- -- Quebec City: so near, so friendly, so Europe
"I took my kids to Europe last weekend". That's how it felt when we visited Quebec City during winter Carnival, and Quebec City is a wonderful place to visit in summer, too.
Quebec City: background
Quebec City is in the French-speaking province of Quebec, in Canada; but don't worry, everyone in the tourist trade speaks "Anglais" too. The "Quebecois" are warm, vivacious, and proud of their culture. (If you've seen Cirque de Soleil, you've seen some sample creativity.)
Quebec City -- about two hours' drive from Montreal -- is so rich in history, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec City was the center of New France, a vast area that extended down to Louisiana ( - see Quebec City history). One of the decisive battles between Britain and France took place at in 1759 in Quebec City, on the Plains of Abraham.
Must-Sees for Visitors
-Wander the "old town" areas, with charming historic streets and restaurants with names like Le Cochon Dingue ("The Crazy Pig", a good place for hot chocolate.)
-Visit the Plains of Abraham: though of great historic import, and a National Battlefield, this wide stretch of land right in the city is also where people play: it's the site of Quebec Carnival in winter, and also the site of a free Celine Dion concert this summer -- see below.
- Museum of Civilization: families should be sure to visit this imaginative and interactive (and bilingual) museum designed to keep kids' riveted. For instance, a recent exhibit took a comprehensive look at dragons: from myths to paleontology to fantasy fiction. Admission cost is modest, and free for kids under 12.
VivaCité Trail: a special path (with signs and maps) leads walkers through Old Quebec, passing historical sites, museums, parks, and shopping ops.
Funicular: get a bird's-eye view, as you ride up the hill from one historic part of the town to another.
Quebec City Summer Festival: annual outdoors arts festival, with music, street art, events for every taste.
Place-Royale Interpretion Center: historic location; interactive exhibitions, and hands-on room where families don costumes and travel back in time.
If You're Visiting in Winter...
• Time your visit with the very fun and family-friendly Quebec Carnival, held for two weeks in late Jan./early February, with night parades, slide runs, snow rafting, ice fishing, concerts, snow sculptures, horse-drawn sleigh or dogsled rides, Ice Tower and ice-skating.
• combine a visit to Quebec City with a ski outing to nearby Mont-Sainte-Anne
