Your Weekend Getaway to Quebec City, Canada: Including Detailed Itinerary & Walking Tours

Our relaxed, early morning travel style is something we love, so much so, we wrote a blog and 2 free downloadable travel guides on it, “Your Daily Slow Travel Planner + Bonus Slow Morning Blueprint” request your free copies at the top of the page or through one of our pop ups.

For more on this historic and vibrant city checkout our additional blog posts: “17 Best Things to do in Quebec City, Canada (Explore & Experience)” & “Your Travel Guide to Quebec City, Canada (Where to Stay, Eat & Essential Tips)” (coming May 19^th).

For accommodations, car rentals, activities, or tours, we use Expedia, Get Your Guide and Viator.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a booking or purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend places, experiences, and products that we have personally used or genuinely believe add value to a trip.

Table of Contents:

1. A Memorable Weekend in Quebec City, Introduction
2. Friday (or Day of Arrival) Late Afternoon/Evening: Plains of Abraham, Sunset over the St. Lawrence, Dinner & Drinks on Grande Allée E, and Optional Gelato with a Stroll on Dufferin Terrace.
3. Saturday (Day 1): Exploring Lower Town, Ferry to Lévis, Funicular Fun and Dinner on Rue St-Jean.
4. Sunday (Day 2): Exploring Upper Town, an Iconic Hotel, Great Views, Historic Fort, and Dinner on Rue de petit-Champlain
5. References
6. The Wrap up

1. A Memorable Weekend in Quebec City, Introduction:

Quebec City is one of those rare places in North America that instantly feels like a European getaway—cobblestone streets, centuries-old architecture, café terraces, and layered viewpoints overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It’s a city where you can pack a lot into a weekend, but still enjoy moments of wandering between sights, discovering hidden streets, and lingering over good food and views.

This itinerary blends the city’s highlights with scenic walks, historic landmarks, and time in both Upper and Lower Town so you can experience its full character in just a couple of days. All of our “17 Best Things to do in Quebec City” are included in this itinerary. We’ve tried to group these attractions in each area together to make things easier and designed these walking tours in a logical way in hopes that you’d have time to see them all! We really hope you enjoy your time here.

2. Friday (or Day of Arrival) Late Afternoon/Evening: Plains of Abraham, Sunset over the St. Lawrence, Dinner on Grande Allée E, & Optional Gelato with a Stroll Along Dufferin Terrace.

Start your weekend getaway with a walk in the park to stretch your legs after your travels, head to the Plains of Abraham for a late afternoon stroll. Stop by the lookout, the gardens, & fountain, (great photo ops), and take in the wide-open spaces that once changed history with the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, in 1759, where the British defeated the French ending their control in North America. These open spaces give you a wide view of the city skyline as you make your way toward Pierre-Dugua-de-Mons Terrace, it’s an approx. 2.5km walk, taking just over 30mins.

Arrive at the Terrace for sunset and take in sweeping views over the river and rooftops of Lower Town below, as well as views of the nearby Citadelle. For more on these sites, checkout our blog post “17 Best Things to do in Quebec City, Canada (Explore and Experience)”.

After sunset, head for dinner along Grande Allée East, a lively stretch of road lined with restaurants and patios. It’s a great introduction to the city’s atmosphere—vibrant but still elegant. The location is shown on the map above.

Depending on the time of year, and sunset times (find sunrise/sunset times for Quebec City here) you may have time to eat dinner before enjoying the sunset at the Terrace, if so, head to Grande Allée East, after your walk in the park, and choose from one of their many restaurants. Afterwards, continue towards the Terrasse Pierre-Dugua-de-Mons for sunset, there is pretty greenspace, benches, the Citadelle on one side and beautiful old buildings lining the street on the other side. Finish the evening with a drink along Rue Saint-Louis, where historic buildings and soft lighting set the tone for the weekend ahead, (Grande Allée East turns into Rue St. Louis on the other side of the walled entrance into Old Quebec). Or head down the stairs towards the Château Frontenac, to Rue des Carriéres, then take the stairs to the Dufferin Terrace and grab a gelato for dessert at Au 1884, and stroll along the terrace, on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer they are open until 9:00pm.

3. Saturday (Day 1): Exploring Lower Town, Ferry to Lévis, Funicular Fun and Dinner on Rue St-Jean.

Begin your morning early and in Lower Town, heading down via the Breakneck Stairs, then to Place Royale. This area feels like stepping into a European postcard, especially in the early hours before it fills with visitors.

Stop for coffee and a pastry at Café Maison Smith, then explore the square, including Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church and the nearby Fresque des Québécois (impressive mural around the corner from the café). This area is home to the original settlement founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608.

From there, explore Lower Town, wander the surrounding streets and hidden corners and alleyways. Stroll down Rue du Petit-Champlain, great for cute shops, murals, and cafes, Discover the playful colors of Umbrella Alley, and explore atmospheric lanes like Rue Sous-le-Fort. This is one of the most scenic areas for browsing shops, stopping for photos, or enjoying a long lunch.

You can follow the map above with our numbered “Best Things to do & see” and end with lunch at one of the many restaurants or cafes on Rue du Petit-Champlain, before heading down to the river to catch the ferry to Lévis.

In the afternoon, take the ferry across the St. Lawrence River to Lévis. The short crossing offers some of the best panoramic views of Old Quebec’s skyline. Once there, relax at the Quai Paquet Lévis, (Park & Fountain) a peaceful green space with incredible views back toward the city. There are also a couple of cafés and little shops in the area across from the Ferry Port. Or you could take the large red staircase past the park, up to the little town, there is a church and some nice houses, & views, but not worth it if the stairs are going to be too challenging. 

Later return by ferry and follow along the riverfront to the Old Quebec Port, enjoying the views, shops, galleries, and museums (if interested or time permits). For another optional stop checkout, the unique Rue Sous-le-Cap with its interesting architecture, then head back into Lower Town. Take the Old Quebec Funicular up to Upper Town, it’s $6.00/person one way and cash only, it’s open from 9:00am to 9:00pm every day. Next, return to your accommodations to relax and reset.

For dinner, head to Rue Saint-Jean, where you’ll find plenty of great options in a walkable, atmospheric setting, (We ate at Bistro Hortus at 1190 Rue St-Jean and really enjoyed it).

4. Sunday (Day 2): Exploring Upper Town, an Iconic Hotel, Great Views, Historic Fort, and Dinner on Rue de petit-Champlain

Start the day off early (again) at Dufferin Terrace, one of the most iconic viewpoints in the city. The morning light over the river and the dramatic presence of the Château Frontenac set the tone for a memorable final day. After strolling along the terrace, spend a bit of time wandering through the iconic Fairmont le Château Frontenac, built in 1893, it is quite impressive, definitely worth a peak. If you can get a good deal, you might even consider staying here, we stayed here on one of our trips to Quebec City and really enjoyed it, got a good deal through Hotels.com, we also did the high tea here, it was an enjoyable splurge!

Spend the rest of the morning exploring Upper Town’s streets, squares, parks, shops, and churches with time to browse, stop for photos, and enjoy a relaxed lunch near Place d’Armes. Checkout the short street, Rue Haldimand, behind the Château Frontenac, this historical street is just interesting to wander down. Another great spot to checkout is Parc Montmorency, it is great for views and photos, especially of the Château Frontenac.

Next head to St. Jean Gate, an historical photo worthy spot, if interested you can climb the stairs and walk along the wall towards Porte Kent, then on to St. Louis Gate, great views over the city. Once you climb back down head to the Parliament buildings. Enjoy the gardens and fountain on the grounds in front. If interested you can take a free, 60 to 75 mins guided tour of the inside of these government buildings, booking online is recommended and photo ID is required for those 16 and older. From here head towards the citadelle.

In the afternoon, start at the Citadelle of Quebec—a key landmark worth visiting, especially with a guided tour, but should be booked ahead of time. Click the link above for information on pricing and availability. The Citadelle of Quebec is the largest British fortress in North America and was built between 1820 & 1832.

Wrap up your afternoon with a walk through the Plains of Abraham, where tree-lined paths, gardens, and open views offer a final look at the city’s landscape. This park is fairly large, so you could explore some areas you missed on your arrival day or if you’ve seen enough you could relax in a café with a drink or do some more exploring in Old Town.

After some downtime, head out for your final dinner. The Lower Town is a great choice for your last evening, offering a completely different ambiance at night. If there’s a restaurant you’ve been eyeing, reservations are recommended. We enjoyed Le Cochon Dingue on Rue du petit-Champlain, there is also another entrance with outdoor seating on Boulevard Champlain, one street over. They serve casual French food and are open until 9:00pm.

If Extra Time Permits do this:

If you have More time, checkout Viator or Get Your Guide for area tours, like to Montmorency Falls, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, Food Tours, Boat Cruises, whale watching, hop-on-hop-off bus tours and more.

5. References:

For our Quebec City travel planning, we started with our own experiences from our multiple visits to the unique city, then we leaned on a mix of trusted guidebooks, including DK Eyewitness Top 10 Montreal & Quebec City, which helped shape our itinerary, and must-see sights. In addition to the books, it’s helpful to reference official tourism websites, (quebec-cite.com) attraction sites, public transportation resources (like the trains, buses, and ferries), and a few local food blogs to see what local foods piques your interest. Google Maps for driving and walking distances, and tour apps for the activities, like Get Your Guide, Viator and Expedia. We hope you find this Weekend Getaway Itinerary helpful when you’re planning you own trip to this historical and interesting city with a European feel.

6. The Wrap Up:

Quebec City is one of those destinations that feels both close and far at the same time—familiar in ease of travel, yet distinctly European in atmosphere and architecture. In just a weekend, you can experience grand viewpoints, historic landmarks, riverside walks, and vibrant neighbourhoods, all within a compact and walkable city.

Whether you’re here for photography, history, food, or simply a change of scenery, it’s a place that naturally blends exploration with enjoyment—no need to rush, just enough time to take it all in.

Our relaxed, early morning travel style is something we love, so much so, we wrote a blog and 2 free downloadable travel guides on it, “Your Daily Slow Travel Planner + Bonus Slow Morning Blueprint” request your free copies at the top of the page or through one of our pop ups.

Plan Better. Travel Slower. Capture More.

Thank you,

Beth

Beth de Verteuil

Wild Meadow Studio

Plan. Travel. Capture.

www.wildmeadowstudio.com