Season guide · Quebec City · Canada
Quebec City in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Musée Royal 22e Régiment, Public domain
Quick answer
Deep snow, Christmas markets, the Ice Hotel and Carnaval; very cold, so pack proper gear. Expect highs up to -5°C (23°F) and lows around -18°C (0°F), with about 43 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -18°C (0°F) to -5°C (23°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 43
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -8°C (18°F) | -18°C (0°F) | 15 | 8.9 h | 2/5 |
| February | -6°C (21°F) | -16°C (3°F) | 12 | 10.2 h | 4/5 |
| December | -5°C (23°F) | -13°C (9°F) | 16 | 8.6 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of -6°C (21°F) against a yearly 9°C (48°F), and 43 of the year's roughly 167 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Hôtel de Glace — ice hotel at Village Vacances Valcartier (usually January to March)
- February: Carnaval de Québec — winter carnival with night parades and Bonhomme (usually late January to mid-February)
- December: German Christmas Market continues (usually until shortly before Christmas)
- December: New Year's Eve celebrations in the old town
Good choices for winter
Museum · Montcalm and Grande Allée
Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
Don't miss the Riopelle wing and the cells preserved in the old prison building.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
Musée de la civilisation
Designed by Moshe Safdie around older stone buildings, this museum covers Quebec history and society, with a long-term exhibition on the province's story and another on First Nations and Inuit.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Religious site · Old Québec – Upper Town
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
Parliament Building
Quebec's Second Empire-style Hôtel du Parlement, completed in 1886, has a façade lined with bronze statues of figures from the province's history.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Market · Limoilou
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
Day trips in winter
- Jacques-Cartier National Park (About 45 minutes by car) — A glacial valley with steep forested walls and a river used for canoeing, rafting and fishing.
- Baie-Saint-Paul and Charlevoix (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — Charlevoix is a hilly region of farms and villages overlooking the St.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Quebec City?
It is a trade-off: Deep snow, Christmas markets, the Ice Hotel and Carnaval; very cold, so pack proper gear. The best months overall are June–October.
+What is the weather like in Quebec City in winter?
Highs of up to -5°C (23°F) and lows around -18°C (0°F), with about 43 rainy days over the season.