I wanted to do a 3-4 day trip with my daughter from Toronto in October and settled on Quebec City. The cheapest option was to travel by train with a short halt and train change in Montreal. Not a problem for me as I love train journeys but my daughter was not impressed by the prospect of the almost 12 hour journey!!
The views of the fall colors that Canada does best were stunning and I thoroughly enjoyed gazing out of my window throughout the journey- the daughter did what young adults do best and caught up on all her missed sleep!
Montreal was meant to be a 3 hour stop but as VIA Rail ran late, we ended up with just half that time. Still we were determined to see at least a little of the city so did a whirlwind walk around the station area before boarding our next train.
The little we did manage to see of Montreal was beautiful and someday I'd like to return and really explore the city.
The journey between Montreal and Quebec City was a bit tiring. Night had fallen so there were no views and time passed slower than I liked. On the plus side- the train compartments were much nicer than the 1st leg so it made up for the lack of entertainment!
When we arrived in QC it felt like the middle of nowhere- no hustle and bustle of people, no cars, no signs of life. Somehow we managed to get a taxi to our hotel and checked in. No restaurants seemed open and we just about managed to order food online before all deliveries closed for the night!
Day 1 Quebec City
Quebec City is divided geographically into an upper and lower area connected by road and funicular. If you enjoy walking, this is the place to do it as every turn has something beautiful to discover. We stayed at the Delta Marriott in the upper level of Quebec which was perfectly located with most places within walking distance. It also had a hop on hop off stop right next door which was perfect.
With no real agenda on day one except to visit some of the main sights, we just walked wherever we saw something interesting, eventually realizing we were visiting places on our "to see" list by chance- great way to explore!
Probably the best way to document this is photographically so here it goes! For understanding purposes I'll divide the photos into Upper and Lower City and just a note that these places may not have come sequentially as we did wander about a lot!
Upper City
The Ramparts of Quebec City
The best way to experience the ramparts of Quebec City is to walk around them and explore on foot. You'll see several old city gates as you walk the streets of Old Quebec and some have staircases that you can climb to the top. Rather than a fort, we felt like we were walking the pages of a fairytale!
Through the gate pictured on the far right is one of the busiest streets in this area- Rue Saint-Jean. Lined on either side with hotels, apartments, bars, restaurants, cafes, shopping and tourist memorabilia stores it's always buzzing and has a great vibe especially in the evenings. This road connected us to most places of interest and we used it at least twice a day! On this street is also one of the famous bakeries of Quebec City- Paillard.
Definitely amazing bakes and food but the service is snobbish and no seems to know how to smile. Went twice for the bakery despite the poor customer service!
The fountain in front of the Parliament House
Beautiful both day and night and a popular spot for photos. You can enter the parliament for a look see too but unfortunately we were always out and missed the opening timings.
City Hall
This was a building we saw everyday as it was on our main walking route. As you can see, with Halloween around the corner it was all decked out for the festivities!
Art and Architecture
When I say there's something around every corner in QC I mean it! These are some of many discoveries made- art installations, churches/chapels and many beautiful buildings. Some are seasonal or temporary so every visit would be different.
Dufferin Terrace
After a fair bit of exploring we eventually reached our main destination- The Dufferin Terrace.
This area and its surroundings are a central point for all things QC. Flanked on one side by the majestic Chateau Frontenac and on the other the St. Lawerence river, this is where I can guarantee you will need to go at some point during your trip.
The tourist office is located near here, most tour buses begin and end here, the Chateau is here and the funicular as well as the steps to the lower city are here, and of course the Terrace itself is a major attraction.
Lets start with The Château Frontenac. Arguably one of the most photographed buildings in Quebec City, the Château is a historic hotel in Quebec City designated by UNESCO as a world heritage building. It is managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and has 610 guest rooms with river facing room here, in October, costing between 670- 700 CAD a night! It's as close to castle living as you can get without actually living in one!
Although staying here would not be an option for most, we can all still enjoy the breathtaking views of the St. Lawerence river from the Dufferin Terrace- a long wooden sidewalk located next to the Château Frontenac. Thousands of tourists and locals come here year around to stroll, relax and enjoy the views. We were here every day of our trip and enjoyed not only the performances of many musicians and buskers who play during summertime, but enjoyed some people watching too!
If you have time, try to climb up to the Citadel located on the highest natural point in Quebec City. The views are similar to what you will get at the Dufferin Terrace but its still worth the effort!
We enjoyed many walks on and around this beautiful terrace and I really recommend getting a coffee and pain au chocolate at the small coffee shop, finding a bench and just enjoying the beautiful views and soaking in the atmosphere.
The Governors Promenade
A lovely wooden walkway linking Dufferin Terrace and the Plains of Abraham Park. It can be walked either direction and stretches along the Citadel with the fortification wall on one side and a gorgeous view of the St. Lawrence River on the other. There are a few steps involved but otherwise its an easy walk with benches along the way to sit and rest while admiring the views.
The Plains of Abraham
A historic area within the Battlefields Park in Quebec City is today used as a park for sports, relaxation, outdoor concerts and festivals. There is an interpretive center to learn some of the area's history as well as several walking trails on site. It is a fantastic place to just relax and enjoy nature.
Lower City
There are 3 ways to travel between the lower and upper parts of Quebec city- By road, by climbing steps or by using the funicular. The railway station is in the lower part so when you first arrive, if your accommodation is in the upper part, I highly recommend a taxi.
Both the steps and the funicular connect the two levels from the Dufferin Terrace to the Rue du Petit-Champlain.
The steps, also known as the breakneck steps possibly due to their slipperiness during snowy months, are only 59 in number and very doable if you are reasonably fit. Many people take pictures from here as it has wonderful views of one of Canada's most picturesque streets: the Rue du Petit-Champlain.
The Funicular is 64 m long and travels at an angle of 45'. Tickets are bought directly at the entrance and cost $ 3 per ride.
We climbed down the steps and came up on the funicular - best of both and least tiring option!
Rue de Petit Champlain
One of the most beautiful streets of Quebec City. There are galleries, shops, cafes and restaurants. Take your time, wander off into side streets, enter galleries, snack and explore explore and explore! Don't worry about getting lost- its easy to navigate!
Don't miss this fabulous Quebec City Mural in the lower city- walking distance from the funicular in the Petit Champlain district at the corner of Notre Dame street.
Another thing we did (which in hindsight should have been done on our 1st day) to orient ourselves, was to take the hop-on hop-off bus which gave us a true picture of the city's layout and also some good photo opportunities.
Views from the HOHO bus!
Montmorency Falls
As I absolutely love any type of waterfalls, a quick trip to Montmorency Falls was a no brainer. Quebec tours, where we got our HOHO bus tickets, has several routes and one of them was the blue line to the falls at a cost of CAD 24.99 per adult.
The trip begins at the visitor center and takes about an hour with 4 departure times.
We took the 1st trip at 1045am to avoid the crowds and get enough time to explore.
The falls are clearly visible from the visitor center and for a nominal fee you can access the walkway around the base for a lovely stroll and great views.
We actually wanted to go to the top of the falls too and there are 2 ways to get there from base level.
1- take the cable car up for an extra fee of around CAD 18 per adult round trip
2- walk to the stairway and climb 487 steps up
Off course we had to do the climb! Despite the steps it was a lovely walk with several stopping points to rest and admire the views. Just beware the winds get crazy strong the higher you go so dress warm!
From the top of the stairs there is a beautiful walk over bridges and through a small forest to reach a tiny visitor center and enjoy a cup of something hot while enjoying the views before heading back down.
*We did see signs for a zipline activity but it is seasonal and had already closed for the year.
Once down we did a quick walk along the hiking trail and then headed back to wait for the bus.
All in all it was a most pleasant way to spend half a day and I do recommend it as an addition to your exploring of the city itself.
So to sum up- I absolutely loved the quaintness and charm of Quebec City and exploring it was very rewarding especially with my lovely daughter for company! 3 nights was good for us as we are active people but I would have added another 2 days just to be able to do a few more short day trips to the countryside.
Another bucket list location happily enjoyed and ticked off!
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