24 hours in Quebec, the city more French than France
In 24 hours well spent, take time to get to know your essentials.
9:00 a.m. What better way to start the day than waking up inside one of the three historic buildings that make up the Auberge Saint-Antoine , located in the area of the old port. From here you can take the pulse of the city by visiting the Marché du Vieux Port (the marking of the old port) .
Because one of the best ways to get to know a culture different from ours is by exploring its markets and supermarkets. Seasonal products conceived in the area , practically from kilometer 0, and autochthonous recipes such as tourtiere , which is a French-Canadian version of the classic meatloaf They live together under your roof.
How many times do you come across apple butter and cranberry syrup when you go grocery shopping? Well that.
Sunrise here is the best way to start the day in Quebec
10:00 a.m. have a good coffee , or have breakfast if you have not done it before, in The Smith House of the rue St Jean has a prize in the form of views of The Place Royale with a macaron in his mouth.
This colorful square, paved with cobblestones and surrounded by 17th and 18th century buildings now reconstructed, is the place where everything in Quebec used to happen.
If you had to do business, your money moved here; if you had gotten into trouble and had to pay in court, your blood flowed here too.
In the square there is a curious bust dedicated to the French king Louis XIV . A few minutes away is Quebec's Notre Dame , which is one of the oldest cathedrals in North America, built in the 17th century.
Notre Dame in Quebec
11:30 a.m. . In the Quartier Petit Champlain, Backbone along the street of the same name, there is no shortage of boutiques and art shops. Also small breweries from where you can observe the street atmosphere and snack on something ultra-caloric. For example, the terrace of the Pub des Borgia , a bar where, instead of a football game, you can find a hockey game on its screen.
Up and down, this time on foot, the Casse Cou stairs It is not that simple, despite not reaching 60 steps, they are so steep that they are nicknamed "the neckbreaker" and they reach the Cote de la Montagne.
In that area there is an immense painting mural of 420 square meters called Fresh from Quebec . In addition to giving an incredible good vibe, it visually tells (and very briefly) part of the history of the city. On rue du Tresor, street artists sell their works in the open air.
Fresh from Quebec
1:00 p.m. In the rue du Petit Champlain there is also the entrance to the funicular that connects the Haute-Ville with the Basse-Ville .
You don't need to know much French to understand what unites the upper part of the city with the lower part. It's proud to have been serving the city since 1879, but don't worry, because it is completely renovated.
A route of just 64 meters at an angle of 45 degrees that guarantees a good view of the city.
The alleys of Quebec are typically French
Upon reaching the top, the monument to Samuel De Champlain , founder of Québec. Surrounded by terraces and restaurants, this area is once again designed to take out the camera and take photos of the Saint Laurent River.
Where it is impossible to look away is from the hotel Château Frontenac whose architecture, again, takes us back to France. This time to their castles. It is so spectacular that it has its own guided tour.
Château Frontenac
In Quebec it is very difficult not to get caught up in its gastronomic selection. One of the restaurants in this five-star hotel, the Bistro Le Sam It is more informal cut.
It offers snacks from 10 euros, such as duck wings with maple syrup . Another close option is The Continental with an unusually long letter. Among its specialties, shrimp flambéed with whiskey.
Strolling through the streets of Quebec, the perfect activity
3:30 p.m. Walking just over ten minutes through the rue Saint-Louis arrive at the building Parliament , a colorful eight-storey building that dominates a front tower and whose curiosity is the statues that surround some of its windows. In his garden there are more than a hundred varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Right next door is the so-called Capital Observatory . At more than 30 stories high, about 220 meters, you can review with your eyes what has been covered throughout the day in the old town, the citadel (defensive architectural complex), the river, the port . Whether you want to enter Parliament or go up to the observatory, you have to bear in mind that both close at five in the afternoon.
quebec parliament
6:00 p.m. After finishing walking along rue Saint Louis and to close the circle, we return to the north until we reach the barbershop , in the 310 rue Saint Roc , close to the train station. With some snacks and lots of craft beer to drink, it's a good plan to end the day. And it has a terrace, for good weather.
Extra: For those who have more than 24 hours, a compulsory excursion is the Park of the Chute-Montmorency , with falls somewhat higher than Niagara. And that they are less than a quarter of an hour by car from the city center.
Beers and cheeses at La Barberie