Quebec City
Plan Quebec City with Haqqi Tours: day tours, private airport transfers, attraction tickets and packages, run by our own team and confirmed on WhatsApp in Arabic or English.
Step out of your hotel in Quebec City on a crisp autumn morning and you could be in a provincial French town: stone houses with steep tin roofs and red shutters, a horse-drawn calèche clattering over cobbles, the smell of fresh croissants and maple from a bakery doorway, and everyone greeting you with a cheerful “Bonjour”. Above it all, the copper turrets of the Château Frontenac catch the light, and the wide St. Lawrence River glitters far below Dufferin Terrace.
Nothing matches those filters yet. Widen your search or message us on WhatsApp.
Quebec City Day Tours
View all
Quebec City Attraction Tickets
View all
Quebec City Airport Transfers
View all
Quebec City Flight Tickets
View all
Quebec City Train Tickets
View all
Quebec City Ferry Tickets
View all
Quebec City at first sight
Founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, Quebec City is the cradle of French North America and the only walled city north of Mexico, its old quarter a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Capital of the province of Quebec, it is where Canada’s French soul feels most intact, a place of ramparts, river views, deep winters and warm hospitality.
Why include Quebec City in your itinerary?
- Quebec City’s fortified old town, with its intact stone walls, gates and Citadelle, is unique in North America, a living piece of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century colonial history you can explore on foot along the ramparts.
- No other Canadian city feels so thoroughly French. In Quebec City the language, cuisine, café culture and festivals carry four centuries of Francophone identity, giving travellers a European atmosphere without crossing the Atlantic.
- Quebec City embraces winter like nowhere else, with the Winter Carnival, snow-dusted ramparts, the ice hotel and toboggan runs, while summer brings river breezes, open-air concerts and easy trips to waterfalls, islands and whale-watching coasts.
Signature experiences in Quebec City
The Château Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace
The Château Frontenac, a fairy-tale railway hotel of turrets and green copper roofs, crowns Cap Diamant and is said to be one of the most photographed hotels on earth. Below it, the boardwalk of Dufferin Terrace opens onto sweeping views of the St. Lawrence. Our guided day tour of Quebec City begins here, with a local guide decoding the history of the fortifications, the Saint-Louis Forts and the battles that shaped Canada.
Maple, Poutine and the Flavours of Quebec
Quebec’s table is hearty and proud: steaming poutine with squeaky cheese curds, flaky tourtière meat pie, pea soup, buckwheat crêpes and, in early spring, maple taffy poured onto fresh snow at a rural sugar shack. In the old town, bakeries, chocolatiers and family bistros serve these classics with real warmth. Our guided day tour, arranged with trusted local partners, points you to the most authentic tables and the stories behind each dish.
Petit-Champlain and Place Royale
Ride the funicular or take the Breakneck Stairs down to Petit-Champlain, one of North America’s oldest commercial streets, lined with artisan boutiques, murals and glowing lanterns. A few steps away, Place Royale and the tiny stone church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires mark the very spot where French settlement began. Explore it on foot, then let our team arrange a private car with driver to carry you back up the hill.
Day Trip to Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans
Just fifteen minutes from downtown, Montmorency Falls plunges higher than Niagara, with a suspension bridge, cable car and spray-soaked viewpoints. Across the river, rural Île d’Orléans unfolds in strawberry fields, maple groves, chocolate shops and stone farmhouses, and further along stands the great Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Our guided day tour links all three seamlessly, with tickets we issue and comfortable transport through the Côte-de-Beaupré countryside.
Crossing the River to Lévis
For the finest view of Quebec City, board the short ferry across the St. Lawrence to Lévis. As the boat pulls away, the Château Frontenac, the old town and the cliffs rise behind you in one perfect panorama, especially magical at sunset or in winter, when ice floats on the river. We issue ferry tickets and can pair the crossing with a private car with driver for the riverside villages beyond.
Neighbourhoods and quarters to know in Quebec City
Old Quebec (Upper Town)
Inside the walls, Upper Town gathers the Château Frontenac, the Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Ursuline Monastery and charming rue Saint-Louis. It is extremely safe, beautifully preserved and walkable, with historic inns and boutique hotels. The perfect base for first-time visitors to Quebec City who want to wake up among ramparts and step out straight into history.
Petit-Champlain and the Old Port
At the foot of the cliff, Lower Town wraps around Petit-Champlain, Place Royale and the Old Port, with stone warehouses turned into galleries, the Museum of Civilization and riverfront promenades. Quiet, romantic and very safe, it suits couples and travellers who love atmosphere, and the funicular links it quickly to the Upper Town.
Saint-Roch
Below the old walls to the north, Saint-Roch is Quebec City’s creative neighbourhood, with independent cafés, bakeries, design shops, technology studios and the Saint-Roch church on lively rue Saint-Joseph. Safe and youthful, it offers better-value hotels and a real local feel, ideal for repeat visitors who want to see the city beyond its postcard image.
Montcalm and the Plains of Abraham
Just outside the walls, the Montcalm district lines Grande Allée and avenue Cartier with elegant townhouses, restaurants and the National Fine Arts Museum of Quebec, next to the vast Plains of Abraham park. Leafy, safe and residential, it is excellent for families and anyone who enjoys morning strolls, picnics and museum afternoons.
How long to stay in Quebec City and how to pair it
Recommended stay
Plan two to three nights in Quebec City. Two days let you explore the Upper and Lower Towns, the Citadelle and the Plains of Abraham at a gentle pace. A third night adds our guided day tour to Montmorency Falls, Île d’Orléans and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, or a longer excursion into the Charlevoix region.
How to pair it
Quebec City pairs perfectly with Montreal, a scenic train ride away, for a seven-day French Canada loop. For ten days, add Toronto and Niagara Falls by train or a short flight. A fourteen-day journey can cross the country by air to Banff in the Rocky Mountains and finish on the Pacific in Vancouver. Our team issues the flight, train and ferry tickets and arranges private airport transfers at every stop.
Best time to visit Quebec City and the rhythm of the day
Best months
The best time to visit Quebec City is June to early October, when summer festivals fill the streets and late September brings blazing autumn colours. For a snowy fairy tale, choose late January to February, during the famous Winter Carnival, though temperatures are very cold. Spring is short, but March and April bring maple season at the sugar shacks.
The daily rhythm
Quebec City starts its day over café au lait and croissants in a warm bakery. Mornings are for the ramparts, the Citadelle and museums; lunch is often a lingering bistro meal. Afternoons drift down to Petit-Champlain and the Old Port. Dinner follows around seven, and evenings end with a stroll on Dufferin Terrace beneath the illuminated château.
On-the-ground logistics in Quebec City
Arrival
Most travellers arrive at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, around twenty to thirty minutes by road from the old town. Trains from Montreal arrive at the handsome Gare du Palais in Lower Town. We arrange a private airport transfer with a driver who meets you on arrival and takes you straight to your hotel inside or near the walls.
Getting around
Old Quebec is compact and best explored on foot, though steep streets and stairs connect Upper and Lower Town, and the funicular helps. City buses reach Saint-Roch, Montcalm and beyond. Ride-hailing apps and licensed taxis are available. For icy winter days or excursions outside the city, our team arranges a private car with driver.
Local etiquette tip
Quebec City is proudly French-speaking. Visitors often miss that opening with a simple “Bonjour” before switching to English makes all the difference in shops and restaurants. Tipping is expected in Canada: leave around fifteen to twenty percent at restaurants. Always ask your server for the bill; lingering at the table is normal.
Must-do things in Quebec City
- Stroll Dufferin Terrace beneath the turrets of the Château Frontenac at golden hour.
- Walk the old ramparts and visit the star-shaped Citadelle with its changing of the guard.
- Descend the Breakneck Stairs into the lantern-lit lanes of Petit-Champlain.
- Stand in Place Royale, birthplace of French America, beside Notre-Dame-des-Victoires.
- Feel the spray of Montmorency Falls from its suspension bridge on our guided day tour.
- Explore the farms, maple groves and chocolate shops of rural Île d’Orléans.
- Taste poutine, tourtière and maple taffy rolled on fresh snow.
- Take the short ferry to Lévis for the finest skyline view of Quebec City.
- Join the Winter Carnival festivities in February, with snow sculptures and night parades.
- Picnic or skate on the Plains of Abraham, the historic battlefield park.
Do’s and don’ts in Quebec City
Do
- Greet shopkeepers and servers with “Bonjour” before continuing in English.
- Pack warm thermal layers, boots and gloves for any visit between December and March.
- Wear comfortable, grippy shoes for steep cobbled streets and stairways.
- Tip around fifteen to twenty percent at restaurants and for guides.
- Book winter excursions and festival dates early, as hotels in the old town fill quickly.
Don’t
- Don’t assume everyone is comfortable speaking English; a little French goes a long way.
- Don’t underestimate winter cold and wind chill on exposed terraces and ramparts.
- Don’t try to see Quebec City only as a rushed day trip from Montreal.
- Don’t climb on the historic cannons and walls where signs ask you not to.
- Don’t skip the Lower Town; Petit-Champlain and Place Royale are the city’s soul.
Quebec City at a glance
Plan Quebec City with Haqqi Tours
Every option is confirmed by our team on WhatsApp before you pay, and delivered by our own people or by trusted local partners we work with in every city. Because we send travellers from all over the world, our partners give us special rates and priority, so you always receive the best. Prices are per person unless marked per vehicle.
About Haqqi Tours: About us Contact us Legal NoticePrivacy PolicyCookies & Marketing PreferencesTerms & ConditionsBooking, Payment & Refunds
More services in Quebec City
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask most about Quebec City.
Where should first-time visitors stay in Quebec City?
First-time visitors should stay inside the walls of Old Quebec, in the Upper Town near the Château Frontenac and rue Saint-Louis, or in Lower Town near Petit-Champlain. Both keep the main sights within a short stroll. Montcalm offers a calmer, residential alternative just outside the gates. Our team can suggest the right hotel for you.
Can Quebec City be done as a day trip, or does it need an overnight stay?
Quebec City really needs an overnight stay. It is about three hours by train from Montreal, so a day trip leaves only a few rushed hours. Staying two or three nights lets you enjoy the illuminated old town at night, the Citadelle and our guided day tour to Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans.
What is the dress code and etiquette in Quebec City?
Dress in Quebec City is casual and practical, with comfortable shoes for steep streets and serious winter gear from December to March. In churches such as Notre-Dame, keep voices low and dress respectfully. Greet people in French with “Bonjour”, be patient in restaurants and tip around fifteen to twenty percent for good service.
Is Quebec City tourist friendly?
Quebec City is one of the most tourist-friendly cities in Canada. The old town is compact and walkable, signage is clear, and hotel and restaurant staff in tourist areas speak English comfortably alongside French. Locals are warm and proud to share their history. With our private transfer and guided day tour, everything feels easy.
Is it safe to travel to Quebec City now?
Quebec City is known as one of the safest cities in North America, with very low crime and a relaxed atmosphere, even in the evening. The main practical risks are icy pavements in winter and steep stairs. Check the official travel advice of your own government before departure, and keep our WhatsApp line handy.
What are the must-do things in Quebec City?
The must-do things in Quebec City include Dufferin Terrace and the Château Frontenac, the ramparts and Citadelle, Petit-Champlain and Place Royale, the Plains of Abraham, the ferry to Lévis for skyline views and tasting poutine and maple treats. Beyond the walls, our guided day tour visits Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans.
How many days do you need in Quebec City?
Two to three days in Quebec City is ideal. Two days cover the old town, the Citadelle and the river views at a comfortable pace, while a third day allows a trip to Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans. In winter, add an extra day for Carnival events and the ice hotel.
What can I book in Quebec City with Haqqi Tours?
Day tours, attraction tickets, private airport transfers, flight tickets, train tickets and ferry tickets, including Old Quebec and Montmorency Falls 3-Hour Bus Tour Quebec City, Quebec City Panoramic Bus Tour with Local Guide and Quebec City Guided Sightseeing River Cruise on the St Lawrence. Each has its own page, and the WhatsApp desk combines any of them into one plan with one written price.
How do I get from the airport to my hotel in Quebec City?
Quebec City International Airport (YQB) is about 15 km west of the old city and about 230 km from Tadoussac, around three and a half hours by car including the short ferry crossing at the mouth of the Saguenay. Our private transfer meets you at arrivals with a name board, tracks your flight and takes you door to door at a fixed price for the whole vehicle; the transfer pages list every route.
Is there public transport from the airport to Quebec City?
RTC bus route 80 reaches downtown from the airport for a small fare, and taxis run to the centre; a private car is simpler with luggage, for Old Quebec's steep streets in winter, and for Montmorency Falls, Ile d'Orleans, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Charlevoix and Tadoussac, which are hard to reach by public transport. With luggage, a family or a late flight, the private car is the simpler choice.
Which tours are available in Quebec City?
Among them: Old Quebec and Montmorency Falls 3-Hour Bus Tour Quebec City, Quebec City Panoramic Bus Tour with Local Guide, Quebec City Guided Sightseeing River Cruise on the St Lawrence, Old Quebec Grand Walking Tour with Private Option Quebec City and Montmorency Falls and Orleans Island Half-Day Tour Quebec City. Each page says whether the day is private or small-group, what it includes and how long it lasts.
Are the tours private or in a group?
Both exist, and each tour page says which. A private tour has a vehicle and guide for your party alone; the desk can make most group tours private on request.
How do I book?
Fill in the form on any page or message us on WhatsApp with the date, the number of travellers and the hotel. A member of our team confirms the price and the details in writing within minutes.
Are the prices fixed?
Yes - every price is agreed in writing on WhatsApp before you travel and does not change on the day.
Do the drivers and guides speak Arabic or English?
It depends on the city and the day, so we do not promise a particular language; tell us your preference and we do our best. The WhatsApp desk always works in Arabic and English.
Can I change or cancel a booking in Quebec City?
Yes, in the same WhatsApp conversation. The terms depend on the product and on how close to the date the change comes; the desk states them before you pay.