History · Quebec City · Canada
8 historic sites to see in Quebec City
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dpalma01, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Château Frontenac, La Citadelle de Québec and Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 9–12 hours across 3 areas; 6 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 6
- Time to see them all
- 9–12 hours
- Areas
- Old Québec – Upper Town, Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port and Montcalm and Grande Allée
Historic sites in Quebec City
Landmark · Old Québec – Upper Town
1.Château Frontenac
Non-guests can walk through the lobby and bars, and guided tours of the hotel's history run through the year.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Free
Historic site · Old Québec – Upper Town
2.La Citadelle de Québec
Guided tours cover the ramparts, the regimental museum and the Governor General's residence. In summer the changing of the guard takes place in bearskin hats and red tunics.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
Historic site · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
3.Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
The small Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, begun in 1688, is one of the oldest stone churches in North America, with a model ship hanging from its ceiling. Nearby, the Fresque des Québécois mural depicts figures from four centuries of city history.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Old Québec – Upper Town
4.Fortifications of Québec
You can walk long stretches on top of the ramparts for free, with views over the old town and the Saint-Roch lower town. Parks Canada manages the walls as a national historic site.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Park · Montcalm and Grande Allée
5.Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park)
Locals jog and picnic here in summer and cross-country ski and snowshoe in winter. Summer concerts during the Festival d'été use its main stage.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- History
- Views
Museum · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
6.Musée de la civilisation
Temporary exhibitions are often hands-on and child-friendly.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Religious site · Old Québec – Upper Town
7.Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral
It faces the City Hall square and sits beside the Séminaire de Québec, whose courtyards are worth a look.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Architecture · Montcalm and Grande Allée
8.Parliament Building
Free guided tours visit the National Assembly chamber, and the building's restaurant is open to the public.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Québec – Upper Town | Château Frontenac, La Citadelle de Québec, Fortifications of Québec and Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral | 30 minutes–1 hour + 1.5–2 hours + 1–2 hours + 30–45 minutes |
| Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port | Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires and Musée de la civilisation | 45 minutes + 2 hours |
| Montcalm and Grande Allée | Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park) and Parliament Building | 1–2 hours + 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 6 free, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is La Citadelle de Québec; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Québec – Upper Town): Château Frontenac → La Citadelle de Québec → Fortifications of Québec, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Québec – Upper Town and Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port): Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral → Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires → Musée de la civilisation, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Montcalm and Grande Allée): Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park) → Parliament Building, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- November: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 15 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Grey and cold, often the quietest and lowest-priced month; first snow is likely.
- April: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Thaw season: slushy streets and mixed weather, but quiet sights and good rates.
- March: highs of 0°C (32°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Snow lingers but days lengthen; sugar-shack season begins as the sap runs.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Québec – Upper Town — Inside the walls on the clifftop: Château Frontenac, Rue Saint-Louis and Rue Saint-Jean
- Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port — Riverside stone streets, Place Royale and the boutiques of Petit-Champlain
- Montcalm and Grande Allée — Terraced bar strip, Avenue Cartier delis and the Plains of Abraham next door
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste — Hilly residential streets, independent cafés and the outer stretch of Rue Saint-Jean
More of Quebec City
All things to do in Quebec City · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Quebec City?
Château Frontenac. The copper-roofed Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, opened in 1893 as a Canadian Pacific Railway hotel, dominates the skyline from the clifftop above the river.
+Which of these are free in Quebec City?
Château Frontenac, Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Fortifications of Québec, Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park), Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral and Parliament Building.