Québec City

Château Frontenac & Dufferin Terrace

Landmark hotel above a boardwalk with sweeping views of the St. Lawrence.

Tip Walk the Governors' Promenade stairs to the Plains from the terrace's end.

• Old Québec
• Free
• 60 min
• Sunset

La Citadelle de Québec

Star-shaped fortress still home to the Royal 22e Régiment, with guided tours and summer guard changes.

Tip Changing of the guard runs mornings in summer.

• Old Québec
• $$
• 1.5 hr
• Morning

Musée de la civilisation

Hands-on museum on Québec history and Indigenous nations in the lower town.

• Old Port
• $$
• 2 hr
• Afternoon

Place Royale

Cobbled square where Champlain founded the city in 1608, framed by stone houses and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church.

• Lower Town
• Free
• 30 min
• After dark

Hotel de Glace

Ice hotel rebuilt each winter from snow and ice at Valcartier, with sculpted rooms, an ice bar and a chapel.

Tip Open from early January to late March; day visits are possible without staying the night.

• Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier
• $$
• 1.5 hr
• Afternoon

Île d'Orléans

Farm island with cider houses, strawberry stands, chocolatiers and vineyards on a 67 km loop.

Tip Drive the loop clockwise and stop at Cassis Monna & Filles.

• $
• 4 hr
• Late summer

Glissades de la Terrasse

Wooden toboggan run on the Terrasse Dufferin, open in winter since 1884, beside the Chateau Frontenac.

Tip Buy tickets at the hut at the top; the run is best at dusk when the terrace lamps come on.

• Upper Town
• $
• 45 min
• Dusk

Place D'Youville rink

Free outdoor skating rink just outside the Saint-Jean Gate, with skate rentals and music in the evenings.

Tip Skate rental is available at the rink chalet.

• Upper Town
• Free
• 60 min
• Evening

Plains of Abraham

Battlefields park where the 1759 battle was fought, now lawns and lookouts over the river.

• Montcalm
• Free
• 1.5 hr
• Afternoon

Montmorency Falls

Falls 30 m higher than Niagara with a suspension bridge, cable car and zipline.

Tip Climb the panoramic staircase for spray-soaked views.

• Beauport
• $
• 2 hr
• Morning

Paillard

Busy bakery-café for croissants, sandwiches and gelato inside the walls.

• Old Québec
• $
• 30 min
• Breakfast

Le Lapin Sauté

Small Petit-Champlain bistro known for rabbit dishes, cassoulet and a heated terrace.

Tip Book dinner in summer; lunch is easier to walk into.

• Old Québec
• $$
• 75 min
• Lunch

Aux Anciens Canadiens

Traditional Quebec cooking in a red-roofed house from the 1670s: tourtiere, pea soup, maple syrup pie.

Tip The fixed-price lunch menu is the best value; book dinner ahead in December.

• Upper Town
• $$$
• 1.5 hr
• Lunch

Bar Le Sacrilège

Easygoing pub on Rue Saint-Jean with a leafy back terrace and local beers.

• Saint-Jean-Baptiste
• $
• 1.5 hr
• Evening

Quartier Petit Champlain

Narrow lower-town lanes of boutiques and bistros under the cliff, reached by funicular or Breakneck Stairs.

• Old Québec
• $
• 1.5 hr
• Morning

German Christmas Market

Marche de Noel allemand: wooden chalets selling mulled wine, sausages and crafts by City Hall and its gardens.

Tip Weeknight evenings are calmest; bring cash for the smaller stalls.

• Upper Town
• $
• 1.5 hr
• Evening

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac

Turreted 1893 railway hotel above the St. Lawrence, the landmark of the Quebec City skyline.

Tip Even if you stay elsewhere, have a drink in the 1608 bar for the river view.

• Upper Town
• $$$$