Seeking guidance on ten days in Montreal and Quebec City

I wasn't clear. First trip not taken due to Covid.

Hi Judy,
I am also thinking of a similar trip in the Spring, so I will be taking advantage of the answers you get.

We found this museum in the old town of Montreal very interesting Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex.

sdw,
Sounds right up my alley. (History major, and anthropology was one of my minors). Thanks!

We did a road trip that included onvernight stays in Old Quebec City and Montreal.
Wrote a trip report that has some photos of both if you want to check it out scroll to the photos.
https://www.fodors.com/community/canada/road-trip-ontario-to-prince-edward-island-canada-1708132/

We stayed in the upper and used the funicular to visit the lower part of the Old City.
The lower has an old Europe feel with cobblestone stone streets, watch your step.

The food was delicious everywhere but the restaurant Aux Ancien Canadiens was my personal favorite.
They had a prix fixe menu that included wild meat paté ( I went off the prix menu just to feast on the paté).
They are in a little white and red house on a street that ends at the Chateau Frontenac.
Our other favorite was a seafood restaurant but don't remember the name or location.

Montreal Notre Dame Cathedral has a beautiful blue lit altar, but the church is dark in real life, best to sit for a while to let the eyes adjust .

Montreal Botanical Garden was very enjoyable, go early before the crowds arrive. We had some boisterous school groups that broke the peace and serenity of the gardens.
The Chinese gardens and the greenhouse were our favorites.

If you like history and ruins then definitely in Quebec City below the boardwalk take a look at Lieu Historique National des Forts-et-Chateaux-Saint-Louis.

aulopone and sdw
Thanks for the recommendations! Getting more excited for the spring!

Be sure and use the search feature on this Forum for this topic - a recent chain included lots of good input from a couple who have been to QC many times.

KC, Thanks, I have searched through the forum for the most recent entries over the last two years and have lots of notes. Just looking for any extra input. The forum has been a big help with my various trips.

@Judy,

I just reserved my flights for May of next year. CLE to YUL and return.
My plan is to also see QC first. My flight lands at 4:15 pm. I am planning on taking the free airport shuttle to the VIA station Dorval. The last train is at 5:42 pm.
Are you doing something similar?

Is anyone familiar with the shuttle and the Dorval stop?

Montreal: I recommend Olive et Gourmando for lunch while you're in Old Town/Notre Dame. L'Express for lunch or dinner (they give you mini pickles on the table instead of bread). Schwartz's Deli is as close as you'll get to an old school NYC deli. Drogheria Fine has a gnocchi window.

vandabrud,
My flight searches so far give me some decent options from Los Angeles to Montreal. And yes, I hope to take the train to QC right away. I haven't checked the times yet. I also am looking at the bus to QC. I still don't see much at a reasonable air price to QC from LAX, and no nonstops available. Now I need to nail down some dates with hubby to further my plans. Best of luck with your plans and trip!

nixit71, Thank you for the food recs! They are going in my list.

hey hey Judy
several years back we (a good friend and I) stayed in quebec city for 5 days before a fall color cruise. loved this town; so much to see and do. we were there in october (right after the canadian thanksgiving on a monday).
absolutely gorgeous all decorated in fall colors, looked like a halloween wonderland. here's some things we did while in quebec having so much fun. make sure you press english and change to US dollars, since canadian dollars are $1.00 to $1.36)
we stayed at hoteldescoutellier.com (old quebec, walk or taxi)
great hotel and we had a breakfast basket hooked to our door every morning yeah
funiciulaire.ca
an electric railway from upper town to lower town and vice versa. many shops, restaurants, cafes, architecture with some buildings with "grafitti like" local paintings on them.
back up to fairmont le chateau frontenac hotel, an out of this world stunning hotel. we did a one hour tour of the hotel, (cicerone.ca or ask front desk) after the tour we went up to the 1608 bar for couple cocktails sitting at the window overlooking the river, was worth every canadian dollar!! (always look at times/days places are open. some close during afternoons to early evenings)
la buche 1 rue de carrieres old quebec
restolabuche 49 rue saint louis (old quebec)
both with traditional quebec cuisine. we loved them both. had crepes in one and a lunch dish in another
stopprd at a hole in the wall restaurant for poutins (quebec - cite.com: best poutins in quebec city) try their local ciders that are made there.
legrandmarchedequebec.com
take a walk through this huge "market" with local artisans: produce, meats, clothes, tastings. fun things to see and do
getyourguide.com/quebec city
it is a reseller, we used the in 4 different cities and never had issues with them
localfoodtours.com/quebec city tours
upper right corner "check out local city guides" with a list of things to do, even a food tour
we rented a car for a day from enterprise near our hotel for a day, best thing we did. we took a ride to ile d'orleans, about 30 minutes away. a small french speaking island from many centuries ago.
urbanguidequebec.com/day trip to ile d'orleans.
one of my favorite places, even though things were closed for holiday there were places open and just the beauty of it all. many agriculture farms, gardens, growing fruit/veggies for wines/ciders/jams/jellies, bakeries/home made chocolatiers, small villages, maple sugar made in the sugar shacks, deli type market. we picked up picnic goodies and bottle wine (bring corkscrew), sat at a closed cheese shop outside on picnic table to enjoy.
canyonsa.qc.ca
few minute drive to this canyon. park your car and take a hike through the wooden trails, waterfalls, gorges and suspension bridges with the beauty of the foliage. something to see and do but if your get "queasy" take a pill, it's over 300 feet high. my first and last time walking across a suspension bridge. left there and stopped at the basilica of sainte anne beaupre. wow it's right off the highway and it's absolutely HUGE!! walked through, lit candles for my family. stopped by montmorency falls for a photo op
drove back to quebec city to return car. think it was about 6pm plus they have after hours drop off, make sure you take pictures of all sides of car at drop off, the taxi to dinner somewhere and next day was boarding ship. we had a fabulous time. enjoy my novel and your time in quebec.
aloha

This is where we stayed in Lower Town Quebec City https://www.leportroyal.com/, it was 2017 so I can't vouch that is still very good. It did have a very good restaurant attached to it.

The Plains of Abraham Museum was our favourite Museum in QC. We arranged a town tour through the TI when we got there. I don't remember any details but it was about $20pp and was about 2 hours long.

Allan, Thank you for the rec. Also, I am glad to hear that there is a museum for the Plains of Abraham. I am always moved visiting some place where a significant event occured in history...Verdun, Normandy beaches, Gettysburg, Lexington and Concord and the Plains of Abraham.
And Princess Pupule, thanks for the many suggestions. You were such a help when we went to Oahu in January and I will take your ideas to heart. Merci Bien!

I second Pointe-a-Calliere musem, can't wait to go back and see it!

Also, Chateau Ramezay; https://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/en/ - they have tours in English and French.

Merci skunklett!

We literally just got home from this trip you mention. Literally! We went for leaf peeping, and unfortunately, the trees weren't in sync with the projected times for turning color. Disappointing. We flew into Montreal then took the hopper flight from Montreal on Air Canada Rouge directly to Quebec City, and were glad we did that. It was a quick 50-minute flight and an easy taxi ride to the Old Town Quebec. We stayed at Hotel Du Vieux which was wonderful. I did tons of research on hotels, including the Chateau Frontenac (expensive), and was so glad we picked what we did. The hotel was in the Upper Town, and within the fortified walls. Lots of restaurants, shops, and cafes all around. The boardwalk (Upper Town) is a wonderful place to stroll looking over the St. Lawrence River. The steps up and down to Lower Town are strenuous at best. I consider myself in pretty good shape, but those stairs!......Take the funicular up when you can. The Lower Town is lovely, with charming European-style shops, etc. but it was painfully crowded. The cruise ships were docked (I think there were 3 or 4) at the time, and hoards upon hoards of people walking the cobblestone streets. It wasn't enjoyable at all at that time. It was quite unpleasant. We decided to go back up to the Upper Town, where it wasn't as bad, and returned to the Lower Town after hours. Another reason we were glad to be up. The Notre Dame Church in Upper Town was lovely, and we visited the Chateau Frontenac and even scheduled High Tea there for one afternoon. The earlier you book, the better seating you get. We were able to sit in the windowed area overlooking the boardwalk. It was a nice break, and well done. The Christmas Shop was fun, and we ate some awesome food. If you like Italian, go to Bello. Also, Portofino was a favorite amongst many people as it was always packed. To be honest, several people told us 2 days was plenty for Quebec City, and they were right. We did 4 and found ourselves easily bored after visiting the shops, tourist attractions, and such. Most of the shops are the same touristy apparel, etc. We decided that if we ever went back, we would do so during Christmas time, like right before, to see the City decked out in Christmas decor, lights, snow, and the charm the season brings to such a lovely place. On our last morning, we taxied to the train station for the 3.5 hr. train ride to Montreal. By this time, we wished we had just booked a flight instead. The scenery (remember, we were hoping for fall leaves) was disappointing, but the train was easy. Our time in Montreal was short, and plenty enough. We meandered through Little Italy and enjoyed the bakeries and restaurants, and the weather was wonderful. Much warmer than Quebec City. On our last night we stayed at the Sheraton at the Airport, since we were leaving early on a Monday morning and didn't want to fight traffic (Ubered) etc. The hotel has a 24/7 shuttle, and was less than a five-minute ride. Hotel was very nice with a great bar and restaurant. Hotel Du Vieux is rated #1 on most travel sights. We were not disappointed. Great staff, fantastic rooms (we had the Deluxe King Room) and it had a fireplace, couch, chairs, desk, and nice bathroom. They will bring a breakfast basket each morning to your door that is filled with orange juice, cheese, yogurt, croissants and pastries. We thoroughly enjoyed this and was a great start to your day. Really a cool idea. Each door has a hook on it, and if you choose the breakfast basket, they hook the basket on your door in the morning. Great picnics in the room each morning! Let me just caution that Quebec City is a VERY hilly town. Lots of uphill climbs in both Upper and Lower Town. You think the hills aren't bad until you walk them a couple of times. Overall, we are glad we went, but I truly believe the most we would ever spend again in QC would be 2-3 days. And during a time when the Christmas decor is up.

R,
Thank you so much for your detailed comments. I am keeping everyone's suggestions in mind as I make our plans.

Take a walking tour with Les Promenades fantomes. They advertise as a ghost tour but they are so much more. It is history come alive. We enjoyed it so much we went on a tour on both our visits to Quebec.

Barbara, Thank you!

I just noticed you are thinking of going in late April. We went during Easter break one year and it was colder than I thought it would be, really cold. Check temperatures. But, on the bright side, it was empty. Not many other tourists.

Thanks for the heads up, Barbara. May sounds much better. Although weather patterns seem to be all over the place anymore!

To everyone who made such wonderful suggestions....we have had to postpone our trip. Hubby's cousins in France are coming for a visit and haven't decided on when they will be here, so we are on hold until they make a decision. Not a problem for us, as they always look after us when we are in the Paris or Bretagne areas, and they are delightful company. We just have to wait to figure out what month we can make it to Quebec City and Montreal. I still hold all your kind comments in my Canada folder. Merci bien!

Judy,
Thanks for the thread. I fly into Montreal on April 30 and come home May 10th. I have taken advantage of all of the advice you received. Enjoy your guests!

Took a road trip with husband including Montreal and Quebec City October 2024. A wonderful time to travel with almost perfect weather. We spent 2 days and 3 nights in Montreal, 2 days and 3 nights in Quebec City, but recommend one or two more days in each to see a little more. We highly recommend side road trips through the Eastern Townships (Lonely Planets has a nice itinerary; stop at the Bromont visitors center for valuable information) and northeast along the St Lawrence River from Quebec City to Malbaie. Fall color was amazing! Our favorite hotel was Auberge des Falaises in Malbaie, which has a spa and wonderful 5-course dinner.

Montreal highlights: hearing Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal sing at Oratoire Saint-Joseph, the museum of creches from around the world at Oratoire, MTL Detours great small group walking tour of Old Montreal, Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde (a beautiful 2/3 scale replica of St Peter's in Rome and a nice, quiet place to visit), Mont-Royal park (take transit then walk down the grand staircase to the McGill University neighborhood.
Quebec City highlights: Voir Quebec walking tour of the Old City, both upper and lower; take the funicular back up; Ursuline convent and chapel for historical insight; the Citadel (admission includes tour; can walk down the steps to the promenade), Musée de la Civilization in the lower city for Indigenous culture, Montmorency Falls; Holy Door at Notre Dame de Quebec.

Miscellaneous , hopefully useful tips: It's very easy to get around using the Montreal metro and buses, which are clean, efficient and safe. If driving, choose a secure garage because car theft is an issue. The famous stairs at Oratoire were undergoing maintenance; Oratoire cafe was convenient for picking up a quick, tasty lunch. The Holiday Inn & Suites Montreal is not exciting but is very conveniently located to metro, Old Montreal & Chinatown, clean, comfortable, and has secure parking. MTL Detours walking tour of Downtown Montreal was largely focused on the Reso (underground city); we'd opt for different tour. The multicolored glass installation by Mario Saia in Palais de Congres de Montreal must be appreciated in mid/late afternoon from inside or night from outside. The Holy Door of Cathedral Notre Dame de Quebec is open for the 2025 jubilee year, a tradition in Catholicism occurring once every 25 years; it is one of 7 Holy Doors in the world; the other 6 are in Rome and Spain. The doors are normally sealed and inaccessible. Visiting Montmorency Falls: parking at top and bottom included in entry fee; can get very good view of falls walking up to first observation deck, also from observation deck adjacent to the Manoir at the top.

This is my first post. Hope it was useful.

Regarding walking, the walking tours were reasonably paced and did not involve a lot of steps; there was some downhill walking to go from upper to lower city in Quebec. You would likely want to skip the stairs from the Citadel to the promenade and not try for the lowest observation deck for Montmorency Falls (190 steps!). I mentioned for other readers.

Re food, here are some reasonable and good eating places (We also did a few splurges but found there was entirely too much food and wanted something simpler): Oratoire Saint Joseph has a cafeteria that is quick and tasty, Pub Wolf & Workman in Old Montreal recommended for a modest dinner, St Viateur Bagels in Mont Royal for great Montreal bagels, Qing Hua Dumplings in Chinatown has wonderful dumplings. In Quebec City, Maison Smith is very good and reasonable for breakfast or lunch in both in Upper and Lower Old City. In the Montcalm section of Quebec City, we enjoyed Graffiti and Ciccio Cafe for dinner. At Montmorency Falls, the Manoir Montmorency has reasonable offerings and is also very good.

Theresa,
Thank you for your wonderful report! I wish I could leave tomorrow! I am tickled to hear about the Holy Doors there, and I hope to attend mass at St. Anne's and Notre Dame. Your dining suggestions are appreciated, and comments about stairs, etc. are welcome. We definitely want to spend 4-5 days in each city. We will be 81 and 82 when we go, and prefer to move at a more leisurely pace than we did even 8-10 years ago. We will not have a car, so any trips outside the city will probably be through a day tour group, if they exist. Again, merci beaucoup for all the details.

We are fortunate to be able to go to Quebec once or twice a year. My favourite thing to do in Quebec City is visit Siberia Station Spa. You'd have to Uber but it would be worth it.
Our last stay was at Hotel Le Clos Saint-Louis and it was great. Perfectly located to walk around and under $200/night ( at the time).
We really enjoyed visiting Grosse Isle (Canada's version of Ellis Island). The ferry ride is lovely, but narrated in French:
https://www.croisieresaml.com/en/our-cruises/chaudiere-appalaches/cruise-and-visit-of-grosse-ile#:~:text=Discover%20the%20mysteries%20of%20Grosse%2D%C3%8Ele&text=Just%2035%20minutes%20from%20Quebec,immigrants%20for%20over%20100%20years.

If you are a nature lover, Tadoussac is very cool. We kayaked with whales there when the kids were little but you can also just watch them from the shore.

Chalesvoix is beautiful and a quick train trip away. You could combine it with a trip to Tadoussac.

In Montreal we head right to Mont Tremblant. It is magical in the wintertime!

Bienvenue a Canada!

Mefrci a tous!

I was fortunate to go to Quebec City, once so far. That was in July 2017 at the age of 67 then. Spent a week there, super interesting culturally, linguistically, and historically revealing, a real pleasure and enjoyment being there.

The place right from the airport, SFO to Montreal, changed to Ouebec City to the hotel by taxi really hit me. Spent all the time in the old town, getting around by walking , resting and walked some more. No ride share or that sort of thing.

There are day tours from various sources to most of the places I mentioned. Some will pick you up at your hotel. I also saw driving tours listed for Montreal. I found most of the tours on trip advisor or in Fodors and Lonely Planet guide books I checked out from the local library. The guide books have some outdated information though so I recommend you double check with the tour operators directly.

Thank you!

This might be useful - 36 Hours Quebec City

With its fortified walls, Quebec City, one of North America’s oldest European settlements, in many ways feels frozen in time — a major draw for visitors who relish its quaint public squares and cobblestone streets, absent of skyscrapers. But while French speakers still resist the incursion of English, Quebec City is evolving. Walk down a street and you’ll find a Japanese restaurant serving up salmon poke bowls not far from a bistro offering the traditional fare of tourtière and poutine.

"....feels frozen in time...." Very true. I went there with a fluent French speaker, spoke only in French , linguistically and culturally a real pleasure being there.

Going234,
I subscribe to the NY Times myself and was pleased to see that article today, but I appreciate your sharing it. It makes me even more anxious to get there. And Fred, your way of seeing the town fits in with mine and my husband's. Theresa, glad to hear there are lots of day trips. (Now I just have to get DH to commit to a time to take this trip!)
Merci a` tous.

In Montreal, go up to Mont Royal Park at sunset for a nice view of the city... and the large number of raccoons that come out in the dark.

@ Judy....RE: "your way of seeing the town".....We spent our entire time exploring the Old Town, only walking, an absolutely captivating and lovely experience, visiting the historical and cultural museums in depth.

Judy, we had a wonderful experience at Hotel
Bonaparte in Old Montreal.

funpig, Fred and Suki,
Thanks for your input! I am really working on DH to nail down a time for this trip. Wish me luck!

I went to QC last year in late April for 4 days. I stayed in the lower town at LePriori Hotel - very nice.

There was a spring snow storm the day I arrived so I ended up not going to my tour of the 22nd regiment/Citadel as the tour is mostly outdoors and it was really coming down hard at the time for my ticket. I was about the only person wandering around the lower town that day.

I went to the Quebec National Museum to see a special exhibit walking through the Plains of Abraham park to get there, Museum of Civilization just down the street from the hotel, wandered around the touristy streets/ areas- Le Petit Champlain, Lower Town.
One day I took the city bus to Montmorency Fall - very worthwhile - there is about a 1 km or so walk from the park entrance to the Falls. There are tour buses that also take you there though it wouldn't get you any closer to the falls.

There are lots of antique shops on St Paul Street.

I ate a couple of times at Louise, a restaurant in one of the Lower Town hotels- good food!
And as you have heard the walk between the lower town and upper town is steep! While I was there I never saw the funicular in use. Maybe it only operates in summer?

Susan,
Thank you for the information. It's good to know we can take the bus to Montmorency Falls. And I hope the funicular is working when we go! I am really hoping to spend a minimum of five days in Quebec, and 4 or 5 in Montreal. Merci bien!