Quebec flights and travel guide

Travellers taking cheap flights to Quebec City will be charmed by its idyllic setting on the St. Lawrence River, its rich and stirring history, its architectural heritage, and, its residents' way of life. Quebec City has a joie de vivre; good food, good wine and good company are top priorities.

The Upper Town is home to the Citadelle and the imposing Château Frontenac. Its medieval-style gables and turrets add a touch of fairytale to the city. The Plains of Abraham, where the British wrested Quebec from the French in 1759, are a short walk away. Stay in this era for a while by viewing some 18th-century paintings in the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec.

Climb down the casse-cou ("neck-breaking" steps) or take the funicular to the Lower Town, the oldest part of Old Québec. The streets are buzzy and lively with galleries, craft boutiques, restaurants and bistros. The Musée de la Civilisation is here and the Old Port area is wonderful for a stroll or for hopping onto a summertime cruise of the St. Lawrence.

It is wintertime when Quebec City really shines. This twinkling wonderland hosts winter sports, the world-famous Carnaval and a beautiful but temporary ice hotel.

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Quebec climate

Quebec City has a humid continental climate. Winters are cold and snowy, summers are warm and often humid. There is plenty of rainfall throughout the year. Summer temperatures range between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius (50-86 degrees Fahrenheit). Winter temperatures plummet to between -25 and -5 degrees (-13 to 23F). Average snowfall is between 64 and 77cm. Locals, and visitors arriving on cheap flights to Quebec City, make the most of the snow. The Québec Winter Carnival takes place in early February when the city is at its coldest.

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When to fly to Quebec

Peak Season:
Most visitors book their cheap flights to Quebec City between late June and September to take in the summer festivals. These include the Summer Festival (July), International Firework Festival (July/August); and New France Celebrations (August).

Off Season:
In general, November to April is Quebec’s off season unless you are a skier or snowboarder or are there for the Winter Carnival.

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Getting downtown Quebec

All the major car-rental companies are represented at the airport, making for a fast getaway once travellers have disembarked their cheap flights to Quebec City. Taxi and limo service is available. Taxi fares to downtown Quebec City cost about $32.

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Getting around Quebec

To best see Quebec, you’ll want to walk or take a bike tour through one of the city’s historic sections. In the summer you can explore the Route Verte, a network of cycling trails connecting 16 regions and 320 municipalities. Public buses run by Réseau de transport de la Capitale operate between 6am and 1am. On the weekend you can catch a night bus. To get from Basse-Ville to the upper part of Old Quebec, take the funicular.

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Quebec insider information

• Quebec City is transformed into a winter wonderland during the Winter Carnival. Held when the city is at its snowiest in January/February, the festival features parades, an ice palace and snow sculptures, snow rafting, dogsledding and an old-world marketplace. Bonhomme the snowman is the carnival's smiling mascot.
• There are four large ski resorts close to Quebec City. Le Relais is just 15 minutes away. Stoneham is a 20-minute drive. It has 32 trails on four mountains. Mont-Sainte-Anne is a 30-minute drive away. It has 64 ski trails on three mountain sides and Canada's highest vertical elevation for night skiing. Le Massif is a 45- minute drive east.
• The Montmorency Falls are higher than Niagara Falls. Viewing is from a footbridge, cable car or viewing platform.
• Quebec City’s highest building is the Edifice Marie-Guyart. Standing 126 metres above sea level there is an observatory on top offering unrestricted views.
• The guard changes at La Citadelle at 10am (between June 24 and the first Monday in September). Hear the music and see Batisse, the regimental goat.
• The Musée National des Beaux-arts du Québec is located in Battlefields Park, also known as the Plains of Abraham. It houses the largest existing collection of Quebec art, with more than 27,000 works dating from the 17th century to the present day. There are temporary exhibitions too. To mark the city's 400th anniversary in 2008, the Musée du Louvre, Paris, loaned several artifacts from its Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquity collections.
• Ice-cross downhill is a high-speed combination of roller derby, hockey and downhill skiing. The Red Bull Crashed Ice tournament takes place yearly. More than 75,000 fans watch 100 participants skate down a 500-metre ice track with sharp turns, jumps and vertical drops. Top prize is about $5,000.

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Quebec airports

Quebec/Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) (website: www.aeroportdequebec.com) The airport is located 9km southwest of the city.

Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) (website: www.admtl.com) The airport is located 24km west of Montréal.

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