Quebec City

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Dufferin Terrace is a long boardwalk along the clifftop beside the Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Canada

The Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Quebec is the seat of the oldest Catholic diocese in the Americas north of Mexico, Quebec City, Canada

Rue du Petit-Champlain at the foot of the cliff is often described as one of the oldest commercial streets in North America, Quebec City, Canada

The church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires overlooks Place Royale, near the spot where Champlain founded his settlement in 1608, Quebec City, Canada

About Quebec City

Founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 on a cliff above the St. Lawrence River, Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America and the only one north of Mexico still ringed by fortified walls. Its historic district is a World Heritage Site, and French is the language of daily life, from shop signs to café menus.

The turreted Chateau Frontenac dominates the skyline, and the boardwalk of Dufferin Terrace in front of it gives sweeping river views. Nearby stands the Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Quebec, while Rue Saint-Jean runs through the gates of the upper town walls, which can be walked for long stretches. A funicular or the Breakneck Stairs drop to the lower town, where Petit Champlain's narrow lanes lead to Place Royale and the small stone church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. The Musee de la civilisation sits by the old port, and the ferry to Levis offers a cheap, scenic look back at the city. Up top, the star-shaped Citadelle and the Plains of Abraham, site of the 1759 battle, recall the city's military past, and Grande Allee leads past the Parliament Building.

The core is compact and walkable but hilly. Winter brings the Carnaval and serious cold; summer is festival season. Montmorency Falls and Ile d'Orleans make easy half-day trips.

Best seasonLate June through early October for walking weather; February for Winter Carnival if cold is welcome.

Ideal stayTwo to three days is enough for the old town, with an extra day for nearby countryside.

ArrivingJean Lesage International Airport serves the city, and VIA Rail trains connect from Montreal.

WiserMap travel guideQuebec City Canada Chateau Frontenac and Montmorency FallsDiscover Quebec City: Chateau Frontenac, the Citadelle, Petit Champlain, the Plains of Abraham, Montmorency Falls, Ile d'Orleans, local food and when to visit.Read the guide

Top 12 Experiences in Quebec City

Landmarks 3

Chateau Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace

Opened by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1893 and designed by Bruce Price, the turreted Château Frontenac crowns the cliff above...

Fortifications of Quebec

Old Quebec is the only city north of Mexico that still keeps most of its fortified walls, a key reason the historic district was n...

Parliament Building and Grande Allee

Seat of Quebec's National Assembly, the Hôtel du Parlement was completed in the 1880s to a design by Eugène-Étienne Taché, and its...

Churches 1

Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Quebec

This church is the mother church of the oldest Catholic diocese in North America north of Mexico, and it has been rebuilt more tha...

Neighborhoods 1

Petit Champlain

At the foot of the cliff in the Lower Town, the narrow Rue du Petit-Champlain is one of the oldest commercial streets in North Ame...

History 2

Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires

French America began on this small cobbled square, close to the spot where Samuel de Champlain founded his settlement in 1608. Sto...

Citadelle of Quebec

Built by the British between the 1820s and 1850s on Cap Diamant, the highest point of the city, this star-shaped fortress is still...

Museums 2

Musee de la civilisation

Designed by architect Moshe Safdie and opened in 1988 in the Lower Town, this museum cleverly blends modern architecture with olde...

Musee national des beaux-arts du Quebec

Set within Battlefields Park, Quebec's national fine arts museum spreads across several connected pavilions, including a former 19...

Parks 1

Plains of Abraham

In September 1759, British and French armies met on these fields above the river in a short battle that cost both generals, Wolfe...

Nature 1

Montmorency Falls Park

A short drive east of the city, the Montmorency River plunges about 83 metres into the St. Lawrence, a drop roughly 30 metres high...

Day Trips 1

Île d'Orléans, Quebec

Just downstream from the city, this large island in the St. Lawrence is reached by bridge and is often called the cradle of French...

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