Terrasse Dufferin (Dufferin Terrace), Quebec City (must see)

Dufferin Terrace is one of the best places in Quebec City to get your bearings. Stand with Château Frontenac behind you and the Saint Lawrence River in front of you: the boardwalk stretches along the cliff edge, running from the area near the Old Quebec funicular toward the Citadel. Look out across the water for the South Shore, and, farther downstream, the Orleans Island. The long wooden promenade, lined with benches and gazebos, is easy to recognize by its broad planked surface and open river views.

As you walk along the terrace, pause at the six gazebos placed along the boardwalk. From north to south, they are named Frontenac, Lorne, Princess Louise, Victoria, Dufferin, and Plessis. These elegant shelters provide shade, photo spots, and framed views of the river, while also giving the promenade its leisurely, old-fashioned character. With the grand Château Frontenac rising beside you, the terrace feels like a balcony over the Lower Town and the Saint Lawrence.

Near the southern end, look for the Dufferin Terrace Slides, a long wooden toboggan run operating in winter, especially during the Quebec Winter Carnival from late January to mid-February. Its steep structure is easy to spot and adds a playful seasonal feature to the historic promenade.

Beneath the terrace lies the archaeological site of Saint Louis Fort, which was once the residence and seat of power for French and British governors from 1620 until its destruction by fire in 1834. Look down through the built-in viewing windows in the boardwalk to glimpse remains of the old foundations below.

At the far southern end, near the old cannons, you will find the entrance to the Governors’ Promenade. This cliffside walkway leads toward the Plains of Abraham and offers more dramatic views below the Citadel. The nearby guns remind visitors that this scenic spot was once part of Quebec’s defensive system, guarded by artillery batteries overlooking the river.