17 Awesome Things to do in Quebec City (Canada) for First Timers!

August 5th, 2018 by Evan | Tagged in: Canada, Quebec City, Winter

Quebec City is the capital city of the Canadian province Quebec. This beautiful coastal city is located by the Saint Lawrence River and consists mostly of French-speaking citizens. With a history that dates back to 1608, it is a city with wonderful culture and heritage.

Walking along the streets, it felt like we were in a charming European town with gorgeous architecture and quaint cobblestone streets. The city’s most famous landmark is the Château Frontenac, a luxury hotel built in the French Renaissance Château Style. It was a surreal experience to see this majestic building with our own eyes; it looked just like a castle from a fairy tale! And of course, there are plenty of good food spots in Quebec City too!

Therefore, we have compiled a list of 17 best things to do in Quebec City for tourists visiting the first time. They have been categorised into four main areas: Old Quebec, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montcalm and Vieux Port. Enjoy!

Map of Quebec City

Old Quebec

We love Old Quebec, a charming neighbourhood that contains many of Quebec City’s most famous attractions. Over here, we saw plenty of boutiques and restaurants nestled in charming European-style buildings along narrow cobblestone streets. This is a must-visit for any first timer.

1. Quartier Petit Champlain

Quartier Petit Champlain (Little Champlain District) is a picture-perfect neighbourhood in Quebec with plenty of fashion boutiques, artisan shops, and bistros. It is named after Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec City in 1608.

We simply loved the European vibe of this place! It felt surreal to wander around the enchanting neighbourhood with its quaint historical architecture and cobblestone streets. As we visited during Christmas, the whole place was decorated with gorgeous lights and festive decorations. It was romantic and magical.

We also checked out the famous Breakneck Steps (L’Escalier Casse-Cou), which was built in 1635 and is the oldest stairway in Quebec City. The 59-step stairway got its ominous name due to the steep incline; though after climbing the steps I would say it isn’t really as dangerous as it sounds.

The Old Quebec Funicular (Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec) is a funicular (cable-operated) railway in Quartier Petit Champlain that brings visitors from the lower part of Quebec City to the upper part. It goes up at a 45-degree angle for a short distance of 64 metres. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to check out this railway ride due to our tight itinerary. Tickets cost $3 CAD each.

2. Place Royale

We visited Place Royale (Royal Place) on an early morning, and were impressed by the beauty of this serene cobblestone town square. This is the site where the first French settlement was established in 1608. It is surrounded by historic buildings dating back to the 17th century. (Eerie fact: the square was originally used for execution of criminals)

After breakfast at Café La Maison Smith (one of the cafes by the square), we went to check out the famous Notre Dame des Victoires Church (Our Lady of Victories Church), located at one end of the square. This church was built in 1688 and is the oldest stone church in North America. We also saw the bronze bust of King Louis XIV, and learnt that Place Royale was named in honour of this French King.

3. Terrasse Dufferin

The Terrasse Dufferin (Dufferin Terrace) is a beautiful terrace below the Chateau Frontenac. The wooden walkway starts from Chateau Frontenac and extends all the way to the Citadelle of Quebec. It was built in 1879 by Lord Dufferin, who was the existing Governor-general of Canada. We enjoyed strolling down the wooden walkway while admiring the scenic St. Lawrence River. We saw several historic cannons, an iconic feature of the terrace.

One fun and exciting winter attraction here is the Terrasse Dufferin Slides, where visitors can pay just $3 CAD to slide down a 150 metres ramp on a toboggan! Sadly, we did not manage to check out the slide due to time constraints.

4. Chateau Frontenac

The Chateau Frontenac (also known as The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac) is a luxury hotel in Quebec City. This was the landmark that we were most looking forward to seeing in Quebec City, and it certainly did not disappoint. The hotel is a splendid example of the French Renaissance Château Style with its classic mansard roofs and stately spires. We had seen pictures of the hotel online, but to see it in real life was quite another experience. It literally looked like a magical castle from a fairy tale, such was its beauty! Be sure to catch the magnificent fireworks display in August too. The fireworks are launched from a river platform in front of the hotel. If you are visiting for the first time, this is one attraction you CANNOT miss.

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
Address: 1 Rue des Carrières, Québec, QC G1R 4P5, Canada
Website: www.fairmont.com/frontenac-quebec

5. Musée du Fort

Musée du Fort is a museum that has a popular thirty-minute light/video show highlighting the military history of Quebec City. Production value is high; a giant diorama of the city, rivers, terrains and weapons will light up and even emit smoke during the show.

Musée du Fort
Address: 10 Rue Sainte-Anne, Québec, QC G1R 4S7, Canada
Opening Hours and Fees: http://www.museedufort.com/en

6. Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral

The Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Quebec) is a historic cathedral that was built in 1647. It has burnt down twice before, and the present structure was built in 1922 after the second fire. Walking into the cathedral, we were blown away by its glittering gorgeous interior and beautiful art pieces. It is no wonder that the cathedral has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada.

Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral
Address: 16 Rue De Buade, Québec, QC G1R 4A1, Canada
Opening Hours: | Mon to Fri: 7am – 4pm | Sat: 7am – 6pm | Sun: 8am – 5pm |

7. La Maison Simons

Of course, Raevian found time to check out La Maison Simons, a well-known fashion chain store in Quebec City. Inside, we saw a variety of famous brands like Calvin Klein, Coach, Steve Madden, DKNY, etc. Even though I felt pretty bored, it was a good place to escape from the cold winter weather for a while.

La Maison Simons
Website: www.simons.ca/en/stores/quebec/quebec-old-quebec–a13092
Address: 20 Côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City, QC G1R 3V9, Canada
Opening Hours: | Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 9pm | Sun: 12pm – 5pm |

8. German Christmas Market

The vendor looking on approvingly as I take a cup of hot chocolate

The German Christmas Market is a festive market designed to emulate the big Christmas markets in Europe. We saw many European-style wooden kiosks selling a variety of food and Christmas memorabilia. It felt nice to walk around here and revel in the festive atmosphere, while holding a cup of hot chocolate ($1 CAD) in our hands. The market has plenty of activities and live performances too. You can refer to the German Christmas Market website for more details!

9. Morrin Centre

The Morrin Centre is an English-language cultural centre that aims to educate the public on English heritage, history, and the arts. It is managed by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (LHSQ), a learned society founded in 1824. The society has hosted famous literary figures as Charles Dickens and Emmelyne Pankhurst before. We came here mainly to admire the beautiful library, which is designed in a classic English style.

10. La Citadelle de Quebec

The La Citadelle de Quebec (The Citadel of Quebec) is a military base located on the top of Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond). The citadel was built by British forces in the early 19th century to defend against American troops. It is the oldest military building in Canada and has been designated a National Historic Site. Today, it is the headquarters of the Royal 22e Régiment of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Although we knew the citadel was big, we only really got a sense of its size when we walked along the parameter of the fortified walls. The citadel is home to active troops; initially we didn’t know that and so we were a little taken aback when we saw soldiers standing guard with rifles.

There is a museum in the citadel. Other than exhibits on the history of the regiment and fortress, museum visitors will also get to see the Changing of the Guard and Beating of the Retreat ceremonies. Guided tours are available too. You can click to see the La Citadelle de Quebec museum opening hours and ticket prices.

11. La Terrasse Saint Denis

The La Terrasse Saint Denis (The Saint Denis Terrace) is a beautiful small terrace located about 6 minutes’ walk away from the Chateau Frontenac. We love this place for its breathtaking view of the Saint Lawrence River against the backdrop of the majestic Chateau Frontenac. We visited in winter and the landscape looked like a magical winter wonderland.

However, the main reason why La Terrasse Saint Denis is so special to us is because it is where I proposed to Raevian! On a beautiful winter day here two years ago, I got down on one knee in the snow, and proposed to the girl of my dreams. Luckily, she said yes, and it was the happiest day of my life.

12. Musée de la Civilisation

The Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) is a quaint museum that holds a variety of exhibitions relating to the humanities, music and history. We saw an artistic cafe in the museum, great for people who want to have a coffee break after appreciating art. You can check out the Musée de la civilisation opening hours and ticket prices.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste

Saint-Jean-Baptiste is a local neighbourhood known for its main shopping street, rue Saint-Jean. We enjoyed strolling down this vibrant street with bakeries, grocery stores, bars, restaurants serving local cuisine, book stores and artisan shops. This is a great place to experience Quebecois culture.

13. Rue Saint-Jean

rue Saint-Jean is a bountiful thoroughfare lined with plenty of restaurants, bars and boutique shops. This is a good place to experience local culture. At the start of rue Saint-Jean is Place d’Youville (Youville Square), one of our favourite places in Quebec City. This is a public square with an ice skating rink, surrounded by beautiful buildings like the Palais Montcalm and the Théâtre Capitole de Québec. The Porte Saint Jean, a fortified city gate, serves as a stately backdrop and entrance to Old Quebec.

We visited Place d’Youville at night during Christmas period, and the place was magical. It was really nice to see the locals enjoying themselves on the skating rink with the imposing Porte Saint Jean in the background. The Théâtre Capitole de Québec was decorated with glittering lights, further adding to the festive vibe of Place d’Youville. We stood here for a short while to revel in the wonderful atmosphere, before retiring for the night. You can click here to see the Place d’Youville skating rink opening hours. There is no admission fee.

Montcalm

Montcalm is known for its vibrant nightlife, with plenty of nightclubs and bars in Grande Allée. It is also home to attractions such as the Parliament Building and Battlefields Park.

14. Grande Allée

The Grande Allée (Great Driveway) is a street in Quebec City famous for its bistros, cafes and pretty architecture. Therefore it attracts plenty of locals and tourists during the day. At night, the place transforms into a vibrant nightspot with night clubs, bars and live performances.

15. Parliament Building

The Parliament Building is home to the Parliament of Quebec. It was completed in 1886 and is built in the “Second Empire” French architectural style. We saw the Fontaine de Tourny in front of the building, which has 43 water jets and beautiful sculpted figures. As it was winter, the fountain was covered with Christmas decorations, which serves as protection from the cold weather as well. We took a few quick pictures here before making our way to the next attraction.

16. The Battlefields Park

The Battlefields Park is a beautiful national urban park built in 1908. It consists of the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park. It is famous for being the site of the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham, where forces from the French and British Empires engaged in warfare. The victory of the British over the French later influenced the development of Canada.

If you are interested, you can check out the Plains of Abraham Museum. The park is also known for its Martello towers, which are small defensive forts built by the British Empire during the 19th century.

As we visited during winter, the park was completely covered with snow. It was a beautiful winter landscape. Trekking through the thick snow was a unique experience, and we also enjoyed great views of the Saint Lawrence River from here.

Vieux Port

17. Vieux Port

Vieux Port (Old Port) is a relaxed neighbourhood by the river where you will find antiques, art galleries and quaint cafes. Strolling down the promenade, we enjoyed good views of the Saint Lawrence river and Chateau Frontenac.

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Quebec City Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?

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