Introduction to Quebec City

Québec City seduces, from its impressive location above the St. Lawrence River to its unblemished Old Town -- Vieux-Québec -- filled with 18th- and 19th-century houses. Fortress walls still encase the upper Old City, and the soaring Château Frontenac, a hotel with castlelike turrets, dominates the landscape. Evocative of a French coastal town, the tableau is as romantic as any in Europe.

Things to Do

Explore the ramparts of Quebec City's fortifications and star-shaped Citadelle, which stand guard over Vieux-Québec. As you wander its narrow cobblestone streets, spot the green roof and turrets of Disney-esque Chateau Frontenac, towering above them. Trace Québec's history back to the French settlers at the Musée de l'Amérique Française or explore its 11 native nations at the Musee de la Civilisation. Battlefields Park, which overlooks St. Lawrence River, is where the city comes to relax, picnic and play.

Shopping

Québec art and fashions fill the storefronts in North America's oldest shopping district, Petit Champlain. Peruse boutiques in Place Royal and St-Roch, view street art along the outdoor gallery on Rue du Tresor and seek out wares in the artisan enclave Cap-Rouge. Inside Les Promenades du Vieux-Québec, you can shop for authentic Inuit carvings or browse upscale clothing boutiques. Chocolate heaven awaits on quaint Ile de Orleans and in the Choco-Musee Erico's museum shop.

Nightlife and Entertainment

Café culture reigns supreme in Quebec City -- at Place d'Armes in Upper Town, in Quartier du Petit-Champlain in Lower Town and along Grande-Allee. In the revitalized St-Roch, bars and restaurants have replaced a tannery, sawmill and lingerie factory. Classical aficionados don their best for the Quebec Symphony Orchestra at the Grand Theatre de Quebec. In Hotel de Glace, North America's only Ice Hotel, have an uber-cool vodka in a glass made of ice at the Absolut Bar.

Restaurants and Dining

Quebec City's cuisine is international, serving innovative takes on venison, quail, goose and caribou. A Québécois favorite is poutine, made from fries, cheese curds and gravy. Sample local wines and regional dishes on the Ile d'Orléans, dine al fresco in restaurants in Vieux-Québec and savor good food in downtown St-Roch. Casual eateries under the generic named casse-crôute -- literally, "break-crust" -- are perfect for sandwiches, soups and chiens chaud (hot dogs). Be sure to sample the local cheeses, a Quebec City favorite.