A Romantic 4 Nights in a Castle. Exploring Old Quebec!

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, Old Québec (Quebec) is the most intact fortified town north of Mexico, retaining its colonial architecture for over 400 years. It is the historic and cultural heart of Quebec City and the birthplace of French North America.

At the narrowest point seats the castle, reminiscent of something out of Game of Thrones. The definition of something old and magically terrifying that defended North America. From the top of the map all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, it’s a site to see.

4 Days and 4 Nights in Vieux-Quebec (Old Quebec)

I would like to thank the Instagram algorithm for this one. Though we opted not to go during winter, turns out the early summer in Canada was still very early spring by DC standards. Beyond the weather, this adventure 4 two was stunning.

All roads lead through Petit-Champlain, one of the oldest shopping streets in North America. As walls and cliff sides scale ever upward toward the castle. You can feel the fortified walls as if the city stands in deviance of the looming future. This is the setting of battles, blood, and the last men at the edge of the world.

At the base, you can explore the shops and marina of Old Port. To the west, you can take a stroll through the Plains of Abraham or bask at the imposing Parliament Hill. This is a European charm close to home.

As our Uber winded upward toward Chateau Frontenac, the feeling of 400 years was palpable.

Total Costs to Stay in Quebec?

After our 12 countries in 14 days trip and the delays in travel brought on by the pandemic, this was a welcome slowdown clocked in a whopping $6,145. By comparison, the last international trip ended up costing around $7,775. Ouch!

There are reasons. Since March 2020, the world has been in a free fall. We hit 40-year high inflation in the US and the situation globally is faring any better. This meant that travel costs were up more than 30%.

Consequently, traveling has regained luxury status. To be fair, this trip could have been anywhere around $4,000. However, since it was Mrs.’s birthday, we kicked back any concerns. We even opted for the castle massage treatment, which is never cheap. Soft rule of travel, never goes with the hotel massages.

With that said, don’t worry, we will break it all down so you can cut where you want.

We Stayed in a Castle, but there were other options.

Overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence River, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is not the cheapest stay but one of the most memorable.

If we stayed in a more affordable location, we would always wonder what if. It’s that imposing.

It was from this location that France presided over thousands of acres that stretched from the Great Lakes to the bayous of Louisiana. Old Québec then became the headquarters in Canada for the British when they wrestled control of the region away from France during the Seven Years’ War.

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac resides on the grounds of the former Château St. Louis, which functioned as the main administrative office for both the French and British colonial governments in Québec City until it burnt down in 1834.

William Van Horne, President of the Canadian Pacific Railway, chose the site of the former Château St. Louis as the location for an extravagant hotel. William Van Horne, President of the Canadian Pacific Railway, chose the site of the former Château St. Louis as the location for an extravagant hotel.

Château Frontenac has since emerged as one of the world’s preeminent holiday destinations.

Let’s talk about the city real quick

It’s extremely walkable. In contrast to a big city like Madrid or Paris, this is an all-inclusive area akin to New Orleans but with less ruckus.

Whereas the latter dives into Jazz and festivities, this is more remote. You will still get your fair share of power walking up hills but they aren’t so bad. Just a bit of exercise to work off the amazing food.

Most of the day trips pick up at the base of Frontenac and the bike rental shop closer to the waterfront. You will rarely need an uber unless you want to venture to the aquarium or the Strøm spa nordique.

One of the first things we do in a new city is to orient ourselves to the local grocery stores called Epicuries to stock up on water and even alcohol.

I would heavily warn you against the hotel bar, it’s marked up at least 40%. And since my wife forgets her prescription, we found the pharmacy. The price was 60% cheaper. It was ridiculous.

But the food was amazing. Writing this I had to close my eye and think hmmm that was good. Most of the restaurants are 4 stars and up. The prices can vary from fair to expensive however the quality is A+. Bistro 1640 was a stand-out for me. It knocked the experience out of the park on the first night.

So what did we end up doing?

As always we crammed enough time to see the city but added some downtime. With the wifey coming off major surgery, I tried to scale it back. I took the long 40-mile bike ride, she opted for the spa day.

About 14k average steps per day.

Great food and tons of ad-hoc changes. Our own pics are available via Instagram (her Instagram). We didn’t bring the canon so no updates at Unlaboured Flawless but you can see the old pics.

Things to do in Quebec

Québec City was a safe friendly vibe but it’s packed with history. This is especially great for the history buffs and adventurous. Don’t worry, there are a ton of attractions throughout the year to keep the rest of the family pleasantly surprised.

Every season brings its own special activities and stunning sights. Beware of the extremely cold winter or just show up to cuddle up.

Here’s a list of top attractions:

• Dufferin Terrace
• The Ramparts and Gates
• Petit-Champlain
• Musée de la civilisation
• Place Royale
• The Huron-Wendat Culture
• Plains of Abraham
• Citadelle de Québec
• Soak in a thermal Spa
• Basilica Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec
• Montmorency Falls
• Jacques-Cartier National Park
• Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
• Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine
• Aquarium du Québec

We Highly Recommend Quebec!

Although it could range on the expensive side, we highly recommend Quebec if you are looking for something remote and unique. We also think it’s a great stay for families with small children. There are things to do but not a lot to get overwhelmed.

We planned this one differently since we want to relax more. The only scare we had was the mandatory covid test that the US required. If my wife wasn’t paying attention, we would be screwed at departure. If you want to plan an amazing trip that cost less, read this How to plan your next international trip.

Or you can check out our 2020 canceled trip because of the pandemic obviously.

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