Carnaval de Québec

Dogsled team, Québec Carnival Jamie McCaffrey  

Québec's winter carnival, Carnaval de Québec, is held amid the snow and ice of late January and early February. The festival covers a wide range of activities, both during the day and into the evening. Some traditional events at Carnaval de Québec include dogsled races, canoe races on the St. Lawrence River, skating, sledding, family oriented games, evening dancing, and parades.

 Château Frontenac

Château Frontenac   

The Canadian Pacific Railway built this iconic hotel in 1894, and it has endured as the historic city's most impressive landmark. Château Frontenac sits above Quartier Petit-Champlain and Basse-Ville, its wide Terrasse Dufferin providing excellent views of the St. Lawrence River.

This elevated vantage was the original site of Fort St.-Louis, and a historic site allows you to see the ruins underneath the promenade. Next to the hotel, the Jardins du Gouverneur honor Generals Montcalm and Wolfe.

Musee de la Civilisation

Musee de la Civilisation Martin Lopatka  

A museum comprised of three separate locations, Musee de la Civilisation delves into the many facets of human history and the establishment of French America. The main museum, near the Old Port, is a modern structure from architect Moshe Safdie. A second museum is on Place Royale, where Samuel de Champlain founded a fur-trading colony in 1608, and the third is in the hilltop seminary.

 Citadel

Citadel

Ramparts, thick walls, and ditches surround the star-shaped Citadel in Québec. It sits atop Cap Diamant, allowing wide views over the St. Lawrence River and surrounding region. The British completed the massive fortress in 1832, but continued to strengthen the defensive position until 1850. The complex encompasses a military museum, restored powder magazine, and the summer residence of Canada's Governor General. The 22nd Canadian Regiment is stationed at the Citadel and performs a summer Changing of the Guard ceremony.

 Quartier Petit-Champlain

Quartier Petit-Champlain 

Once the bustling capital of New France, the narrow streets and low buildings of Quartier Petit-Champlain now house artisan boutiques, Québec-cuisine restaurants, and the odd souvenir shop. It is one of the most scenic areas of the city, and the pedestrian-only streets make it a lovely area to stroll.

 Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill  

The spaciously laid out district, immediately southwest of the old Upper Town, is the seat of Québec's provincial government. The Parliament, completed in 1877 but later extended, could have been modeled on any number of Parisian public buildings. The Salle de l'Assemblée Nationale (National Assembly) and Salle du Conseil Législatif (Legislative Council) are open to the public. Both are fine old chambers, sumptuously furnished. Tickets should be obtained in advance. Nearby, find the Grand Théâtre (a venue for plays, concerts, and symphony performances) as well as the large Palais des Congrès shopping and entertainment complex.

Place Royale

Place Royale 

It was at this spot, in 1608, that Samuel de Champlain founded a fur trading post that soon grew into the capital of French America. Historic buildings, most notably the petite church Notre-Dame des Victoires that dates to 1688, flank a cobbled square. There is also a branch of the Musee de la Civilisation at Place Royale.

 Grande Allée

Grande Allée Maureen

Beyond the city walls, Grand Allée forms the spine of the city. The district near Parliament Hill is of greatest interest to visitors. Here, a bevy of restaurants, patios, and entertainment venues bring local and visiting crowds. The street's grandiose 19th-century buildings were once home to the city's upper class. Other Québec City attractions on Grand Allée include the Grande Allée Drill Hall, Battlefields Park, and the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec.

 Editor's PickQuébec-Levis Ferry

Québec-Levis Ferry Ravi Sarma 

A ferry crosses the St. Lawrence River, providing a connection between Québec City and Levis. But the quick crossing is also a favorite opportunity to admire the city skyline, especially at night when lights illuminate Château Frontenac, the Price Building, and other historic structures.

The waterfront station is on the river in Lower Town, a short walk from Quartier Petit-Champlain and Place Royale.

 Plains of Abraham

Joan of Arc Garden elPadawan

In 1759, the Plains of Abraham was the site of a fierce battle that decided the future of the city. British General Wolfe won Québec City from French General Montcalm. The battlefields lie west of the hilltop Citadel. Exhibits retell the tumultuous history of how Québec City resisted and then fell to the British. There are also two Martello Towers in the park. Louis Perron designed the park's pretty Joan of Arc Garden.

 Observatoire de la Capitale

Observatoire de la Capitale

Atop the Marie-Guyart Building, this 360-degree observatory provides more than just a bird's-eye-view of the city from the 31st floor. Interactive exhibits introduce how Québec City developed and grew over the centuries. The panorama extends beyond the old walled city to Levis, the St. Lawrence, and Île d'Orléans.

12 Basilica of Ste-Anne de Beaupre

Basilica of Ste-Anne de Beaupre

Ste Anne is the patron saint of Québec and is credited with many miracles of healing the sick and disabled. Located northeast of Québec in Beaupre, this Catholic basilica is a destination for a half-million pilgrims each year. The present-day church dates to 1926, but the first chapel was built here in the 17th century.

Ile d'Orleans

Picturesque verandah at Ile d'Orleans   

A few kilometers downstream from Québec, Île d'Orléans splits the St. Lawrence waterway into two. Only nine kilometers wide, the island has kept its rural character almost intact. Despite a recent influx of prosperous Québécois in search of their own small haven of peace, life on the island still evokes something of the pioneering spirit of the earliest colonists of New France.

There are six delightful villages on Île d'Orléans well worth visiting, including the oldest European settlement Ste-Famille.

Pont de Québec

Pont de Québec

Spanning the St. Lawrence River at a slight narrows, the massive iron frame of the Pont de Québec became familiar to the world even before its completion. During construction, between 1899 and 1917, two serious accidents occurred in which more than 80 workmen lost their lives.

The Pierre Laporte Bridge twins the Pont de Québec. It is named for one of Québec's former Vice-Premier's, Pierre Laporte, who was killed during the famous October Crisis. At the time it was built, in 1970, it was the longest suspension bridge in Canada with a span of 1,040 meters.

1-Day Quebec City & Montmorency Falls Tour from Montreal

Passengers will be picked up in Montreal at 7:00am, then drive to Quebec City, QC. Our first stop is Capital Observatory ($), the tallest building in the city. Afterwards you will have free time to visit the Old Quebec City.Then you can explore the Petit Champlain, the oldest commercial street in North America. After lunch, we will go to the Montmorency Falls. Get to the top of the falls to admire the beauty and the magnificence of the St-Lawrence River and its surrounding areas. You can Walk along the suspension bridge to feel the power of the Falls. After that, we will return to the departure point for drop off.

Quebec City

QC Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. It was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, and some of the architecture in Old Quebec dates back centuries. The Chateau Frontenac is the most famous landmark.

• Observatoire de la Capitale On the top floor of the Adifice Marie-Guyart, a 31-story building in Quebec City, is the Observatoire de la Capitale. The Observatoire lets visitors look out on Quebec City from a height of 725 feet in the air.
• Historic District of Old Quebec This UNESCO World Heritage Site traces its history to 1620 and the establishment of the Saint-Louis Fort. Old Quebec is known for its architecture and its value as a testament to the impact of colonization.
• Petit Champlain is a neighborhood in Quebec City, Canada. It is located in the district of Vieux-Quacolline Parlementaire in the borough of La Cita Limoilou, near Place Royale. It is the oldest commercial district in North America.
• The Montmorency Falls are 275-foot-high waterfall on the Montmorency River in Quebec, Canada, and mark the point at which that river drops off into the larger St. Lawrence. The area is very tourist-friendly and easily accessible.

Departure & Return Location

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