Travel Tips for Quebec City, Canada

Your first sight of the Château Frontenac hotel lets you know that you have arrived at a very different place.  Quebec City is the capital of Quebec Province, but the first few miles of the city next to the St. Lawrence River have an old Europe, medieval appearance.  Narrow back streets, sidewalk cafes, old architecture, and a French-speaking populace all combine to give you the atmosphere of a very special place.

We stopped here as part of a cruise from Montreal to New York.  Our ship docked downtown, and we were able to walk off the ship right into the historic area.  Cruise ships docking here will have city views on the port side, and river views on the starboard side. 

There are several excellent shore excursions offered at this port, and you will want to take at least one of them in order to get the true feel of Quebec City and its history.  In addition to the quaint, old city look, there is a restored area that portrays old Quebec City.

French is the official language of this province, and not everyone speaks fluent English.  For example, we took a cab for a short trip to a drugstore, and our driver (mid-20's) spoke almost no English.  And the entire staff at the large, modern drugstore spoke absolutely no English.  That, however, just adds to the European feeling of this city.

Be sure to save some time to walk around the downtown district.  It may be a little challenging to climb the hill where the Château Frontenac is located, but the historic area and downtown are right there at your ship, within a reasonable walking distance.  And, of course, there are a multitude of shops to help you with your souvenirs.

Tips for Quebec City visitors

1. Plan on doing some walking in the downtown/historic district.  This is a very photogenic city, and your strolls will be rewarded with many memorable sights.

He said -- This is truly a memorable old city, and visiting it was an experience.  The dock is so convenient to the city that I walked on and off the ship several times.

She said -- I never saw this port.  I had eaten a sandwich in Montreal that had bad mayonnaise, and I was very ill for several days with food poisoning.  This was a difficult lesson to learn on what to eat, and not eat, when traveling.  No more mayo on trips for me!