Quebec City, founded by French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1608, is one of the oldest settlements in North America and is the bastion of French culture in Canada. Right on the banks of and overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Quebec city is famous for its picturesque old cobbled streets and stunning architectural marvels. This travel guide will give you a quick peek into things to do in Quebec City and more details about this historic city.
Being one of the most lively cities in all of Canada, there is no dearth of activities in Quebec City. From the stunning architecture like the Château Frontenac to the natural wonder of the Montmorency Falls, from the exquisite delicacies to a rather large number of establishments displaying fine arts, Quebec city has it all. And you will most certainly feel like going back in history by strolling through the quaint old alleys of this amazingly pretty city.
Many people consider sightseeing Quebec City as a day trip from Montreal. Even though that’s a viable option, we won’t recommend this as it is very difficult to properly absorb this charming place in a mere few hours. And it would be a crime to not experience the liveliness of Quebec city in the night when all the lights lit up and all the pubs and restaurants get abuzz with people.
We are a roaming couple who likes to travel on a budget and we generally don’t spend a long time in a particular place. As our blog name suggests, we hop around quite frequently. So if our style, i.e., short trip on a budget, suits you, we believe the following guide will help you to understand the place better. There is also a suggested 2 or 3 day itinerary and an estimated cost at the end which we followed and might help you with planning your own trip. If you like our posts, please subscribe to our travel blog using email or through social media.
Things to do in Quebec City
1. Witness the humongous Château Frontenac
The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a historic hotel in the upper town of Quebec city and is definitely the most recognizable, most visited and most photographed attraction in all of Quebec city and for good reason.
With its colossal size overlooking the city, this building is rather hard to miss and once spotted one cannot help but marvel at its overwhelming size and breathtaking beauty. Now owned by Fairmont, this hotel was originally constructed by Canadian Pacific Railway, you can drop by the restaurant of the hotel for food and drinks.
2. Walk around Terrasse Dufferin
Built in 1879, this is a wooden terrace that runs along the Château Frontenac overlooking the St. Lawrence river. Terrasse Dufferin connects a number of noteworthy sites in Quebec city starting from the old city to the historic battlefields. Complete with gazebos and benches and a breathtaking view of the St. Lawrence river and beyond, this walkway is worth a visit to witness the city’s beauty and for umpteen Instagram worthy shots.
3. Absorb the vibe at old city at Place Royale
Place Royale is a cobbled public square and was the city’s commercial hub in the olden days. This is where Quebec city was founded and can be symbolised as the French heart to the whole province of Quebec. Today Place-Royale is mostly lined with restaurants and boutique shops and the beautiful church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires stands proud at one side of the square.
There are a few more interesting points nearby Place Royale too that are worth mentioning. If you are approaching the site from the Old Quebec side, you must check out the famous Escalier Casse-Cou or the Breakneck Steps. Built in the 17th century, this inclined stairway is lined by beautiful shops and restaurants.
Another alley definitely to check out is the Rue du Cul-de-Sac or popularly known as the Umbrella Alley and is totally instagram worthy to take a picture or two.
4. Go back to Quebec’s violent past at La Citadelle de Québec
Citadelle de Québec and the adjoining Plains of Abraham, are two of the most historically important places in Canada. The citadel is a huge fortress which has the oldest military building in Canada and is part of the fortification of Quebec City.
The open fields next to the citadel is the famous Plains of Abraham where the bloody battle of 1759 took place and after which the British defeated the French here and took control over Quebec City and eventually the whole Canada. Being at an elevated position over the City, the Citadel not only gives a stunning view of the city but also a rather melancholic calmness.
5. Explore the shops at Petit-Champlain
Rue Du Petit-Champlain is a commercial yet quite picturesque street with a quaint feel lined by boutique shops, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and everything nice. Also bonus points for the funicular railway that connects Dufferin Terrace and Quartier Petit-Champlain with just $3.50 per person ride.
6. Day trip to Montmorency Falls
Apart from the quaint old city, another must see attraction is the Montmorency falls, a little outside the city. Standing tall at 83 meters, this fall is actually higher than the mighty Niagara falls as is indeed a sight to behold.
There is a suspension bridge that passes right across the falls and on the other side of it you can find a steep staircase that goes all the way down to the foot of the falls. The views are amazing from all these sites.
You can also spend a little to ride a cable car or zipline across the falls to make some really fun memories. There is parking at the entrance to the park below the cliff and also buses run frequently from the downtown Quebec city to here.
7. Indulge in exquisite delicacies
And if you are a foodie, pack your bags now, as Quebec city is ranked among the top food destinations around the world. Now the crowd-favorite and most iconic dish of this region is definitely the Poutine, a pile of fried potato with a gravy and cheese curds, French fries with a twist. Quebecois love this dish so much that you can find it at any corner of the city, each place with their own variations.
Also you might find that Quebec city has an obsession for maple syrup, even you might find a pouring on veggies. Another must try dish is the Tourtière which is a Canadian version of the meat pie and originates in this province. Quebecois are extremely serious with their beer too with many microbreweries everywhere.
How to Reach
Quebec city is pretty easy to reach and is well connected by roads and railways. This city is pretty close to the hub of Montreal, being just two and a half hours away. The capital of Ottawa is not far too at a distance of about 450 Kms. There are frequent buses operated by Greyhound running from Montreal. There is also the option of availing Trains operated by Via Rail from Ottawa or Montreal. Both the rail or road journeys are very scenic and pass through picturesque countryside.
Quebec city has an international airport which has direct flights to almost all of Canadian cities and also international destinations like in France, USA, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic and more.
Where to stay
We are generally a heavy user of Airbnb due to its affordability and more connected to the place feel and Quebec City has a lot of affordable options in that respect. We stayed within walking distance of the historic center without breaking our back with the cost.
If you want to spend a little more, Quebec City has a good number of choices for absolutely gorgeous hotels too. A few worth checking out are:
Budget | Auberge Maeva
This is a decent place to stay at a budget very close to the downtown. They also have dormitories available at a cheap price.
Midrange | L’intendant
A great stay right in Quebec’s Historic Old Quarter with all basic amenities.
Luxury | Auberge Saint-Pierre
This is a charming hotel in a vintage building near the old port and close to the waterfront.
Luxury | Hotel le Priori
Another beautiful almost 300 years old vintage hotel right in the old town but with all the modern amenities.
A short trip itinerary for Quebec City
Here is a short itinerary for Quebec City from Montreal if you want to visit it for a couple of days. This is based on what we did there.
Day 1:
- Take a morning Train or Bus from Montreal to Quebec city
- Check in to your hotel and start a walking tour of the city. Don’t even think of taking a car to the old city as parking is scarce and most of the streets are only walkable.
- Roam through the old Quebec, eat the delicious food, check out the art galleries and take loads of photos.
- Towards the evening take a stroll along the Dufferin Terrace and visit the Citadel De Quebec as the sun goes down the old city.
- Don’t miss out on the nightlife in Quebec city as the city gets even more lively after the sun goes down. Head to one of the many microbreweries that the city has to over and taste some local brews along with the much talked about poutine.
Day 2:
- Try to start this day early to reach the Montmorency falls. You can drive or take a bus from the city and buses are frequent.
- Take your time to roam around the falls and go down the many stairs towards the foot of the falls. It will take around 2-3 hours to cover the whole area if you are not doing the ziplining or the cable car ride.
- Come back to the city in the afternoon and head towards the old city again. Today you can take a walk along the Rue Du Petit-Champlain and do some shopping.
- Again don’t forget to indulge into the many delicious food options that Quebec city offers.
Day 3:
- Check out of the hotel and depart at your leisure.
you might want to check out these fun tours in Quebec city
Small-Group Quebec City Food Tour
Half-Day Trip to Montmorency Falls and Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré
That was a quick peak into things to do in Quebec City. Hope you have a great trip ahead!!!
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