Skate, snack and start it all over: our top picks for Montréal winter fun

Esplanade Tranquille skating rink – Quartier des spectacles

Inaugurated last year, this free refrigerated skating rink will quickly become your favourite place this winter. Open until April 7, 2024, this downtown Montréal marvel measures some 1,500 m2 of ice surface to comfortably welcome up to 400 skaters. What’s more, the ice is cleaned every 1.5 hours, making it one of the best outdoor ice surfaces in town!  Need equipment? The counter operated by Patin Patin (for a fee)at the Repaire in the pavilion offers rental services for skates, helmets, support frames and padlocks, and skate sharpening. 

Don't miss the interactive Luminothérapie experience Au bord du lac Tranquille that reveals the strikingly rich biodiversity of Northern marine flora and fauna. If you like to twirl to the beat of the music, head off every Friday evening to the Patins Platines evenings, where you show off your moves to a world beat spun by Montreal DJs. On Saturday night, it's time for Disco Fever, with a playlist of 70s music that's sure to get you going. On Sunday mornings, families can enjoy the Ice Garden, a fun place for children aged 2 to 10 to learn to skate. As for good places to eat, the Quartier des spectacles has put together a top ten list of nearby cafés where you can take a gourmet break. Here are our favourites, just a few minutes from the rink:

• Café du Grand salon, in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion at the end of the rink, 1442 Clark Street
• Café SAT, 6 Place du Marché
• Café Pista, 1587 Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Old Port of Montréal ice skating rink – Old Montréal

Under the winter sun or stars, two magnificent ice skating rinks – one refrigerated, one natural – await you at the foot of the Grande Roue de Montréal. After paying to get in, you can merrily glide and spin in an enchanting ambiance of twinkling lights and music as you soak in panoramic views of historic Old Montréal buildings and the St. Lawrence River until March 10, 2024. DJ on Ice nights get the crowd moving every Thursday from January 11 until March 7, 2024, while music-themed evenings every Wednesday and Friday from December 20, 2023 until March 8, 2024 set the soundtrack to a perfect outing.  If your legs get tired and you’re ready to unlace, enjoy a gourmet treat that includes delicious pastries and superb coffees at one of these locations:

• Tommy Café, 151 Saint-Paul Street West
• Café Olimpico, 419 Saint-Vincent Street
• Olive + Gourmando, 351 Saint-Paul Street West

Parc La Fontaine ice skating rink – Plateau Mont-Royal

Parc La Fontaine’s pond offers you an incredible fairy-tale setting of sparkling lights and soft music to enjoy absolutely free of charge. Not only this, but your festive and frosty outing includes skate rentals and sharpening services if you need it. There are tons of great spots in this lively corner of the Plateau Mont-Royal to grab a snack of olive or cheese ciabatta, honey raisin bread, viennoiseries, vanilla, pistachio or Nutella bombolini, vegan brownies and more. Here are our recommendations for your sweet stop-off:

• Robin Des Bois (in the Parc La Fontaine chalet), 3933 Parc-La Fontaine Avenue
• Parc Sans Gluten (perfect for the gluten intolerant), 4050 Parc-La Fontaine Avenue
• Boulangerie Mr Pinchot, 4354 Brébeuf Street
• Boulangerie les Co’pains d’abord, 418 Rachel Street East

Parc Maisonneuve ice skating rink – Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie

Montréal’s east end is home to the city’s biggest free outdoor skating rink. Bring your blades and get ready to carve on this great oval surface, which is far away from the urban hustle and bustle. There’s even a designated area to help beginners build their courage, or kids to practice their twirls. If you’re feeling hungry after your skate, make your way down to Hochelaga-Maisonneuve to these handpicked eateries, where you can warm up with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a delicious pastry.

• Boulangerie Arhoma, 15 Place Simon-Valois
• Hélico Café, 4255 Ontario Street East

Parc Jarry ice skating rink - Villeray

For gliding blithely along in wintry delight or zooming at top speed for the thrill of skating fast, Parc Jarry, which borders the Villeray and Parc-Extension neighbourhoods, has three skating rinks to satisfy every style of skating. It also offers cross-country ski trails and a toboggan hill for hours of sliding fun. An equipment rental counter is also open on winter weekends. As for snacks, head to these delicious spots to warm up with a good sweet or savoury snack.

• Café Saint-Henri, (Mile-Ex - Quartier Général), 7335 Mile End Street
• Brasserie Harricana, 95 Jean-Talon Street West
• Boulangerie Le Pain dans les Voiles, 357de Castelnau Street East
• Café Vito, 151 Villeray Street

Skating in superb natural settings

Head up the mountain to Mount Royal Park (Beaver Lake) skate to your heart’s content for free on a 2,500 m² smooth, refrigerated ice surface that’s ideal for all skaters, from beginners to seasoned twirlers. Skate rentals are also available. Worked up an appetite from all that exercise? You can pick up some nibblies at Café des Amis in the Beaver Lake pavilion right next to the rink. 

For another outdoor escape, try the Skater's trail in Parc Jean-Drapeau, a magical 500-metre-long path only a few minutes from downtown Montréal. You can rent your equipment on site and reserve a locker to store your personal belongings while you skate. After dark, indulge in a new immersive experience with its Slide and Groove Nights! DJs drop a captivating beat to turn the skating path into a nighttime playground under the starry sky. Finally, enjoy a hot chocolate, coffee, meal or snack at Ste-Hélène Bistro-Terrasse in Espace 67.

Indoor ice skating  

Recently restored and transformed, the Verdun Auditorium is a historic and iconic building in the same neighbourhood as the Scotty Bowman and Denis Savard rinks. Book your time and enjoy free skating and hockey in an incredible, award-winning space. Located a stone's throw from the trendy Promenade Wellington, there are plenty of delicious places to enjoy a good snack.

• Janine Café-Brunch, 3900 Wellington Street
• Sweet Lee’s Boulangerie Rustique, 4150 Wellington Street
• Café Jardin , 4437 Wellington Street

Located at the heart of downtown, the Atrium Le 1000 indoor skating rink is open all year round, inviting visitors to skate to a variety of music. Situated on the first floor of Montréal's tallest building, the rink boasts a massive glass dome ceiling that allows the sun's rays to shine through. It's an architectural and sporty experience that you can end with a sweet treat and a hot drink once you're done skating.

• Le 1000 food court, first floor of Le 1000, 1000, rue De La Gauchetière
• Melk Bar à café Stanley, 1206 Stanley Street
• Marché Artisans, 900, boulevard René Lévesque Ouest