Where to stay in Quebec City

See

Quebec City's main sight is the Old Town, the upper part of which is 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. Quebec is one of two cities in North America with a completely preserved fortification system. (The other is Campeche, Mexico.) The system of fortifications was built by the French and British between 1608 and 1871.

• The Citadel
• Porte Saint Louis
• Porte Saint-Jean
• Porte Kent
• Porte Prescott
• Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
• Palace of Justice
• Édifice Price
• Cathédrale de la Sainte-Trinité
• Basilique-cathédrale Notre-Dame de Québec
• Séminaire de Québec
• Chapel of the Ursuline convent

Do

• Horse-drawn carriages
• AML Cruises on the St-Lawrence river
• Promenade des Gouverneurs
• Dufferin Terrace
• Ice slide at Terrasse Dufferin
• Patinoire de la place d'Youville
• Dog sled
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on Plains of Abraham
• Winter Carnival
• Festival d'été
• Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand
• Festival of New France

Eat

All restaurants in the Old City post menus out front in French and 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 tourtière québecoise (meat pie), or a poutine (fries, gravy, and cheese curds). The café culture is very much a part of Quebec City as in most of Europe. It should be very easy to find a quaint cafe around Marché Champlain, and around the Chateau Frontenac. Food is fairly expensive in Quebec, and even a simpler café or bar may be costly. Most Quebec City delicatessens and markets offer a large variety of Quebec cheese from farms in the surrounding countryside.

Drink

There is a place for nearly every visitor, from the wild nightlife to the cozy corner. Drinking age is 18 though enforcement is hazy. Quality wine and liquor can only be purchased at SAQ shops, most of which are open Su-W until 18:00, and F Sa 08:00-21:00 on weekends; the smaller SAQ Express outlets are open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, but the selection is restricted to the SAQ's most popular items.

Stay safe

As with the rest of Canada, the emergency number in Quebec City is 9-1-1. Although crime in Quebec City is rare, it is always best to take the usual precautions, including safeguarding your possessions. Traveling in the city during the day is safe, but be more cautious at night, as there may be drunk bar patrons and those who prey on people unfamiliar with where they are.