Getting There

By plane: The Jean Lesage International Airport is located a mere 20 minutes from Québec City. Services from numerous Canadian and US cities serve this airport.

The easiest way to get from here into the city centre is to take a taxi.

By train: Québec City's main train station is the Gare du Palais. Trains from various destinations throughout Canada arrive here. The other main station in the city is the Gare de Sainte-Foy.

By bus: Beside the main train station you'll find the Gare du Palais Terminus, which is Québec City's main bus terminal.

Buses from throughout the province of Québec, including services from Montréal, arrive at and depart from this station.

Getting Around

On foot: Québec City is quite a compact spot so you'll be able to get to most of the main attractions while exploring the city on foot.

By bus: This city's network of public buses and shuttles is operated by RTC and services routes across town. These services are frequent and to get a ticket for the bus you'll need to have exact change.

By bike: When the weather allows, you'll be about to get around most of the city using the numerous bike paths.

Québec City has what is generally referred to as a humid continental climate. The city's summers are warm and humid with top temperatures of around 19°C in July. It gets pretty cold here in the winter when the city sees quite a bit of snow. On average, January is the coldest month with temperatures of around -12.5°C. July and August are usually the wettest months of the year in Québec City, seeing approximately 102mm of rain each month.

Consulates

USA: +1 418 6922095
Australia: +1 613 2360841*
New Zealand: +1 613 2385991*
UK: +1 418 5213000
Spain: +1 514 9355235**
France: +1 418 2662500
Germany: +1 5149312277**
Italy: +1 514 849 8351**
Ireland: +1 514 8482424**

*Embassy in Ottawa
** Consulate in Montréal

Chez Ashton, 640 Grand Allée Est, Colline Parlementaire It might be just one spot in a chain of fast-food restaurants across the city but there's no denying that the poutine here is some of the best you'll find. Poutine is a Canadian favourite consisting of a generous helping of fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy. Open daily 10.30am-4am.

Utterly pea-licious Buffet de l'Antiquaire, rue St-Paul, Vieux Québec If you're looking for a reasonably priced hearty meal, this is the place to go. Eat here and you'll soon notice a steady stream of locals around you enjoying the food. This old-school café serves up big breakfasts, pea soup, meat pies and plenty more. Open daily 6am-10pm.

Le Cochon Dingue, 46 boulevard Champlain, Quartier Petit Champlain The oldest of the Cochon Dingue (Crazy Pig) restaurants, this eatery does a brisk trade. Prices are very reasonable and there's plenty to choose from on the menu including salads, ribs, steak, seafood and a tempting array of pies. Open Mon-Thurs 7am-11pm, Fri 7am-midnight, Sat 8am-midnight, Sun 8am-11pm.

Marche du Vieux Port, 160 quai St-André, Vieux Québec This popular farmer's market is a great place to get delicious fresh produce at affordable prices. Along with the stalls selling everything from fruit to fish, you'll also find Canadian specialities like maples syrup and ice cider. Open daily 9am-5pm.

Le Billig, 526 rue Saint-Jean, Quartier Saint-Jean-Baptiste Located on a stretch known locally as 'Saint-Jean outside the walls', this comfy little crêperie is a great choice. The menu features both sweet and savoury crêpes with fillings running the gamut from seafood to chocolate. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2.30pm & 7pm-9.30pm, Sat 11am-9.30pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

Boudoir, 441 rue du Parvis, Quartier Saint Roch Located in the up and coming Saint Roch area of the city, Boudoir is a classy nightspot with very welcoming staff, a big bar and a great drinks selection including speciality cocktails. There's live music on Sunday nights and a disco downstairs on Fridays and Saturdays. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am-3am, Sat-Sun 4pm-3am.

Le Sacrilège, 447 rue St-Jean, Quartier Saint-Jean-Baptiste It's obvious from the moment you step in the door that Le Sacrilège is a well-loved neighbourhood watering hole. It attracts a good mix of ages who come to grab a stool at the bar, have a chat at one of the tables or hang out on the heated terrace. Open daily noon-3am.

Maurice/Charlotte, 575 Grande-Allée Est, Colline Parlementaire One of the heavy hitters of Québec City nightlife, Maurice is a very popular club with a huge main dance floor, theme nights, live DJs and more. Upstairs you'll find the chic Charlotte Ultra Lounge where you can marvel at the elegant surroundings and enjoy the well-stocked bar. There's a small cover charge. Open daily 8pm-3am (Charlotte), 10pm-3am (Maurice).

Chez Dagobert, 800 Grande-Allée Est, Colline Parlementaire Spread out over a couple of floors, this club attracts big crowds who come to dance the night away while live DJs provide the tunes. With multiple dance floors and bar areas along with regular live music and a pretty stunning light system, it's no wonder that Dagobert is such a favourite with clubbers in Québec City. Open Wed-Sun 9.30pm-3am, closed Mon-Tues.

Pub St-Alexandre, 1087, rue St-Jean, Vieux Québec Describing itself as an authentic English pub, St-Alexandre is located inside the city walls. Under the high ceiling you can take a seat at the bar or at one of the numerous tables and enjoy the wide variety of drinks on offer. These include around 200 beers from all over the world and various different types of scotch. Open daily 11am-3am.

Wendake Just a 20-minute drive from Vieux Québec you'll find Wendake, a 3-square kilometre area which is home to a First Nations people called the Wendat. Here you can visit the traditional Onhoua Chetek8e site, check out the Kabir Kouba Fall and more. Free shuttles depart from Vieux Québec daily from July to October.

From up on high L'Observatoire de la Capitale, 1037 rue de la Chevrotière, Colline Parlementaire Located on the 31st floor of the Édifice Marie-Guyart building, L'Observatoire offers unparalleled panoramas of Québec City. Opened in 1998, this popular observation deck is located 221 metres above sea level. Open daily 10am-5pm; admission $5.

La Citadelle de Québec, 1 Côte de La Citadelle, Upper Town Make sure to save an hour to go on a guided tour of La Citadelle and the Royal 22e Régiment Museum. Built by the British back in the 1800s, La Citadelle is still an active garrison and is home to a purely French-speaking regiment. Tour schedule changes with season; admission $10.

Parliament Building, 1045 rue des Parlementaires, Colline Parliamentaire Built in the late 1800s, Québec City's impressive Parliament Building is home to the Quebec Province National Assembly. Take a tour to see the Speakers' Gallery and the Legislative Council Chamber. Check website for tour times; admission free.

Musée de la civilisation, 85 rue Dalhousie, Vieux-Port One of the most popular museums in Québec City, this spot is home to an interesting array of permanent exhibits. Temporary exhibitions change regularly and include a wonderful array of interactive displays. Open Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mondays; admission $12.

Have a look inside the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica Originally constructed in 1647, this stunning cathedral is definitely worth a look. Inside you'll see impressive works of art, the ornately decorated alter and much more. There's also a crypt where notable figures including the first bishop of Québec are buried. Open daily 8am-4pm.

Check out Les Délices de l'Érable Also called Canadian Maple Delights, this store-bistro-museum might seem pretty touristy and it is but it's also a fun spot to check out. Upstairs you'll find the free maple museum which chronicles the production of maple syrup. Once you've learned how it's made, head back downstairs for the delicious free samples. Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm.

Take some snaps of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac It's no surprise that this is one of the world's most photographed hotels with its beautiful castle-like appearance complete with towering turrets. Especially impressive at night, it's located near the Dufferin Terrace Boardwalk and lots of other attractions.

On the field of battle Explore the Plains of Abraham Also known as Battlefields Park, the Plains of Abraham is an important historical site. Once the setting for battles between the French and British, today it's a popular urban park. Here you can wander through the Joan of Arc Garden, marvel at the Martello Towers and plenty more besides.

Wander around the Quatier de Petit Champlain Take the funicular from Vieux Québec down to the picturesque Petit Champlain neighbourhood. Home to numerous boutiques and craft stores, it's a quaint spot filled with cobbled streets and pretty architecture. A popular spot with crowds of tourists, it's still well-worth a visit.