Quebec City and Montreal October 2017

My first thought is that Montreal is much larger than Quebec City, with much more to see and do, particularly without a car, so I'd want to reverse the number of nights in each place.

Do not limit your accommodation search to Old Montreal; the metro will get you anywhere efficiently.

I don't know where you live or what weather you're used to, but be aware that by early October the weather will be quite fall-like; you'll need a sweater and jacket.

It's been over 10 years, but when I went to Montreal I often stayed at the Jardin D'Antoine, in the "Latin Quarter." It's an inn rather than a B&B, although they do serve breakfast. http://www.aubergelejardindantoine.com/index_en.php

I stayed in both places in two apartments, so not exactly B&Bs (Apartment 3 in Le Haute Ville Apartments http://www.hotelvieuxquebec.ca/appartements in Quebec City and Auberge Montreal Espace Confort in Montreal's Latin Quarter http://www.booking.com/Share-rU8XEf). You definitely don't need an RS guide for either place. There are very good guidebooks available at a local library. I used Lonely Planet and Knopf Mapguides for Montreal (which is a fantastic, slim guide with great maps).
https://www.amazon.com/Knopf-MapGuide-Montreal-Mapguides/dp/0307265862

Aside from book resources, the Quebec City website and on-the-ground Visitor Info Center are excellent (probably the same is true for Montreal as well - start with the websites first). You can order hard copy visitor guides over the web, and I bet they'll be more than sufficient for your planning purposes. Take the VIA train between the two cities, very easy. I would definitely spend more nights in Montreal and less in Quebec City. The latter is quaint but quite small. So unless you do side trips from there, 4 nights may be a bit much. You can easily see everything (lower and upper towns) on foot in 2-3 full days. Renting a car in Quebec City is easy, and driving is also easy (once you get out of the walled city where the streets are narrow). I rented mine from the Hilton just outside the walled city, so it was a quick walk over from the apartment. I drove to Isle d'Orleans and then north along the St. Lawrence to Baie-Saint Paul. There is much to see along the way, like the Montmorency Falls and the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Cathedral. Quebec Province is huge, so I would not underestimate distances. Also, the subway in Montreal is very easy to use, so you don't need to limit yourself to staying in a particular neighborhood if you have budget constraints.

I can't vouch for the weather in October, since my trips were in late May and late Summer. I'm fairly sure it will be quite brisk though.

Thank you ALL so much for the quick and wonderful suggestions. I live in the Pacific Northwest up in the San Juan Islands close to the border of Canada. Today I have my heater on and it is raining, windy and cool outside. (some people would say cold:)). I will switch the number of days. I was wondering if I had that backwards.

Thank you so much!

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen, Canada is celebrating her 150th birthday this year and there are events planned all across the country. I recommend that you google for events in Montreal and Quebec City and set your dates accordingly. Have a great visit. Sherry

Hey kathleen
WOW one of my favorite cities, Quebec, lucky you. Did a fall color cruise and this was the starting port. Spent 4 days before, they had just celebrated their thanksgiving. Absolutely fabulous and gorgeous with decorations everywhere. We stayed at hotel des coutellier with breakfast delivered to room, walked all over, went to chateau frontenac with a tour, stopped at the fancy bar for a cocktail, took the funicular. Rented a car for the day and drove out to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, Canyon Sainte-Anne with suspension bridges and gorge, then over the bridge to ile-de-orleans. Went around the island stopping a lot, photo ops, fruit stands, chocolate shops, cheese tasting, buying baguette and meats bottle of wine, stopping at a picnic bench to enjoy, back to town to return car. (met a couple on another cruise in same hotel and asked to join us for this adventure and we are still friends), drank hard cider in a pub, had yummy crepes at casse-crepes breton, tried the well known poutines. Looks like you'll be there for their holiday. A few ideas with lots to research about. Enjoy your vacation.
Aloha Princess Pupule

The two restaurants recommended above are for casual meals and Schwartz always has a queue outside of smoked meat lovers, so that's a pain. But Montreal has many fine, really fine restaurants, the city is known for them. Mr. Obama was here recently and he and our PM Justin Trudeau had dinner at Liverpool House, on rue Notre Dame. That must be some kind of recommendation! Tell them Barrack sent you.

A decade earlier, Anthony Bourdain gobbled up the cooking at the Liverpool House. Since Bourdain gave Obama a personalized choice in Hanoi this year, his endorsement carries weight. Liverpool belongs to the informal style of dining that has developed, along with star-chef personalities, in Montreal and Quebec City over 10 years or so. In with the poutine, out with the tablecloths -- but the crude poutine may be joined by haughty foie gras. Any mixture is fair game if done with technique, panache, and often loud music. Joe Beef runs Liverpool and several other outposts http://joebeef.ca/ Others to consider are Martin Picard's Le pied de cochon and TV enthusiast Chuck Hughes' Old Montreal places. Beef's stores are a fairly long subway ride from Old Montreal and Picard is based in the Plateau north of Sherbrooke Ave.
Reservations are available on-line but the menu isn't, at least not in my searches. My meal a year ago, sitting at a diner counter, was pushing $100 Cdn, helped along by a couple of extra drinks. Customers do pay for the good times.
For more basic stuff, www.restomontreal.ca and www.restoquebec.ca search for restaurants by neighbourhood, style of cuisine and other practical issues (including bring-your-own-bottle, know in the province as AVV.) And do check the Montreal transit system since hotels and other accommodations are spread widely in the city. http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/metro

Ok, my mouth is watering reading all the excellent suggestions. Thank you all so much. I am looking forward to trying as many new foods/dining experiences as possible.
Kathleen

We live in VT and drive to both regularly; much prefer QC. Alot to see in surrounding neighborhoods of Old town QC easily accessible by city bus system. Montreal traffic, driving very challenging right now through fall due to construction! Recommend newest Lonely Planet book about both cities. Countryside on train between both cities rather mundane but countryside a little west of Montreal, and south of QC towards VT USA is beautiful. Our favorite hotel in QC: Manor Sur Le Cap. Its on a quiet park (next to the US Embassy and across park from Hotel Frontenac) near river boardwalk, provides underground parking. Kinda pricey but some USA credit cards give nice hotel discounts and MSLC participates in a few rewards programs. Parking is a h-u-g-e issue both cities so make sure your hotel provides (in advanced, so you can reserve). Hope this helps!

Forgot to add about food in both cities:
Quebec City has a few of the best restaurants on the planet. You can spend a mortgage payment in some places but holy smokes is it worth it. Our favorite (possibly worldwide) is Chez Boulay Boreal. Need to book online months in advanced for good QC restaurants, especially in the summer or fall, weekends. Alot of fantastic restaurants once outside Old Town walls. Explore St Joseph area, take a bus out a few miles into suburbs, ask locals where they go. QC really has exciting options if you are adventurous.
Montreal's choices are much more ethnically diverse, depends upon neighborhoods...kinda reminds me of Toronto in that way. Again, we ask locals, and explore some areas away from pricier downtown tourist focused places. You can eat cheaper in Montreal. Can't really name one place there, sorry, because they change so frequently.

Hi Explorer,

Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestions. I am really looking forward to trying the restaurant you suggested. The hotel looks beautiful but my room is already booked. I think between the food and the scenery it will be a fabulous trip. I will not have a car am depending on public transportation but want to rent a car to visit the Eastern Townships out your way.

Thanks again,
Kathleen

Hi Kathleen
You have a lot of great info here from fellow travelers. Hope you come back and let us know how your trip went. I'm headed to vancouver in 2 weeks and can't wait. happy travels
aloha princess pupule

Hello Princess puple,

I will come back after my trip and report. I live a couple hours from Vancouver BC. It is a beautiful city you will love it.

Enjoy,
Kathleen