10 Things to Do in Montreal in March

March is an ideal month to visit Montreal, as it includes things to do during winter and spring. If you visit in the early days of the month, you'll need to dress warmly to protect yourself from freezing winds, rain and cold temperatures, so it's best to make plans indoors. On the other hand, the last days of the month you can enjoy outdoor activities and spring festivals.

I suggest you visit the free exhibitions in the city's museums on the first Sunday of the month, or have a cup of mulled wine at the Winter Action Sports Festival. Additionally, in March the Monarch butterfly returns to the city, so you'll find celebrations, informative talks and festivals. If you still want to explore further, you can take advantage of the circus and cabaret season.

Montreal is a city dominated by history, art and architecture, so you'll find many museums and temporary exhibitions that are free to visit on the first Sunday of every month. I recommend including the first few days of March in your itinerary, as rain and cool temperatures tend to persist.

This is the perfect opportunity to visit Montreal's best museums and have a different kind of time.

McCord Museum

If you find yourself strolling around downtown Montreal, I recommend stopping at the McCord Museum, one of the largest in the country. You can learn about Canadian culture, there are sections on interesting corners of the city, crafts, customs, lifestyle of the communities and the legacy of the first peoples.

QR codes give you access to exclusive material in the exhibition rooms, such as the city's indigenous past. Also, if you bring your recyclable water bottle and coffee cup, you can refill them completely free at the fountains or at Café Norman, whose production processes are sustainable.

Details of interest: Admission is around €10, but you can get in for free on the first Sunday of every month or every Wednesday afternoon.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

If you are passionate about art and history, you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts, also known as the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, which has been in the city since 1860 and offers a variety of exhibitions in different wings of the building.

You can see the encyclopaedic collection spanning around five pavilions, which are interconnected underground and offer at least 80 art galleries. Here you can enjoy an open-air garden, a concert and cinema hall, an auditorium and more. There is also an atelier for education and art therapy, a discipline that encourages the maintenance and recovery of mental health through art.

Admission is approximately €10, but you can get in for free on the first Sunday of every month.

Details of interest: Please note that Parall(elles): A History of Women in Design is a private, non-discounted exhibition and admission is usually around €30, bringing together more than 250 works of craft, textiles, jewellery, interior design and more by North American women.

For an authentic Irish celebration, don't miss St Patrick's Day, which has been celebrated in Montreal since 1759. To start the day, many cafés in the city usually offer an Irish menu, with interesting breakfast offerings. Most of the activities during this day are completely free.

Get your camera ready because at the famous parade on St-Catherin Street, you will see many people in traditional Irish costumes, especially leprechaun costumes, green hats, red beards, shamrocks and much more. Enjoy the decorations, floats, live music and local performers.

Details of interest: Wear something green to fit in with the theme.

Traveller Tip

It's a celebration that attracts many people from neighbouring cities and other parts of the world. I recommend arriving early so you don't miss out on any activities and can enjoy the parade from a privileged location.

March is a month that takes advantage of the best of spring and winter activities, offering events on ice rinks and outdoors.

Casteliers Festival

The Festival de Casteliers is an ideal event to share and enjoy puppet shows suitable for children and adults. The entrance fee is around €200 and includes access to all the theatre shows. You can also take advantage of other activities, such as open-air film screenings, conferences, art exhibitions, gastronomic offerings and a bar with a variety of cocktails.

Details of interest: Tickets tend to sell out very quickly.

Festival Montréal Joue

The famous Festival Montréal Joue is a board game and video game event, which takes place between late February and early March and offers more than 200 free activities. Usually spread out in various libraries throughout the city, you can pick the most suitable spot and attend competitions, collectible game exhibits and more.

Details of interest: To access some activities or rent games, you may need a library card, student card or passport.

Festival Montréal en Lumière

The Festival Montréal en Lumière is a winter event featuring shows, food stalls and activities scattered throughout the city. There are many entertaining shows featuring ice rinks, plays, musicals, children's workshops, ice structures and live music performances.

In addition, many outdoor activities are organised in the city centre in spaces decorated with lights, winter markets, ferias with Ferris wheels, skating rinks and free events.

Details of interest: For the skating rink you can rent protective equipment and other accessories for free, such as sleds, helmets, skates, walkers and more.

International Art Film Festival

Don't miss the International Festival of Films on Art, which takes place in March. It's ideal for film lovers, as films and documentaries are presented through free outdoor activities. For several days you can attend lectures, workshops and talks where they explain the production process behind the works presented.

The most anticipated event is the film competition, where more than 5000 films from at least 70 countries compete.

Details of interest: There are immersive experiences that I suggest you arrive early to get a privileged seat.

New Music Festival

The MNM Festival or New Music Festival is an event that hosts artists in different parts of the city. From the last days of February to the first days of March, you can enjoy a variety of musical proposals, such as national and international artists, orchestras, bands and much more.

It lasts approximately ten days with a busy itinerary. You can attend conferences, musical instrument exhibitions, electro-acoustic laboratories and some outdoor activities completely free of charge.

Details of interest: Admission costs approximately €12 to €33.

In March the Monarch butterfly flies from Mexico and the United States to return to Canada. In Montreal, many activities are organised around this annual event. To celebrate, there are parties that fuse Mexican and Canadian culture, as well as informative talks that promote the care of this arthropod.

An ideal place to learn more about its history and preservation is the Montreal Insectarium, which houses the history of a variety of insects. As well as being home to more than 250,000 species, it is a museum with detailed information on the butterfly's route. Admission is around €12.

Here you can also visit the Montreal Botanical Garden which allows you to experience a variety of outdoor activities involving the Monarch butterfly's return home.

It's one of the best things to do with kids, as you can wander the trails filled with wildlife, visit the greenhouse which is open until May and tour over 23 gardens including:

• Chinese Garden, is one of the largest Chinese gardens outside of China and offers architecture ideal for memorable photographs. The landscaping and other elements of the architecture were transferred directly from Shanghai.
• Japanese Garden is surrounded by greenery and features a tranquil pond, ideal for a picnic. You can photograph the bonsai trees or enjoy the activities that take place in this area.
• Rose Garden, if you like flowers, this will probably become your favourite place in the world. There are a variety of roses, tulips and lilies that decorate the room, making it an ideal place to spend the afternoon.

Details of interest: The city is full of butterflies, especially in mid-March, so I recommend scheduling your trip during this time.

One of the most important events in the art scene comes to life in March, the Art Souterrain or Art Underground, which features fun activities such as festivals and art exhibitions. It lasts approximately three weeks and you can access all the celebrations completely free of charge.

Each year the theme is different and provides an immersive experience for tourists and locals alike. For maximum enjoyment you can book a guided tour of the exhibition facilities.

Details of interest: The events are held using abandoned or underground spaces that fit in with the type of art this celebration offers. In addition, you can access the venues via underground passages.

March is the exclusive month to enjoy a variety of shows put on by local circus performers, who put on events all year round, but do special activities to usher in spring and bid farewell to winter. Circus Cabaret is the centre of attention during the spring season. Its concept revolves around circus and cabaret shows, as well as competitions between the best performers. Tickets cost around €24.

Interesting details: For every ticket you get a free drink, as well as special seasonal discounts.

The best way to get to know the city is to take a walking tour of Montreal. This is ideal for mid-March, when there are plenty of local events and the temperatures are more pleasant.

If you go during the first few days of the month, I suggest you dress warmly, while the second part of the month you can opt for cooler clothes.

Bus tour with free stops

Montreal is a big city, so the best way to get around is to schedule a bus tour with free stops, with a professional guide who will optimise the time of your visit, helping you to get to know the most attractive places around.

It is an excellent plan to visit the Notre-Dame Basilica, Chinatown and the area where the 1976 Olympic Games were held.

Details of interest: You can also take this tour by metro, fares range from approximately €3 to €55.

If cold, snow and ice activities are your thing, I suggest arriving in the city between late February and early March when the best winter activities take place.

The Barbegazi or Winter Action Sports Festival is an event that includes winter obstacle courses, skiing and skating trails, snowmobile demonstrations, fatbike competitions and more.

For Canadians, a winter without this famous festival is not a winter at all. As one of the most anticipated events of the season, it takes place on the city streets and is ideal for enjoying a steaming mug of mulled wine.

Details of interest: Admission is free, I recommend wearing warm clothes with thermal protection or renting special equipment to get closer to Montreal's Olympic Park where the event is usually held.

FIKAS is an annual event held in March that brings together the best of Scandinavian lifestyle, including food stalls, arts and crafts, live music, theatre and outdoor cinema.

Details of interest: It's a completely free, immersive experience.

Buy tickets for the Ferris wheel at Montreal's La Grande Roue and get unparalleled views of the city. Nearby you can enjoy food stalls, live music and outdoor activities. It is a recommended attraction during the last days of March, as the views will be clearer.

Details of interest: This attraction costs around €23 and buying tickets in advance will save you queuing. Nearby there is a river where you can hire individual or group gondolas.