Free things to do · Quebec City · Canada
10 free things to do in Quebec City
Quebec City without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Musée Royal 22e Régiment, Public domain
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Quebec City without paying an entry fee: Château Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace and Governors' Promenade, Quartier Petit-Champlain and Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires are all free. Prices are shown before sales taxes of about 15%, and a tip of 15–20% is expected in restaurants on top.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 10
- Low-cost extras
- 4
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- November
Free sights and experiences
Landmark · Old Québec – Upper Town
1.Château Frontenac
For the classic photo of the hotel, walk down to the lower end of Rue du Petit-Champlain or take the ferry and look back from mid-river.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Free
Viewpoint · Old Québec – Upper Town
2.Dufferin Terrace and Governors' Promenade
In winter a wooden toboggan slide is set up at the terrace's end; the run is short, fast and popular with children and adults alike.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- After dark
- Iconic
Street · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
3.Quartier Petit-Champlain
Visit early in the morning or after dinner, when the cruise and tour crowds have gone and the street lights come on.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Historic site · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
4.Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
Combine it with the Musée de la civilisation, a three-minute walk away, for a full Lower Town morning.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Old Québec – Upper Town
5.Fortifications of Québec
Start at Porte Saint-Jean and follow the wall walk clockwise towards the Artillery Park for the best views of the old roofs.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Park · Montcalm and Grande Allée
6.Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park)
Walk from Dufferin Terrace along the Governors' Promenade stairs to reach the park without retracing your steps.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- History
- Views
Religious site · Old Québec – Upper Town
7.Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral
Visit quietly outside service times and look for the crypt tours, which run at certain periods of the year.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Architecture · Montcalm and Grande Allée
8.Parliament Building
Tours require security screening, so allow extra time and carry photo ID.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Street · Old Québec – Upper Town
9.Rue Saint-Jean
Walk it from end to end: the stretch beyond Porte Saint-Jean is where locals eat and drink.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
Market · Limoilou
10.Grand Marché de Québec
Buy cheese, cider and maple products here rather than in old-town souvenir shops.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Québec – Upper Town | Château Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace and Governors' Promenade, Fortifications of Québec, Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral and Rue Saint-Jean | 30 minutes–1 hour + 45 minutes + 1–2 hours + 30–45 minutes + 1–2 hours |
| Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port | Quartier Petit-Champlain and Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires | 1–2 hours + 45 minutes |
| Montcalm and Grande Allée | Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park) and Parliament Building | 1–2 hours + 1 hour |
| Limoilou | Grand Marché de Québec | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Experience · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
Old Québec Funicular
Ride up rather than down; descending on foot via the Breakneck Stairs is easy and free.
- Time needed
- 10 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
Experience · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
Québec–Lévis ferry
Cross just before sunset and walk the Lévis riverside for the view of the old town lit up.
- Time needed
- 1 hour return
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
Nature · Beauport
Montmorency Falls
Take the cable car up and the panoramic staircase down to see the falls from every angle.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Historic site · Old Québec – Upper Town
Morrin Centre
Book a guided tour to see the prison cells; the library itself is a quiet refuge on a cold day.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
More ways to save
- Prices are shown before sales taxes of about 15%, and a tip of 15–20% is expected in restaurants on top.
- Walking the walls, Dufferin Terrace, the Plains of Abraham and the Parliament tour are all free.
- The Lévis ferry gives the same skyline views as a sightseeing cruise for a fraction of the price.
- Lunchtime table d'hôte menus cost noticeably less than the same restaurants' dinner menus.
- November and April have the lowest hotel rates; Carnaval weekends and July are the most expensive.
- Stay in Saint-Roch or Saint-Jean-Baptiste for lower prices within walking distance of the old town.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Quebec City expensive to visit?
Quebec City is moderately priced for most visitors, but 10 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Quebec City?
Château Frontenac: For the classic photo of the hotel, walk down to the lower end of Rue du Petit-Champlain or take the ferry and look back from mid-river.