Oh, the holiday season! In town, we’ve already visited all the markets, eaten all the raclettes, brought home a fir tree (heroically, under the snow) and skated at the Esplanade Tranquille.
But what we really want is a Christmas like in the books, like in the movies; kissing under the mistletoe, having long conversations with cousins while walking along cobblestone streets,making snow angels under a big tree whose branches bend under the weight of fresh snow and garlands of lights.
If you don’t have a cottage in the country, no stress. With a train ride and 3 hours of snow-covered fields and families of deer watching, you can arrive in the heart of Quebec City and take a stroll through Old Quebec…
Old Quebec
Old Quebec is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason. It’s a walled city divided into two parts – the Upper Town and the Lower Town, and it’s incredibly well preserved.
You can stroll along its cobbled streets, with stores that have retained their colonial-style storefronts, along its windy ramparts overlooking the river, past the Château Frontenac and Place Royale.
We recommend going to Quebec City by train-because there’s no traffic on the tracks, for the views and for arriving at the very charming Gare du Palais.
For around $90 per person, we spend three hours reading, listening to music and watching the snow-covered fields of the region unfold before us.
Holidays in Old Quebec
In addition to a truly cinematic setting, Old Quebec has a great European-style Christmas market: the German Christmas Market.
There are more than 125 exhibitors offering handcrafted creations, local products from Quebec (after all) and German classics.
There are pretzels, giant puppets of Saint-Nicolas – Old Europe’s Santa Claus – and Krampus on Rue Saint-Jean and Côte de la Fabrique, and hundreds of liters of glühwein (mulled wine).
Practical info
Where? Quebec City, in five locations
- Alpine Village – Bergdorf – Place d’Youville
- Place du Marché – Marktplatz – Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville
- Jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville – Rathausgarten – jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville
- Ruelle de l’Église – Kirchgasse – backyard of Holy Trinity Cathedral, and on Rue Sainte-Anne
- Christmas Castle – Weihnachtsscholss – Place d’Armes
When? Until December 23, 2025
How? freeadmission
Happy Holidays!