Quebec City
Québec
Description: Located on the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River, the capital of the province of Québec lies directly at the confluence of the Saint Charles River. Today's city originated from a trading post founded in 1806 by Samuel de Champlain. With just over half a million inhabitants, Québec is the eleventh largest city in Canada.
Our rating: We visited Québec City in September 2021. We enjoyed the city very much. Although it is a big city, we never had the feeling of being overwhelmed by it. The city struck us as very welcoming, friendly and relaxed. This includes the fact that everywhere we went, with our limited knowledge of French, we were treated accommodatingly and openly. Overall, Quebec seemed to us to be the most European of all the Canadian cities we have visited so far.
Basse-Ville, Petit Champlain
Description: The Place Royal marks the place where Samuel de Champlain founded his trading post in 1806. South of the square is the Petit Champlain neighborhood, which has largely preserved its original character. Here you will find charming narrow streets, most of which are now home to stores and restaurants, inviting you to stroll and shop.
Tip: When visiting the city's tourist sites, we found the parking lot right on Place Champlain very convenient. For a flat fee, you can park here all day and reach all the interesting destinations in the city center on foot.
For the GPS: 25 Rue du Marché-Champlain, Québec (Parking lot Place Champlain)
Our rating: Basse-Ville is an absolute must when visiting the city. The enchanting alleys simply invite you to take a stroll. There are countless opportunities to sit outside with a delicious café or to make one or the other find in one of the pretty stores. Last but not least, there are countless great photo motifs.
Haute Ville, Vieux-Québec
Description: A distinctive feature of the upper town is the 4.6km long city wall. This is one of the few that still exists in North America. Part of the city fortifications are also a citadel and 4 city gates. Other tourist highlights are the Dufferin Terraces and the luxury hotel Château de Frontenac. In the upper town you will also find the parliamentary district with the parliament building. Those who like to explore the culinary aspects will also find a wide selection of restaurants, especially along Rue Saint-Jean. The pedestrian zone invites you to sit outside and invest a dollar or two in the many stores.
Our rating: Even though the upper town does not have quite as much flair as the lower town in our opinion, it is definitely worth a visit as well. In our opinion, a stroll here belongs to a visit to the city.
Montmorency Falls
Description: Montmorency Falls is located 13km northeast of the city. At 83m, the waterfall is the largest in the province. It is also 30m higher than Niagara Falls. Depending on the season, the park around it has different opening hours and entrance fees. All information can be found at the official homepage. There are three large parking lots. If you have paid the fee at one, you can also use the others on the same day.
Our rating: We visited the waterfall in September 2021. The waterfall is quite pretty and it is always impressive when you can watch water dropping into the depths. However, we considered the surrounding area very touristy. Nevertheless, a small detour is worthwhile. Most amazing were the colorful trees that provided a great framework for the waterfalls.
