It was tough leaving Montreal because we all really love that city. Vast fields and farms are basically our only entertainment during this 3 hour journey. There is no place to stop for treats or bathrooms, so be prepared. As we drove, the temperature dropped about 20 degrees…I’m not exaggerating! Good thing we brought layers for our adventures because after all, we must see ALL of Quebec City in a Weekend!
Lower Town, Old Quebec
Lower town is enchanting. It has a very European feeling with the cobblestone streets, quaint homes and overflowing flower boxes. The problem is that even though the city was built in the 1600s, all of the facades have been refurbished. It’s hard to explain but the result is that it seems like a city that is faking being old when it isn’t…but it actually is!
La Place-Royale
Tonight we are so lucky to stroll this lovely square while listening to a keyboardist play classical music. Shops, cafes and galleries line the pedestrian only piazza featuring a bust statue of Louis XIV and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church.
Fresque des Québécois
This is a HUGE mural depicting Quebec’s history and most famous citizens.
Royal Battery
Rue de Petit Champlain
This charming pedestrian only street is the oldest in Quebec City. Here you will find artist collectives, boutiques and cafes in a beautiful setting.
Some shops we particularly like in lower town are:
Sculpteur Flamand Inc.
La Petite Cabane A Sucre
La Fudgerie
Where to eat in lower town:
La Pizz Trattoria Bistronomique
Many of the restaurants in Quebec City offer French fine dining. Sadly, that does not fit the bill for my family. Nestled in a corner of Place Royale, we played it safe with Italian on our first night. The service here is good and the food is okay as well.
Crêperie et Cie 5.0
This place is the last on Rue Petit Champlain, so the crowds are thinner here. The savory crepes are awesome and make for a perfect lunch. Alex says the churros are “pretty good”.
How To Get From Lower to Upper Quebec City
- The Old Quebec Funicular – a quick ride up
- L’Escalier Casse-Cou “Breakneck Stairs” – Not nearly as tough to walk as you might believe (and I have bad knees). Landings have shops and cafes.
- Drive…but that’s not so easy and parking is even harder
Upper Town Quebec City, Canada
Dufferin Terrace
This is the first area that you will land upon when coming from Lower Town both by stairs or tram. It is an expansive boardwalk with a nice view of the St. Laurence River. There is a cool toboggan run here that is open all winter. In summer, you will find street performers. We saw a saxophonist and a circus act today.
Château Frontenac hotel
Quebec City’s most famous landmark was built by the Canadian railroad as a home for French governors. Currently, this 18 story castle serves as hotel. It is massive and beautiful and JAM PACKED with people. We saw a long line of people cued up at 11:30 waiting for the restaurant there to open at noon. Crazy!
Basilica of Notre Dame de Quebec
A beautiful church but we didn’t go inside.
Rue du Tresor
This is another street for shopping and eating. There is also an alley for local artists to display their works.
Porte St Jean
We actually saw this beautiful city gate* and it’s namesake pedestrian street (Rue St. Jean) while we’re driving out of the Old City. I wonder why none of the blogs I read when prepping for my visit mentioned it?! It is just a few blocks from the other attractions in upper town and I like the upbeat vibe here better than that of Rue Tresor. This is definitely the area to be at night.
*Fun fact: Quebec City is the only walled city north of Mexico.
Where To Eat In Upper Town
Maison Marocaine
This has been a vacation of trying new foods for our family. Nina actually suggested going to this Moroccan restaurant. She had never eaten Moroccan food, and I hadn’t had it in years either. It was pretty good…Renato really loved his couscous.
Chocolato
Mary’s
Nearby Day Trips
Île d’Orléans
We completed my planned activities in town, so we decided to try a day trip. Île d’Orléans sounds like an idyllic day trip full of art and delicious food. In actuality for us, it was basically driving in traffic and looking at houses. I only saw a handful of questionably charming places to stop, but the kids had fallen asleep, so we decided not to even try. Overall I was disappointed with this excursion. Sorry to say, but we found it pretty dull. I’m annoyed because it was my idea so I can’t even blame Renato! 🤬
Montmorency Falls
On the way back across the bridge we happened to see the waterfall. Who knew it was so close to the island?! Nina really wanted to zip line across the falls but Renato and I didn’t want to watch that…plus, there was a HUGE line. Instead, we walked to the middle of the suspension bridge and went to the viewing area in front of the falls. It was awesome!
Where to stay: Quebec City in a Weekend
Auberege Saint Antoine
Our hotel is located in the port of the Old City. It’s a combination of three buildings and really feels that way when you’re lost in the maze of the halls here!
Our suite is decorated in the The French country style and has a rustic charm.
HOTEL PROS:
- It’s bigger than most NYC apartments and has a balcony.
- Kid’s welcome package of sweets, colored pencils, child sized robe and slippers.
- There’s a towel warmer (I love warm towels!)
CONS:
- We have another plug in toilet / bedet. I don’t like it. It makes noises and I hate a heated toilet seat.
- The breakfast buffet is just meh (but the latte is delish)
- They don’t provide water bottles in the rooms
- Skimpy on providing towels
- Very slippery bathtub (kinda scary!)
Final Thoughts On Quebec City
- Someone on FB earlier today said “It’s just like Paris”. I strongly disagree
- Where is the baguette?!
- Why is it so hard to find a kiosk with water?
- I actually like the vibe in the lower town better than upper town…it’s hard to explain why but i feel like it has more character. Although both areas are mobbed with tourists, seeing the line of double decker busses on the Dufferin Terrace just made it feel worse.
- Quebec City has so many talented street musicians. The music wafting through the air adds to the charm of this place.
- You can easily experience all of Quebec City in a Weekend. We really enjoyed our time here. Thanks for suggesting it Dad ❤️
Thank you for reading Quebec City in a Weekend! ❤️
To read about the rest of our Canadian adventure, check out these posts: