Destination attractions things to do in quebec city

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

Quebec City is divided into two distinct areas: Haute-Ville, located in the upper portion of the city and Basse-Ville, situated in the lower portion of the city, near the port. The citys 400-year history and scenic setting make it impossible to avoid using the words quaint or charming when describing it.

Basse-Ville

The lower portion of Quebec City offers sidewalk cafes, plenty of shopping, and a variety of art galleries and museums as well as a wealth of history. 400-year-old Place Royale is considered the birthplace of French America and its narrow streets are inviting and picturesque. The compound of buildings includes the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church and the Maison Chevalier. The Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church was built in the 1700s and was designated as the church of the Irish by the Bishop of Quebec in 1824. The Maison Chevalier, built in 1752 for ship owner Jean-Baptiste Chevalier, is now a museum offering a view of domestic life in the 17th century. For a beautiful view of the city from the river, try one of the Famille Dufour cruise excursions. The historic Marie-Clarisse schooner provides a more sedate tour, while adventurous types can go whale watching on a zodiac boat.

FUNicular

For a panoramic view of the Saint Lawrence River and the lower portion of Quebec City, take the funicular C an inclined cable railway that transports you 195-feet above the city at a 45-degree angle. Begun in 1879, and completely rebuilt in 1997, the enclosed funicular takes you between the Louis-Jolliet House in Basse-Ville and the Dufferin Terrace station in Haute-Ville. (You can also climb the Break-Neck Staircase between these two destinations, if you are up to the task.)

Haute-Ville

Quebec Citys upper town has an appeal all of its own, with a distinctly urban feel to it. For shoppers, Rue St. Jean is a delight with plenty of sidewalk cafes and pubs offering refuge to fatigued feet. For art-lovers, the Rue de Tresor is an alleyway brimming with artists displaying and selling their work.

Perched on a bluff overlooking the cruise ship pier, the historic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, offers great views of the city as well as a cozy bar with a fireplace. More than a century old, the castle-like hotel is named after the flamboyant French governor Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac. Le Chateau Frontenac has played host to many of the rich and famous, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, as well as acting as the heart of the World War II Quebec Conferences, which involved President Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.

Ice Hotel

From January through March, weather cooperating, the Ice Hotel, located just 30 minutes outside of downtown Quebec City, sparkles like a diamond in the crisp Canadian air. This unique hotel, made entirely of ice and snow, is guaranteed to amaze you. Although the median temperature inside the hotel is a frosty 25 degrees Fahrenheit, the hotels crystalline halls, ice candelabras, and exquisitely carved furniture will warm your heart and make feel as though you were experiencing a fairytale.

Modeled on Swedens Jakkasiarvi Ice Hotel, Quebecs Ice Hotel is no simple igloo. The structure, spread out over 30,000 square feet, is made up of more than 12,000 tons of snow and 400 tons of ice with 18-foot ceilings and 4-foot thick walls. And yes C this is a real hotel and you can stay overnight (bedding down on deerskin in warm sleeping bags), but thousands of visitors choose a shorter visit for exploration and fun winter activities, such as snowmobile and dog sledding rides or ice fishing. Although French is Quebec Citys primary language, English-speaking travelers will have no difficulty communicating since most residents speak English as well.