Quebec City is capital of Quebec and the province’s second-largest city, after Montreal. One of the oldest cities in Canada, parts of its historic old town (Vieux-Quebec) are Unesco-listed, characterised by European-style churches, ramparts and fortified walls.
The city sits above the St Lawrence river; its highest point, Cape Diamond, is 103 metres above it. Divided into two parts, the Upper (Haute-Ville) and Lower Towns (Basse-Ville) each have a distinct flavour. They are connected by the Escalier steps and the Old Quebec Funicular.
The Lower Town has the ancient Notre Dame des Victoires church, the Petit Champlain district, the port, and the Musée de la Civilisation.
One of Quebec’s signature events is its spectacular winter carnival. The city comes alive in the snow, with concerts and night parades. There is no bad time to snap up Quebec flights however. Summers are warm and the “fall foliage” is beautiful.
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The temperature in summer ranges between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius and in winter it drops to between -25 and -5 degrees Celsius. In Quebec City snow can be as high as 78cm and the locals celebrate by hosting the Winter Carnival with lots of skiing, an Ice Hotel and toboggan rides.
To best see Quebec, you’ll want to walk or take a bike tour through one of the city’s old sections. In the summer you can explore the Route Verte, a network of cycling trails connecting 16 regions and 320 municipalities. Public buses run by Réseau de transport de la Capitale operate between 6am and 1am. On the weekend you can catch a night bus. To get from Basse-Ville to the upper part of Old Quebec, take the funicular.