I wish we had known about this beautiful island the last time we were in Quebec. It was one of our…read morehighlights on this trip. As it turns out the day was the only rainy one all week, but that didn't matter since we spent the afternoon driving from cidery to brewery to distillery, all within a few miles or less of each other. We even got to sit outside under a porch roof with blankets to keep warm while we had a wine flight as it poured. Quite memorable. Next time we will turn right when we get onto the island and see where it leads us.

Ile-d'Orleans is an island in the Saint Lawrence River. The island is about 3.1 miles east of…read moredowntown Quebec city. It is a nice day trip from the city and it can be combined with a nearby visit to Morntmorency falls and Basilique Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. The island is 21 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is accessible from the the mainland of Quebec by the Ile-d'Orleans bridge. The Chemin Royale road encircles the entire island. While traveling the Chemin Royale road you will encounter small cottage industries specializing in various agricultural products. Cassis Monna & Filles winery has tours and tasting. Fromagerie Biese d' Epinelle specializes in cheese and dairy products. Chocolaterie de-Ile Orleans haschocolate, fudge and other chocolate based products with no preservatives. La Boulange-Saint-Jean-de-Ile-Orleans sells bakery goods and pasteries while LaCuisine d'Ete-Saint-Laurent-de-Ile'Orleans has exceptional maple syrup. There are also histirical stops along the way. The Manor Mauvide Genest built in 1734 was the home of Jean Mauvide, who was the surgeon for King of France. Stop by one of the many churches along the way. I recommend Eglise de Saint Jean Saint Pierre. With the Laurentian Plateau to the North, the Appalachian Mountains to the South and views of the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Chemin Royale road is a scenic drive in it's own right. Enjoy small cottage industries in a rolling hills pastoral setting.

Just a stroll through and it's nice. Stop at one of the cafes to have a bite to eat or sweet treat.read more

The umbrella-covered lane (Rue du Cul de Sac) offers a colorful spectacle, as well as some respite…read morefrom the sun or rain. While you're here, pop into La Fudgerie for a treat. This little street is a delightful surprise for passers-by, with rounded buildings and captivating decorations strung up above in the summertime. Look up and you'll see Château Frontenac perched atop the cliff. It is one of the hyped but real spots. Quebec City- where the weather can change anytime. so, it was a rainy day and the umbrella was not open. bad luck! but we did try the next day too and this time we got lucky... so if the weather is bad- it's just a simple street. I took some photos to capture the architectural style of the Petit-Champlain AND majestic Château Frontenac in the same shot, snapping a few pictures from the corner of Rue Cul-de-Sac and Rue Notre-Dame.

This semi‑pedestrian street connects the Petit‑Champlain to the Old Port by way of Place de la FAO…read moreon the corner of Rue Saint-Paul, where you'll find immaculate old buildings that house art galleries and chic boutiques, as well as a gorgeous fountain that pays tribute to the role of the St. Lawrence River in Québec City's history. this street that makes you feel like you are in Soho New York! It is less narrow than the other streets and features some taller/wider buildings that I can very much picture myself living in.

This majestic fountain, adorned with numerous figures and boasting 43 water jets, stands in front…read moreof the Parliament Building. Inaugurated on July 3, 2007, the fountain was a gift to the City of Québec by La Maison Simons, a local family retail business, to mark the city's 400th anniversary. The nearly 7 m (21') tall fountain has been a source of pride for Québec City residents ever since it was first installed. It is illuminated at night, to the delight of passers-by. as you admire the fountain, enjoy the surrounding urban scenery. On the other side of the street, you can see the fortifications and St. Louis Gate, and behind the fountain is the Parliament Building. As you are right next to the Parliament building, why not visit the seat of the provincial government and take one of the free guided tours? The fountain is a very busy roundabout and it gets busy, so be careful

VISIT FOUNTAIN WHILE AT PARLIAMENT BUILDING…read more During our visit to the Parliament Building of Quebec, we stopped to admire the Fontaine de Tourny. The beautiful fountain is located in a large traffic circle in front of the Parliament Building. The huge bronze fountain is gorgeous with cascades of falling water and classically styled statues reclining around the central column. A fun feature of the fountain is the circle of frogs spraying water upwards and toward the fountain's center. We later learned the interesting story of how the fountain came to be in Quebec. Originally erected in Bordeaux France in the 1800s, the fountain was acquired by an antiques dealer after the fountain was torn down to make way for a parking lot. It was then discovered in a warehouse by a member of the family behind the Canadian department store chain La Maison Simons. The Simons family purchased and restored the fountain that they donated to Quebec City as part of the city's 400th anniversary. Winter Visit Note: We visited the Fontaine de Tourny during late August when the fountain was in its full glory with cascading and spraying water and surrounded by small beds of flowers. Winter visitors might not be able to enjoy the full beauty of the fountain - we were told that during winter months, the fountain water is turned off to prevent freezing.

My wife and I went to Quebec City in November and fell in love. We spread out our time to have…read moreover 72 hours and still didn't have enough time to see everything. We started with a wonderful bus tour we found on Get Your Guide of Old Quebec and Montmorency Falls which I highly recommend. We stayed and got the Gold level rooms at Fairmont Chateau Frontenac which is well worth it and did a tour of the hotel as well from Get Your Guide. We also did English Guided Tours of the Citadel which is rich in history and Parliament and its Library as well as the Museum of Civilisation. Taking the funicular to and from lower town was great as well. The food and drink scene is amazing too as we went to La Buche and Bello for dinner as well as Archibald for beer, Place Dufferin tea, and Champlain for our most expensive but well worth it for its discovery menu and wine pairing.

My French is fairly decent, so every year, for the past 12 years I have been visiting Montreal…read moreand/or Quebec City during the summer. There are so many festivals, entertainment, and cultural things to do...also the weather, at least for me, is the best. Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in Canada--having celebrated its 414th anniversary in 2022--Quebec city has a distinct old-world character and charm. It is the only remaining walled city in North America north of Mexico and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. I just love walking up and down the cobblestone streets and have a meal al fresco in one of the many restaurants with outdoor patios. The architecture is truly amazing and very well preserved, making this city one of the most beautiful in the world. Quebec City ranked as one of the most beautiful cities in the world a few years ago. The comprehensive list by travel site, Flight Network, placed Quebec's capital city at number 23 out of 50 cities across the globe, wedged between San Diego (22) and Hong Kong (24). Much of the city's notable traditional architecture is located in Vieux-Québec (Old Quebec), within and below the fortifications. This area has a distinct European feel with its stone buildings and winding streets lined with shops and restaurants. Porte Saint-Louis and Porte Saint-Jean are the main gates through the walls from the modern section of downtown; the Kent Gate was a gift to the province from Queen Victoria and the foundation stone was laid by the Queen's daughter, Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, on 11 June 1879. West of the walls are the Parliament Hill area, and to the south the Plains of Abraham. The upper and lower town are linked by numerous stairs such as the Escalier " casse-cou " ("breakneck stairway") or the Old Quebec Funicular on the historic Rue du Petit-Champlain, where many small boutiques are found, not far Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church and Musée de la Civilisation. Quebec City is known for its Winter Carnival, its summer music festival and its Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations. Parc Aquarium du Québec, on a site overlooking the Saint Lawrence River, features more than 10,000 specimens of mammals, reptiles, fish and other aquatic fauna of North America and the Arctic. Polar bears and various species of seals of the Arctic sector and the "Large Ocean", a large basin offering visitors a view from underneath, make up part of the aquarium's main attractions. Québec City has a number of historic sites, art galleries and museums, including Citadelle of Quebec, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Ursulines of Quebec, and Musée de la civilisation. It's just a wonderful place to stroll and walk around...or maybe ride a horse drawn carriage, if you like. The culture and the food is distinctly French, but the warmth of the people is undeniable.

For my 2000th review, I wanted it to be a special review. For my 1000th review, I reviewed my…read morehometown of Toronto. I have since already reviewed all the other cities I've lived in and all the cities I visit regularly, but Quebec City remains, as a city I've only been to a handful of times (over the span of 20+ years), but have enjoyed visiting immensely. I give it 5 stars for it's rich history, European flair, beauty and charm. The majority of my visits to Quebec City have been via train. Their central train and bus station (Gare du Palais, which translates to Palace Station) is absolutely beautiful. Built in 1915, it's aesthetic really lives up to its regal name. The park and fountain in front of it also make for a very picturesque welcome to the city for those arriving by train. Old Quebec City with its cobblestone streets is really a sight to behold. For history buffs, the ramparts surrounding Old Quebec City are a must see! While Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec, in terms of tourism, it seems to be less popular than Montreal. I feel the cities are very different and I enjoy doing different things in them. I go to Montreal to shop for good deals on high fashion and eat at their culturally diverse restaurants. I go to Quebec City to walk hand-in-hand with my love and take in the beautiful sights, and enjoy French cuisine. This may be in part because I am truly more of a tourist in Quebec City, as I have never lived there, while I spent many years living in Montreal, and so return as not fully a tourist ;) Nonetheless, the 2 cities have a distinctly different feel to them, so I do encourage those who have been to Montreal but never Quebec City, to give the latter a visit. Of note, Quebec City is very hilly. So walking around, everyday is leg day! ;) Also to know, in the downtown touristy areas, almost everyone speaks both French and English, but if you travel outside of this core, you will find less people who speak English. Just a note for those who don't speak French.

Seemingly always in the shadow on Montreal, Quebec City is in many ways as good as the big M. If…read morehaving to choose my favorite city in this fair Provence, it would have to be the city that bares its Provence's name ... known to the Québecois as "Ville de Québec" (and to us English speakers) as Québec City. Quebec's most iconic site, La Château Frontenac, is hard to miss as it towers over the city from Upper Town (Haute-Ville). See it, marvel at it, go see it up close. While the winters are significantly more brutal than in Montreal, the summers (when I have visited) are quite superb. They have great parks even in the heart of the city, with lush plants and blooming flowers. I highly recommend Parc Félix-Leclerc (on Rue du Petit Champlain), Place d'Armes (right next to Le Château Frontenac) and their centerpiece, the sprawling Parc du Bastion-de-la-Reine. Really, the start of any journey to Ville de Québec starts in Old Québec in the Lower Town (Basse-Ville). You'll be hard-pressed not to be transfixed by the classic old buildings and cobblestone streets. You'll probably be even more hard-pressed to not buy merch in the gift shops and clothiers lining the streets. I highly recommend keeping in mind the "Made in Quebec" stores ... great food, great maple syrup, great clothes ... great everything. Another "must-do" is taking the Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec. A funicular is an obscure but fun mode of transport, a cable on a railroad that in this case takes people back-and-forth between Lower Town and Upper Town (Haute-Ville). If you are in Lower Town headed up, you will find yourself on Terrasse Dufferin, overlooking the city, Île d'Orléans, the fork of the St. Lawrence River, and the cross-river city of Lévis. I highly recommend walking down Promenade des Gouverneurs and the 310 stairs to even better views. The City is my favorite place in Québec ... I hope it becomes your favorite too!