The 27 Best Things to do in Quebec City

If there’s one place in North America that actually seems like somewhat slice of Europe, it’s Quebec City. French explorer Samuel De Champlain established the primary European settlement in Old Québec in the seventeenth Century and it has held onto its sturdy French traditions and heritage making it the most effective locations to go to in Canada.

Things to do in Québec City, Canada

Be it winter or summer time there are numerous issues to do in Quebec City to enchant and delight any journey lover. This metropolis is wealthy with historical past and tradition, journey, and enjoyable. We have taken many a visit to Quebec courting all the way in which again to our highschool French class journeys to later in life the place we might really recognize exploring the winding cobblestone streets of Old Québec to eating at stylish French cafes with wonderful wine.

From our previous experiences and assist from our workforce, we’ve put collectively concepts for the very best issues to do in Quebec City to make it easier to plan your journey.

Get acquainted with Quebec City on this Quebec City Tour. This 2-hour tour takes you to the ramparts, the Château Frontenac, Place Royale, and way more as you be taught of the historical past, and tradition of Quebec City. Easy cancellation inside 24 hours in advance of the tour.

1. Stroll Through Old Québec

Once the capital of New France, Old Québec has 400 years of historical past sitting inside its metropolis partitions and is a must-see when visiting Quebec City. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quebec is the one walled metropolis north of Mexico.

From medieval-style partitions that encircle the historic buildings to its charming European vibe, a go to to the primary everlasting French settlement in Canada is sort of a step again in time. Many of the historic points of interest in Quebec City sit inside these two areas and inform a narrative of not simply the town’s historical past but additionally Canadian historical past.

2. le château frontenac

Some say Château Frontenac is essentially the most photographed resort in the world and for good motive. The big Fairmont Hotel Chateau Frontenac was constructed by the Canadian National Railway in 1893 to encourage luxurious journey on its trains and its design took inspiration from outdated French castles. Le Château Frontenac sits contained in the partitions of the outdated metropolis and overlooks the Saint Lawrence River.

Although The Château Frontenac has fashionable conveniences, old-world glamour will be discovered at each flip with interval items in opposition to a mahogany backdrop. If you aren’t staying on the Chateau Frontenac, take a tour to stroll the halls of Canada’s most historic resort. Learn of the well-known people who have graced its halls and find out about its historical past. More particulars right here.

3. Notre Dame de Québec Basilica – Cathedral

First constructed in 1647, the Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral is one in every of Quebec City’s hottest landmarks. It’s historical past is lengthy and storied with it being destroyed and rebuilt twice in the 1700s and once more in 1922. In 1923 a crypt was added for its bishops, archbishops and cardinals.

This Basilica homes one in every of seven holy doorways in the whole world and it’s the solely holy door outdoors of Europe. The door was inaugurated on the time of its 350th anniversary. A Holy Door is saved sealed and solely opened throughout holy years. The subsequent opening is about for December 8, 2023.

4. Old City Walls and Fortifications

To get an up-close-and-personal have a look at the historic buildings, go to the Fortifications de Québec National Historic Site. The website is made up of Dufferin Terrace, Dauphine Redoubt, Montmorency Park, and the Governor’s Garden. Vieux-Québec is among the most historic locations in North America with a lot of its buildings courting again to the seventeenth century. The fortifications are 4.6 kilometers (2.8 miles) in size and you may stroll on the ramparts themselves.

From right here you get a view of the picturesque decrease city and the busy harbor beneath. The gates of the fortification are positioned at St. Louis Gate, Kent Gate, and Saint John Gate. You can e book a guided tour via Parks Canada that can allow you to enter locations that most of the people can’t see.

5. Dauphin Redoubt

If you need extra navy historical past, head to the Dauphin Redoubt. The guided Parks Canada tour stops right here at this heritage constructing for an insider’s have a look at navy residing. It is among the oldest navy buildings in North America courting again to 1712. Inside you’ll get an opportunity to see how the troopers lived by touring via the constructing and seeing their quarters, chambers, kitchen, and mess corridor. 

6. Notre Dame des Victoires

While strolling round Old Town, ensure that to go to Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. This small Roman Catholic stone church was constructed in 1687 on the location of Champlain’s dwelling. It was accomplished in 1723 and is among the oldest stone church buildings in North America. It’s very picturesque and value popping into.

Book this Old City Walking Tour – This two-hour grand strolling tour of Old Town takes you to the highest points of interest together with Notre Dame de Victoires Church, Place Royale, City Hall, Notre Dame Basilica, and way more.

7. Plains of Abraham

When you go to Québec City, you should additionally go to the Plains of Abraham Museum. It is the gateway to the historic vacation spot providing reveals from the Seige of Quebec from 1759-1760. After visiting the museum, go to Battlefields Park to see the Plains of Abraham. Located on the Saint Lawrence River, this space was the place the British Army and Royal Navy fought in opposition to the French Army. The park itself spans 242 acres with strolling trails, monuments, a Martello Tower, and an on website museum. This is a good place to stroll and find out about Quebec and Canada’s historical past.

8. Musée nationwide des beaux-arts du Québec

Located in the Plains of Abraham, the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec is a posh that shows the historical past of Quebec artwork from the seventeenth century to the modern-day. There are 4 pavilions to go to housing completely different collections from up to date artwork, Inuit Art, design, and ornamental arts.

9. Musée de la Civilisation

The Musée de la Civilisation sits in the outdated city close to the St. Lawrence River. It was established in the Sixties and hosts quite a few exhibitions devoted to the human situation. You can go to exhibitions devoted to the Maya Civilization in addition to Canada’s historic fishing heritage. A particular exhibition can also be devoted to Canada’s indigenous cultures, which offers a real glimpse of Canada’s pre-colonial instances. These exhibitions take you on a tour of historic customs and artwork that make up the material of what it means to be Canadian. 

10. Observatoire de la Capitale

Are you searching for the very best view in Québec City? Observatoire de la Capitale is positioned on the thirty first ground of Marie-Guyart constructing. It gives panoramic views of the whole metropolis, The St. Lawrence Seaway, Ile d’Orleans, and the Plains of Abraham. It could solely be 31 tales excessive, however Quebec City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so there are top limits for buildings, making this the best viewpoint in the town.

11. Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec

You can take the funicular system from close to the attractive little plaza at Place Royale in the Lower Town all the way in which up the highest of Cap Diamant. Alternatively, you possibly can take the steps between the higher and decrease components. Today, Place Royale is a medieval-looking sq. that homes quite a few eating places and cafes. The funicular takes you up and down the cliff at a 45-degree angle the place you possibly can trip to the higher stage to Dufferin Terrace to go to the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

12. Saint Lawrence River

The Saint Lawrence River is a part of the material of Quebec City and is the gateway for importing and exporting items into North America. The Saint Lawrence connects Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean so that you’ll see all types of boat visitors on it in the course of the hotter months the place you possibly can take a sundown night cruise or hop on the ferry from Old Québec over to Levi. (We’ve even been scuba diving in the St. Lawrence River.)

13. Watersports at Beauport Bay

If you need to go swimming or participate in some water sports activities, you possibly can head to Beauport Bay. The bay is simply minutes by automotive from the outdated city. There is a seaside, with a restaurant and bar and you may loosen up for the day by the water free from river visitors. You can paddleboard, windsurf or simply laze round on the water in order for you. There are play areas for teenagers in addition to a biking path close by.  

14. Take a Food Tour

You can’t go to Quebec City with out getting a style of scrumptious French Canadian meals. There is normally no higher approach to get to know a metropolis’s tradition than by understanding its meals. If Quebec is understood for one factor, it’s received to be for poutine. This quintessential Quebec deal with is manufactured from crispy french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds and you’ll find it all around the metropolis. This Old Quebec City Food Tour permits you to pattern native cuisines at 5 completely different venues

Another well-known French Canadian dish is sugar pie. Tarte Au Sucre (Sugar pie) is a pie crust stuffed with a mixture of maple syrup, butter, and cream. Aux Anciens Canadiens in outdated Québec City has a yummy model, however most self-respecting Quebec City variations may have a great one too. Head to Quartier Petit Champlain in order for you to style a few of Quebec’s finer fare.

15. Downtown Quebec City

Downtown Québec City is stuffed with eating places, museums, markets, and outlets. Although there aren’t any absolute defining boundaries, you’ll uncover that the downtown of Quebec City sits partly in Old Town throughout the partitions and partly outdoors of it in the neighborhood of Saint  Jean Baptiste.

First off, you’re going to completely fall in love with the aesthetics because it’s a hilly space stuffed with cute little homes in all colours of the rainbow. And proper smack dab in the center of all of it is Québec City’s essential purchasing road. Rue Saint-Jean.

16. Rue Saint-Jean

From beautiful sweets to bakeries and contemporary grocers, the road is stuffed with customers all day. When the solar goes down, that is the place to be for dinner and drinks. The space has high-end eating places the place you may get oysters on ice, or if you happen to’re searching for one thing extra relaxed, you possibly can head to a neighborhood microbrewery. And if you happen to’re searching for Parisian vibes, you’ll discover many a restaurant for that in this space as properly.

17. Quartier Petit Champlain

In Quartier Petit Champlain sits Rue Petit Champlain, which is the oldest business road in North America. On that road are among the area’s best eating places and cafes. There you may be served French specialties like rabbit, duck, and lamb cooked in the standard French approach.

A good way to get an actual taste of French Canadian meals is by taking a strolling tour devoted to meals. These meals excursions will take you to distinct meals areas of Quebec City. Spending a day tasting craft brews, ice wine, fancy cheeses, locally-cured meats is unquestionably the most effective issues methods to go to Quebec metropolis. Read extra: Best Canadian Food to Try in Canada

18. Montmorency Falls

It’s 30 meters taller than Niagara Falls however will get lower than half the guests, Montmorency Falls is a little bit of a neighborhood secret. It sits just some minute’s drive outdoors of Quebec City close to Beauport. They are a part of the Montmorency Falls Park system and you may entry them by way of steps from numerous entrances.

There can also be a suspension bridge that will get you very shut to the falls and allows you to transfer from one facet of the park to the opposite. Although individuals assume it’s one falls, Montmorency Falls is definitely made up of three separate falls.

19. Île D’Orléans

A go to to Île D’Orleans takes you to among the most picturesque villages in Quebec. This massive island makes for an amazing day journey from Québec City the place you possibly can benefit from the rural panorama. Artisans have arrange store right here with loads of issues to see scattered all through the island. Visit a winery or microbrewery and revel in wonderful French cheese or a cease at a chocolate manufacturing facility. Make certain to cease to take in the view of the lavender fields of the Grand Jardins.

20. Basílica Sainte Anne de Beaupré

Located 20 minutes outdoors the town centre is the historic pilgrimage website of Basílica Sainte Anne de Beaupré. Millions of tourists arrive yearly to go to the shrine of Sainte Anne de Beaupré. Even if you happen to aren’t visiting to see the shrine of the Grandmother of Jesus, it’s price visiting to see its stained glass home windows, mosaics, and artworks.

This extremely rated tour takes you to Montmorency Falls, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, and a tour of the Island of Orleans the place you’ll uncover rural Quebec with an skilled information that additionally contains stops at an artwork studio, chocolate store

Winter Trip to Quebec City

Some of the very best issues to do in Quebec occur in the winter months. From tobogganing to Carnivale a go to to Quebec City is a visit you’ll always remember. So let’s look into among the greatest winter actions in Quebec.

21. Tobogganing

Tobogganing in Quebec is among the prime issues to do in the town in Winter. Now, this isn’t your common tobogganing journey. This is tobogganing down Cap Diamant at up to 70 kilometers an hour. 

The wood toboggan slide was constructed in 1894 on Dufferin Terrace. There are side-by-side tracks that make for some enjoyable competitors when you’re on the market. And you additionally get lovely views of the river.

22. Bonhomme Carnival Winter Carnival

One of the berst issues you possibly can solely get pleasure from in the winter in Quebec City is the Bonhomme Winter Carnival.  It is the biggest winter carnival in the world and brings in 1000’s of tourists from around the globe yearly. That’s as a result of Quebec City is aware of how to really have fun the existence of ice and snow. There are a ton of issues to see and do on the carnival however the most effective methods to begin off is to go to Bonhomme at his ice palace.

Bonhomme is the well-known seven-foot snowman that’s the mascot of the winter carnival and yearly an ice palace is constructed for him. Here you possibly can meet Bonhomme, tour the palace, and marvel on the element of the absolutely furnished ice construction.

Other issues to do embrace watching the canoe races on the frozen St. Lawrence and testing the large snow sculptures that sit across the metropolis. Every night time there’s a parade full with music, lights, floats, and enjoyable characters. The competition takes place all over the place in February.

23. Sample Maple Taffy

You may need to observe your winter enjoyable up by making your personal maple taffy. All you’ll want is snow and maple syrup to do it. 

You can go to any one of many maple sugar shacks that pop up across the metropolis in the winter months to do this exercise. Other actions embrace snow rafting and snowboarding at one of many native ski resort areas just like the well-known Mont-Sainte-Anne. 

24. Ice Skating

Ice Skating is a ceremony of passage in Canada and everybody loves to strap on a pair of skates and get on the ice. There are loads of skating rinks in Quebec City however there are some that make skating in Quebec extra enchanting than in different locations in Canada.

Place D’Youville skating rink is positioned in Old Quebec making you’re feeling as if you’re skating in a Norman Rockwell portray with the ramparts of the town wall as its backdrop. We have skated right here however sadly we didn’t take {a photograph} of our time in this pretty setting, so as a substitute, I shared a photograph of us on an ice path which there are many round Quebec City as properly.

The Plains of Abraham Skating rink permits you to skate with views of St. Lawrence on this National Historic Site. There are loads of forested skating trails and indoor skating rinks too.

25. Hotel De Glace – Ice Hotel

Most individuals count on a whole lot of ice and snow after they go to Canada however they aren’t normally anticipating ice accommodations. If you go to Quebec City between January and March, it’s best to count on to see (and perhaps even keep) on the metropolis’s solely ice resort. The resort is manufactured from pure ice and snow and in flip, that implies that your room will probably be too. 

Besides the suites of ice, there’s additionally a chapel of ice and slides manufactured from ice you may get infantile with. For somewhat social hour whereas freezing in low temperatures you possibly can go to the Hotel de Glace ice bar and get some tremendous distinctive Canadian cocktails to thaw you out. 

You don’t have to keep on the ice resort to expertise it, you should buy a day go to go to. There are ice skating trails, an ice slide, and even a snow tubing bundle you possibly can add to your day journey.

26. Mont Saint Anne

If you like snowboarding or snowboarding, Mont Saint Anne is lower than an hour from Quebec City. We have snowboarded at Mont Saint Anne and it’s unbelievable. But be warned, it’s freezing. You’ll need goggles, face masks and good thermal layers to snowboard or ski right here. Located in the guts of the Laurentians, Mont Saint Anne is Quebec City’s out of doors playground. Not solely is it common in the winter, however it’s glorious for downhill mountain biking and mountaineering in the summer time. You might also like 15 Top Ski Resorts in Canada For Winter Fun

27. Nordique spa Stoneham

You can go to Quebec’s spas any time of yr, however to get the true Scandinavian spa expertise, you want to go to in winter. Nordique spa Stoneham is the place to go for an out of doors spa expertise close to the town. Inside you’ll be handled to eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, and sweltering sizzling saunas and you then’re anticipated to head outdoors and bounce into frigid chilly swimming pools. It undoubtedly sounds loopy, however you’ll discover spas like this all over the place in international locations like Finland and Norway. It is believed they improve circulation and assist your physique do away with toxins. Read: Nordik Spa Nature – A Guide to Ottawa’s Luxury Spa Escape

You can e book your entry ticket in advance to this picturesque spa overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Easy cancellation for full refund if booked inside 24 hours advance of expertise. Also, straightforward improve to the luxurious premium thermal expertise.

Tips for visiting Quebec in Winter

A winter go to to Quebec City requires some planning. Make certain to gown in layers and heat boots. Don’t fear about style right here, everybody wears snow pants in the winter. And while you pack your boots, ensure that to have thick soles to hold your toes from freezing. We all the time use sizzling pictures to hold our toes and fingers heat as properly.

A parka is a good concept to put on with a heat thermal layer beneath an insulating mid layer.

Mittens work higher than gloves at holding your fingers heat and all the time put on a hat. A balaclava will hold your face shielded from the icy chilly. Read our full put up on 5 Winter Layering Tips to Dress for Extreme Cold Weather

Where to Stay in Old Quebec

Fairmont Chateau Frontenac – An iconic Canadian resort that could be a should go to when in Old Quebec. It is essentially the most recognizable metropolis in Quebec and one in every of Canada’s grandest historic accommodations. Hotel du Vieux – This historic boutique resort is positioned in the guts of Old Quebec and is a favorite amongst guests to Quebec City. Check for Prices and AvailabilityWe have additionally stayed on the Hotel le Concorde overlooking Quebec City, the Plains, and the river. It was an amazing central location.

About Quebec City

The official language of Quebec City is French, however you do not want to converse French to go to Quebec City. You will probably be in a position to get by with out it nevertheless, the Quebecois do recognize you attempting, so at the least attempt to be taught some fundamentals. Old Quebec is split into The Upper Town and Lower Town (Haute Ville and Basse-Ville)

How to Get to Quebec City

The airport for Quebec City is the Jean Lesage International Airport positioned 16 km from downtown Quebec. Airport Code YQB. There are direct flights from main Canadian and US Cities cities to Quebec.

You can take a taxi or bus to downtown. The Bus is operated by RTC Quebec.

We have taken the practice to Québec City and an effective way to journey between Canadian cities. VIA Rail Canada has every day service between Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, and Québec City.

And these are the very best issues to do in Quebec City. Have you been to North America’s most European City? What did we miss and what ought to we do the following time we go to?