Quebec City, QC

Quebec City is the only walled settlement in the US and Canada, its famous fortifications were preserved after the government proposed to remove them to permit urban growth in the late 19th century. It was heavily bombarded in 1759 and invaded with the battle of the Plains of Abraham by the British who eventually acquired all of New France after the capitulation of Montreal a year later.

The fortifications consist of many parts and were built over hundreds of years. The Citadelle of Quebec is still an active garrison and the official residence of the Governor General of Canada. There are several city gates that have been restored in the 19th century, but only the one at the citadel hasn’t been modified for car traffic.

The city isn’t just historical, it’s also known to be the most beautiful in Canada. It is the most painted place among the paintings of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa along with Montreal and Baie Saint-Paul. The Musée des beaux-arts du Quebec displays an excellent selection of French-Canadian art and the Museum of Civilization tells the history of the province.

The best place to see Quebec City is either from the top of the St. Denis Terrace or across the St. Lawrence at Lévis, named after the commander of the French army who arrived a couple hours too late and was unable to save Quebec City from its surrender. The top of the city is occupied by Chateau Frontenac, a luxury railway hotel on the site of the former St. Louis Fort.

Ornate cathedrals and monasteries can be found all along the St. Lawrence River and Quebec City is no exception. It’s Ursuline monastery is also a museum much like the one in Trois-Rivières. There are two Notre-Dames in the city, the Notre-Dame de Quebec Cathedral in the upper old town and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires at Place Royal in the lower old town. Both were founded in the 17th century.

The Morrin Centre is at the heart of the old English-speaking community in the city. The Presbyterian St. Andrew’s Church and the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec are both in the area. The historical society that occupied Morrin Centre’s building helped eventually form the National Archives and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board that provided the information in this sentence.

The Old Port of Quebec used to be just a collection of islands in the 17th century, but became part of the city with heavy reclamation. Pointe-à-Carcy is the northernmost point of the port and contains the Customs and Excise Building, a National Historic Site of Canada since 1972. It was built in 1856 and underwent modifications in 1864 and 1909.

If you’re lazy, you can pay almost $4 each way to travel between the upper and lower old town via a funicular, but the Breakneck Stairs aren’t really that bad. You get a couple of breaks in the middle and storefronts are even located along the staircase.