Sights—The distinctive architecture of the Chateau Frontenac; a view of the city from the ferry to Levis; the 4,520-sq-ft/420-sq-m trompe l'oeil mural at Place Royale; vendors selling local produce at the bustling Marche du Vieux Port.
Museums—Artifacts depicting Quebec's past and present at Musee de la Civilisation; regional art at Musee National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec; exhibits showcasing French culture in North America at Musee de l'Amerique Francaise; the historical sound-and-light show at Musee du Fort.
Memorable Meals—Steak and fries at Le Cochon Dingue; rack of lamb in maple syrup and rosemary at Restaurant Bonaparte; traditional tortiere at Le Petit Coin Latin; culinary surprises at Le 47e Parallele.
Late Night—The mix of many music styles under one roof at Bar Le Maurice et Charlotte Lounge; intimate surroundings at L'Emprise; an exquisite dinner at Il Teatro followed by a live show at Le Theatre Capitole.
Walks—Terrasse Dufferin for the view of the port; Quartier Petit Champlain for shopping and people-watching; Vieux Port for a history-filled stroll; Grande Allee Est for the buzzing nightlife.
Especially for Kids—Summer watersliding and winter ice-karting at Valcartier Vacation Village; bumper cars and the roller coaster at Mega-Parc, an indoor amusement park in the Galeries de la Capitale shopping center; the Parc Aquarium du Quebec for critter spotting of species that come from as far away as the Arctic.
Quebec City is divided into old and new sections. Most of Vieux Quebec (Old Quebec) sits at the top of the cliff in an area that is called Haute Ville (Upper Town). The other part of the old city is crammed between the base of the cliff and the river—it's known as Basse Ville (Lower Town). It has some memorable old structures, as well as shops and restaurants. Quartier Petit Champlain is just below the Chateau Frontenac. Vieux Port (Old Port) lies just north of this district. Most of the city's interesting sites are situated in the upper and lower parts of Vieux Quebec.
The more modern side of Quebec City (parks, office buildings, shopping malls and urban sprawl) is found on the high bluff beyond the walls of Vieux Quebec. The newer section of the city, just west of the old walled city, is the Haute Ville district of Faubourg Saint Jean Baptiste. The borough of Sainte-Foy is southwest of Quebec City.
The Iroquois are thought to have been the first people to paddle through the area. They called the place Kebec, which in Algonquian means "place where the river narrows." (Quebec City is located on the north shore at the narrowest point of the St. Lawrence River.) Although historians are unsure of the precise location, they know that the Iroquois established a village named Stadacona within what is now Quebec City. French explorer Jacques Cartier landed there in 1535, and in 1608 Samuel Champlain founded a fur-trading post there.
A steady supply of animal pelts transformed Quebec City into a major port, and it was highly sought after by both the British and the French in the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1759, the city finally fell under English control after a short, decisive battle on the Plains of Abraham (just outside the city walls). French Canada became a British colony and later the province of Quebec in an independent Canada.
Alhough many Quebecers continue to advocate Quebec independence from Canada, the issue has lost steam in recent years. A 1995 referendum on sovereignty failed narrowly and has not been repeated. Still, the issue has not been put to rest—particularly in Quebec City, where nationalist sentiments traditionally run high.
But whether an independentist or a federalist, francophone, anglophone or allophone, all residents of the city (and indeed the entire province) are alike in their fierce pride of Quebec's capital: The all-out, feverish and spectacular celebration of the city's 400th anniversary planned for 2008 is a case in point.
Look for the slogan
Je me souviens on all automobile license plates. It means "I remember" and reflects a deep commitment to the French language and cultural traditions.
Although its name might lead you to think otherwise, the Plains of Abraham, a clifftop green space west of the Citadelle, doesn't have a biblical history: Abraham (Martin) was the name of the Scottish farmer who once owned land nearby.
Residents refer to the city as Quebec, not Quebec City—which, when used, is a sure give-away of being an English-speaking tourist.
The Canadian national anthem, "O Canada," was first sung in Quebec in 1880 to celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day, an annual Quebec holiday on 24 June that Quebecers have adopted as their own Fete Nationale. The song wasn't sung in English Canada for another 20 years—and a century later, it is the anthem "Gens du pays" that is sung in Quebec on 24 June.
In front of 59 Rue St. Louis, look for the cannonball embedded in the roots of an old tree. Legend says it landed there during the siege of Quebec in 1759, but it seems more likely that it was placed there on purpose in the late 1800s to keep carriages from damaging the tree's roots.
At Montmorency Falls, about a 10-minute drive from Vieux Quebec, water cascades a drop of 272 ft/85 m, one and a half times the height of Niagara Falls.
Quebec City, which in 1985 was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the only walled city north of Mexico. A reflection of its profound religious past, six churches (basilicas and chapels) still stand within Vieux Quebec alone.
Vieux Quebec (Haute Ville and Basse Ville) houses some 80 restaurants, resulting in an average of two restaurants per block. And since Vieux Quebec is only 3 sq mi/8 sq km in area, it's no surprise that it is known as one of the food capitals of Canada—and the world.
There are six churches within Old Quebec (chapels and basilicas included).
