190 Best Sights in Quebec, Canada

Established in 1982, this vineyard produces 14 wines, including its Double Gold medal–winning ice wine at the Finger Lakes International competition. Guided tours (in French) cost C$22 and are given once a day during the summer. You can also stop by the boutique for tastings and visit their museum, where you'll learn about the history and production of wine, from the cultivation of the vines to the bottling process. Guided tours given in English need to be reserved well in advance (minimum 12 people). The patio restaurant is a nice place to take a break and open from 11:30 to 3 every day from early-June until mid-October.

Since they bought it in 2003, Louis Denault and Nathalie Lane have turned this vineyard into one of the best wine producers in Québec. Most of the wine is produced from a hybrid variety called vandal-cliche, which was bred by a Laval University biologist to thrive in the area's climate, along with a growing proportion of vidal. The results are a range of fresh, crisp white wines (still and bubbly), as well as ice wine. The winery has also started producing small amounts of Riesling, and does some tasty reds. In summer, Panache Mobile, a food cart managed by Panache, one of Québec City's best restaurants, serves delicious lunches on a terrace with a stunning view of the St. Lawrence River and Montmorency Falls.

This winery, opened in 1980, was one of the first to set up shop in the area, and is considered to be the oldest vineyard still in operation in Québec. On nearly 30 acres of land, 50,000 vines go to produce some award-winning reds, whites, rosés, and ice wines. Visit for a tasting and enjoy a picnic on the grounds. From July through October, a sculpture garden showcases the works of more than 80 artists, primarily from the area.

Santa is not just for Christmas here. In his summer residence kids can sit on his knee and speak to him in French or English, then have fun in the grounds, which contain bumper boats; a petting zoo with goats, sheep, horses, and colorful birds; games; and a large outdoor pool in the summer. There is a snack bar, but visitors are encouraged to bring their own food (there are numerous picnic tables). During the cold winter months, the park transforms into a winter wonderland with skating rinks and tubing fun for the kids.

Surrounded by a leafy, small park right next to the Château Frontenac, this 50-foot-tall obelisk pays tribute to both a winning (English) and a losing (French) general. More specifically, it marks the place where the British general James Wolfe and French marquis Louis-Joseph Montcalm died during the Battle of Québec in September 1759. Wolfe landed his troops about 3 km (2 miles) from the city's walls; 4,500 English soldiers scaled the cliff and began fighting on the Plains of Abraham. Wolfe was mortally wounded in battle and was carried behind the lines to this spot. Montcalm, who had been famous for winning four major battles in North America, was also fatally injured; he was carried into the walled city, where he died the next morning, essentially marking the end of the French regime in Québec City.

On the south side of the park is avenue Ste-Geneviève, lined with well-preserved Victorian houses dating from 1850 to 1900. Many have been converted to inns, B&Bs, and hotels.

Antiques shops cluster around rues St-Pierre and St-Paul, the latter once part of a business district packed with warehouses, stores, and businesses. After World War I, shipping and commercial activities plummeted, and the low rents attracted antiques dealers. Today their shops, together with numerous cafés, restaurants, boutique hotels, and art galleries, have made this one of the town's more popular areas.

This boutique, run by the Conseil des métiers d'art, a coordinating body that oversees all kinds of arts and crafts disciplines and organizes annual fairs, features the best from Québec in glass art, porcelain, jewelry, woodworking, and much more, most with a stylish, contemporary feel.

In early June you can join the glitterati of Europe and America in the grandstand to watch million-dollar Formula 1 cars shriek around the 4.3-km (2.7-mile) track—if you're lucky enough and rich enough to get a ticket, that is. This is the kind of crowd that uses Perrier to mop up caviar stains from the refreshment tables. During the off season, the track is accessible to everyone. Locals spend sunny summer weekends cycling, rollerblading, and taking walks around this world-famous circuit.

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.

The dress code at the neighboring casino might ban camisoles and strapless tops, but here anything seems to go on warm summer days, when the beach is a sea of oiled bodies. You get the distinct impression that swimming is not uppermost on the minds of many of the scantily clad hordes. If you do want to go in, however, the water is filtered and closely monitored for contamination, and there are lifeguards on duty. A shop rents swimming and boating paraphernalia, and there's a restaurant and picnic areas.