Quebec City is a wonderful, charming city in Canada. It is a perfect Canadian destination that can be visited year round. A Christmas card perfect city with events like the Quebec City Winter Carnival; the summer is hot and perfect for patio season on Quartier Petit Champlain; the fall has gorgeous foliage; and the spring brings a fresh feel to the city. It is a great road trip from Ottawa or Montreal, a short flight from Toronto or even destinations from the United States. It is a French Canadian city (but don’t worry, most people speak English, especially in the main tourist locations) and is located on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River with a ton of interest in Canadian history. This Quebec City Guide is great for any time of year!
Note: Quebec city is cold in the winter, so be prepared to bundle up! You’ll want all the winter things: warm jacket, winter boots, scarf, hat and mitts. Read this post for lots of tips for dressing for a Canadian winter.
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Where to Stay in Québec City
If you plan to just visit Old Quebec City, I recommend staying within the historic walls. It’s about the same price as anywhere else in the city but in the heart of all the best activities. You can find numerous accommodations and parking is typically available in a municipal lot or on the street.
Budget: Auberge Internationale de Quebec hostel is located within the historic walls and is very conveniently located
Mid-range: Hotel Clarendon is also within the historic walls and is a great mid-range hotel
Luxury: the Chateau Frontenac is one of the Fairmont’s most beautiful hotels (and it’s also the most photographed hotel in the world).
Note for parking: if you stay in Old Quebec City, I recommend paying the lower fee and leaving your car for the weekend. Typically valet parking is available but it’s only worth it if you plan on taking your car to multiple places. The city is very walkable. Hotel Clarendon charges $28/day for valet parking compared for $17.50/day to leave your car all weekend.
If you plan to also visit Île d’Orléans (Orleans Island), then I recommend staying outside the historic walls. It’s both cheaper, better parking, and easier to get to the island!
What to Eat in Québec City
There are a few Canadian and French delicacies you need to try here. The Canadian dish poutine was created in the province of Quebec and you’ll find the best poutines in the country here. Duck confit is a classic and delicious French dish to try. Tourtière is a simple meat pie with minced pork or beef and usually eaten with ketchup. Try fèves au lard, a type of baked beans, often seasoned with maple syrup and served as a side with breakfast. Pouding chômeur is a spongy, sweet cake smothered in maple syrup.
If you’re staying in Old Quebec, I personally love Cochon Dingue for brunch, Lapin Saute for lunch and L’Entrecôte Saint-Jean for the best duck confit in the city!
When to Visit
The age old question: when to visit Quebec City? It’s a city that can be explored year round, and there are a number of festivals throughout the year to check out. The summer is the best weather, with mostly sunny and hot days to explore. The fall colours are gorgeous, when the trees and vines all change colour. The winter is brutally cold but Carnival is a blast and the Ice Hotel is a unique experience. The spring is rainy, but the charming city is still enjoyable in the rain.
If I had to pick one season, I would recommend early summer (May/June) to avoid some of the crowds and not have to bundle up to go outside!
How Long to Stay in Québec City?
A weekend is perfect! Get in on Friday for dinner in Old Quebec, spend some of the day on Orleans Island, and then spend Saturday evening and Sunday morning exploring Old Quebec, local shops, and the historic centre. Note that the shops and vineyards on Orleans Island are typically open 10 am to 5 pm. If you start at 10 am, you can spend the day visiting small shops and boutiques in the morning and vineyards/breweries/cideries in the afternoon.
Do You Need to Speak French in Québec City?
No! If you stick to the main tourist parts (Old Quebec City, Quebec City centre, Île d’Orléans, etc.) you can absolutely get by speaking only English. If you want to practice your French, let people know! Otherwise, if you say “Hi”, you’ll get someone speaking English back to you.
Old Québec City
No Quebec City Guide is complete without visiting Old Quebec. Old Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the part of Quebec City within the historical city walls. You’ll often find descriptions of places “inside the walls”, referring to being literally inside the historic walls surrounding the city. It has an European feel with a great mix of restaurants, shops, architecture and festivals. Most of the activities on this list are within Old Quebec City or on the edge of the walls. Spend some time wandering through this part of the city!
Fairmont Chateau Frontenac
Easily the most recognizable place in Old Quebec City is the castle on the hill: Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. You can enter and wander the halls to check out the most photographed hotel in the world if it’s not in your budget to book a room. You can never go wrong with Afternoon Tea at a Fairmont (TIP: you can split a tower between two people and order a second pot of tea to save some cash).
Quartier du Petit Champlain
Probably the second most recognizable place in Old Quebec City is the Quartier du Petit Champlain. Take the breakneck stairs from Chateau Frontenac and don’t forget to look back, the views of the Chateau are stunning. (If stairs aren’t your thing, you can take the Funicular).
You can visit the street for both food and shopping, or just wander the street for the ambiance or to take photos.
Funicular or Breakneck Stairs
Take the Funicular from Petit Quartier Champlain to the Chateau Fairmont/Terrasse Dufferin. It’s cash only, and gives a great view to Levis. If you don’t want to pay for the funicular, or you want to walk, take the “Breakneck Stairs”!
Place Royale
Quebec City was founded in Place Royale in 1608! Samuel de Champlain built what became the first permanent French settlement in North America here. One of North America’s oldest stone churches is in the square: Notre-Dame des Victoires church. Stop by one of the restaurants or cafes and sit in the square to be surrounded by the European charm!
Citadel and Walkway
The Citadel is a National Historic Site of Canada at the top of Cap Diamant (Upper Town). The citadel is a star-shaped fortification with breaktaking views of Quebec City and the St. Lawrence River. There is an admission fee to access the citadel and museum exhibits, and you can take a guided tour year-round. Most people spend on average an hour here. You can walk along the outside of the walls along La Promenade des Gouverneurs or take pictures in the gazebo on the hill.
If you visit during Carnival, you’ll stop at the hill where the Citadel is located. There is a toboggan hill and a cross-country ski hill with many more fun outdoor winter activities.
Plains of Abraham
It’s about a 15 minute walk to the east end of the park from Chateau Frontenac and gives amazing views of Old Quebec City. If you stop by in the summer or fall, it’s the perfect location for a picnic in the park. In the winter, bring your skates for the outdoor skating rink or snowshoes/cross country skis to trek through some trails!
Ferry to Levis
For about the price of a latte, you can cross the St. Lawrence River to visit Levis. From this side of the river, you’ll be offered spectacular views of the skyline. Walk along the Route des Navigateurs: part of a 470 km trail marked by blue signposts. You can stop in one of the city’s parks along the trail. Lévis Forts is a National Historic Site of Canada and was built between 1865 and 1872, located in Levis. Visit a mansion-turned-museum owned by Maison Alphonse-Desjardins (free) which is visited by nearly 200,000 people each year.
Montmorency Falls
If you drove to Quebec City, or plan to rent a car, this Quebec City Guide takes you just outside the city to the Montmorency Falls. You can visit year round and each time will bring you stunning views of waterfalls that are taller than Niagara Falls! Year round a cable car is available to take you up to the falls or 480+ stairs can be taken to the top during the summer. In the summer a zipline is available and in the winter you can rent snowshoes.
There is a fee to enter the park and if you start at the bottom you can show your ticket if you choose to drive to the top! Check out their official website here.
Chaudiere Falls
Not far from the city is Chaudiere Falls. You could spend a few hours here exploring the surrounding park, nature trails, a suspension bridge and multiple viewpoints of the waterfall.
Québec City Guide Winter Activities
Place D’Youville skating rink
There’s a skating rink in Place D’Youville, just outside the historic walls. Skating is a Canadian winter must-do so if stopping in Quebec City is one of your stops in Canada, I recommend renting skates somewhere and participate in skating outside at least once on your visit.
Toboggan Slide
If there’s one thing you HAVE do in Quebec City during the winter, it’s the Au 1884 toboggan slide. For only $4/slide/person (or you can get 4 slides for $10) it’s worth going multiple times! It’s open during the day and evening so you can get a bit of a different experience each time. The line looks worse than it is: it is only about a 20 minute wait to get a toboggan to walk to the top.
Hotel de Glace
Only available during the winter and about a 35 minute drive north of Quebec City is the Ice Hotel (Hotel de Glace). You can wander through the ice hotel, drink from ice glasses, and even stay overnight in an ice room!
Carnival and Maple Taffy
If you’re fortunate to visit during Carnival, there are tons of events around the City for the 10 days of the festival. Don’t forget to grab some maple taffy!
German Christmas Markets
From the end of November to the end of December, Quebec City holds a classic German Christmas Market. Actually, there are five locations for the markets around the City! Four are within the old walls (Old Quebec) and one is just outside. It’s the most authentic Christmas Market I’ve been to outside of Germany, and worth a visit before the holidays. It’s a charming and magical time of year!
Île d’Orléans
Just across the St. Lawrence River is Île d’Orléans. It is a delightful island full of fantastic local goodies and food. Stop by a chocolaterie and find chocolates in the shape of a variety of animals. Have a glass of wine while looking across the river at Montmorency Falls at Sainte-Pétronille’s Wineries. Visit the maritime park, with an authentic 19th-century chalouperie where rowboats were built! Check out the jams at Confiturerie Tigidou. The gardens (including a lavender field) are open in the summer at La Seigneurie de l’Île d’Orléans. See the island from above at the observation tower at Saint-François-de-l’Île-d’Orléans. And so much more! You’re best off driving to the island and picking up a map at your first stop!
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