A four-day food-centric weekend in Québec City
By Robert Kosian
A brief history of Québec City
Québec City sits high above the St. Lawrence River at a place where the waterway narrows, a feature that helped make it one of the most strategically important settlements in North America. Long before Europeans arrived, Indigenous peoples lived in and traveled through the region. French explorer Jacques Cartier reached the area in 1535, but Samuel de Champlain founded the city in 1608 as a permanent trading post and the heart of New France.
During the next century and a half, Québec City grew into a fortified colonial capital, shaped by the French language, Catholic institutions, military defenses and river trade. Its steep Upper Town became the center of government and religion, while the Lower Town developed around commerce and the harbor. In 1759, during the Seven Years’ War, British forces defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham, a turning point that brought Québec under British control and helped shape Canada’s future.
Québec City later played an important role in the American War of Independence. In 1775, American forces hoped to capture Québec and persuade French Canadians to join the Patriot cause against Britain. After taking Montreal, troops led by General Richard Montgomery joined Benedict Arnold’s force outside Québec City, but their December 31 attack failed in a snowstorm. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, and the British held the fortified city. The failed campaign helped keep Canada outside the American Revolution and reinforced Québec City’s strategic value as Britain’s North American stronghold.
In 1985, the Historic District of Old Québec was named a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized as one of North America’s best-preserved examples of a fortified colonial city in North America.
Travel information and staying in Québec City
Québec City has a small but modern airport that is easy to navigate, and customs is straightforward. During peak tourist season, May to October, several nonstop flights are available; the closest departs from Charlotte. You don’t need to rent a car. From the airport, take a 20-minute taxi or Uber to the city center. Airport transportation has a flat fee of $40. The Canadian Dollar exchange rate is 70 cents to the USD, making it a relative bargain for U.S. and European visitors. There is no real reason to buy the CND; just use your credit card. While the Le Château Frontenac is one of the world’s most famous hotels, it is very large and noisy. We highly recommend one of the new boutique hotels in the Lower Town. We had an excellent stay at Hôtel 71, which is in a former bank building. It is close to the port, chic shops and top restaurants. French is the first language in Québec, but everyone speaks perfect English.
First impressions of Old Québec
Old Québec preserves much of its layered past. The stone walls, gates, narrow streets, churches and landmark buildings
give the city a distinctly European character. The architecture is one of Québec City’s greatest pleasures. Old Québec feels distinctly European because of its stone buildings, steep roofs, dormer windows, narrow streets, city gates and fortified walls. The Upper Town has the character of a defensive colonial capital, with the Citadel, churches, public buildings and grand views over the St. Lawrence River. The Lower Town, closer to the Old Port of Québec (Vieux-Port), feels more intimate, with restored warehouses, boutiques, restaurants, and tourist-filled streets. Even Château Frontenac, though much newer than the colonial city around it, adds to the romantic skyline with its turrets, copper roofs and castle-like profile. Together, the buildings make the city feel historic, walkable and visually unforgettable.
Since our last visit some 20 years ago, the city has made great progress restoring and repurposing many historic buildings and creating welcoming, pedestrian-friendly walkways along the old port area. The city is very clean and there is a profusion of color in the gardens and in virtually every house and shop, with multiple flower boxes brimming with blooms of all colors.
Where we walked, what we did and where we ate
We walked everywhere, more than 15,000 steps per day. As we mentioned, there is an Upper City where the Citadel and the Plain of Abraham are located and a Lower City which encompasses the Old Port and a lively neighborhood where most of the shops and art galleries are located. If you’re looking for a great meal, Québec City is a mecca for French cuisine!
Day 1: We highly recommend starting with a one-and-a-half-hour boat tour of the St. Lawrence River. The guides will give you a complete history of the city. It is a pleasant way to relax with a cold drink and get your bearings. Afterward, take a long walk along the waterfront. We were there when the tall ships were massing for a naval parade and toured a ship from Peru built in the 1800s. From the Old Port, continue to the Musée de la Civilization on Rue Dalhousie. The museum is an ideal first-day stop because its exhibits introduce Québec’s culture, history, Indigenous peoples and contemporary society in an engaging, interactive way. The building itself is also worth noting; it combines modern design with historic structures in the heart of Old Québec, making it a good bridge between the city’s past and present before dinner in the Lower Town.
Dinner: Chez Boulay is an excellent choice for visitors who want refined Québec cooking with a strong sense of place. The restaurant specializes in boreal cuisine, using northern ingredients such as game, freshwater fish, wild berries, mushrooms, herbs and regional seasonings in polished French bistro preparations. The room feels stylish but comfortable, making it a good fit for either a special dinner or a memorable first meal in Old Québec. The best dishes feel rich, seasonal, and distinctly local without becoming fussy. If you want one restaurant that captures modern Québec cuisine, Chez Boulay is a very strong pick.
Day 2: The Citadel offers panoramic views of the city and countryside and is steeped in Québec’s founding history. Be sure to visit the Governor General’s Residence, which has served as the second official residence and workplace of Canada’s governors general since 1872. The residence is located inside the Citadel, an active military base atop Cape Diamant, so visitors must join a guided tour rather than walk through independently. The tour is free and worthwhile because it explains the governor general’s role as the Canadian monarch’s representative: granting Royal Assent to legislation, carrying out constitutional duties, serving as commander-in-chief, welcoming dignitaries, presenting honors and representing Canada at home and abroad.
The current governor general is Her Excellency the Right Honorable Louise Arbour, who was sworn in on June 8, 2026, as Canada’s 31st governor general. She is a former supreme court of Canada justice, former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, and former chief prosecutor for the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Her background makes this visit especially interesting for understanding Canada’s federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.
Dinner: L’Échaudé is the kind of classic French bistro that makes the Lower Town feel lived-in rather than merely touristic. Near the Old Port, it offers a warm, traditional dining room and a menu built around familiar French and Québec favorites, often with excellent sauces, seafood, tartare, duck and seasonal specials. The appeal here is confidence, not novelty: gracious service, a good wine list and food that feels polished without being pretentious. It is a particularly good choice for a relaxed lunch or a romantic dinner after walking along the waterfront.
Day 3: Spend the morning on an easy half-day trip outside the city to Montmorency Falls and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Montmorency Falls is a short drive from Old Québec and higher than Niagara Falls, with dramatic viewpoints, a suspension bridge, walking paths, stairs, and a cable car for different perspectives. Continue along the Beaupré coast to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, one of the region’s most important pilgrimage churches, known for its mosaics, stained glass, soaring nave and long religious history. A guided coach tour is a convenient option if you don’t have a car, and many itineraries also include short countryside stops, such as a copper workshop or a visit to Île d’Orléans. Plan on about four to five hours for the outing.
Dinner: Chez Rioux & Pettigrew may be the most charming of the group, partly because the setting tells a story before the food even arrives. The restaurant occupies a former wholesale grocery space on Rue Saint-Paul, and the stone walls, vintage tins, wood floors and old-shop atmosphere give it real character. The cooking is creative but approachable, with Québec ingredients, market-driven plates, and enough originality to make dinner feel special. It is a great choice for travelers who want excellent food in a historic room that still feels lively, warm and personal. Explore more of the Lower Town and have an aperitif at one of the many charming bistros.
Day 4: Wander the 250-acre Plains of Abraham. The Battle of the Plains of Abraham took place on September 13, 1759. Though the area is historic, it is also a beautiful urban park with gardens and broad open spaces. Finish near Château Frontenac and, of course, take a photo with the château in the background. Nearby bistros make this a good place for a leisurely lunch, a glass of wine, or an ice cream cone before returning to the Lower Town. Rue du Petit-Champlain is one of the city’s most beautiful streets. Do some shopping and visit some of the more than 200 art galleries in the district.
Dinner: L’Orygine is the most contemporary and ingredient-focused option on this list. Set near Place Royale in Old Québec, it offers a refined but calm dining experience built around local, seasonal and often organic ingredients. Vegetables are treated as central players rather than side dishes, though meat and fish also appear, and vegan options are thoughtfully handled. The food is colorful, creative and lighter in spirit than a traditional French bistro, making it a refreshing contrast to richer meals. For diners interested in modern Québec terroir cooking, a table at L’Orygine is well worth reserving.
Final Thoughts
Québec City is one of those rare destinations that feels both close to home and wonderfully transporting. In just four days, you can experience centuries of history, river views, fortified walls, cobblestone streets, colorful flower boxes, excellent museums and a dining scene that easily justifies building the entire trip around food.
The city’s scale makes it especially appealing. You can walk almost everywhere, return to favorite streets more than once, and still feel as if there is more to discover. The Upper Town delivers the grand views and military history, while the Lower Town offers the intimate pleasures of shops, galleries, bistros and old stone buildings restored with obvious care.
For travelers who enjoy history, architecture, walking and memorable meals, Québec City is an easy recommendation. It is manageable without a car, welcoming to English-speaking visitors, and distinctive enough to feel like a true escape. We left feeling that four days was the right amount of time for a first or return visit, but also that Québec City rewards anyone who lingers longer.
Bob Kosian is the managing director of The Capital Solutions Group.
