Quebec - Why You Need to Visit Canada’s European City, Quebec City, Quebec

While planning my trip across the eastern portion of Canada, from Newfoundland to Ontario, Québec City was easily one of the places I was most excited to visit. I had seen so many gorgeous pictures of the red roofs, the turreted castle hotel sitting above, the colourful window shutters looking just like the small town Belle once walked the streets of. But did the reality live up my (admittedly, very high) expectations?

Québec’s iconic hill-top hotel is the definition of a fairytale castle…except for the fact that it’s not a castle. Opened in 1893, the Fairmont hotel has seen many celebrity guests, including Leonardo diCaprio (my future husband), Queen Elizabeth II (sadly, no longer my future mother-in-law. Damn you, Meghan Markle), Paul McCartney and Alfred Hitchcock. It’s the centrepiece of the historic Upper Town district, its red bricks and many turrets dominating the skyline and demanding the attention of any one passing by.

A long promenade surrounding the river-facing side of the hotel offers stunning views of the rooftops of the Old Town below, as well as miles of the St. Lawrence River in both directions. While there were quite a few people around, there was nowhere near the large crowd I would have expected from such a famous attraction. You can even follow the promenade all the way to the Citadel and the Plains of Abraham, a really nice walk that involves a lot of steps. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).