The best of Quebec City
Fun fact: my mom worked in Quebec City for a summer in the 1970’s, selling mini-bus tours of the city! It was during the summer when she was a high school French teacher in rural Pennsylvania (her whole crazy life story, including her stint as an FBI special agent, can be found here) and she lived in a tiny studio apartment with a view of the Chateau Frontenac. She always had great things to say about her stint there, so I’ve been wanting to visit for ages.
I’m so glad that I was finally able to make it happen. Quebec City was just as quaint and beautiful and European as I’d hoped it would be: cobblestone streets, snowy hills, a castle overlooking the city. And it was also the perfect winter wonderland: I went dog-sledding, had a cocktail in an actual igloo, and relaxed in a outdoor complex of hot tubs and saunas situated along an icy river. It was the most wonderful weekend escape, and I’m already looking forward to going back!
The view from the Observatoire de la Capitale
I’m such a sucker for observatories, and Observatoire de la Capitale didn’t disappoint: it offered an incredible 360-view of Quebec City and surrounds. I loved the icy river and the snow on all the buildings, especially in juxtaposition with the blue sky above. To get a sense of the scale of Quebec City: this is the view from the tallest building in the city, and it’s only 31 floors up!
An icy cocktail at an ice hotel
Hotel de Glace is the closest thing there is to a real-life igloo–and it’s even better because there are so many activities. The complex is created every winter about 10 minutes outside of the Quebec City center, completely made of ice. Although I just went for a delicious vodka cocktail (served in a glass made of ice!) and a slide down an ice luge (you can see it in this video), there is totally the option to actually SLEEP in the ice hotel. Bonus of that option: you can hang out in that hot tub under the stars before going to bed! Also, if you’re so inclined, you can actually get married in that ice chapel–can you even imagine all of the ice wine that would have to be drunk? 
Relaxing at Siberia Station Spa
I’m totally obsessed with the general concept of Scandinavian spas–hot, cold, rest–and the Siberia Station Spa does the concept better than anywhere else I’ve seen. First of all, it’s set outside in this quiet little patch of forest with a stream running through it: so serene. Secondly, there are so many options: several hot tubs and cold pools, as well as saunas, steam rooms, “ice baths,” and a yurt with a wood-burning stove in the middle surrounded by hammocks. They also have a cafe with healthy options: I could easily spend all day here in any sort of weather! 
Dogsledding at Mont Sainte-Anne
Without a doubt, one of the coolest things on the trip was going dog-sledding with Les Secrets Nordiques. Although my friend Alyssa went earlier this year and raved about it, I had no idea what to expect. The dogs were incredibly cute and sociable, and the experience is far more physically demanding than I expected–but there’s something incredible about being pulled through a silent, snowy forest by a pack of dogs.
The neighborhood of Petit-Champlain
This is the neighborhood that Quebec City dreams are made of: cobblestone streets and colorful houses and a little funicular taking you up the side of the hill. I can only imagine how cute it is in summer with flower boxes and sunny window seats!
This sunny and bright bibliophile paradise
My mom sent me this WSJ article on Quebec City the week before I left, and I’m so glad she did: without it, I likely wouldn’t have discovered Maison de la Litterature. Free wifi, spiral staircases, incredible natural light: it was the perfect place to spend a few hours working remotely on Friday afternoon. It’s housed in a former temple, and the all-white architecture is just stunning.
All of the “chateau-style” architecture
Apparently “chateauesque” is a legit architecture term, and there are numerous buildings in Quebec City that fit the bill. The most famous is the Chateau Frontenac, which totally overshadows the Quebec City old city skyline. It’s actually a Fairmont hotel, and it was constructed in the late 19th century as a stopover for Canadian Pacific train travelers. No surprise that the actual train station was constructed around the same time period–and looks just as much like a castle!
A super comfortable place to stay
I stayed in the Hotel Port Royal for the weekend, and it was absolutely lovely. It’s a short walk from the Petit-Champlain neighborhood and the funicular up to the old town, and it’s very quiet and modern. I was traveling by myself on this trip, so it was great to have a home base with a desk, free wifi and a big comfy bed: I was able to get a lot of work done in the evenings. And I loved the juxtaposition of all the modern amenities with that gorgeous exposed brick! 
What’s your favorite photo or activity in Quebec City? What would you be most excited to experience?
Special thanks to Quebec City Tourism for hosting me on this trip
