Welcome to Quebec

It’s little wonder why Québec is known as La Belle Province (the Beautiful Province) both inside its own borders and across the country at large. Québec’s major cities are littered with historic Victorian-era architecture and lined with old cobblestone streets, while the rolling Québec countryside serves up a Canadian Shield mosaic of forests, plains, plateaus, rivers and lakes.

Montréal and Québec City—both located along the fabled St. Lawrence River in southern Québec—garner the lion’s share of the tourism spotlight, and for good reason.

Montréal, often referred to as the Paris of Canada, is a cultural powerhouse that buzzes with a distinctly European vibe. Québec City, meanwhile, is one of the oldest cities in all of North America, treating history buffs to a glimpse of the Europe of yore.

Must-visit highlights include Old Québec, Old Montréal, the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal, Terrasse Dufferin in Québec City and the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts. If you’re traveling with kids, pencil in some time for the Aquarium du Québec, Biodome de Montréal and the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium.

Adventure

It’s no wonder why Québec is such a popular destination for in-the-know ecotourists. More than twice the size of Texas, this massive eastern province is home to 24 national parks, half-a-million lakes, and a varied climate with four distinct seasons. It’s also more than half-covered in wilderness and woodland, with four separate biomes: Arctic tundra, taiga forest, boreal forest and temperate forest.

It goes without saying: There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking to hike, bike, paddle, fish, hunt or camp. Nature lovers will find a wide array of outdoor adventures.

If you’re staying in and around Montréal or Québec City, Parc national du Mont-Tremblant and Parc national du Mont-Mégantic are two of the most popular destinations for outdoor adventure seekers. The former is located just north of Montréal and is the province’s largest park, home to 400 lakes, six rivers, and set against the backdrop of the Laurentian Mountains. Mont-Mégantic, meanwhile, is packed with wildlife, including more than 125 bird species. It’s also home to the family-friendly ASTROLab observatory.