5 Best Sights in Quebec City, Quebec

Wedged between narrow streets at the foot of the cliff, this spacious museum with a striking limestone-and-glass façade was designed by architect Moshe Safdie to blend into the landscape. Its bell tower echoes the shape of the city's church steeples. Two excellent permanent exhibits examine Québec's history. People of Québec, Now and Then engagingly synthesizes 400 years of social and political history—including the role of the Catholic church and the rise of the Québec nationalist movement—with artifacts, time lines, original films and interviews, and news clips. It's a great introduction to the issues that face the province today. This Is Our Story looks at the 11 aboriginal nations that inhabit Québec. The temporary exhibits here are also always worth a visit.

Crossing the St. Lawrence River on this ferry will reward you with a striking view of the Québec City skyline, with the Château Frontenac and the Québec Seminary high atop the cliff. The view is even more impressive at night. Ferries generally run every 20 or 30 minutes from 6 am until 6 pm, and then every hour until 2:20 am; there are additional ferries from April through November.

Breakfast with the walruses, lunch (carefully) with the polar bears, and spend the afternoon watching the seals do their tricks at this clifftop aquarium overlooking the St. Lawrence and Québec City's two main bridges. When you tire of the mammals, check out the thousands of species of fresh and saltwater fish in the aquarium's massive, three-level aquatic gallery, or have some hands-on experiences with mollusks, starfish, and stingrays. Don't miss the jellyfish ballet or seahorse tanks. This is the only aquarium in North America with examples of all five species of cold-water seals.

Throughout the month of August, an international competition of fireworks performances set to music lights up the skies between Old Québec and Lévis, launched from barges on the St. Lawrence River, near the ferry docks. Special shows are presented on the sites before the first rockets launch.

Of the 16 Martello towers in Canada, four were built in Québec City because the British government feared an invasion after the American Revolution. In summer, visitors can tour Martello Tower No. 1, and watch a presentation on the history of the four structures. A haunted maze is held for youngsters on Halloween at Martello Tower No. 2, at avenues Taché and Laurier, and a mystery dinner show is available by reservation. Martello Tower No. 4, on rue Lavigueur overlooking the St. Charles River, houses an escape room game, The Tormentor, in the summer months.