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In June, Rotarians at the RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, will find the city to be warm – with an average temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit – and inviting. And as its 1,000 parks and 1.5 million balconies attest, this is a city that’s best experienced en plein air . Take a stroll through its ethnic enclaves and shopping meccas, or relax and people-watch from a park bench or sidewalk cafe.

Ile Ste-Hélène This small island is home to the Biosphère, dedicated to environmental education and housed in a spherical geometric dome designed by Buckminster Fuller. Nearby are La Ronde amusement park and the Casino de Montréal. Métro: Jean-Drapeau (or catch the ferry from Quai Jacques-Cartier in the Old Port)

Little Italy Experience a full-blown Italian dinner, complete with violin music at your table and authentic gelato, or shop the Marché Jean-Talon, a farmers’ market overflowing with fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, and pastries, and surrounded by delis and cafes. Métro: Jean-Talon

Mont-Royal Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Parc Mont-Royal offers a green haven in the middle of Montréal. Climb the winding staircases to reach a beautiful overlook of the city. In the surrounding Plateau Mont-Royal, hip restaurants and designer boutiques are tucked in among ornate wrought-iron balconies and gabled Victorian rooflines. Métro: Peel

Quartier Latin Rue St-Denis offers top restaurants along with lively nightlife. It’s also one of the best areas to take in the passing scene at an outdoor cafe. Métro: Sherbrooke

Rue Ste-Catherine This district features a 12-block stretch of high-end department stores and boutiques along with the Museum of Contemporary Art, with its impressive collection of post-1939 work, and Place des Arts, Montréal’s premier performing arts center. Métro: Place-des-Arts

The Underground City Twenty miles of labyrinthine pedestrian walkways offer 1,700 shops to explore, along with about 200 restaurants and 40 movie theaters. Accessible from the Palais des congrès, it also links 10 métro stations in central Montréal. Métro: Place d’Armes

Vieux-Montréal The Old City is home to neoclassical architecture, historic churches, and art galleries along charming cobblestone streets. Best explored on foot, the area features Basilique Notre-Dame and the cafe-lined Place Jacques-Cartier. In the evenings, you can take a guided ghost walk. Métro: Place d’Armes

Vieux-Port Along the St. Lawrence River at the foot of the Old City, the Old Port – once the commercial center of Montréal – is now a waterside park frequented by bicyclers, walkers, and picnickers. Métro: Place d’Armes