Quebec is explored by combining urban and nature. Typical 10-14 day itinerary:
Montreal (4 nights) — Old Montreal (Notre-Dame de Montréal neo-Gothic basilica 1829, Place Jacques-Cartier, Old Port), Plateau-Mont-Royal (bohemian streets Saint-Denis, Mont-Royal, Saint-Laurent), Mile End (cafés, indie bookstores, St-Viateur bagels), Mont-Royal (park and Kondiaronk belvedere for city views), Jean-Talon Market (the largest open-air market in North America, Quebec produce), Museum of Fine Arts and MAC Montreal. Restaurants to try: Schwartz's (legendary smoked meat sandwich), La Banquise (24/7 poutine, 30+ variations), Au Pied de Cochon (by chef Picard, gargantuan experience CAD 80-120/person, foie gras-poutine), Toqué! (fine dining), Joe Beef (Verdun institution). Summer festivals: Jazz (first week of July), Just for Laughs (mid-July), Mural (June), Pride (August). Sports: Montreal Canadiens game at Bell Centre (hockey, October-April, CAD 80-300/seat).
Quebec City (3 nights) — Old Quebec UNESCO (upper and lower town, ramparts, Château Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace), Place Royale (first French settlement in North America 1608), Petit-Champlain (the oldest commercial street in North America), Citadelle de Québec (daily changing of the guard in summer), Plains of Abraham (historic park, decisive 1759 battle), Museum of Civilisation (excellent history and Indigenous cultures museum). 30 min away: Montmorency Falls (83 m, higher than Niagara, accessible by cable car). Restaurants: Aux Anciens Canadiens (traditional Quebec cuisine in a 1675 house), Le Saint-Amour (Michelin-starred), Chez Boulay (boreal-Quebec), Chez Ashton (legendary Quebec City poutine).
Charlevoix-Tadoussac (3-4 nights) — Baie-Saint-Paul (capital of Quebec art, galleries, Le Germain hotel, Massif de Charlevoix), La Malbaie and Manoir Richelieu (historic Fairmont, casino), Saint-Irénée and Cap-à-l'Aigle (picturesque villages), Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park (Acropole-des-Draveurs hike with panoramic views), Île aux Coudres (island in the St Lawrence, cycling). Tadoussac: whale cruise (2-3h, CAD 75-110/person, belugas, minke whales, fin whales, sometimes blue whales), Saguenay Fjord (one of the world's most southerly, cruises and kayaking), Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre. Recommended hotels: Hôtel Tadoussac (institution facing the river), Auberge des 21.
Optional excursions: Mont-Tremblant (1h30 north of Montreal, skiing in winter, hiking and lake in summer), Outaouais and Gatineau Park (close to Ottawa, Indian summer), Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (fjord, national park, resident beluga whales), Gaspé Peninsula (4-5 days, Forillon National Park, iconic Percé Rock, Bonaventure Island and its 100,000 gannets), North Shore (Sept-Îles, Mingan, Anticosti, pure adventure).
Read also
- Montreal — Cosmopolitan metropolis, Old Montreal, Plateau-Mont-Royal, summer festivals: urban francophone life.
- Quebec City — UNESCO Old Quebec, Château Frontenac, ramparts: the most European of North American cities.
- Canada — Complete country guide: eTA visa, currency, regions, best time to visit.
- Ontario — Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa: combine for a complete East trip.