Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Hudson

"Why: Perhaps one of the most famous and prominent churches in Montreal, the Gothic Revival of the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal is a breathtaking centrepiece to the Place d'Armes square that was built between 1824 and 1829 and is quite reminiscent of its namesake in Paris."

"A grand Gothic Revival basilica with stained glass depictions of Montreal's religious history has only one soul resting in its crypt."

"The gigantic oratory honors St Joseph, Canada’s patron saint. The largest shrine ever built in honor of Jesus’ father, this Renaissance-style building was completed in 1960 and commands fine views of the northern slope of Mont-Royal. The oratory dome is visible from anywhere in this part of town. The oratory is also a tribute to the work of Brother André, the determined monk who first built a little chapel here in 1904."

"Driving around Montreal, you might notice a big, rounded, green roof standing tall on the horizon. That roof belongs to St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, the largest church in Canada and a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. At 97 metres, that huge roof — the dome of the Oratory basilica — is the second highest in the world, behind only Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome."

"Another one of Montreal’s impressive religious buildings, Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral (Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde) lies in the downtown area and stands as the third-largest church in the province of Quebec. Modeled after Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the construction of this prominent Baroque Revival cathedral took place from 1870 to 1878 and from 1885 to 1894."

"Why: Another classic church from Montreal's downtown core, Mary, Queen of the World Basilica was build in the late 1800s and renamed in 1955 by Pope Benedict XV."

"For over a century this elongated two-story building, inaugurated in 1847, housed the main agricultural market for the Montreal area. With its tin-plated dome and neoclassical style, it's considered one of the ten major achievements in the history of Canadian architecture. After standing idle for a few years there was some talk of tearing it down, but that changed in 1963 when it was re-purposed as a place for exclusive boutiques selling everything from authentic Canadian crafts to jewelry, leather, and hand-blown glass, all designed and made in Québec."

"The beautiful domed tower of the historic Marche Bonsecours is one of the most recognizable buildings in Old Montreal. It shares the same name as the nearby church. In the past, this building has served as a public market, a concert hall, Montreal's city hall and even the Parliament of Lower Canada."

"You can visit Montreal’s historic sights on this guided walking tour including Notre-Dame Basilica, Place Jacques-Cartier, Bonsecours Market, Montreal City Hall and Champ de Mars (to name a few). Old Montreal Food Tour"

"A smaller park of the city, this greenspace has garnered a reputation with locals as a great place to gather. With its outdoor gym, a children’s playground, a baseball field for public teams to practice and play, a dog park, a swimming pool and a decent bathroom, that leaves few questions as to why. Throw in being one of the best places to barbecue—grocery stores and dépanneurs are nearby for supplies—and that’s a recipe for being one the best."

"This large and spacious park is a favorite of many Montrealers throughout the city. One of the city’s most popular parks. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park makes the best parks list for all of its amenities, location, and beauty."

"Best reached by car or by bicycle, Bois de l'Île Bizard is about as far removed from the city center as you can get while still remaining within city limits. It's on the northwestern island and Montreal borough, Île Bizard. Driving is the easiest way to reach the island since it's about 40 minutes away from downtown by car and public transit is limited."

"Bois-de-l'Île-Bizard is a haven, and a local favorite place to be in all of Montreal. But getting to this idyllic beach without a car of your own requires a trek and then some. Factor in two hours of public transit followed by a 40-minute hike—or bike—just to get to the park."

"If you want to experience nature, then this is the park for you. Families can cool off with a swim at a sandy beach and then explore the park’s marshes, trails and boardwalks, either by foot or bike. There are also spots for canoeing, kayaking and fishing."

"Locals enjoy visiting this park to tan, picnic and exercise, but it’s most known for is its large soccer field where locals organize friendly matches during the summer and hockey in the winter. Walk through the tree-canopied and bench-lined path from Rachel Street where the city’s colorful characters gather for conversation and playing cards or checkers. If jogging’s your thing, a couple of laps around the park makes for a great running track as well."

"One of the best parks in Montreal to sunbathe or hang out with friends. This is also a great park for parents with little kids as the park has a great play area for children. There is a baseball diamond, a tennis court, and volleyball sand courts making this a pretty sweet spot to spend time in Montreal."

"What makes this one of the best parks in Montreal is the sensational view from the top side of the park. King George Park is a great place to spend a weekday night enjoying the sunset on the Southshore of Montreal. A relaxing park with areas for children and adults alike with some sporting amenities."

"Alati-Caserta is a well-known traditional Italian pastry shop in Little Italy. Since 1968, the house has specialized in the most classic Italian confections from their fabulous homemade cannoli (among the best in town!) and biscotti, to their Code d’Aragosta (lobster tail) and delicious cornetto. We love this address for the excellence and authenticity of its products, and its original 1968 décor that takes us back to another era!"

"Montreal’s pastry options are vast with its regular injections of young guns contributing to the scene. As a result, sometimes the more old-school, traditional options are easy to forget about. Eating cannoli at Little Italy’s Alati Caserta can rectify that problem though: They are far from forgettable."

"Tran Cantine is a newish small Vietnamese restaurant that opened in June 2017 on rue Notre-Dame Ouest at the corner of rue Courcelle. The Vietnamese menu is not only excellent but the prices are very reasonable. This is homemade cuisine from the broths to the marinades."

"Don’t miss passing by this spa in Les Cours Mont Royal, located inside the commercial portion of the Underground City. One of those legacy spas that’s been serving Montrealers for years—two decades and counting!. —its specialty lies in the range of rejuvenating beautification services it offers among swanky digs."

"Spa Diva is known as Canada’s largest and most elegant full-service day spa. Not only do we want to pamper you, but they also want you to leave feeling more relaxed and like yourself. Their major priority at Spa Diva is you."

"Sometimes you don’t want to decide what to do next at a spa, and that’s why we like to look to this guided experience in Griffintown. Attendants can take you from one treatment to the next, but the selection of options here merits repeated visits: Climb into a free-standing cryotherapy booth that’s chilled with liquid nitrogen (perfectly safe), white light sessions to induce a hypnagogic state to get your brain pumping out a bit of DMT, using sugar for hair removal, or any one of their other on-the-edge offerings. Come for the innovation, stay for the relaxation."

"Spa Cloud is committed to giving you the best health and wellness experience possible. Spa Cloud aspires to be Montreal’s greenest spa; they’re dedicated to being on the cutting edge of technology and innovation, and they’ll continue to offer you some of the most innovative treatments and therapies. Spa Cloud products are chosen for their beneficial plant and fruit extracts, which give nutrients and advantages while also assisting you in feeling your best."

"Cloud is an appropriate name for this spa, which is filled with natural elements. Entering Spa Cloud can feel, at times, like entering nature itself: wood, soft lights and organic surfaces reign. There is a menu of beauty- and wellness-minded treatments."

"This Mile End spa likes to ‘warn’ its customers that prolonged exposure to its form of care results in a euphoric addicition, and we can get behind that. Customers come here for the therapeutic massages, private infratherapy saunas, facial treatments and massages, or just to dig into their selection of organic products made by hand from local and fair trade ingredients. The private sauna here’s exceptionally cheap at $30, meaning you can duck in and drop out before hitting the streets again."