Quebec holidays
From cosmopolitan Montreal to the remote northern villages of Nunavik, Canada’s largest province mixes rugged nature with top-tier urban attractions. Spend your holiday in Quebec exploring its more than two dozen national parks or carving through boreal forests during ski season. There’s plenty of jaw-dropping architecture to see and buttery croissants to inhale. And don’t dream of leaving without a visit to one of the region’s famous sugar shacks.
Top destinations in Quebec
Montreal
From cool neighbourhoods and luxury shopping to some of Canada’s most amazing attractions, Montreal has just the right blend of North American and European cultures.
Quebec City
This province’s capital makes a perfect North American getaway. Explore everything from crumbling city walls to thundering waterfalls, then hunt down the best freshly baked croissants.
Bonaventure
A rugged coastal city with French-Canadian flair, Bonaventure boasts unique geology, wildlife and history, as well as plenty of scenic hiking trails to take it all in.
Quebec: fast facts
Language
French
Currency
Canadian dollar (C$)
Time zone
Montréal - UTC−5 (EST) and UTC−4 (EDT)
High season
June – September; December – February
Low season
March – May; October – November
Quebec holiday highlights
Play in the snow
Quebec’s long snowy season makes it a popular getaway for winter sports enthusiasts. Resorts like Bromont and Mont-Tremblant are perfect for alpine skiing and snowboarding. You can usually rent snowshoes or ice skates at local parks. After a day of outdoor fun, warm up with a hot drink and a snack by an outdoor fire at a chalet or ‘casse-croûte’ (snack bar).
Visit a sugar shack
This region is known for its maple syrup. Visiting a ‘cabane à sucre’ (sugar shack) is a classic thing to do in Quebec in late winter and early spring. You’ll enjoy a home-cooked breakfast and browse the many maple-flavoured treats to take home. Lots of sugar shacks also offer live music, and some even have petting zoos.
Discover local history
Quebecois are fiercely proud of their French-Canadian heritage. The story of French settlement in the region is vividly brought to life at museums and living history sites across the province. Visit a reproduction of Canada’s first fur trading post in Tadoussac, discover 18th-century brewing practices in Quebec City, or experience life at a 1930s logging camp.
Things to do in Quebec
Top attractions
The inside of Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica is a riot of decorative carvings and stained glass. In the evening, it’s transformed by an immersive light show. Towering over Quebec City, the Château Frontenac has appeared in Hitchcock movies and hosted world leaders. Taller than Niagara, thundering Montmorency Falls can be accessed by cable car, zip line or suspension bridge.
Beaches
Along the Gulf of St Lawrence, the region offers pebble and sand beaches, marine wildlife and dramatic coastal scenery. But you’ll find the most beloved beaches in Quebec further inland, along the banks of the St Lawrence River. Family-favourite Oka Beach offers warm, shallow waters with a floating obstacle course, plus campsites and hiking and biking trails.
Nature
With 28 national parks to explore, you won’t lack ways to appreciate Quebec’s remarkable natural beauty. Ski, hike or canoe in the forests and lakes of La Mauricie National Park, only two hours from Montreal and Quebec City. In the north, Eeyou Istchee Baie-James and Nunavik are home to remote arctic wilderness and the lands of the Cree and Inuit peoples.
Cuisine
Head to Montreal for some of the best restaurants in Quebec. You’ll find menus that celebrate the city’s culinary diversity, from traditional French to Moroccan and Japanese. Regional ingredients, like Gulf scallops and natural wines, are also highlighted. And almost everyone has a take on classic Quebecois ‘poutine’ (chips topped with gravy and cheese curds).
Culture and museums
Learn French-Canadian history at the Museum of Civilization in Quebec City. Marvel at ancient and contemporary masterpieces at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art. But museums in Quebec are only a part of the province’s cultural scene. The region also hosts beloved festivals like Carnaval de Quebec, the largest winter carnival in the western hemisphere.
Nightlife
Montreal is the epicentre of nightlife in Quebec. Neighbourhoods like Griffintown and Mile End host some of Canada’s best bars, while the city’s electronic music scene keeps the party going all night. For a casual but delicious night out, look for ‘buvettes’, chic wine bars with snacks and a neighbourhood feel. The Eastern Townships are a microbrewery heaven.
Find the best time to visit Quebec
Weather in Quebec through the year
March – May: Warm, sunny days can be followed by a late April flurry. Melting snow and ice means sugaring time, when maple trees are tapped for their sweet sap.
June – August: Quebec comes alive in summer, with outdoor dining and festivals galore. The weather can be hot and sticky, though it’s usually cooler along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
September – November: Autumn foliage makes this a stunning time to visit the Laurentian Mountains. In the south, you can expect the first frost by early October, and the first snow usually isn’t far behind.
December – February: Winter in Quebec is cold and snowy, no matter where you are. But there are winter sports aplenty and some of the best powder east of the Rockies.
Events in Quebec
Quebec Winter Carnival (February): Old Quebec City is transformed with snow sculptures, musical stages and an entire palace made of ice during this frosty celebration. Embrace the cold with snow baths and nighttime parades, then warm up with a hot drink.
Montreal International Jazz Festival (June to July): This world-famous festival fills the city with thousands of musicians and dozens of daily performances. With top international talent and hundreds of free concerts, you can catch incredible music almost anywhere you go.
International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (August): Hot-air balloons are the star here, filling the sky with brilliant colours or lighting up the festival grounds at night. Take a ride yourself, or try to spot your favourites from the ground.
Know before you go
Getting around Quebec
Public transport
Buses: Orleans Express is Quebec’s main intercity operator, with daily service as far east as Gaspé. Intercar serves the northeastern part of the province.
Trains: VIA Rail offers frequent service between Ottawa and Quebec City via Montreal. Scenic adventure routes take you into the wild heart of northern Quebec.
Boats: A ferry from Prince Edward Island will take you to the Magdalen Islands, a tiny piece of Quebec in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Or catch a ferry from Percé to explore Bonaventure Island, off the coast of the Gaspé Peninsula.
Domestic flights
Flying can be one of the best ways to travel across Canada’s largest province. You can fly from Montreal to Quebec City in under an hour, and Air Canada makes several daily trips. Regional airlines like Air Creebec provide scheduled service to remote communities in Nunavik and other northern locations.
Driving and car hire
Given its size, driving in Quebec can be a real commitment. Driving across it takes a whole day, and many of the province’s northern communities aren’t accessible by road. Be aware of wildlife on rural roads, especially at night. Winter conditions make for challenging driving — winter tyres are required from December to March.
