Québec City is small enough to walk and old enough to keep surprising you. If it’s your first visit, this is our Québec City bucket list: ten experiences we’d send a friend to, in roughly the order we’d do them.
1. Walk the walls of Old Québec
Old Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico whose walls still stand. You can walk long stretches of the ramparts for free; the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site explains how they were built and why.
2. Stand on Dufferin Terrace below the Château Frontenac
The boardwalk in front of the Château Frontenac is the best free view in the city — the St. Lawrence, Lévis across the water and the lower town below. Go once by day and once after dark. If you want to stay in the castle itself, see our where to stay in Québec City guide.
3. Get lost in Petit-Champlain and Place Royale
Take the Breakneck Stairs or the funicular down to Petit-Champlain, one of the oldest commercial streets in North America. A few steps away, Place Royale marks where Champlain founded the city in 1608, and the giant trompe-l’œil Fresque des Québécois covers a whole building wall.
4. Tour the Citadelle
The star-shaped Citadelle is still an active military base and home to the Royal 22e Régiment. Guided tours run year-round; in summer, the changing of the guard is a proper ceremony with bearskin hats.
5. Picnic (or ski) on the Plains of Abraham
The 1759 battlefield is now the city’s great park — picnics and concerts in summer, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec sits at its edge.
6. See Montmorency Falls
Fifteen minutes from downtown, Montmorency Falls drops 83 metres — about 30 metres more than Niagara. Ride the cable car up, cross the suspension bridge over the top and walk down the long stairs facing the spray.
7. Drive the loop around Île d’Orléans
Just across the bridge from the falls, the island is farm country: cider houses, strawberry fields, vineyards, a chocolatier and roadside stands. The loop is about 67 km and takes as long as you let it.
8. Spend a rainy afternoon at the Musée de la civilisation
In the lower town, this is the museum to pick if you only pick one — Québec’s history told well, with exhibitions that change often enough to reward return visits.
9. Eat your way through the city
Poutine, tourtière, maple taffy, steak frites, French bistros inside the walls and young chefs in Saint-Roch. Our where to eat in Québec City list is the short version.
10. Come back in a different season
Québec City is four different trips. Winter brings the toboggan slide, Carnaval and the Hôtel de Glace — see our guide to Québec City winter activities. Summer has the Festival d’été in July. Fall is foliage season, and our three-day fall foliage itinerary is built for it.
Plan the rest
Travelling with children? Start with things to do in Québec City with kids. Grown-ups only? Try things to do in Québec City for adults. Been before? Our guide to hidden gems in Québec City goes off the usual path. Only have two days? Here’s how to spend a weekend in Québec City. Every stop above is pinned on our Québec City activity map. Want an even longer list? See our top things to do in Québec City.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one thing to do in Québec City?
Walk Old Québec — the walled upper town, Dufferin Terrace in front of the Château Frontenac, and Petit-Champlain below. It is free, it is compact, and it is the reason most people come.
How many days do you need in Québec City?
Two full days covers Old Québec, the Citadelle and the Plains of Abraham. Three days adds Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans, which we recommend.
Is Québec City walkable?
Yes. Old Québec is very walkable, but it is hilly — the upper and lower towns are connected by stairs and a funicular. Wear good shoes, especially in winter.
Do you need to speak French in Québec City?
No. French is the everyday language, but almost everyone working in tourism speaks English. A simple “bonjour” first is always appreciated.
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