|Canadian Getaways|

3 days in Quebec City

March 20, 2020 /

Only 397 miles from Boston, Québec city is the capital of the Canadian province of  Québec. The city is known for its rich history, cobblestone streets, European architecture and fortifications. We drove there from Boston during a May long weekend. It took us 8 hours including the breaks and the time spent on border crossing.

After checking into our hotel around midnight, we decided to fulfill our Poutine cravings and found this hole in the wall restaurant at walking distance. We weren’t disappointed and happily went to bed excited about exploring Quebec city the morning after.

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

We started our day with a visit to Château Frontenac. An epitome of elegance and luxury, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a castle-hotel overlooking the St. Lawrence river. Perched high above the city, this hotel is located in the center of Old Quebec, a UNESCO world heritage site. It looks like a castle right out of a fairy tale with it’s Châteauesque architectural style and dominates the Quebec City skyline.

The green color of the roof is the result of natural oxidation over a period of 25 years. The interior decor is charming, with a beautiful chandelier, painted ceilings and plush rugs. One doesn’t need to stay at the hotel to appreciate its grandeur. A visit to this hotel can in itself be an experience, and was one of the top places on my list during our visit to Quebec City.

Quartier Petit-Champlain

A UNESCO world heritage site, Old Quebec is a historic walled (fortified) city. Known as the birth place of French North America, the colorful neighborhood of Old Quebec encompasses so much culture and history. Strolling the streets of this neighborhood was such a delight. The most beautiful pedestrian street Petit-Champlain didn’t fail to charm us.

Unique boutiques and souvenir shops, beautiful art galleries and an array of french & canadian restaurants, this street has got you covered. Don’t miss the umbrella street (first picture in the blog) with it’s colorful umbrellas hanging from the sky and the brick buildings which will take you back in time. I hope to visit this gorgeous city during Thanksgiving or Christmas as well. The decorations during the holiday season are known to be enchanting highlighted by the powdery white snow!

Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral and the streets of Old Quebec

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, a national historic site is the oldest church in Canada. Gilded in shimmering gold leaf, the neo-classical architecture is breathtaking. The stained glass windows, the holy door (8th in the world), religious paintings, woodwork and the crypt are truly remarkable.

The murals in quebec city are a treat for the eyes. Masterpieces in their own right, these wall paintings depict the city’s history, it’s people and culture, contributing lovingly to the street art scene. There are about 20 murals throughout the region. There is detailed information available online about their locations and the artists.

Ride the Old Quebec Funicular linking the Haute-Ville (Upper town) to the Basse-Ville (Lower Town). The ride costs 3 CAN pp and has beautiful views of Old Quebec and St. Lawrence River.

Brunch Recommendations in Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec): Les Frères de la Côte has nice brunch plates, poutines and pizzas. The tables were a little cramped but it’s a popular place on a busy street so no complains!

Lunch Recommendations in Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec): Le Pape Georges had a lovely outdoor seating with drool-worthy cheese plates, chili nachos & beer!

Café Recommendations in Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec): Baguette & Chocolat is at a prime location. The mocchacino, latte macchiato & cappuccinos were the perfect refreshment during our evening break.

Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré & Montmorency Falls

A 20 minute drive from Quebec City, The Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is dedicated to Saint Anne (Grandmother of Jesus) and is visited by a million people every year. The beautiful basilica is built in the shape of cross in a Romanesque Revival style. Incredible statues & sculptures, paintings and mosaics, Chapels & copper doors adorn the interior of the Basilica.

The Montmorency falls located on the Montmorency River are 83m tall (30m higher than Niagara Falls). One can take the cable car up to the cliffs or go zip-lining soaring over the falls. We didn’t enjoy the experience as much considering the water was dirty. It wasn’t spectacular as marketed but one could visit if it’s on your way.

Evening Plans – Dinner & Drinks

We started off at La Korrigane and ordered the in house beers and a Le 380 cocktail. Liked the ambiance and vibe of the place. It wasn’t too loud and we were able to talk and spend some quality time. Loved the chicken wings, the flavor was different from the ones served in North East US.

Next we moved on to a gastropub called L’Atelier. Located on the famous Grand Allee street, this place has an extensive cocktail menu. We loved the cocktail pitcher with Jameson (Irish Whisky) base. The crispy chicken burger branded with their logo was scrumptious. The dessert trio was a perfect way to end the day!

Accomodation

Since this was a low budget trip, we stayed at a budget hotel called Hôtel du Nord close to Old Quebec. Two rooms with queen beds for 3 nights cost us a total of USD 465. This hotel was totally value for money. The hallway was like a maze but the rooms were satisfactory. We had no complaints.

Room: It was clean, hygienic, spacious enough for the price
Location: Just over 1 mile from Old Quebec landmarks
Breakfast: Was included. We primarily got our morning coffee, juice and fruit. Nothing fancy
Parking: Additional USD 10 per night
Pool: Never used it
Staff: Polite

I loved this vacation as we were able to experience a slice of Europe with a simple road trip to North America. While the road signage was primarily in French, we didn’t struggle much as most places we visited were close enough to each other that they could be covered intuitively and on foot. It could get crowded during long weekends so you may want to plan your trip accordingly.

Apart from the decorations during the holiday season, I also want to visit Quebec city during winters to tour and experience Hôtel de Glace. The only ice hotel in North America, this place is completely made of snow and ice.. I am also looking forward to exploring more french towns in Quebec and surrounding areas. Until then, Au revoir!

Want to make this a longer road trip? Checkout my blogs on Montreal & Mont-Tremblant and follow this route:

Boston -> Montreal -> Mont-Tremblant -> Quebec City -> Boston

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