Spa Ofuro

Everyone wants to get away for a little R&R, but there are plenty of things that get in the way of taking a much-needed break – there isn't enough time, or it's too expensive or everything's too far away. Sound familiar? Luckily, Montreal's environs are home to a number of day spas. These natural oases all offer a basic package where you can spend the entire day for less than the price of a one-hour massage.

Although the services and facilities vary from one spa to the next, they all include access to a sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and a natural water source. When used in the right sequence, they allow you to experience the benefits of thermotherapy. The principles of thermotherapy are pretty simple: hot, cold, relax. Repeat. Alternating hot and cold water on the body is said to stimulate blood circulation, release tension and cleanse the skin of toxins. (If you have heart problems, high or low blood pressure or are pregnant, you must speak to your doctor before you plan a visit.)

You can use either a dry sauna or a steam bath to heat up your body. The sauna is a small, dry, wood-lined room where heat is generated by pouring water over hot rocks. The steam bath, or hammam, is a ceramic tile-lined room that's heated to around 50°C. The steam – to which essential oils like eucalyptus are often added – induces sweating, which opens pores, eliminates toxins and relaxes sore and aching muscles.

Spend the entire day at a spa for less than the price of a one-hour massage.

Spa Ofuro

The whirlpool bath, or California spa, uses hot saltwater which is continuously kept pulsating by jets built into the tub. The temperature of the bath is usually around 40°C. If you position yourself in front of the jets, where the pulses of the water are the strongest, you'll feel like there's a personal masseuse in the water with you.

After 10 to 15 minutes in heat, you transfer to a cold river or smaller, cold pools. Some spas provide intermediate pools for those who are skittish about jumping into cold water. The temperatures of these pools are usually kept somewhere in between the extremes of the hot and cold baths. The switch to cold temperatures is invigorating -- it's supposed to stimulate circulation and reduce swelling. This invigorates the body by constricting blood vessels and causing blood pressure to rise again. Then you rest for about 15 minutes in one of the spa's relaxation rooms, and repeat the process all over again.

Many of these day spas are open year-round, and they're actually quite popular during Montreal's cruel winter months. According to Giovanni Ramacieri, owner of Station Santé Bagni, the best time to visit is in the dead of winter. When the river freezes, a hole is cut through the ice -- much like ice fishing -- and you can dive right in. At 78 years old, and not looking a day over 55, Ramacieri is a walking testament to the benefits of the baths. In fact, he ends every day -- no matter what the season -- with a sauna and a dip in the river.