Quebec City
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Quebec City - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
Upper TownThe most photographed landmark in Québec City. This imposing turreted castle with a copper roof owes its name to the Comte de Frontenac, governor of the French colony between 1672 and 1698. Samuel de Champlain was responsible for Château St-Louis, the first structure to appear on the site of the Frontenac; it was built between 1620 and 1624 as a residence for colonial governors. The original portions of the hotel opened the following year, one in a series of château-style hotels built across Canada to attract wealthy railroad travelers. It was remarkably luxurious for the time: guest rooms contained fireplaces, bathrooms, and marble fixtures, and a special commissioner purchased antiques for the establishment. The hotel was designed by New York architect Bruce Price, who also worked on Québec City's train station, Gare du Palais. The addition of a 20-story central tower in 1924 completed the hotel. Since then the Château, as it's called by locals, has accumulated a star-studded guest roster, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Grace of Monaco, Alfred Hitchcock, and Ronald Reagan, as well as Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, who met here in 1943 and 1944 for two wartime conferences. Visitors who can spend the night can book a guided visit of the hotel and learn more about its many secrets.
View Tours and Activities1 rue des Carrières, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4P5, Canada418-692–3861 -
2. La Citadelle
Upper TownBuilt at the city's highest point, on Cap Diamant, the Citadelle is the largest fortified base in North America still occupied by troops. The 25-building fortress is, quite literally, the star of the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site. It was intended to protect the port, prevent the enemy from taking up a position on the Plains of Abraham, and provide a refuge in case of an attack. Since 1920, the Citadelle has served as a base for Canada's most storied French-speaking military formation, the Royal 22e Régiment, known across Canada as the Van Doos, from the French "vingt-deux" (22). Firearms, uniforms, and decorations from as far back as the 17th century are displayed in the Musée du Royal 22e Régiment in the former powder magazine, built in 1750. Watch the Changing of the Guard, a ceremony in which troops parade before the Citadelle in red coats and black fur hats while a band plays. The regiment's mascot, a well-behaved goat, watches along. The queen's representative in Canada, the governor-general, has a residence in the Citadelle, and it's open for tours in summer. You must take a tour to access the Citadelle, since it's a military base. The location—set high above the St. Lawrence river with stunning views of the city and surrounding countryside—is worth a visit even if you don't want to pay (or wait) to take a tour.
Côte de la Citadelle, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4V7, Canada418-694–2815Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$18, Changing of the Guard at 10 am in summer -
3. Maison de la Littérature
Upper TownWell worth a stop for design, architecture, and book lovers alike, this stunning library houses permanent exhibitions on French Canadian literature. Set in a former 19th century Methodist church, the now white-washed, design-heavy building was completely revamped a few years ago, winning international acclaim and architecture awards in the process.
40 rue St-Stanislas, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4H1, Canada418-641--6797Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
4. Monastère des Augustines
Upper TownAugustinian nuns arrived from Dieppe, France, in 1639 with a mission to care for the sick in the new colony. They established the first hospital north of Mexico, the Hôtel-Dieu, the large building west of the monastery. The complex underwent a complete renovation and expansion, in 2015, and now includes a quiet, health-conscious restaurant (with silent breakfast!), as well as accommodations—both contemporary en-suite rooms and dorm-like rooms with antique furniture—for those looking for a calm retreat. The museum houses an extensive collection of liturgical and medical artifacts of all kinds, and it's also worth visiting the richly decorated chapel designed by artist Thomas Baillairgé, as well as the vaults, which date to 1659 and were used by the nuns as shelter from British bombardments. There is still a small order of nuns living in a section of the monastery.
32 rue Charlevoix, Québec City, Québec, G1R 5N1, Canada418-692–2492Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$11.50, C$16 for guided tours, Closed Mon. and statutory holidays -
5. Morrin Cultural Centre
Upper TownThis stately gray-stone building has served many purposes, from imprisoning and executing criminals to storing the national archives. Built between 1808 and 1813, it was the first modern prison in Canada and was converted into Morrin College, one of the city's first private schools, in 1868. That was also when the Literary and Historical Society of Québec, forerunner of Canada's National Archives, moved in. Historical and cultural talks are held in English, and tours of the building, including two blocks of prison cells, the Victorian-era library, and College Hall, are also available. Children and families particularly enjoy this space.
44 Chaussée des Écossais, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4H3, Canada418-694–9147Sight Details
Rate Includes: Library free; guided tours C$8, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
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6. Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec
Upper TownSituated on the city's liveliest avenue, the Grand Allée, this neoclassical museum in the park with a slick and modern wing is a remarkable steel-and-glass setting for its collection of 22,000 traditional and contemporary pieces of Québec art. Designed by starchitects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, the Lassonde Pavilion, added in 2016, features three stacked, cascading galleries; a grand stairwell that spirals dramatically from the top floor to the basement, where a rising almost-mile-long tunnel connects to the museum’s three other wings; and views of the neighboring neo-Gothic church from both the rooftop terrace and courtyard. MNBAQ houses works by local legends Jean-Paul Riopelle, Jean-Paul Lemieux, Alfred Pellan, Fernand Leduc, and Horatio Walker that are particularly notable, as well as temporary exhibits by international artists such as Turner, Miro, and Giacometti. The original museum building in Parc des Champs-de-Bataille is part of an abandoned prison dating from 1867; a hallway of cells, with the iron bars and courtyard, has been preserved as part of a permanent exhibition on the prison's history.
View Tours and ActivitiesParc des Champs-de-Bataille, Québec City, Québec, G1R 5H3, Canada418-643–2150Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$16 for permanent collection; C$25 for temporary exhibits, Closed Mon. Sept.–May -
7. Parc Jeanne d'Arc
Upper TownBright with colorful flowers in summer, this urban park is lined with stunning 19th-century mansions and is often adorned with seasonal decorations. It makes for a lovely place to rest between museums. The focus of the park is an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc. A symbol of military courage and of France itself, the statue stands in tribute to the heroes of 1759 near the place where New France was lost to the British. The park also commemorates the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada"; it was played here for the first time on June 24, 1880.
Avenue Wilfrid-Laurier, Québec City, Québec, G1R 2K5, Canada -
8. Plains of Abraham
Upper TownThis park, named after Abraham Martin, who used the plains as a pasture for his cows, is the site of the famous battle on September 13, 1759, that decided New France's fate as part of the acrimonious Seven Years' War. On that date, British soldiers under the command of General Wolfe climbed the steep cliff under the cover of darkness, ultimately defeating the French through a single deadly volley of musket fire, causing the battle to be over within 30 minutes. At the Museum of the Plains of Abraham, check out the multimedia display, which depicts Canada's history, as well as the numerous family-friendly activities at Martello Towers. Nowadays, locals come here to cross-country ski and admire the relentless St. Lawrence River even as it freezes over in winter; in July, the Summer Festival takes over with tens of thousands of concertgoers.
View Tours and ActivitiesParc des Champs-de-Bataille, Québec City, Québec, G1R 2L3, Canada418-649–6157Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$17.75 for museum admission -
9. Terrasse Dufferin
Upper TownThis wide boardwalk with an intricate wrought-iron guardrail has a panoramic view of the St. Lawrence River, the city of Lévis on the opposite shore, Île d'Orléans, the Laurentian Mountains to the north, and the edge of the Appalachians to the south. It was named for Lord Dufferin, governor of Canada between 1872 and 1878, who had this walkway constructed in 1878. Château St-Louis, whose remains can be seen under the walkway, was home to every governor from 1626 to 1834, when it was destroyed by fire. There are 90-minute tours of the fortifications that leave from here. The Promenade des Gouverneurs begins at the boardwalk's western end; the path skirts the cliff and leads up to Québec's highest point, Cap Diamant, and also to the Citadelle.
View Tours and ActivitiesTerrasse Dufferin, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4P5, Canada -
10. Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Québec
Upper TownFrançois de Laval, the first bishop of New France and founder of Canada's Catholic Church, once ruled a diocese that stretched to the Gulf of Mexico. Videos and pictures astutely illustrate his life throughout the visit. Laval's original cathedral burned down and has been rebuilt several times, but the current basilica still has a chancel lamp that was a gift from Louis XIV, the Sun King. The church's interior includes a canopy dais over the Episcopal throne, a ceiling of painted clouds decorated with gold leaf, and richly colored stained-glass windows. A "holy door" was added to the church in 2014. The large crypt was Québec City's first cemetery; more than 900 bodies are interred here, including, perhaps, Samuel de Champlain; archaeologists have been searching for his tomb since 1950. Guided tours of the cathedral and crypt are available (by appointment only).
16 rue de Buade, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4A1, Canada418-692–2533Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$5 -
11. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
Upper TownThe first Anglican cathedral outside the British Isles was erected in the heart of Québec City's Upper Town between 1800 and 1804. Its simple, dignified façade is reminiscent of London's St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the pediment, archway, and Ionic pilasters introduced Palladian architecture to Canada. The land on which the cathedral was built was originally given to the Récollets (Franciscan monks from France) in 1681 by the king of France for a church and monastery. When Québec came under British rule, the Récollets made the church available to the Anglicans for services. Later, King George III ordered construction of the present cathedral, with an area set aside for members of the royal family. A portion of the north balcony is still reserved for the use of the reigning sovereign or his or her representative. The cathedral's impressive rear organ has 3,058 pipes. Even more impressive is the smaller English chamber organ, built in 1790, which was donated to the cathedral for the bicentennial celebrations in 2004.
31 rue des Jardins, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4L6, Canada418-692–2193Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
12. Chapelle des Ursulines
Upper TownFounded in 1639, the chapel and its Couvent des Ursulines is the oldest institution of learning for women in North America. It houses the finest examples of wood carving anywhere in Québec, gilded by the nuns themselves. The exterior of the Ursuline Chapel was rebuilt in 1902, but the interior contains the original chapel, which took sculptor Pierre-Noël Levasseur from 1726 to 1736 to complete. The Ursulines is still an active elementary school today.
2 rue du Parloir, Québec City, Québec, G1R 4M5, Canada418-694–0694Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon.–Fri. Nov.–Apr. -
13. Édifice Price
Upper TownStyled after the Empire State Building, this 17-story, art deco structure was the city's first skyscraper when it was built in 1929. It served as headquarters of the Price Brothers Company, a lumber firm founded by Sir William Price, and today is an official residence of the premier of Québec, who uses the top two floors.
65 rue Ste-Anne, Québec City, Québec, G1R 3X5, Canada -
14. Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site
Upper TownThick stone walls stretching for 5 kilometers (3 miles), connected by four gates, and adjoined by forts, bastions, and even a citadel: with such a special and unique landmark, it's not difficult to understand why the Historic District of Old Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These nearly intact ramparts, virtually the only ones of their kind in North America, recall the complex history of the French and British regimes in Québec City. French colonists began building ramparts along the city's cliffs as early as 1690 to protect themselves from the British, but they had trouble convincing the French government to take the threat of invasion seriously. And when the British did invade in 1759, the walls were unsurprisingly still incomplete. The British, despite attacks by the Americans during the American Revolution and the War of 1812, took over a century to finish them—and they never saw armed conflict. From June to September, two guided tours are offered: one starts at Artillery Park and focuses on the social and architectural heritage of the ramparts, while the other is more military-focused and begins at Terrasse Dufferin. Either way, the Dauphine Redoubt in Artillery Park on the northern end of the fortifications should not be missed; it's one of the oldest military buildings in the Americas. The four gates—Saint-Jean, Saint-Louis, Kent and the more modern Prescott—are well worth a stop, too.
2 rue d'Auteuil, Québec City, Québec, G1R 5C2, CanadaSight Details
Rate Includes: C$8.50, Closed Oct.–May -
15. Henry Stuart House
MontcalmIf you want to get a firsthand look at how the well-to-do English residents of Québec City lived in a bygone era, this is the place. Built in 1849 by the wife of wealthy businessman William Henry, the Regency-style cottage was bought in 1918 by the sisters Adèle and Mary Stuart. Active in such philanthropic organizations as the Red Cross and the Historical and Literary Society, the sisters were pillars of Québec City's English-speaking community. They also maintained an English-style garden behind the house. The home has since been classified a historic site for its immaculate physical condition and the museum-like quality of its furnishings, almost all of them Victorian. Guided tours of the house and garden start on the hour and include a cup of tea and piece of lemon cake.
82 Grande Allée Ouest, Québec City, Québec, G1R 2G6, Canada418-647–4347Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$8, Closed Sun. and Mon. and Sept.–late June. -
16. Hôtel du Parlement
Upper TownThe only French-speaking legislature in continental North America, the 125-member Assemblée Nationale du Québec meets behind the stately walls of this Second Empire-style building erected between 1877 and 1886. If the Assemblée is sitting, see if you can get into the visitors gallery to hear heated exchanges between the federalist-leaning Liberals and the secessionist Parti Québécois. Failing that, the buildings themselves, designed by Québec architect Eugène-Étienne Taché, are worth a visit. The façade is decorated with statues of such important figures of Québec history as Cartier, Champlain, Frontenac, Wolfe, and Montcalm. A 30-minute tour (in English, French, or Spanish) takes in the President's Gallery, the Parlementaire restaurant, the Legislative Council Chamber, and the National Assembly Chamber. Tours may be restricted during legislative sessions. Outdoor tours of the gardens and statues are also available during summer.
1045 rue des Parlementaires, Québec City, Québec, G1A 1A3, Canada866-337–8837Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sat. and Sun., Reservations are mandatory. -
17. Jardin des Gouverneurs
Upper TownIn this small park just south of the Château Frontenac stands the Wolfe-Montcalm Monument, a 50-foot-tall obelisk that pays tribute to both a winning (English) and a losing (French) general. The monument recalls the 1759 battle on the Plains of Abraham, which essentially ended French rule here. British general James Wolfe lived only long enough to hear of his victory; French general Louis-Joseph Montcalm died shortly after Wolfe, with the knowledge that the city was lost. On the south side of the park is avenue Ste-Geneviève, lined with well-preserved Victorian houses dating from 1850 to 1900. Many have been converted to inns, B&Bs, and hotels.
Québec City, Québec, G1R 4P5, Canada -
18. Louis S. St. Laurent Heritage House
MontcalmA costumed maid or chauffeur greets you when you visit this elegant Grande Allée house, the former home of Louis S. St. Laurent, prime minister of Canada from 1948 to 1957. Within the house, which is now part of the federally owned Plains of Abraham properties, period furnishings and multimedia touches tell St. Laurent's story and illustrate the lifestyle of upper-crust families in 1950s Québec City.
201 Grande Allée Est, Québec City, Québec, G1R 2H8, Canada418-648–4071Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$10, including house, nearby Martello Towers, and minibus tour of Plains of Abraham, June 24–Labor Day, daily 1–5; early Sept.–June 23, group visits by reservation only, Closed Oct.–June -
19. Montmorency Park National Historic Site
Upper TownSeemingly floating between Upper and Lower Town, Montmorency Park is a must-see for visitors walking up (or down) Côte de la Montagne. The leafy park was home to Parliaments of Lower Canada, Canada East, and Quebec from 1791 to 1883; while virtually zero surface structure remains to illustrate this role, it's now a national historic site filled with centenary trees and walkways describing the significance of the site. Along the southeastern edge are the ramparts and defensive walls, from which visitors will find a beautiful panoramic view of the Lower Town and the river.
Côte de la Montagne, Québec City, Québec, Canada -
20. Parc de l'Artillerie
Upper TownThe strategic importance of Artillery Park, part of the Fortifications of Quebec, lies in its prime location overlooking both the plateau to the west of the city, from which an army could lay siege to it, and St. Charles River, where boats could land soldiers. Under French rule, all the lines of defense that were proposed or built passed through this territory. By the end of the 17th century, the park was already recognized as a strategic site and both French and English military engineers erected various fortifications here over the years. The lavish Quartier des Officiers, built in 1712, was used as officers' quarters of the Royal Artillery until the late 19th century, when the Canadian government converted the barracks into a cartridge factory following the departure of the troops. It would go on to play a predominant effort in both of Canada's world-war efforts; several thousand men and women of Quebec worked there.
2 rue d'Auteuil, Québec City, Québec, G1R 7A1, Canada888-773–8888Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$7.80 for guided tours, Apr.–mid-May, by reservations only; mid-May–mid-June, daily 10–5; mid-June–Labor Day, daily 10–6; day after Labor Day–early Oct., daily 10–5, No guided tours Oct.–May
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