3 Days in Quebec City // A Detailed Itinerary

Quebec City, Canada: a charming, historic little city with a gorgeous old town and walkable sights.

The Quebec City area has been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous people, but the city as we know it today dates back to the 1600s, when French colonizers first settled there. Unlike some cities that were founded by European colonizers, Quebec City has retained its European influence — while also forming an identity that’s all its own.

Accordingly, Quebec City is an especially great place to visit if you live in North America and want to soak up some European vibes without crossing an ocean. In fact, Quebec City is so close to many places in the Americas that it’s an easy (and great) destination for a long weekend. If you have three days in Quebec City, here’s how I recommend you spend them.

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3 Days in Quebec City: Know Before You Go

• Day 1: Arrive, wander around Old Quebec, take a ghost tour
• Day 2: Visit a museum, explore the Plains of Abraham, ride a boat
• Day 3: See Montmorency Falls, visit Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré

TIP: This map contains most of the recommendations in this blog post. To save it to your own Google Maps account, click the star next to the map’s name. You can then find and use the map from your Google Maps app by going to “Saved,” then “Maps.”

How to get to Quebec City

Unless you live within driving distance, Quebec City is easy to reach by plane. In fact, if you’re traveling from New York, Chicago, or Philadelphia, you can find direct flights under 3 hours at certain times of year (there are direct flights to Quebec City from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale too!). Just make sure you put in “YQB” when searching for your destination — otherwise, your flight search might also show you results for Montreal (which is not far away).

When you arrive at the airport, you can get to the city by (1) bus (take the number 80), (2) taxi (expect to pay between $40-50 to reach the heart of Quebec City), or (3) Uber (Lyft does not operate in Quebec City).

Alternatively, if you’re traveling from Ottawa or Montreal, you can reach Quebec City by train or bus.

Where to stay in Quebec City

I stayed at an Airbnb just outside the city wall, a few blocks past St. John Gate. This was a great location, as it was quite a bit cheaper than staying in Old Quebec proper, but all the city’s sights were still within easy walking distance.

If you’d prefer to stay in Old Quebec, check out the Auberge Saint-Antoine, which is right around the corner from some of the city’s most historic and picturesque sights.

If you have a large budget for lodging, check out the Château — that is, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which is the huge hotel that dominates Quebec City’s skyline. It’s pricey, but ideally located.

Where to eat in Quebec City

I had dinner in incredibly touristy locations, which is not always a great idea if your goal is to find good food for good value, but all my meals were great.

In fact, the salad I had at La Pizz in Place Royale was so good that I went back to eat it again the next night — also not my norm, since I love to experience a lot of different restaurants while traveling.

I also ate at L’Escale on the Breakneck Steps (Escalier Casse-Cou). My food was great, and it was a perfect place for people-watching.

What else to know about Quebec City

Like I said, Quebec City was colonized by the French, and the Quebecois continue to have a very strong identity that’s distinct from other parts of Canada. As such, the city is still full of French vibes — and, importantly, the French language. People speak French, streets have French names, signs and menus are in French. But as a general rule, people also speak English — especially those who regularly interact with tourists. You won’t have a problem getting around if you don’t speak French (though it’s always a good idea to learn a few basic phrases!)

3-Day Quebec City Itinerary

Charming squares, impressive waterfalls, ghost tours, and more: here is exactly how I recommend you spend three days in Quebec City.

Wander Around Old Quebec

My favorite thing to do in Quebec City is just wandering around the beautiful old town. That’s how I recommend you start your visit: explore Old Quebec, following your whims and heading down any street that looks interesting. Quebec City is small and incredibly walkable, so it’s easy to see a lot of the old town in a short amount of time.

If you’d prefer a little bit of structure to your exploration, follow a self-guided walking tour, like this one from Lonely Planet.

Either way, here are some sights I recommend you make sure to see:

Rue Saint-Jean

Rue Saint-Jean is one of the oldest streets in historic Quebec City, and today is one of its main commercial stretches. It’s a lively place with plenty of street performers — and plenty of tourists, too, but don’t let that deter you.

Place Royale

Place Royale is a picturesque little square that once served as the town marketplace and, according to some, is even the precise place where Samuel de Champlain founded the first French settlement in the Americas. Today, you can find shops, restaurants, and a bust of Louis XIV. This is a lovely place to enjoy a coffee or a meal.

The square is dominated by a small church, Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, which has a large model ship hanging from the ceiling (?!). Just off the square is a big trompe l’oeil mural depicting Quebec’s history — don’t miss it.

Rue du Petit Champlain

Just around the corner from Place Royale, the extremely charming Rue du Petit Champlain is full of restaurants, boutiques, and galleries. Importantly, at one end of the street you’ll find the funicular that connects the lower part of Old Quebec to the upper part (where the Château is located). Alternatively, if you’d rather stretch your legs, you can climb the steep Breakneck Steps — which, I am sorry to report, is just one of several sets of stairs you’ll have to climb in order to get back up there. The stairs in historic Quebec City are no joke!

Maison de la Littérature

Maison de la Littérature is a beautiful library in a building that formerly served as a Methodist church. As a person who (1) is obsessed with books and (2) walks into absolutely every historic church I pass whenever I travel, this place feels made for me specifically. You don’t need to spend a lot of time here — unless you’re looking for a quiet place to relax for a few hours! — but it’s worth a peek.

Notre-Dame de Quebec

Speaking of churches, don’t miss the Notre-Dame de Quebec. While Quebec City has quite a few charming and historic churches, the Notre-Dame is arguably the most impressive — and it’s the oldest church in Canada!

Umbrella Alley

Okay, I’m not usually a huge fan of stuff that feels more or less engineered to look great on Instagram, but I can’t resist this one. Umbrella Alley is simply a small pedestrian street — a corner, really — where at certain times of the year you can find fun umbrellas hanging over restaurants and passersby. At the end of the street is a great view of both the umbrellas and the Château, hovering high over the old city.

Take a Ghost Tour

Ghost tours can be kind of hit or miss, in my opinion, but Quebec City has a great one. Run by Ghost Tours of Quebec, this 90-minute walking tour will take you all over Old Quebec as you learn about centuries of history (both haunted and otherwise).

Heads up that at the end of this ghost tour, you’ll sit in a darkened church listening to, well, ghost stories. If you’re not a scaredy-cat like me, this may be nothing, but I must admit I found it spookier than these types of ghost tours tend to be. In a good way!

The English language ghost tour operates every evening at 8 p.m. from May to October. It costs $22 per person, except for students and seniors (who pay $19) or children 10 and under (who are free). You can buy tickets in advance here, or in person at the Ghost of Tours of Quebec office (this is what I did on the afternoon of my tour). You may also be able to just show up a little before 8 p.m. and pay on the spot, but no guarantees that tickets will still be available.

Visit the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec

Okay, if you’re not an art museum person, I fully understand if you skip this one. I very much am an art museum person, though, and I really enjoyed this one. You’ll find a wide variety of styles and time periods housed in gorgeous buildings.

Regular admission costs $16, but there are discounts for seniors, young adults, teens, and kids. The museum is generally open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can check current hours and pricing here.

Explore the Plains of Abraham

Exit the art museum directly onto the historic Plains of Abraham. This huge plateau now largely serves as a public park, but it’s most notable as the site of a critical battle in the Seven Years’ War. In 1759, Britain defeated France in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, leading to the British capture of Quebec and, ultimately, contributing to the creation of the nation of Canada.

As you walk through the park, keep an eye out for the Plains of Abraham Museum, where you can learn much more about the battle and the history of the plateau. Also, at the end of the park closest to Old Quebec and the Château is a huge citadel that also contains plenty of historical information and other attractions.

Ride a Boat

Quebec City is located on the St. Lawrence River, which means you have the opportunity to see the city from a different perspective: on the water. My personal recommendation is the 90-minute tour with Croisières AML, which will take you downriver toward the Île d’Orléans — a nearby island — and give you a distant-ish view of Montmorency Falls. You’ll also get great views of Quebec City itself.

Tickets are generally $49.99 per adult (less for children). You can purchase in advance here, or purchase on the dock up to the time of your cruise if tickets are remaining (this is what I did). Food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, are available on board. The boat tour leaves from Quai Chouinard.

Feel the Mist of Montmorency Falls

Start off your final day in Quebec City by making your way to the outskirts of the city, where you’ll find Montmorency Falls — a rather impressive waterfall that’s actually higher than Niagara Falls (though, admittedly, much lesser in volume).

While the falls look great from the ground, I recommend seeing them from above as well. There are at least two ways to accomplish this: (1) a cable car that takes you up to viewpoints, trails, and Montmorency Manor (where you can find food, drinks, and information), and (2) a winding set of nearly 500 stairs (free, except the cost to your short-term energy levels). When you’re facing the falls, the cable car is on your left and the stairs are on your right. Even if you choose not to climb the stairs, make sure you explore the boardwalk below them, which has great views of the falls.

Don’t miss the suspension bridge that crosses the top of the falls. If you dare, ride the zipline, which whizzes across the falls for 1000 feet.

You can reach Montmorency Falls by bus or by car. Check current pricing and hours for all of these options here.

Visit Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré

A bit further down the river from the falls is the tiny town of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. The main attraction here is its towering basilica. Legend holds that the shrine is the site of many miracles — and in fact, several pillars inside the cathedral are covered in crutches, canes, and other implements formerly used by pilgrims who claim they were healed there.

Whether or not you believe that, the basilica is quite striking. As I’ve said, I love visiting historic churches wherever I travel, and Sainte-Anne’s basilica impressed me more than most.

You can combine your trip to Montmorency Falls and the cathedral through a guided tour such as this one from Viator or Get Your Guide (this is what I did!).

Check current availability for the Montmorency/cathedral day trip here:

Final Thoughts

Quebec City is one of my favorite places in North America: a taste of Europe, but much closer to home for Americans like me!

It’s also the perfect weekend destination, making a three-day visit just right. I hope with this three-day itinerary, you also discover all the best charms of Quebec City!

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