The historic city of Québec is quite a site to see. It wasn’t on our radar until friends mentioned the unique winter festival that takes place there every year. Obviously winter wasn’t going to work with my pregnancy but Eric and I love doing a fall trip to see foliage and after seeing pictures of gorgeous autumn color and the famous Frontenac Hotel, we booked our tickets for our anniversary.
Château Frontenac is the historic hotel that sits on a hill overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. Built in the late 1800s, it was used during World War I and II as a meeting place for allies. The hotel has over 600 rooms and is located right in the heart of town. It was in walking distance from every place we were recommended to visit and we had so much fun staying in the old castle. Of course, it’s a popular place that can get pricy during peek seasons, so there are many other options if this doesn’t work for you. There are plenty of adorable boutique hotels all over town.
Our goal for the weekend was to see fall color, eat great food, and totally relax. And we did just that. Although last minute we discovered Justin Timberlake would be in town so we booked tickets to see him Saturday night. He was AMAZING.
First and foremost, make plans to stroll around Old Québec. The streets make you feel like you’re in Europe. In fact, Québec has been called the Paris of North America. There are tons of small shops and restaurants and plenty of cute nooks to stumble into. We spent a lot of our free time just roaming this area.
This probably hasn’t been mentioned in other travel guides you’ve browsed, but we loved doing afternoon tea at the Frontenac. Eric and I find it’s such a relaxing afternoon activity to enjoy delicious treats and drinks while people watching. It’s an extremely filling meal, so plan on it sufficing as dinner unless you do it earlier in the day. It’s definitely more sweets than you need so maybe take some home with you :) You must make a reservation! It’s very popular.
We took an uber out to Parc de la Plage-Jacques-Cartier which is a park just outside of town. We wanted to walk a bit and see fall color. I recommend packing some tennis shoes. I made the mistake of wearing ankle booties and you’ll do a bit of hiking here.
Eric and I also treated ourselves to facials and massages. It was our anniversary weekend after all. This was the perfect way to start our Saturday (especially since it was extremely chilly and overcast) and set us up to have the most wonderful day! We did ours at the hotel but I’m sure there are plenty of other places to get them!
Other recommendations that we didn’t do this time but would do next:
Visit Montmorency Falls!
Do a walking Tour
This was rated the best restaurant in all of Canada in 2014. And Eric and I have added it to the list of our best meals we have eaten together. Top 3. Might actually be our very favorite. They have a brand new chef and we got to enjoy his first menu! It was an 8 course meal. Our favorite dishes were the butternut squash and smoked beets. They can accommodate just about any allergy/food aversion (and were ready to do it right as we came in!). A lot of restaurants do this but I was surprised to find they could do it last minute instead of with the reservation ahead of time. The service was amazing and Eric especially loved the wine pairing. If you’re a foodie or looking for a great celebratory meal, this restaurant is a MUST. Make a reservation in advance.
This restaurant is located inside the Frontenac hotel and was the perfect first meal to start our trip! We had a cozy table with a view over the rainy terrace and loved our 7 course meal. My favorite favorite dish was the quail with the foie gras as a close second. We also recommend the wine pairing with this one! The service was excellent and the food delicious. Another special occasion spot :)
This was a cute little breakfast spot within walking distance of the Frontenac. We sat upstairs with a view over the diners and loved watching the cooks make our breakfast. It’s pretty basic but we loved the ambiance!
We stopped here simply for the French Onion Soup which we heard is the best in the city. It met my expectations and was the perfect snack for a crisp fall day. L’Oncle Antoine is actually a little pub and the oldest bar in Québec. Great spot for a beer in the afternoon!
I loved sitting outside at this adorable restaurant in the heart of Old Québec and people watching while munching on a delicious charcuterie board. We ordered french onion soup again and Eric, the french onion lover, claims this was his actual favorite. Make a reservation if you can! This was pretty crowded on Saturday.
On our last day the sun came out and we experience the beautiful imagery of sunlight glistening through colored trees. Eric and I sat outside at the park right by the Frontenac and chatted while enjoying the views. If you’re looking to add a new place to your travel list, Québec City is a must. Merci et au revoir!
Wow, you really got around and the reviews are descriptive, wish I were going to Quebec in the near future!!