Québec City

Canada

Culture

This Is the Most European City You Can Visit in North America

Cobblestone streets, old fortress walls, port views, public squares — while these could easily be used to describe a trip to Spain or Belgium, they also apply to Québec City.

Québec City's geography is a big part of its European essence. This beautiful riverside city in eastern Canada is divided into two sections: Upper Town (Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (Basse-Ville). Together, they form the heart of Old Québec (Vieux-Québec). Upper Town is perched atop Cap Diamant, a promontory overlooking the St. Lawrence River that, in the colonial era, provided a strategic defensive advantage. Today, the stone fortifications that still surround the Upper Town make it the only walled city in North America north of Mexico — a feature that helped earn its UNESCO World Heritage designation. Upper Town is also home to the iconic Château Frontenac, a historic 1893 hotel whose spectacular medieval look defines the city's skyline.

Keep Reading

Ads help keep Daily Passport free.

Keep exploring

7 Hotel Industry Secrets Most Guests Don't Know

Do hotels have a safest floor? What do staff know about guests? We reveal seven hotel industry secrets, according to hospitality experts.

Read Article

6 Breathtaking Temples To Visit Around the World

From a temple resembling a giant lotus in India's capital city to the world's largest religious structure in Cambodia, here are six breathtaking temples and sacred sites to visit around the world.

Read Article