Quebec City Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

Quebec City is the capital of the French Canadian province of Quebec and is the center of Quebecois culture. The second-largest city in Quebec after Montreal, Quebec City is known for its delicious delicacies, friendly locals, and European architecture. 

Quebec City was initially inhabited by Algonquian Native Americans who called the area Kébec, which translates to "where the river narrows." A French settlement dating back to 1608, Quebec City has kept most of its French roots, with around 95% of the population speaking French as their first language. 

Planning a vacation in this cosmopolitan North American city? Bounce has you covered with Quebec City luggage lockers dotted across the city. Check online now for the perfect storage facility to suit your adventure in Quebec City.

8 Best Things to do in Quebec 2024

Whether your tastes lean toward the state-of-the-art infrastructure of a modern city or the narrow cobbled streets of Old Quebec, this is a city that offers something for everyone. The Citadel casts an imposing shadow that is softened by the quaint streets of the Petit-Champlain district with its numerous cute shops and tiny bistros. 

All of this demands to be explored, but to do this properly you will need to free yourself from the burden of cumbersome bags. Bounce luggage storage services offer an easy option here by teaming up with local businesses to make bag storage reliable and convenient. 

Best Ghost Tour – Les Promenades Fantomes

Will you dare the darkness? This is definitely one for lovers of horror and ghoulish escapism. This company offer a range of six walking tours and with names like Crimes in New France and Halloween Special, it isn’t too difficult to guess that the supernatural will play a dominant role. Your guide will wear a costume themed to whatever tour you choose and what happens after that remains a mystery.

To book your place on one of these two and a half hour walks call 141 869-20624 or email information@lespromonadesfantomes.com

Best Photo Tours of Quebec – Sunny Tour Guide

Your tour guide, Sunny, has lived in Quebec since 2011, but she originates from China. With this background, she is able to guide you through history and culture in a way that people born in the city may not. In other words, she will once have asked the same questions that you now have. She offers a variety of tours but also proposes to capture photos along the way that will help you relive your adventure each time you look at them. 

She offers private, and photo tours, both of Quebec and the surrounding countryside. To find out more you can call her on 158 199-69379 or email at sunnyquebe@gmail.com

Best Riverside Bike Tour – Echo Sports Rental

In addition to being able to rent you any cycling equipment that you might require, this company provides guided bike tours that will truly open up Quebec and the beautiful countryside surrounding it. Their most popular tour is along the Promenade des Anses and from there you will gain spectacular views of the city as well as of the St Lawrence River. 

Tours are for a minimum of two people and cover a comfortable twenty kilometers. To book a place on a tour or to find out about some of the others they have on offer email at location@echosports.ca or call on 141 869-23643

Best City Cycle Tours – Cyclo Services

Quebec is not just a stunningly beautiful city. It is also dotted with hidden gems in the way of attractions. To help you locate some of the city's secret treasures, this company provides qualified guides and leads small touring parties to the best that Quebec has to offer. Included in your tour package are helmets, water bottles and handlebar bags.

To find out exactly what you can expect call 141 869-24052 or email them at info@cycloservices.net

Best Historical Walking Tours – Tours Accolade

This company has a passion for revealing the history and culture of their city and they propose a number of walking tour options for the history enthusiast. Their tours last from two to four hours and include subjects such as Battles and Sieges, Old Levis, and Old Quebec Winter Walking tours. If you have roots in this city they can even construct a tour based around your family tree.

Tours Accolade offer many other tours so to find out more contact them by emailing contac@toursaccolade.com

Best Food Tours - HQ Services Touristiques Inc

Quebec is not a huge city, but if you want to discover the best eateries then you are going to need a guide. This company offer a number of city tours using native guides, but their food tours are not to be missed. 

Whether you choose to experience some of the city’s best restaurants and incorporate info on major attractions on the way or you opt for their gourmet evening tour, you will come away from your culinary adventure with a new appreciation of Quebecois food and wine. 

To book your tour email at INFO@HQST.CA or call 141 826-1253

Best Christmas Tour – Cicerone Tours

Cicerone Tours are proud to expose travellers to some of the unique and fascinating aspects of their city. They offer a range of tours, but one that remains popular is their Christmas tour where you wander through the cobbled streets of Old Quebec and Petit-Champlain.

As your qualified guide leads you on your adventure, you will get to discover some of the different ways that Christmas is celebrated in this part of the world. The tour provides a great insight into Quebecois culture and how it has evolved over the centuries. 

Email at info@cicerone.ca or call 185 597-78977 to find out more about this and their other tour options.

Best Double Decker Tours – Old Quebec Tours

Cruising through the city on the top deck of a double-decker bus has to be one of the most relaxing ways to discover Quebec. Not only will you benefit from an uninterrupted vantage point, but at the same time, their licensed guide will knowledgeably talk you through the important landmarks you are passing. 

This company offer a range of tours that include not only Quebec but also venture to destinations further afield. In Old Quebec, they offer you the possibility of combining the bus tour with a walking tour so that you can get into those little alleys and side streets where so many of the city's treasures are tucked away.

Call them on 141 866-40460 or email them at informations@toursvieuxquebec.com

A weekend in Quebec City

While lesser known than metropolitan Montreal, Quebec City is becoming increasingly popular with vacationers looking for a relaxing weekend away. Take a walk around Quebec City's narrow cobbled streets and discover these top attractions.

• Looking for the perfect place to stay? Consider the luxurious Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. Open for over 100 years, this chateau is a National Historic Site of Canada. It sits on a hill in Old Quebec, providing some of the best vistas of the city.
• Learn about Quebec's history on the Plains of Abraham. An important part of Canadian history, the Plains of Abraham was the site of a 1785 battle during the Seven Years' War between French and British colonies. 
• Another fascinating historic sight worth visiting is the Citadelle of Quebec. One of the oldest military forts in Canada, the Citadelle of Quebec contains some intriguing exhibits, including over 300 historic medals and personal accounts from World War II.
• Dine out at one of the finest restaurants in Quebec City. Known for its high-class gastronomy, some of the best eateries in town include Restaurant Legende, Restaurant Initiale, and iX pour Bistro.

Quebec City lockers

Quebec City is one of the safest cities in North America, and its compact city center makes it easy to traverse on foot. However, with narrow, cobbled streets and plenty of yearly snow, you might want to think twice about carrying anything cumbersome around. Bounce offers the best storage lockers in Quebec City, with secure and eas- to-locate facilities across the city. Download the Bounce app to find a Quebec City luggage locker so you can explore Quebec City freely without your heavy belongings. 

Off the beaten path in Quebec City

Canada is known for its vast wilderness, and Quebec is certainly no exception. In and around Quebec City, you'll find mile after mile of open space to explore and get back in touch with nature. Stop by a Quebec City bag storage service and check out some of these excursions off the beaten path. 

• Discover the power of nature at the sublime Montmorency Falls. At 272 feet high, Montmorency Falls are significantly higher than Niagara Falls and is the perfect place for an adventure. Ride a cable car to the top of the waterfall or hike along one of the hair-raising trails up the cliffs. 
• Spend the day skiing at Stoneham Mountain Resort. This ski resort features over 40 runs spread across four mountains and is the perfect place to show off your winter sports skills. 
• Plan a romantic riverside stroll along La Promenade Samuel-De Champlain. Stretching for 2.5 miles along the St. Lawrence River, the promenade is great for a picnic and features an 80-foot-tall observation tower for panoramas of Quebec City.  

What to do alone in Quebec City

Alone in Quebec City? Don't fret, as you'll find plenty to do across one of the friendliest cities in North America. From museums to monuments, here are a few of the best activities in Quebec City for solo sightseers. 

• Discover Quebecois culture at the Museum of Civilization. With exhibitions for all ages depicting local historic and cultural events, the Museum of Civilization is a superb way of learning about Quebec. 
• Spend the day shopping along the historic Quartier du Petit Champlain. One of the oldest commercial areas in North America, the quaint Quartier du Petit Champlain features boutique stores, theaters, restaurants, and more.
• Admire the beautiful Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec. The oldest church in Canada, Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec boasts gilded dome ceilings, intricate stained glass windows, and the crypts of Quebec governors and bishops.

The best souvenirs in Quebec City

You'll find plenty of fabulous souvenirs to pick up during your visit to Quebec City. Quebec is known for being one of the largest maple syrup producers globally, so the perfect gift for folks back home is some maple-flavored mementos. From syrup to beer to butter, you'll find a huge range of maple products in Quebec City. If you're planning to pick up some edible treats for home, swing by Quebec City's Grand Marché.

Other traditional souvenirs include t-shirts, mugs, and snow globes inscribed with Quebecois catchphrase "Tabarnak", or a small Quebec flag. If you'd prefer something unique, pick up a piece of art from the rue du Trésor or some handmade crafts from the local First Nations artisans.