Québec – Why You Need To Visit Canada’s European City

While planning my trip across the eastern portion of Canada, from Newfoundland to Ontario, Québec City was easily one of the places I was most excited to visit. I had seen so many gorgeous pictures of the red roofs, the turreted castle hotel sitting above, the colourful window shutters looking just like the small town Belle once walked the streets of. But did the reality live up my (admittedly, very high) expectations?

You bet your ass it did.

Here are some of my favourite sights in Québec City you absolutely must see for yourself one day.

Disclaimer: this website contains affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase or booking, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me to continue this blog and help wildlife around the world!

Château Frontenac

Québec’s iconic hill-top hotel is the definition of a fairytale castle…except for the fact that it’s not a castle. Opened in 1893, the Fairmont hotel has seen many celebrity guests, including Leonardo diCaprio (my future husband), Queen Elizabeth II (sadly, no longer my future mother-in-law. Damn you, Meghan Markle), Paul McCartney and Alfred Hitchcock. It’s the centrepiece of the historic Upper Town district, its red bricks and many turrets dominating the skyline and demanding the attention of any one passing by.

A long promenade surrounding the river-facing side of the hotel offers stunning views of the rooftops of the Old Town below, as well as miles of the St. Lawrence River in both directions. While there were quite a few people around, there was nowhere near the large crowd I would have expected from such a famous attraction. You can even follow the promenade all the way to the Citadel and the Plains of Abraham, a really nice walk that involves a lot of steps.

I also recommend going inside to see the lovely décor and the interesting displays on the history of the hotel. The art galleries and boutiques on the ground floor have some amazing pieces with exorbitant price tags. Anyone can walk inside, even dressed in hiking boots, leggings and a beanie like I was. I can’t remember the last time I felt so out of place!

Le Petit Quartier Champlain

If it’s even possible to have a more tourist-filled part of the city than the Château Frontenac, then it’s the Le Petit Quartier Champlain. Maybe it’s just because of the narrow streets, but yes, it’s pretty crowded. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying this small part of the lower city for what it is – a collection of beautifully decorated, freakishly adorable buildings that will transport you back to 19th century Europe. From expensive boutiques to tacky souvenir shops to very fancy restaurants, this is the kind of place you won’t find any locals, but it’s certainly worth a stroll down.

I definitely recommend exploring this small neighbourhood tucked under the Château in the early evening, as it’s even prettier when the warm glow of the street lights come on.

Place Royale

The birthplace of the city, this is where it all started. Just a minute away from the main Le Petit Champlain Quartier, this is one of the most popular locations in Québec City. The original heart of New France, the beautiful square is home to the oldest stone church in North America: Notre Dame des Victoires, dating to 1688. And just around the corner is the three-storey tall City Mural, tracing the province’s history over the last 400 years.

Place Royale is the perfect spot to grab a coffee and people watch, just be warned, you won’t be the only person with this idea!

All of the architecture

The biggest take-away I had from visiting Québec City was that it’s just so pretty. Once you leave the older section, it becomes just another modern city, but within the boundaries of Old Québec, the colonial French style persists. As someone who has travelled quite a bit around Europe, being European myself, it all felt so familiar, and I loved it. Obviously the original settlers mostly came from Normandy and other parts of France, but they had to adapt their architectural style to the much colder climate of Québec.

The Québecois are clearly very proud of their history and their city, as it has been preserved amazingly. If it wasn’t for the cars, the phones clutched in hands and the odd bit of scaffolding you might think you had actually been transported back in time. Even signs in shop windows and on street corners preserve the aura of that period in time. Once you’ve ticked off the main sights in the city, you need to go for a wander, particularly in the area behind the Chateau Frontenac.

• 

• 

Montmorency Falls

This spectacular waterfall isn’t technically in Québec City, but lies 12km north of the city centre. However, it’s very easy to get to, with a bus running frequently from the Old Port area right to the top of the falls. At 83m tall, they’re a full 30m taller than Niagara Falls! From the top you have a magnificent view over the Saint Lawrence River. The people at the bottom look like tiny dots from up here. The roar can be felt through your toes, and for a fairly steep price you can even zipline from one side to the other. Or, for a quieter, cheaper experience, just stroll across the suspension bridge to the other side of the park. From here you can take the staircase down to the water’s edge, zig-zagging back and forth across the steep, rocky hillside. Just don’t get too distracted by the falls and the accompanying rainbows, as these are stairs you do not want to fall down!

On the way down, you will pass many red-faced, wheezing people making the arduous ascent. After you’ve reached the bottom, braving the spray for a quick photoshoot, you’ll then realise you have two options for getting back to the top: 1) join those red-faced, wheezing people as you slog back up the stairs, or 2) walk around the water’s edge to the cable car and pay an extortionate amount to be brought back up at your leisure.

Or you could take option 3, which is what I did. Past the cable car station, there are railway tracks. Follow them to the foot of a much smaller, but also pretty waterfall, called Chute de la Dame Blanche. Pause for a photo, then continue down the street for a while before turning right and braving the crazy steep streets upwards back to where the bus route passes through back to the city.

All in all, the Montmorency Falls make for a lovely half day trip out of the city, especially if the sun is shining bright.

The View From The River

It’s one thing to see the Château Frontenac and the beautiful architecture of Québec up close, it’s another thing entirely to view the whole picture at once. And what a picture it is.

Hot Tip: take this ferry trip in the morning, when the sun is shining directly on the city. I didn’t think of this and went in the afternoon, when a lot of the buildings were in shadow.

The ferry transports both vehicles and passengers across the Saint Lawrence River, for many a part of their daily commute. As there’s little to do on the Levis side, most people who take the ferry for the view hop straight back on for the return journey. I did in fact leave the terminal building, but after wandering around for ten minutes and seeing nothing of interest, I went back and still got back on the same boat. It’s a great perspective of the city, and really shows you just how much the Château looms over the rest of the Old City.

Practical Information

• There are hostels within the main city limits, but I actually stayed in Auberge Jeunesse LouLou’s Backpacker Hostel in Lévis. It’s a fifteen minute drive into the city, but the hostel offers free shuttles there and back three times a day if you book through HostelWorld. At the time it was the cheapest rate available and has great reviews. I certainly enjoyed my stay there, though some might find the shuttle schedule too confining. I also recommend it for the nearby Parc des Chutes Chaudiéres, a beautiful set of waterfalls with another suspension bridge and a very pretty park.
• Prices of food and drinks in Québec City are no different to any other place I’ve been to in Canada. Along the Le Petit Champlain Quartier you will certainly experience a bump in prices, especially in the souvenir shops, but once you venture further afield they drop again. If you’re looking for really nice vegan food, Les Gourmandises Louca is a lovely little cafe/no waste shop with home made meals and goodies.
• To get to Montmorency Falls, take the 800 bus in the direction of Beauport from the stop near the Gare-Palais. The falls are the last stop and the journey takes about 45 minutes each way. Tickets in Québec City cost CA$3.50 each way, but can be used on multiple bus routes for two hours after purchase.
• The Québec-Lévis ferry costs CA$3.60 each way and runs every half an hour.

Like this post? Pin it for later!