Quebec City is one of the oldest and most historic cities in Canada. With its rich heritage and culture, it’s full of beautiful and amazing places.
Quebec Attractions and Places of Interest
Whether you are from Quebec or visiting from out of town, here is a collection of some of the top attractions worth exploring.
General Attractions
Below are some of the best places to check out in the city.
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
The first Anglican cathedral constructed outside of Great Britain, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is quite historic. The interior contains many artifacts that date back to the beginning of the 19th century, and the bell tower contains some of the oldest and biggest bells in Canada. The building (located at 31 Rue des Jardins) has great acoustics and is a popular spot for concerts.
For more information about the cathedral, visit our Holy Trinity Cathedral page.
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
The Château Frontenac is a luxurious, historic building at 1 Rue des Carrières, and is a centrepiece of Old Quebec. It’s a Quebec landmark and one of the most famous hotels in the entire country. Even if you aren’t staying overnight, you’re allowed to visit the lobby of the hotel as well as the Dufferin Terrace that wraps around the building. All manner of dignitaries have stayed at the Château and it’s said to be the most photographed hotel in the world.
To learn more about the attraction, click Château Frontenac Hotel.
The Governor General’s Residence at the Citadelle
La Citadelle de Quebec
An extensive military fortress located on Cap Diamant, the Citadelle is the oldest military building in the country. Originally built in the 1800s to help protect Quebec from a potential American invasion, the Citadelle is now a National Historic Site that’s open to visitors. Various activities that are available include tours of both the fortress and the Residence of the Governor-General, and the Royal 22nd Regiment Museum.
For more information about the military fortress, check out our Quebec Citadelle article.
La Musée de la Civilisation
One of the best museums in the province, the Musée de la Civilisation is located at 85 Dalhousie Street. Made up of two separate wings joined by an outdoor plaza, the museum’s permanent exhibitions focus on the history of Quebec from the perspective of both the local indigenous communities as well as the settlers who built the city.
For more details about the attraction, check out our Musée de la Civilisation page.
Le Monastère des Augustines
Le Monastère des Augustines at 77 Rue des Remparts was converted from a standard monastery to a combined wellness hotel and museum back in 2015. Staying at Le Monastère provides the opportunity for self-care and learning more about your own well-being. Whether you spend the night or not you can also visit the museum which shares the history of the Augustinian Sisters in Quebec.
For more information about the hotel and museum, visit our Le Monastère des Augustines page.
Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral
The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame is the oldest church in all of Canada. Almost a full four centuries old, this historic building at 16 Rue de Buade still holds regular services today. The site contains a museum and crypt along with the main cathedral, and its most important object is the Holy Door. One of only eight in the entire world, the Holy Door has large spiritual significance and is the site of pilgrimages during Holy Years. Even when closed, it’s still a place that attracts many visitors.
To learn more about the church, click Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral.
Quebec’s Parliament Building and National Assembly
Recently renovated just a few years ago, the Quebec Parliament Building is an imposing structure. The building stands out from many legislative buildings in other provinces due to its clear French design style. There are many statues and sculptures on and around the exterior and the building is around eight stories tall. You can tour the Parliament and check out the National Assembly, the Library, Flag Room and more. It’s located at 1045 Rue des Parlementaires.
Check out our Quebec National Assembly article for more details.
The Quebec National Assembly
The Capital Observatory
The Capital Observatory is an observation deck that gives you 360-degree views of the city. The deck is on the 31st floor of the Marie-Guyart Building, the tallest building in Quebec City. Designed for people of all ages and with the ability to look down at your surroundings from above, there are also multiple exhibits within the attraction that detail how Quebec has expanded over its history. Located at 1037 Rue de la Chevrotière, the Marie-Guyart Building is also an important provincial government headquarters.
Visit the Capital Observatory website for more information.
Other Places of Interest
Below are other places well-worth visiting in and around the city.
Grand Allée
Near Parliament Hill, the Grand Allée district is one of the more popular ones to visit in the city. There’s plenty of nightlife with restaurants, bars and clubs galore, and there’s a lot of history in the area as well. Originally the connection between Cap Diamant to Cap-Rouge in the 1600s, attractions in the area include Battlefields Park, the Grand Allée Drill Hall and the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec.
To learn more about the district, visit the Grand Allée webpage.
Montmorency Falls
Just outside of the city itself, Montmorency Falls is a beautiful place to go visit. The dominant feature of the park is the waterfall, which is actually taller than the more famous Niagara Falls in Ontario. There are plenty of ways to check them out, like from the surrounding trails, a suspension bridge over the water, or from a cable car that takes passengers up to the top. There’s also an information centre and restaurant at the nearby Montmorency Manor.
For more details about the attraction, visit the Montmorency Falls webpage.
Plains of Abraham
A public park in the present day, the Plains of Abraham is one of the most famous sites in Quebec due to its history as a crucial battlefield in the Seven Years’ War. The park has a museum with exhibitions on the battle and there’s also the Joan of Arc Garden with plenty of flowers and a statue of Joan of Arc herself. As well, the Plains is a very popular site for festivals and hosts various events throughout the year. This includes parts of both the Festival d’été and Carnaval.
To learn more about the site, check out our Plains of Abraham page.
The Plains of Abraham
Quartier Petit-Champlain
One of the best areas in the city to visit, the Quartier Petit-Champlain is within Old Quebec and claims to be the oldest commercial district on the continent. Today, it’s a great place to shop and explore some of the heritage that Quebec has to offer. There are pedestrian-only streets within the quartier which makes taking a stroll through the district quite appealing. You can find just about anything you might be looking for in the various stores, restaurants and other businesses.
Visit the Quartier Petit-Champlain website for more information.
Events in Quebec City
A couple of the top events to check out in Quebec are listed below.
Festival d’été de Quebec
There’s no better summer party than the Festival d’été, the biggest outdoor music festival in Canada. There are usually over 200 different artists performing over the course of the event, with multiple stages and an 11-day run for the festival. The main stage is on the Plains of Abraham and features some of the top artists in the world. Headliners in recent years include Green Day, 50 Cent, Post Malone and Lana Del Rey. A lot of the festival takes place downtown and attracts plenty of food trucks to go with its party atmosphere.
For more details about the event, see our Festival d’été de Quebec article.
Le Carnaval de Quebec
Quebec’s annual Winter Carnival is a beloved local tradition and one of the biggest winter festivals in the world. Taking place over two and a half weeks, fireworks and outdoor music kick off the festivities. From there, there’s the Ice Palace to explore, amusement rides to enjoy and various forms of entertainment to take in including parades, ice and snow sculpture competitions, dog sledding and ice canoe races. Make sure to have some maple taffy, beaver tails and (for the adults) Caribou during the event.
To learn more about the event, check out the Carnaval de Quebec website.
For information about other major festivals in Quebec City, see the Quebec Calendar of Events.
Other Information
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
For information about top attractions in other Canadian cities, check out the following websites:
- Ottawasbestplaces.com
- Montrealsbestplaces.com
- Torontosbestplaces.com
- Vancouversbestplaces.com
- Victoriasbestplaces.com
- WhatToDoInWhistler.ca