What to Expect
Ships dock at Laviolette Quay or Basse-Ville (Old Lower Town); the Château Frontenac on the clifftop is visible from all berths. The funicular (C$4 each way) runs between the Lower Town (Rue du Petit-Champlain) and the Upper Town (Dufferin Terrace) in 1 minute; the staircase (Escalier Casse-Cou — "Breakneck Stairs") is the alternative. Upper Town: the Château Frontenac, the Citadelle, the Plains of Abraham, Place d'Armes. Lower Town: Rue du Petit-Champlain (North America's oldest commercial street, now boutique shopping), Place Royale (site of the original French settlement). Both are walkable.
Getting Around
Old Quebec is entirely walkable; no transit needed within the walled city. Funicular: C$4 each way. Taxis from the pier to Upper Town: C$8–15. RTC city buses for destinations outside Old Quebec: C$3.50 single fare. The Montmorency Falls (11 km east, higher than Niagara) are accessible by taxi (C$25–30) or the 800 Clément-Lockquell bus; cable car on-site C$15. Île d'Orléans (30 km east, agricultural island with farm-to-table restaurants) requires a rental car or organised tour; 45–60 minutes each way.
The Citadelle and Plains of Abraham
The Citadelle of Quebec is an active military installation and the official residence of the Governor General when in Quebec — the largest fortified base still in use in Canada. Guided tours C$18; the Changing of the Guard ceremony runs 10am in summer. The Plains of Abraham — where the British defeated the French in 1759 in a 15-minute battle that determined the future of North America — is now a national historic site and urban park (free). The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) on the Plains is the best art museum in Quebec City (C$25, free on Wednesdays). The fortification walls themselves (4.6 km, the only intact fortified city walls in North America north of Mexico) can be walked for free.
Tipping and Currency
Canadian Dollars (CAD). Tipping: 15–18% at restaurants is the standard in Quebec; pre-tax base is the norm. Tax in Quebec is 15% (federal + provincial), making post-tax total approximately 15% above food prices. Tip on the pre-tax amount. Cards accepted everywhere. ATMs throughout Old Quebec.