Quebec City (French: Québec) is the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Located at a commanding position on cliffs overlooking the St. Lawrence Seaway, Quebec City's Old Town is a United Nations World Heritage Site and the only city north of Mexico with its original city walls.

Quebec City fashions itself the "national capital" of Quebec. Much of the business here is of the administrative and bureaucratic nature, which would normally make the city quite dull. Fortunately, the city has a remarkable history, as the fortress capital of New France since the 16th century. Although the town's day-to-day life leaves things a little yawn-y at times, the vibrant historical center makes for an incredible visit.
 • Quebec City and Region Tourism Board 
 • Quebec government official tourist site 

Get around

On Foot
Visiting the Old Town, it is best to travel within and around the walls by foot. If your feet fail you, use the funicular to go between the upper and lower parts of the Old Town. 1.50 CDN will get you from near the base of the Breakneck Stairs back up to the front of the Chateau Frontenac. This is well worth it if you have small children or large packages.

By Bike
The Route Verte  is a system of provincial bike paths that pass through parks and local attractions. The Corridor des Cheminots  is a peaceful trail that runs from the Montmorency Falls to Val-Bélair, which continues on to the Jacques-Cartier park area. Quebec's urban bike paths are not as well documented as Montreal paths, but are well-marked throughout the city. They are open from April to October.

By Car
Driving in the Old Town can be tricky, since the cobblestone streets were designed for narrow 17th-century horsecarts rather than 21st-century SUVs. There are one way streets abound throughout the Old Town, and parking is difficult to find. Outside of the Old Town, the use of a car is recommended. However, Quebec drivers may behave erratically on the road as many seem to fall out of practice with proper driving skills after passing the SAAQ  driving test. Right turns on red are allowed unless otherwise indicated.

During the months of November through April, snow will definitely affect driving conditions. Snow tires are strongly recommended, as some roads will lack snow removal, sand or salting.

Public Transit
The RTC , Quebec's public transportation system, is a system of buses and express shuttles that cover the whole city. Tickets cost 2.20 CDN each, which will earn you the right to ride one direction with a transfer valid for 2 hours. There are daily passes and monthly passes available. It is also possible to ride without a ticket, the fare being 2.50. Drivers do not carry money and cannot change bills.

The Metrobus line is actually two bus lines (800 and 801) that both start in Ste-Foy, head toward the Old Town, and end in Beauport and Charlesbourg respectively. They can run as often as one every 3 minutes during rush hour along Boulevard René-Lévesque/Boulevard Laurier/chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois.

The STL, Lévis's public transit , operates within the south shore of Quebec. There is also a shuttle from St-Augustin to Quebec. These different transit companies all pass through Quebec City, which explains the different colours of buses around town.

Attractions

Road signs are written in French, so be on the lookout for the name of the old town, Vieux Québec, translating to Old Quebec.
 • Old Town. Surrounded by a stone wall built by both French and British armies, it is now a tourist district with many small boutiques and hundreds of historical and photographic points of interest. Some of the buildings are original structures, while others are built in the same style and architecture as former buildings.
 • Chateau Frontenac, 1 des Carrieres Street., (418) 692-3861. Spend a night in Quebec's most iconic hotel. Claimed to be the most photographed hotel in North America, Frontenac has 605 luxurious rooms for every budget and is easily accessible to New and Old Quebec.
 • Dufferin Terrace. Boardwalk situated alongside the Chateau Frontenac, and offers a grand view of the St. Lawrence river.
 • Musée de la civilisation, (418) 643-2158.
 • Musée de l'Amérique française.
 • Place-Royale, historical site.
 • Plains of Abraham Battlefield Park, 835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue, (418) 648-4071. The park's two Martello Towers give great panoramic views of the St. Lawrence River and the Plains of Abraham. An interpretive centre also sits on the grounds. Cost of museum is $3.50 (Adult), $3 (Seniors). Entrance to park is free. Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm Jun 24-Oct. 11; 8:30am-5pm Oct. 12-June 23. 
 • Quebec Citadel, St-Louis Street, (418) 694 -2815. Cram 250 years of history in an unforgettable one hour tour around the "Gibraltar of America", guided by traditional French soldiers. A changing of the guard is performed everyday at 10 am from June 24 until the first Monday in September. Hours of operation and admission fees can be found at La Citadelle’s website.
 • Observatoire de la Capitale, one of the tallest buildings in Quebec, offering a panoramic view of the whole city. Admission is 5$.
 • Chute Montmorency. At 83 meters, it stands 30 meters taller than Niagara Falls. Hosts the Loto-Québec Fireworks Competition  in the summer.
 • Ile d'Orléans. Beautiful biking or driving excursions.

Activities

 • Horse-drawn carriages. A one hour tour of the Old City.
 • Ferry to Lévis. Beautiful views of the Chateau Frontenac and the Lower Old Town, and the other side of the river.
 • Festival of New France, first weekend in August.
 • Carnaval de Quebec, city-wide, first week of February. A truly spectacular event. The Winter Carnival is a 100-year tradition in Quebec City and features a giant ice palace where visitors can spend a night! The International Ice Sculpture Competition attracts teams from around the world. Other winter-defying competitions including a canoe race across the St. Lawrence and a group snow bath.
 • Festival d'été. Beginning to mid-July, a lot of almost free music shows (you buy a button for $12 or $15 and it gives you access to all the shows, for the 10 days of the festival) in and around the Old Town, with international and local artists (for example in 2004, The Nits, Wyclef Jean, Bérurier Noir).
 • Villages Vacances Valcartier. Water park and go-carts open during the summer season. Tubing and ice skating offered in the winter.

Dining

All restaurants in the Old City will post menus out front in French and in English. Look for the table d'hote specials for a full course fixed price meal. On the cheaper (but very satisfying) side, have a traditional quebecois tourtière (meat pie), or a poutine (fries, gravy, and cheese curds).

Most Quebec City delicatessens and markets offer a large variety of Quebec cheese from farms in the surrounding countryside. Specialty of the region include brie or camembert style cheeses made with raw milk (lait cru), which endows the cheese with superior flavours and textures not usually found in North American cheeses of the same type.

Drink

Quebec city main street for a drink is La Grande Allée situated in the old town. You can find many bars and clubs with many happy quebecers having fun.
 • Le Dagobert on Grande Allée is one of Quebec biggest club and presents many local and international musicians.
 • 'L'Ozone on Grande Allée offers great music and atmosphere with pint at ~$5 CAN.
 • For a quieter atmosphere, go on St-Jean street where you can find some brewpubs. Try Le Sacrilège for a relaxed atmosphere and good friends