Québec City, the capital city of Canada’s eponymous province, is a fabulous place to visit in winter. For a start, the people are friendly, welcoming, and eager to share their culture. Next comes how gorgeous the European architecture looks under a blanket of snow, and all the ways you can enjoy the outdoors—tobogganing, skating, skiing. Now add in the city’s rich cultural heritage—the first French settlement was founded here in 1608, plus indigenous influences are everywhere—and a food culture potentially more fanatical than France’s. It all totals up to that little something extra that makes the Québec City area so endearing and unique. Your Québec City exploration begins with these nine activities.
Stroll snow-blanketed Old Québec
The historic neighborhood of Vieux-Québec, or Old Québec to English-speakers, is the only walled city north of Mexico. Those beautiful ramparts and fortifications you see literally around town defended the city against many a battle and siege in their 400-year history; today, they, and the city they protect, are a treasured UNESCO world heritage site and don’t see much action other than the attention of admirers, particularly in winter, when a dusting of sparkling snow turns easily-walkable Old Québec into a real-life storybook.
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Keep holiday spirits high in Petit-Champlain
Though technically part of Old Québec, Petit-Champlain is its own little neighborhood, home to the historic city square of Place Royale, as well as Rue du Petit-Champlain, a bustling, cobblestoned street brimming with charming restaurants and boutiques. The area gets dressed up for the holidays—think evergreen boughs and thousands of white lights—and remains that way until it’s warm again months later. The festive vibe combined with 18th and 19th-century French architecture and a good snowpack makes a walk here a truly magical experience.
See snow sculptures, dance, and drink at Québec Winter Carnival
Québecois are warm, so when it’s cold, they gladly welcome folks from all over to brave the windchill with them at one of the world’s largest winter carnivals. Night parades, an ice canoe race, concerts, snow sculpting—the multi-week event salutes the best of the season. The crown jewel? The Ice Palace, a built-from-scratch structure that serves as an entertainment venue and “residence” of the event’s official ambassador Bonhomme Carnaval, a giant snowman in a red hat who is basically a second Santa Claus to locals. Next year’s event is February 3-12, 2023.
Feel like you’re in a fairytale at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
You’ve probably seen the pictures: a castle on a cliff against a blue sky overlooking a glittering city and river below. It’s actually a functional fairytale; a luxurious, historical hotel with legendary hospitality, several elegant restaurants and a bar, and a past guest list that includes royalty, dignitaries, and politicians from all over. Hotel workers are bilingual and their love of life is their signature style—they’ll make you feel right at home. Plus, it’s located right in the thick of the winter carnival events.
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Embrace Hôtel de Glace’s icy ephemeral pleasures
This isn’t a normal hotel. This is an ice hotel, one that’s constructed from scratch each winter on the resort grounds of the Village Vacances Valcartier. If you’re curious, come for a frosty cocktail in freezing temperatures at the bar; if you’re bold, stay overnight in one of the 30 rooms and suites. Some are themed with meticulous, dreamy ice sculptures to match, others have private saunas and fireplaces.
Ski and skate within city limits
Nordic and alpine ski trails? Yup. Ice skating? Definitely. Québec City and the neighboring areas are surrounded by nature, which means the requisite activities are easily accessible. Ice skating at Place D’Youville’s outdoor rink in the heart of Old Québec or cross-country skiing at the Plains of Abraham in Battlefield Park are great ways to get moving without leaving the city center, while a little effort to get to local mountains will be rewarded with plenty of vertical descent. Urban living at its best.
Toboggan at thrilling speeds
First, get your toboggan, a rattling wooden sled straight out of a Christmas movie. Then, walk up the hill to the top of the slide and admire the view of Dufferin Terrace boardwalk and the St. Lawrence River. Then, place your sled on one of three parallel tracks and race at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour to the bottom. Finally, revel in the fact that you just took part in a beloved winter tradition that dates back to 1884. Do it all at twilight when the city lights are sparkling to up the magic factor.
Soak up the warm side of winter at Strom Spa Nordique
The art of Northern living isn’t all about cold noses and blustery winter walks. For the ultimate Nordic experience, escape to the spa’s thermal baths, saunas, and candle-lined flotation pool—the largest in North America. Massotherapy and beauty treatments are, of course, on the menu, such as the STRØM massage, a unique experience that uses music and aroma to help your mind and body warm up, relax, and prepare for another gorgeous day of beating Québec City’s snowy streets.
Fill up on fine French cuisine
Here, traditional French restaurants with classic, warm-you-up comforts mix and mingle with localvore eateries and heavily decorated fine dining establishments that push the boundaries of what it means to eat well. Tanière3, for example, is an experience; both the chef’s counter and the dining room cellar options offer a meticulously designed blind tasting menu inspired by provenance. At Alentours, where the tasting menu changes weekly, only three ingredients (salt, yeast, and milk) are sourced from further than 100 miles. And Le Champlain at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac leans into tradition while maintaining a modern edge. Look no further than the buffalo bison loin with pan-fried foie gras, lobster mushrooms, and Île d’Orléans' blackcurrant and pomme purée.
No matter if you’re a romantic who dreams of cozy candlelit dinners in Petit-Champlain or an adrenaline-seeker who craves icy adventures, winter in Québec cite will warm you.
Plan your trip to Canada’s winter wonderland at quebec-cite.com.