The Canadian province of Quebec has an ideal mix of history, impressive sites and incredible food. So pack your bags, grab your sweetie and check out our Quebec City and Montreal, Canada {4-day itinerary}.
For our 5 year anniversary this year we decided to get away. Somewhere rich in history and culture. Somewhere different than the midwest and somewhere we could enjoy just a few nights.
Bonjour Quebec!
The province of Quebec is an amazing destination for a long weekend or a short trip. Spending a night or 2 in history Quebec City and then a few 2-4 nights in buzzing Montreal is enough time to really get a sense of the region, its culture and its history.
For our itinerary, we stayed 1 night in Quebec city then took the train to Montreal where we stayed 3 nights. I would highly recommend taking the train from one city to another because it is a comfortable, affordable and unique experience. The train takes about 3hrs15min and is super convenient and easy to navigate.
Our main goal on this 2 city trip was to:
- Wander and see some sites
- Eat the best local eats
- Get some time to relax as a couple
We felt that both cities were fairly affordable especially with the current exchange rate of 1 US dollar to 1.33 Canadian dollars. Plus lodging, restaurants and general activities were all quite reasonable.
To start our trip, we headed to historic Quebec City!
Quebec City
Things to know:
- Public transport is not great here but you don’t need it. You can walk everywhere.
- It is historic, picturesque and very romantic so it is a perfect city to relax, take it slow and wander the streets.
- Especially in the summer months, it is very touristy.
- Although predominantly french speaking, everyone speaks English
Stay
We had a difficult time finding AirBnB’s in this city so we opted for a boutique hotel in Old Town. The Hotel Marie Rollet is a small Victorian house built in 1876 with a European feel. I’d definitely recommend it for a couple within walking distance of historic sites and cafes.
Do
- Explore Old Quebec: wander through the most famous landmarks including Château Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace, the fortifications and city gates, the Citadel, the Parliament building, Tourny Fountain and the Plains of Abraham.
- Stroll through Petit Champlain and Place Royal: one of the oldest commercial streets in north America makes this a great place to explore.
- Enjoy a picnic: in one of the many plazas, parks or even overlooking the Saint Lawrence River
Eat
- Le Bilig: an adorable creperie serving up amazing crepes with cider pairings. Hands down the best cider we have ever had!
- Korrigane: a local brewery making some incredible brews and serving up a delicious brew pub fare.
- Paillards: the best french pastries in the whole city! To die for coffee and scrumptious sandwiches! We ate there 3 times in 2 days! Also a great place to pick up sandwiches for the train ride to Montreal.
- Les Chocolats Favoris: traditional dipped Quebecois ice cream is a must! I tried the vanilla ice cream dipped in dulce de leche. OMG still dreaming about this!
Montreal
Things to know:
- This city has a great metro and bus system so you can get around easily without a car
- It is a very young and vibrant city with lots to do and eat
- Visit local places and do what locals do. This city does not feel overly touristy which is a plus!
- Although predominantly french speaking, everyone speaks English
Stay
We found hotels to be a little more expensive here, so we opted for a modern downtown AirBnB condo on the 45th floor! We had a fully equipped kitchen, were right next to a metro stop and had a jaw dropping view. Plus it is a great way to feel like a local rather than a tourist in a hotel.
Do
- Wander through different neighborhoods: this was our favorite thing to do because each one is so different. From the artsy/hipster Le Plateau to Old Port to delicious Mile end, each area has it’s own charm.
- Eat your way through Mile End: this is a fun neighborhood to walk, spot cool local art, people watch and eat eat eat!
- Stroll through Old Montreal, China Town and Old Port: historic more touristy area of the city, yet it still has tons of charm. We especially loved walking along the river.
- Hike up Mont Royal Park: this is a sprawling public park atop a large hill in downtown Montreal. It is perfect for walking, jogging, picnicking or biking. It has the best view of the city and is a great place to spend a half day.
- Farmers Markets: Atwood Market and Jean Talon Markets are 2 open air farmers markets with an impressive array of prepared foods, produce and flowers! We loved visiting both of these, and trying local foods. Also great places to buy ingredients for a picnic.
Eat
- Fairmont Bagels: you can’t go to Montreal and not have their unique wood-fire baked bagels! Tiny little place where you pick up bagels, a little tub of cream cheese and enjoy on the go!
- Noble Cafe: a hole in the wall top notch coffee shop brewing incredible coffee with outdoor only seating. We brought our bagels and enjoyed them here.
- Dieu du Ciel: a fun brewery/brew pub making award winning beers. With everything from a hibiscus beer to cask IPAs and award winning stouts. A must visit for beer lovers!
- Drogheria Fine: a closet size space serving fresh gnocchi with the best tomato sauce in Montreal! Orders come in a Chinese style take out box! One of the best gnocchi experiences of my life!
- Schwartz’s Deli: a local smoked meat treasure! Come hungry and eat a melt in your mouth smoked meat sandwich.
- La Bete a Pain: a chic bakery making some of the best bread we had in Quebec. To die for pastries, artisan bread and impressive coffee makes this place perfect for a slow romantic breakfast.
- Le P’tit Plateau: local gem serving up authentic regional french cuisine. The epitome of romantic and charming. We had the best escargot here (almost licked the bowl) and managed to stay here for 3 hours! Impeccable service and ambiance.
- Eat Poutine: fries with gravy and cheese curds? Why not! You can find this pretty much everywhere.
Originally posted 2018-06-26 07:06:15.
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