Quebec City (Summer)

Called the Gibraltar of North America by Charles Dickens, Québec City is the only walled city north of Mexico and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best way to explore this treasure trove of 17th- and 18th-century buildings is on foot. Begin with Battlefields National Park – including the star-shaped Citadel – and then head to the narrow cobbled streets of Old Quebec’s Lower Town. Nearby, the Old Port is a lively spot, welcoming more than 100,000 cruise ship passengers annually. It is also home to a popular farmers’ market and the thought-provoking Musée de la Civilisation. From spring through fall, numerous festivals take over ...

Called the Gibraltar of North America by Charles Dickens, Québec City is the only walled city north of Mexico and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best way to explore this treasure trove of 17th- and 18th-century buildings is on foot. Begin with Battlefields National Park – including the star-shaped Citadel – and then head to the narrow cobbled streets of Old Quebec’s Lower Town. Nearby, the Old Port is a lively spot, welcoming more than 100,000 cruise ship passengers annually. It is also home to a popular farmers’ market and the thought-provoking Musée de la Civilisation. From spring through fall, numerous festivals take over the city – the biggest being the Québec Summer Festival, when Old Québec becomes an outdoor stage for hundreds of performers. For a different perspective, visit the Huron-Wendat Nation at Wendake, just 15 minutes from downtown. To paraphrase Charles Dickens once again: with splendid views which burst upon the eye at every turn, (the city) is at once unique and everlasting.

About the Expert

Joanna Ebbutt is the author or editor of three Insight Guides to Toronto and Canada, and coauthor of Off the Beaten Track: Western Canada. She has been writing about travel for three decades, including chasing the aurora borealis in Northern Ontario.