Inside a sauna on a ferry boat turned spa, we sweated in silence and gazed out a broad picture window framing the Montreal skyline. The floating spa, Bota Bota, is docked on the St. Lawrence River, replete with hot pools, saunas and steam rooms — one of a growing number of Nordic spas in Canada.
Amid rising travel costs and lingering COVID-19 concerns, I nixed a trip to Europe this year, opting for a cheaper destination closer to home for my first international trip during the pandemic. As Canada's second largest city, Montreal provides French flavor at a fraction of the price of Paris, and an equally vibrant city to explore.
A bonus for sauna enthusiasts is the growing number of Scandinavian spas — part of a broader, thriving wellness industry as locals and visitors alike seek out relatively affordable ways to relax and unplug.
"People need it. That was true before the pandemic and that's even more true now. Everywhere, I think, people need to take a step back and breathe," said Geneviève Emond, owner of Bota Bota and vice president of the Quebec Association of Spas. "We kind of embraced that sauna experience, and the Quebec industry really made it its own."
On a cool, rainy spring weekend, I trekked to Montreal with my mom ahead of the city's peak tourism season. Before we arrived, Quebec was the last province to lift mask mandates in indoor public spaces, though Canada still requires masks on planes and at airports. After long delays, sitting on the airport tarmac for more than an hour in Toronto, we arrived in Montreal.
Atop La Grande Roue de Montréal, the tallest Ferris wheel in Canada, we marveled at the view of the city, the river and Mont Royal, the city's prominent hilltop. On a tour bus, a guide discussed tension between English and French speakers and new legislation limiting access to public services in English. While Quebec is home to primarily French speakers, Montreal is largely bilingual, though we regretted not knowing any French as people greeted us in the tongue.
Language was immaterial inside Scandinave Spa, the first spa we visited along the cobblestone streets of the Old Port of Montreal. Like Bota Bota, Scandinave Spa doesn't allow talking — or phones and cameras. If you forget the rule, Scandinave employees wander around, wearing shirts that say "SILENCE" on the back, to remind violators.
Some people may associate a spa day with getting a pedicure, or envision a sauna as a cramped, windowless room in a gym. Abandon those misconceptions: Scandinave's expansive Finnish sauna was a work of art, with floor-to-ceiling wood panels backlit in white.