Château Frontenac in Vieux-Québec. Photo © Jamie McCaffrey, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Québec City by Neighborhood
For those traveling to Québec City, here’s a helpful list of must-see sights and attractions in the city’s various neighborhoods.Les Fortifications surround Vieux-Québec’s Upper Town, a 400-year-old neighborhood where the history of the winding streets and original architecture remains safe from the ravages of time. Protected by these walls is the Château Frontenac, Québec City’s most famous sight, and the Séminaire de Québec, one of the city’s oldest sights.
The stone Norman-style buildings and cobblestone streets of Place Royale mark the country’s birthplace. History is unavoidable here, from the narrow lanes of Quartier du Petit-Champlain to the historic Vieux-Port, with its converted warehouses, antiques shops, and trendy hotels.
Outside of the walls are the Plains of Abraham and Battlefield Park, the site of France’s historic defeat by the British. The seat of the provincial government is to its north, housed in Hôtel du Parlement. Running alongside the government building are the nightclubs and bars of La Grande-Allée, the city’s nightlife destination. Also in the Plains is Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, which holds the largest existing collection of Québec art.
Once working-class neighborhoods, Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Saint- Roch are now trendy, bohemian neighborhoods, home to the city’s coolest kids, and the area where you’ll find the best bars, browse independent boutiques, and catch the latest bands. It’s also a major arts hub, and the contemporary arts complex Méduse is located here.
In the areas surrounding the center of the city, find kid-friendly destinations like the Aquarium du Québec and the beautiful, sprawling gardens of Parc du Bois-de-Coulonge. The slopes of Mont-Sainte-Anne are fun for the whole family.
Just a half-hour drive from the city are the picturesque towns of Île d’Orléans and Côte-de-Beaupré, while an hour north, the Charlevoix region has some of the most spectacular scenery in the region.
Excerpted from the Third Edition of Moon Montréal & Québec City.
