Reviewed on Jun. 17, 2022
Reviewed on Jun. 18, 2022
Reviewed on Jun. 25, 2022
4.5/5Wonderful!(5,283 area reviews)
Beneath the skyscrapers, this neighborhood offers grand civic spaces, high-end shopping, 30 concert halls and the world’s largest underground complex.
5/5Exceptional!(1,547 area reviews)
This walled, historic district is internationally recognized as a World Heritage Site and contains Québec’s oldest and most famous buildings and attractions.
4.5/5Wonderful!(1,060 area reviews)
Once surrounded by ramparts, this historic area within Montreal city now shines as one of the oldest and best preserved urban centers in North America.
4.5/5Wonderful!(4,365 area reviews)
Discover art, delve into history and savor natural beauty in the heart of Canada’s national capital, a delightful blend of old and new.
3.5/5Good!(91 area reviews)
From the old port up to the mountain in a park, Montreal’s historic center is rich in beauty and bustling with activity.
Reviewed on Jun. 25, 2022
Reviewed on Jun. 25, 2022
Reviewed on Jun. 21, 2022
This French-speaking inland province is the birthplace of poutine, Cirque du Soleil and Arcade Fire. Here art thrives in some of the New World’s oldest cities.
Since the 1500s when Jacques Cartier landed, Québec has been Canada’s French enclave. Today, the province maintains French as its official language. It features a classically French focus on cuisine, art and grand architecture. Visit Québec’s two main cities for a sense of Paris within the Canadian woods.
Tour Québec City, the province’s capital, for the purest experience of old Québec. Today the city feels more like a European capital than a frontier port town. Browse the cobblestone alleys of the Old Town. The Château Frontenac is one of the city’s main monuments, a castle-like grand hotel towering over the port, while the 1886 Hôtel du Parlement is equally as grand. At the heart of Québec City is La Citadelle, a geometric fort that has guarded the city for centuries. In the nearby city of Baie-Saint-Paul, the theatrical group Cirque du Soleil got its start in the 1980s.
If Québec City is the historic political capital of Québec, Montréal is the contemporary cultural capital. This bohemian city of university students and artists features some of the province’s liveliest neighborhoods, museums, cuisine and parties. Eat French-Canadian specialties such as maple syrup-glazed salmon or poutine, made of potato, cheese and gravy. Gather around young artists in colorful neighborhoods like the Plateau-Mont-Royal or the Quartier Latin. Listen to the rock band Arcade Fire in their hometown. In summer, head to the Quartier des Spectacles or the St. Lawrence River islands to participate in one of hundreds of annual festivals, including the Montréal Jazz Festival.
Québec’s vast northern region extends to the Hudson Strait. Visit the far-north region of Nunavik, where a large Inuit population lives on the tundra. The regional highlight is Pingualuit National Park, centered on a 2.1-mile (3.4-kilometer) meteorite crater filled with the water of a brilliant blue lake.
Arrive in Québec via international airports in Québec City or Montréal. During winter, the province’s heavy snow can make travel difficult, so arrive from June to mid-September for the best weather.
Historic architecture, modern attractions and an exciting calendar of festivals make it impossible to get bored at this lively and scenic riverfront space.
Sail down the mighty St. Lawrence River past Québec City and appreciate the area’s historic charm. Reigning over this heritage city is a grand building.
