Forty-eight hours in Old Quebec: that's the time it takes to grasp the essence of this unique city, without rushing around and without missing the essentials. This guide is for you if you're visiting for the first time, or if you're returning to find what you haven't yet seen. Two days, one pace, a city that can be tamed through its alleyways.

Day 1 - Morning: Start in Petit Champlain

Your first hour in Old Quebec should be spent in Petit Champlain. No rush: arrive around 9 AM, before the crowds, and treat yourself to a coffee at Carrera Café. Our morning espresso, carefully brewed from our specialty beans, is the best starting point you can imagine for this day.

From our terrace or our indoor seating, watch the street come alive. Merchants opening their shops, the first tourists photographing the facades, the funicular starting its back-and-forth between the Lower Town and the Upper Town. It's a spectacle in itself.

Day 1 - Mid-morning: Place Royale and the riverbanks

A two-minute walk away, Place Royale is the birthplace of French civilization in America. The Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, founded in 1688, dominates the square with its two bell towers. The Place Royale museum tells four centuries of history through images.

From there, head down to the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. The Old Port of Quebec offers a unique perspective on the river and the mountains of the South Shore. In summer, kayaking and cruises depart from here. In winter, the riverbanks transform into a striking Arctic landscape.

Day 1 - Afternoon: Upper Town and Château Frontenac

Take the funicular or walk up the Breakneck Stairs to reach Upper Town. Dufferin Terrace welcomes you with breathtaking views of the Saint Lawrence. The Château Frontenac, inaugurated in 1893, dominates the city with its green copper towers: it is the most photographed hotel in the world.

Explore Rue Saint-Louis, lined with Victorian houses and restaurants. Visit the Citadel, a fortress built by the British to defend the city from the Americans, an irony of history. The view from its ramparts encompasses the entire city and the river to the horizon.

Day 2 - Morning: Coffee and lesser-known neighborhoods

Start again at Carrera Café — same time, same espresso, same view of Petit Champlain. Then explore the less frequented alleyways: Rue du Trésor, where artists display their works outdoors, Rue Sainte-Anne with its galleries, Place d'Armes in front of the Château.

Day 2 - Afternoon: Plains of Abraham

A fifteen-minute walk from Old Quebec, the Plains of Abraham are the site of the decisive battle of 1759, which changed the course of Canadian history. Today, it is a vast park where Quebecers jog, cross-country ski, and skate. The Plains Museum tells the story of the battle with modern and captivating museography.

In the evening, return to Old Quebec for the sunset from Dufferin Terrace. The golden light on the river and the roofs of Lower Town: this is a moment worth traveling for.

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