48 hours in QUÉBEC
Imagine the cosmopolitanism of Europe combined with the wild side of North America, and you’ll find yourself in the breathtaking wonderland of Québec...
HAILED as a New France back in the 1530s, modern-day Québec still boasts all the quintessential charm of the motherland.
The second-most populated province in Canada, this epic landscape may be mighty, but it has effortlessly married quaint cobbled streets with mountains regions, romanticism with rugged coastlines.
Whether you kick-start your day with warm patisserie in Québec City or whale watch on the St Lawrence River, you’ll feel as if the possibilities are endless in this country within a country.
FRIDAY
6pm: Get your trip off to a charming start with a stroll around your base for the next two days, Québec City.
Take in the historic stone houses and ramparts of this newly crowned hipster haven, before indulging in that trendiest of dishes: poutine.
Chez Gaston (332 Rue Dorchester) is the only place to try this simply divine delicacy. This mountainous mix of chips, cheese curd and gravy might raise an eyebrow or two to begin with, but it’s a melt-in-the-mouth must-have for any visitor.
9pm: Now you’ve lined your stomach, Québécois style, it’s time to move on to another thing they’ve mastered – craft beer. Hop along to any of the microbreweries around the city and sit among the ridiculously friendly locals. We recommend La Barberie (310, rue Saint-Roch), where the staff will run you through what makes their tipples so good – while letting you taste their eight-beer carousel. Life is a rollercoaster in Québec!
SATURDAY
9:30am: As you’re in Canada’s only officially French-speaking province, why not start your day off like a Parisian? Take a stroll to Paillard (1097 Rue Saint-Jean), where you can enjoy a freshly made almond croissants alongside the early risers. They are beyond moreish, so grab a few more for a mid-morning snack.
11am: Now you’ve warmed up, it’s time to cool down again with a refreshing day trip to remember. Montmorency Falls stands majestically just 15 minutes outside the city, but you’ll feel a million miles away from anything urban. The rainbow-shrouded cascades are 30m higher than Niagara Falls, and you can take in the wondrous site either by cable car, or, if you’re feeling energised, by tackling the 487 steps.
2pm: Now your adventurous side is satiated, you can keep your cultural leanings quenched with a look around the Musée National des Beaux-arts du Québec (179 Grande Allée Ouest).
This huge stone and glass structure is home to a staggering 38,000 works by Québec’s greatest artists from the 17th century to today.
7pm: Time to weekend like a hipster, with a root around St Roch. This one-time working-class neighbourhood has been given the gentrification treatment in recent years – making it a mecca for the cool kids. Rocking a similar vibe to Brooklyn, New York, St Roch boasts some of the province’s most forward-thinking restaurants and bars.
However, you’re in Canada, and it would be a shame to waste that seafood connection. Start your evening with a nautical-but-nice turn at Kraken Cru (190 rue Saint-Vallier Ouest), where you can down a dozen oysters for very reasonable prices alongside an ice-cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Remember to keep things simple, so act like the locals and throw on your trucker cap and enjoy an evening of fresh-off-the-boat fruits de mer in laid-back bliss.
10pm: Now you’re relaxed – and full – what better way to round off an evening than by listening to that most chilled musical style, jazz? Bar Ste-Angèle (26 Rue Sainte-Angèle) is a hidden haven, where you can sip a drop of the hard stuff while tapping your foot to an invigorating bass.
SUNDAY
10am: You can literally throw yourself into your final day, with a ride on the city’s toboggan slide. It stands 200ft high and measures 800ft long, and you can whiz down towards the Parisian-inspired Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel.
12pm: Once there, you can brunch like a king or queen – for just over $59 (£47). In a dining hall that gives Hogwarts a run for its money, you can enjoy the magic of a fill-your-plate-high buffet of breakfast carb goodness. While you’re in Canada, make sure there’s a big space on your plate for some home-made maple-cured bacon.
4pm: What better way to end your trip than with a splash at an aquarium positioned on Québec’s Saint Lawrence River?
There you can gawp at Aquarium du Québec’s (1675 Avenue des Hôtels) amazing collection of about 10,000 specimens, from the power of polar bears and walruses to curiosities such as jellyfish and rays.
Take in the historic stone houses and ramparts of this hipster heaven The cascades are higher than Niagara Falls