How many days in Montreal and Quebec City?
 

My wife and I are planning our first trip from US to Montreal and Quebec City. What's the minimum days you would recommend to spend at each?

I went to Montreal and Quebec City last year and I loved it.

Quebec City is small and you don't need a lot of time there. I think you could do a 1-2 overnight stay in Quebec City and that should be plenty. I just did a one day trip and wished I had time to stay overnight instead of leaving the same day.

I think we spent 5 days in Montreal itself. I think it could be done with 4 full days if your time is limited, but 5 should be plenty.

I think it depends on what type of traveler you are. We are the stop-and-smell-the-roses, slowtraveler type. We are planning a fall trip to Canada and will stay five nights in Montreal, as we have already spent a week there not too long ago, then a week in Quebec City and a week in Halifax. Some people will say that is too long but we always find something interesting to do even if it is just sitting in a park and watch people go by.

Are you taking the ViA train from Montreal to Quebec?

Thanks for the advice. I don't know how we are traveling yet between the cities. Do you recommend the train?

We are seniors so the fare pp is about $44. The trip is less than three and a half hours.

http://www.viarail.ca/en

We are also taking VIArail from Quebec City to Halifax. We have never taken an overnight train before so it should be an adventure.

My best suggestion for determining how much time to spend in each is to pick up a guidebook.

Go through and just mark each activity/sight that you would definitely be interested in seeing. Then, figure 2 activities/sights per day (if it's an all-day activity, count it separately), and add up the number of days.

So, for example, if you tagged 5 activities/sights in Quebec City and 13 activities/sights in Montreal, and 2 of the Montreal ones are all-day, then you know you should spend a minimum of 2-1/2 days in Quebec City and 7-1/2 days in Montreal.

This will give you time to enjoy relaxing meals, do some shopping, wandering, etc., as well as fitting in anything that catches your eye when you get there. If there are multiple activity/sights that you "might" be interested in seeing, you can add more days accordingly as your schedule and/or budget allows.

I've done this for years now and have not felt rushed or bored in any place I've visited. I have never had to skip a must-see because I ran out of time and I've never run out of things to see or do.

The Via Rail is the best way to get from Montreal to Quebec City. It's very clean and the seats are pretty relaxing. We left early in the morning so we were able to get to Quebec City by 10am.

If you aren't renting a car and you are staying in the city centre, you can easily get to the train station using the metro (but you may also want to check to see what time the metro starts running because it isn't 24 hours...I stayed in a hotel only 2-3 blocks away from the train station, so I was able to walk).

By car how far is downtown Montreal from Quebec City?
Ronit