21 Beautiful Places to Visit in Quebec City Perfect for Instagram

With its cobblestone streets, 17th-century houses and a magnificent castle, Quebec City has to be one of the most photogenic cities in Canada.  Its picture postcard Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with more than enough photo opportunities to fill your Instagram feed.

I’ve visited the city many times, most recently on a cruise of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes with Victory Cruises.   The ship stayed in port for two days, providing lots of time to get some photos.

Grab your camera and let’s go!  Here’s a list of beautiful places to visit in Quebec City and exactly where to find them, along with photography tips for getting the shot.  You can use it to design your own Quebec City Instagram tour.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Château Frontenac
Upper Town
Lower Town
Montmorency Falls Park
The Ice Hotel

Best spots to photograph the Château Frontenac

Frankly, there are no bad angles on the Château Frontenac, one of Canada’s most iconic buildings. That’s why it’s considered to be the world’s most photographed hotel (see my review here). Opened in 1893 as one of the country’s grand railway buildings, the Victorian Gothic castle towers above Quebec City.

For the classic shot of the Château Frontenac and the Quebec City skyline in the top photo, go to Pierre-Dugua-de Mons Terrace in Battlefields Park (Parc des Champs de Bataille, Avenue Saint-Denis).  You can get there by walking up from behind the hotel, or down from the La Citadelle de Quebec.  It’s best at sunrise when you’ll be shooting into the light, or at golden hour when the sun lights up the windows on the castle.

There are many good shots of the Château Frontenac from Lowertown.  The photo above was taken with a zoom lens from the waterfront near Place des Canotiers.  There’s also a fantastic view from rue du Marché-Champlain near the river, where you’ll see some of the oldest houses in the city in the foreground.  Photos from Lowertown are best taken in the morning with the light shining on the hotel

For the ultimate castle and Quebec City skyline photo, take Lévis ferry which provides a great vantage point across the river.

Hotel Address:  1 Rue des Carrières, Québec, QC

Place d’Armes Square

There are more great views of the Château Frontenac from Place d’Armes Square in front of the hotel.  Here, you can capture leading lines from the road leading up to the hotel or from the sidewalk across the square.  Crowds can be a challenge here, so it’s best to arrive  early or to take a night shot of the beautifully lit hotel.  The above photo was taken during blue hour on a chilly evening in early May, before high season.

Château Frontenac details

Finally, pay attention to the architectural details of the castle and be sure to go inside.  The lobby, grand staircases and the 1608 Wine Bar are photogenic too.

Book an exclusive guided tour of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.

Beautiful Places to Visit in Quebec City Upper Town:

Dufferin Terrace:

Dufferin Terrace runs alongside the Château Frontenac and beside the St. Lawrence river.  It provides lovely and serene views at sunrise.

In the summer high season, this area will be very crowded with tourists and buskers during the day.  In winter, the tobaggan run is great fun and perfect for your Instagram stories!

Address:  Rue des Carrières, Québec, QC G1R 5J5

Bistro 1640

The restaurant, Bistro 1640, is a classic example of Quebec City architecture with its dormer windows and bright red roof.  It makes a good photo at any time of the day, although you’ll have to contend with crowds during the day in high season.  This photo was taken from Place d’Armes Square (if you face the other way, you get one of the classic Château Frontenac shots.

Address: 20 Rue Sainte-Anne, Québec, QC G1R 3X2

Rue St. Louis

One of the best streets for photography in Quebec City is rue St. Louis.  It leads from the Château Frontenac to the St. Louis gate, part of the city’s fortifications.

If you’re patient, you may see a horse and carriage coming down the street toward the hotel where they have a “parking spot”.   Take a photo break at the Restaurant Anciens Canadiens to have the best sugar pie in town, one of the classic Quebec foods you should try during your visit.

Quebec City Ramparts

The fortifications surrounding Old Québec run for more than 4 kilometres. If you continue up rue St. Louis, you’ll come to Porte St. Louis (or St. Louis Gate).  The original dates back to 1694.  It was replaced in 1880, which is the gate still standing today.  The other gate is on rue Saint-Jean, one of the city’s oldest commercial stretches.

I waited for about 20 minutes to catch a bus passing through the St. Louis gate for this photo.

Address:  Saint Louis Gate (Porte Saint-Louis) rue Saint Louis, Québec, QC

The Quebec Parliament Building and the Fontaine de Tourny

Quebec City’s Parliament Building, which houses the provincial legislature, was built in the late 1800s.

It’s a good place for photos in Quebec City at night, because the building is nicely lit, there are few people and you can take a long exposure of the beautiful fountain in front.

Address:  1045 Rue des Parlementaires, Québec

The Price Building

The Price Building is the only skyscraper within the walls of Old Quebec. Its Art Deco style was controversial when it was built in 1929 because it’s so different from the other buildings in the area.

I prefer photos of the Price building at night, when it’s lit up and looking similar to the Empire State Building in New York City.  You’ll see it from many locations.  In this case, I took the photo, using a zoom lens, from rue St. Louis, looking down rue des Jardins.

Address:  65 rue Ste-Anne, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3X5, Canada

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Quebec City is the oldest church in Canada and designated as a National Historic Site.  The original dates back to 1647 although it’s been rebuilt a couple of times.  I love the gilded decoration and clouds on the ceiling!

The entrance hours are seasonal and can vary according to events, so it’s a good idea to check the website before you go.

Address: Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, 16, rue De Buade, Québec, QC

Jardins de l’Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)

A couple of blocks from the Cathedral, you’ll find City Hall Park, a nice urban green space, which contains some fountains and this striking piece of modern art.

Address:  The art is at the corner of rue Pierre-Olivier Chauveau and rue Sainte-Anne

Maison de la Littérature

If you’re a book lover like me, you don’t want to miss the Maison de la littérature, one of the most instagrammed indoor spots in Quebec City.  It’s a public library in a former Methodist church built in 1848.  It has lovely light streaming through the large old church windows and a great, albeit modern, spiral staircase.

Address:  40 Rue Saint-Stanislas, Québec, QC

Breakneck Stairs

Breakneck Stairs, so-called because of the steep incline, links Upper Town near the Château Frontenac to rue du Petit Champlain in Lower Town.  Built in 1635, it’s the city’s oldest stairway.

The challenge here is to avoid the crowds.  This would be a better shot in the early morning when the sun shines on the castle and the shadows are less harsh.  If you go lower down the stairs, you can get some nice diagonal lines.

Address:  5 Escalier Casse-Cou, Québec, QC

Photographic Places to Visit in Quebec City Lower Town:

Quebec City’s Lower Town is one of North America’s oldest neighbourhoods and my favourite for Instagram worthy photos.

Quartier Petit-Champlain

Rue du Petit-Champlain is one of the oldest commercial streets in North America (it’s a theme!) and voted to be one of the prettiest too.  It’s especially magical in winter time.

It’s also one of the busiest spots to take photos.  Your best bet is early in the morning or late at night.  By the way, these shots in the oldest streets of Quebec City also look good in black and white.

Address:  Rue du Petit-Champlain

Place Royale

Place Royale is where Samuel de Champlain set up a fort and residence when he founded “New France” in 1608.  It’s home to the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, the oldest stone church in North America, built in 1688 and classic French-influenced stone homes.

In this square, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time.  It’s my favourite place for photos in Quebec City, but it’s also one of the post popular.  I prefer late night photos here to avoid the crowds and to take advantage of the soft lighting.

Address:  2-4 Rue des Pains Bénits, Quebec City

Fresque des Québécois Mural

Only a few steps from Place Royale, the enormous Fresque des Québécois mural recounts the story of Quebec City, one of several murals in the area.

There are almost always some shadows across the mural, so you can get the photo almost anytime.  Mornings and cloudy days provide the best opportunities.

Address: 29 Rue Notre-Dame, Québec,

Funiculaire

If you don’t want to climb Breakneck Stairs to get to Upper Town, you can take the funicular from Lower Town to Dufferin Terrace for a cost of $3 Canadian.  Housed in an adorably photogenic building on a cobblestone street, it’s been in operation since 1879.  Again, this is an extremely busy part of town, so your best photo opportunity is at night.  During the day, you may want to take a time lapse of the ride for your Instagram stories.

Address:  16 Rue du Petit Champlain, Québec

Rue du Cul de Sac

This cute little street in Lower Town is decorated with umbrellas in the summer time for one of those classic Instagram photos.  Come here early morning or late at night to avoid the crowds, or take the shot looking up at the umbrellas.

Address:  rue du Cul de Sac

Place des Canotiers

As you’re walking toward the Old Port, Place des Canotiers is a wonderful urban park by the river with gorgeous views of the Château Frontenac and old Port districts. This is also place for people watching.  It has a series of fountains, where you’ll see children playing during a hot day.  The fountains intermittently switch to mist providing  interesting photo opportunities at night.

Address:  40 Rue Dalhousie, Québec, QC

Old Port of Quebec

The charming streets that surround the Old Port are perfect for strolling and snapping.  Stop by this park for excellent views of the city.

Address the Old Port of Quebec – 160 Quai Saint-André, Québec,

Other Instagram-Worthy Places to See in Quebec City:

Montmorency Falls Park

A must-see in Quebec City, beyond the Upper and Lower Towns, is Montmorency Falls.   At  83 meters high (272 feet), the Falls are one and one-half times higher than Niagra Falls. You can get photos from this board walk that runs along the water, from a gondola to the top, and looking down from the walk way over the falls.  For the ultimate Insta Story, take the zipline over the falls or take a helicopter tour over the falls and the city.

Montmorency Falls is a 15-minute drive from Old Quebec by car or this shuttle bus or it takes about half an hour to get there on the line 800 bus from the train station (Gare de Palais)

Click here to buy an entrance ticket and cable car ride at Parc de la Chute-Montmorency.

Address:  5300 Boulevard Sainte-Anne, Québec

Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel)

Winter in Quebec City provides a whole new set of photo opportunities.  For a unique Canadian experience, spend a wintery night at the Hotel de Glace.  It’s a 44-room hotel built entirely of ice and snow.  Even the beds are perched on huge blocks of ice and the bar glasses are made of ice too.  Only ten minutes from Quebec City, it’s an Instagram photo that’s bound to get a lot of likes.

Check pricing and reviews for the Hôtel de Glace.

Those are my 21 favourite Instagrammable spots in Quebec City.  But there is much more.  Quebec City is also one of the ultimate foodie destinations, so be sure to take time out of your photography schedule to relax and enjoy!

I was welcomed a guest of Victory Cruise Lines on the Great Lakes cruise, but my opinions are always my own.

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