Guided Tours

Explore with a true expert

Join historian and author David Mendel for an inspiring, in-depth, exploration of Quebec City and its region.

Quebec, World Heritage City

Walking tour of Old Quebec

With its dramatic cliff-top location overlooking the St. Lawrence River, its fortifications, narrow winding streets and wealth of historic buildings spanning four centuries, Quebec City is unlike any other city in North America.We will begin our walking tour on the Dufferin Terrace, a magnificent boardwalk overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Learn about the history and architecture of the Château Frontenac, then visit the Governors' Park, and walk in a residential quarter to see how the houses of Quebec City have evolved over the centuries. Our next stop is the Seminary of Quebec, founded in 1663. Now occupied by the Architecture School of Laval University, this institution is a remarkable collection of buildings erected around enclosed courtyards. Then visit the magnificent interior of Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica. In the Lower Town, discover Place Royale, where the Government of Quebec has restored merchants’ houses from the time of New France.

Duration: 2.5 hours

British Influences in Quebec City

Walking Tour

Today most people think of Quebec City as the birthplace of French civilization in North America, and this is certainly true. It is often forgotten, however, that this city was also once part of the British Empire and that, at one time, English-speaking citizens made up more than 40% of the population. Indeed, in many ways, it is the combination of French and English influences, that we find in the architecture of the city, which makes Quebec truly unique. Discover how British and French influences shaped urban development, parks and gardens and the domestic architecture of the city. Visit the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the oldest Anglican Cathedral outside the British Isles, to view monuments and stained-glass windows made in London and magnificent silver given by King George III.

Duration: 2.5 hours

It is also possible to join David Mendel for lunch in the exclusive Garrison Club, founded by military officers in the 1870s. The atmosphere remains very British, even though today almost all the members speak French.

Custom-made tours

Elements from the above tours can be included in custom-made programs, designed according to your interests. Below are some of the themes and sites that can be explored over a few days in Quebec City:

  • Military history, with visits of battle sites and fortifications.
  • Historic arts, including painting, sculpture, gilding and exceptional embroidery made in the 17th and 18th centuries, with gold and silver threads and the finest silks. Visit religious institutions founded in the 17th century, with buildings, furniture and works of art spanning four centuries.
  • Countryside tours near Quebec City, which can include the Montmorency Falls and the Island of Orleans, the Royal Road, lined with historic houses, visits with artisans and local food producers and the famous pilgrimage church, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré.