Quebec City is a magical place… In the winter, it gets beyond frigid, but that doesn’t mean the magic is gone. With its Medieval walls, its cute stone buildings and its incredible layout it’s not hard to see why so many people come here and take picture upon picture. A city like this, even though it’s small, can leave anyone overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, but I have a few tips for you. Here are a few things to do in Quebec City on a shoestring budget. These are a must for anyone creating a Quebec City Winter Vacation itinerary.
Take a Walk Through the Old City
Remember Sleeping Beauty? Remember how amazing everything looked in its medieval era? The castle, the village, the wall that surrounded the village? Quebec City is like stepping backwards in time. The stone buildings surround the old city. The Chateau on the hill looms like a gorgeous castle in the center. The snow is magnificent. Exploring the old city should be on everyone’s list for a Quebec City Winter Vacation getaway.
Go Ice Skating
Only during the dead of winter will a city like Quebec use its weather as an attraction. During my Quebec City winter vacations I often stumble upon skating rinks throughout the city. This year I stumbled upon two. The best part: they’re free! The only bad part is how horrible I am at ice skating. I’m surprised I didn’t break anything while I was wobbling in this alien, ice-land.
Check Out the Cannonball
During one of Quebec City’s historic battles cannons were shot across the land with the utmost force. It broke through bone, walls and people’s will. Like any war, the effects can be seen throughout time. However, the cool thing about this one are the relics left behind.
Here’s the thing… There is a cannonball stuck in a tree in the old town. However, the cannon is actually at the base of the tree. It’s literally resting on the floor with the tree wrapped around it. How does that happen? Does a tree grow around a cannonball, consuming this metal sphere? Or does a cannonball get tossed with such force it gets stuck at the base of the tree? Either way it’s a pretty cool sight to see. Also, its not really a tourist attraction. You wont see people flocking to see this tree. It’s just a lonely little tree people pass by as the day goes by. I think its pretty cool and worthy of a picture.
Walk on Top of the Fort Walls
A Quebec City winter vacation cannot go without walking on the fort walls of the city. Granted, you can do this anytime of the year. I did it while I was visiting for Christmas. The people are out by the hordes. The black ice is in full force and the walls and steps leading to the top are coated in ice. Although, this is fun, you need snow boots and a death grip if you’re going to survive. The view from the top is great. You get to look down at one of the skating rinks and it feels majestic. This one is Instagram worthy for sure!
Sneak into the Chateau
The Chateau in Quebec City is considered one of the most photographed hotels in the world. It’s beautiful on the outside as well as in. And even though everyone and their mother has a picture of this Chateau on their Instagram page, its 100% worth taking the time to get some pictures and checking it out for yourself.
No one will stop you if you want to explore the inside of the Chateau in Quebec City. It looks like a giant castle. Its grand and well… its amazing. Why wouldn’t anyone want to go inside? Go ahead, take a look around. The courtyard is beautiful and the inside will be warmer than you imagine. With all the overheating the city does for winter, it’s hard to stay inside too long or you’ll melt with all your winter layers on. Nevertheless, it’s a great addition to some of the free things you can do on this Quebec City winter vacation.
A Quebec City Winter Vacation
A Quebec City winter vacation is incomplete without many other items I didn’t mention. However, I wanted to start you off with some free things you can do that are memorable and definitely photo worthy.
Since, I like to keep it budget-conscious I thought, a few free items to start will get anyones appetite going for a great Quebec City winter vacation.
There’s definitely a lot more where that came from. There are many options that are not free but very inexpensive. For example, you can get some great hot chocolate in the old city. Riding the funicular from the old city to the Chateau (or vice versa) is relatively inexpensive. You get a nice view and it’s fun.
If you’re feeling adventurous you can go cross-country skiing on some of the city parks (which is free.) However, if you don’t have any equipment and want to rent some. A day pass right outside of the city will be cheap for you to get. The equipment on the other hand might add up.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the list of free and some inexpensive things you can do on your Quebec City winter vacation.
Let me break it down for you:
Quebec City winter vacation must do list (all free):
- Walk around the old city
- Check out the cannonball stuck inside the tree
- Ice skate on one of the free city skating rinks
- Walk on top of the fort walls
- Go inside the beautiful Chateau