12 Reasons Why Quebec City Is the Most Charming Place to Spend Christmas
Consider it the capital of Christmas cheer, a veritable winter wonderland packed with rich history and festive tradition. We can't think of any place dreamier to spend the holidays than Quebec City—and, it turns out, we're not alone.
According to Quebec City Tourism, the historic Canadian city saw nearly a 3 percent rise in tourist activity during the month of December when comparing 2018 to 2017 and nearly an 8 percent rise for the same period when comparing 2017 to 2016.
With charming streetscapes for days, tons of festive European-style shopping, a plethora of historic churches, and winter sports galore, it's easy to see why more and more people are flying north to Quebec City for the holidays.
Add to that a city that excels in hospitality, from luxury hotel offerings to restaurants that cater to families, and you've got a place tailor-made for a magical, memorable family Christmas vacation.
Read on for our top 12 things to do in Quebec City at Christmas. Joyeux Noel!
A post shared by Emmanuel Coveney (@manucoveney) on Nov 11, 2018 at 7:12am PST
Stroll through the cobblestone streets of Vieux-Quebec.
With its preserved French and British colonial architecture, a walk through the historic, or lower, part of the city always feels like stepping back in time. But at the holidays, the district becomes particularly magical as it transforms into a Christmas village complete with decorated trees, lights, and a blanket of snow.
For more information on the history of Old Quebec and to discover its tradition of Christmases past, take a guided walking Cicerone tour, offered daily in December.
Catch a Christmas concert at one of Quebec’s historic churches.
Religion played a significant role in the 17th-century founding of New France and throughout the ensuing colonization first by the French, then the British, over the next two centuries.
Today, the profusion of churches is a testament to the city’s religious origins. Many have been designated as historic sites, from the 1608 Notre Dames des Victoires in the lower historic district to the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in the upper part of Old Quebec. Many churches will offer Christmas carols throughout the month of December.
Shop the German Christmas Market.
At the Place de l’Hotel de Ville, experience an authentic European Christmas market with over 80 kiosks selling artisan wares and German fare and charmingly decorated for the holidays. The market opens in late November and runs until just a few days before Christmas. Parents take note: There’s a kindermarkt just for kids!
Other not-to-miss holiday shopping destinations: the Marche de Noel du Vieux-Port, Quebec’s ultra-festive take on a farmers’ market, and La Boutique de Noel, a veritable holiday emporium open year-round in the heart of Old Quebec.
Visit Santa at the Chateau Frontenac.
Built in 1893 on the promontory of Quebec (a raised mass of land that projects out into the Saint Lawrence River), the iconic Fairmont Le Chateau de Frontenac is nothing short of spectacular during the holidays. The lobby decor, along with Santa when he visits, is available for all to see, regardless of whether or not you’re a guest at the hotel.
While you’re there, step outside for a stroll along the Dufferin Terrace, and zip down the toboggan slide, which has been in operation since 1884.
Spend a night in the ice hotel.
As the only ice hotel in North America, the Hotel de Glace more than delivers on a unique overnight experience during which you’ll sip a cocktail from a glass made of ice, spend a night in a themed suite, and soak in the outdoor spa and sauna.
The hotel is rebuilt each year, and it typically reopens just after Christmas.
Go ice skating in the heart of Old Quebec.
Yes, ice hockey is the national sport of Canada, but don’t let that keep you from enjoying the local pastime at one of several outdoor rinks across the city.
For a short skate before drinks or dinner, hit the rink at Place D’Youville; for a skate with views of the Saint Lawrence in a historic battleground setting, try the rink at the Plains of Abraham.
Escape the cold at Quebec’s national art museum.
Just a short walk up from the Plains of Abraham battleground park stands the Musee National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec, with its vast collection of Quebecois and international art. Don’t miss the museum’s excellent restaurants, which boast sweeping views of the Plains of Abraham park and the Saint Lawrence beyond, and the children’s area.
Try a classic Quebecois Christmas meal.
Tourtiere, a spiced-meat pie traditionally served after midnight mass on Christmas or at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, is a Quebecois specialty. The word tourte can refer to the pie itself or the now-extinct passenger pigeon, which was used historically for the pie’s filling.
For authentic taste of the Quebecois dish, visit a historic restaurant like Aux Anciens Canadiens, housed in a building that dates back to 1675.
Treat yourself to maple taffy.
Known locally as tire d’erable or tire sur la neige, this sweet Quebecois treat is made by boiling maple sap beyond syrup consistency, then pouring it onto clean snow to “freeze” it. Once it hardens, it’s lifted onto a wooden stick for serving. Quebec City street vendors will make it right in front of you!
Hit the slopes of Mont Saint Anne.
Just a 30 minute drive from Quebec City, this 2,625-foot peak along the Laurentian chain boasts a vertical drop of just over 2,000 feet and over 70 trails on three different sides of the mountain, with 19 trails open for night skiing.
At the holidays, Mont Sainte Anne features skiing elves and Santa and typically serves mimosas at the base of the gondola on New Year’s Day.
On your way out to the mountain, don’t miss a stop at the 350-year-old Saint Anne de Beaupre Basilica, one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in North America.
Book a thermal experience at the Strom Nordic Spa.
It’s just the way to warm up from the chilly Quebecois winter weather or rejuvenate tired muscles after skiing. Strom, a Nordic-inspired spa on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, offers thermotherapy, a water-based wellness ritual said to reduce stress and revive the body and mind, along with massage and beauty treatments.
Ring in the New Year on a heated terrace along the Grand Allee.
Stretching out from the heart of Old Quebec is the Grand Allee, a sidewalk-cafe-and-tree-lined promenade that was home to the city’s upper class during the 19th century. The once-residential neighborhood is now a Quebec City nightlife destination: Many of the preserved Victorian buildings are now home to restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.
Thanks to heated patios, most destinations offer year-round outdoor seating, which makes them prime spots for toasting the start of a new year while also taking in the city’s fireworks celebration.
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