you’re in the mood for a little bit of time travelling, why not check out some photos of what Montreal used to look in the 1940s, 1950s, and 60s?

The photos, courtesy of Archives de la Ville de Montréal, feature rue Ste. Catherine, The Plateau, St-Henri, and more from over eight decades ago.

Luminothérapie – Loop

Quartier des Spectacles is lit.

The Quartier des Spectacles’ public square is hosting the 11th edition of Luminothérapie with Loop, a series of luminous, music-playing, interactive art pieces.

Because if anything can lighten up the bleak start of the year, it’s Luminothérapie, Quebec’s largest temporary public art installation. Loop will be on display every day from noon to 7:30 pm until March 14.

Go house shopping

Now might actually be the best time to sit at home and peek into the luxurious lives of million-dollar homes around Montreal.

We scoured Sotheby’s International Realty and put together a list of the most expensive properties for sale in Montreal. Because sure, it’s a pandemic, but now might be the time to pour $25 million into a home.