Bistro Vü: Tucked away in a private marina, this multi-level restaurant and bar gets going in the evenings, as a sexy and mostly local crowd takes over the super comfortable couches and ottomans on the rooftop. It sits high above the water, facing Jacques Cartier Bridge and the Clock Tower Quay: the views are unbeatable! This is quite the party place, with the bar getting more attention than the downstairs bistro. On Sundays they host a party called 00SUN, with chaise lounges on a sun-filled deck for tanning and DJs playing from 4PM onwards. 550 de la Commune St. East, (514) 451-0866,

Café des Éclusiers: This open-air bar sits on top of the river, facing the Lachine canal and lots of greenery. It opens late morning, offering sun lovers loungers on vast deck. It’s a great spot for an afternoon drink, to cool off in the breeze from walking the hot streets of the city. At night it turns into a party spot, with DJs and plenty of scantily-clad girls. Another fun time to visit is on Sunday, when they host a boozy and hopping brunch. 400 De la Commune West (at McGill street), (514) 496-0109

Bota Bota: Why would I include a spa in this list of bars-by-the-water? First, because it’s one of the most incredible spas I’ve ever visited, scenery wise, as it occupies a funky boat with ultra-modern design and hot tubs on the deck overlooking transatlantic ships. Secondly, because a little-known fact about Bota Bota is that it has an on-board bistro serving lunch and drinks! The only catch: in order to eat there one must purchase a half-day pass ($45 on weekdays, $50 on weekends and holidays) and wear a bathing suit (robe and flip-flops optional!). Your best bet is to go early, enjoy the water circuit (wet and dry saunas, hot tubs, etc.) then head over to the bistro for a lovely lunch-by-the-river! They’re open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., and on Tuesdays there’s a two-for-one deal. 358 De la Commune St. West, (514) 284-0333

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Thanks to revitalization efforts along Montreal’s shorelines, waterways, harbourfront and main Port, most of the water surrounding Montreal is now (gasp!) monitored, and in places, navigable.

In fact, as of next summer, a new map, the Blue Route (St. Lawrence Water Trail) will help canoe and kayak enthusiasts chart a network of safe launches, shelters and rest areas along the St-Lawrence in/around Montreal.

The safest, most central water trail in the city is the Lachine Canal, which opened to pleasure boaters in 2002. In the not-so-distant-past, people stayed clear of the Lachine Canal, the site of heavy industry and oil spills. Thanks to clean-up efforts though, today’s Canal forms the picturesque backdrop for new high-end condo developments and one of the city’s best bike paths.

Just minutes from the Old Port and steps from the Atwater Market, local restaurants and public transportation, the Canal is also the perfect place to launch into calm waters and traverse the city’s history.

Work on the Canal began in 1689 by the French Colonial government and other groups hoping to build a waterway that allowed ships to bypass the treacherous Lachine Rapids (in fact, the hope was that the canal would chart a route from New France to the Western Sea and on to China, hence its name – La Chine). In the end, the canal stretched 14.5 km from the Old Port to Lake Saint-Louis and proved key to the industrial development of Montréal. The corridor became one of the main manufacturing production centres in Canada up until the Second World War, and also nurtured Montreal’s cosmopolitan flare!

One way to experience the Canal is to hop aboard the Navark Dollier-de-Casson, which offers an hour and 45 minute guided boat tour of the Canal. The boat docks at the foot of the Atwater Market and offers fantastic views of downtown (11$-18$, kids under 5 ride free: 514-283-6054). If you want something a little more adventurous, grab farm-fresh picnic goods at the Atwater Market, then cross the closest Canal footbridge to find H2O Adventures (2985B St. Patrick between Atwater and Charlevoix). Here, along the bank of the Canal, you can rent a kayak or pedalo for an afternoon of pleasure paddling and discovery (514-842-1306).

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