4 Days in Montreal and Quebec City
I have been wanting to make it to Europe for the Christmas Markets for a while, but it turns out Montreal and Quebec City were the perfect December getaway without even having to leave North America! My 4 days in Montreal and Quebec City had European charm, Christmas markets and magical snowfall!
I absolutely LOVED this mini December getaway, full of Christmas spirit and charm! Here is what you can expect if you head to these Canadian cities in December and things to do over those four days!
You may also like:
Before you dive in, I want to be transparent: this article includes affiliate links. This simply means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Rest assured, the article includes my genuine advice and it won’t cost you anything extra. Your support is greatly appreciated. Happy reading!
How to Get to Montreal and Quebec City
The best way to get to Montreal from most, if not all places in the United States will be by plane! Coming from Orlando, Florida that was the only option I checked. Especially since I was going for four days.
There are more options if you want to add Quebec City to your trip. I ended up doing a combination of plane and train. However, I’d consider only using the train next time.
For a breakdown of all your options, check out the below post:
Montreal to Quebec City: Choosing the Best Transport Options
Plane Tickets
I purchased an Air Canada plane ticket from Orlando to Quebec City and then from Montreal to Orlando. My plane ticket to Quebec City was not direct and it included a stopover in Montreal. The plane from Montreal to Quebec City ended up being delayed. My friend who came the next day was also delayed in Montreal!
Train Tickets
After my time in Quebec City, I took a train down to Montreal. The train was very easy and smooth! If I was to do it again, I’d consider just buying a round trip train ticket from Montreal, because with delayed plane rides you could get there just as fast or faster.
Air Canada Issues
Beyond delayed flights, my Air Canada woes continue! Our flight home on Sunday evening was cancelled. There was a snowstorm coming, but I asked locals and they said it was nothing. Naturally, as a warm weather girl, I wouldn’t know, but locals confirmed it wasn’t bad.
In addition to the locals opinion, I watched for other flights leaving the Montreal airport Sunday evening. While there were a few other flights cancelled, the majority were still taking off! So Air Canada used the weather as an excuse to cancel our flight, but had other flights taking off around the same time we were supposed to leave!
In case you wondering if they helped at all with the cancellation, the answer is no! We had to pay for an extra night out of pocket. They said the only way they would help is if it was a connecting flight in Montreal.
Delays and a canceled flight have somewhat blacklisted Air Canada for me! I’ve never blacklisted an entire airline as I fly all types of airlines and book for the best price and flight route. However, in order for me to book Air Canada again, it would have to be about the only option left.
While this whole experience was incredibly annoying, we were in Montreal for the snowfall which ended up being rather magical!
The Short and Sweet Answer to Quebec City vs Montreal
Montreal is a huge city and Old Québec City can easily be a day trip. I chose to spend a day and half of my four days in Quebec City before taking the train down to Montreal.
I’m glad I stayed overnight because Quebec City is so charming! While I got a good taste of Montreal over two days, there is still plenty more for me to discover.
If you’re a big city person, Montreal should be your focus, but if you like small town charm, head to Quebec City. I loved my trip that included both, so if you can I recommend visiting both locations. You can easily spend four days in Montreal as there is way more to do, but I absolutely loved Quebec City.
Christmas Markets Montreal vs Quebec City
This may surprise you, because it surprised me! Old Quebec City was better for Christmas markets. I’m not sure if Montreal usually has more than one Christmas market, but last year it only had one.
In Quebec City, there were little Christmas markets sprinkled throughout the charming old town! Old Quebec City already oozed charm and they already had snowfall so it felt like a winter wonderland!
In Montreal, we stayed near the one Christmas market and it doesn’t compare to the experience in Quebec City. It was far more crowded and overall felt more commercial.
Now Montreal is not a loss for Christmas charm. The old town in Montreal was so charming and we spent an entire day into the night on Sunday when the snow started to fall. We even went to a Christmas concert spontaneously, so Montreal delivered, just in a different way.
Montreal and Quebec City Itinerary
I chose to start my trip in old Quebec City. The main motivation of this trip was to experience the European Christmas Markets. While I’ve been to the German Christmas Market in Atlanta, Georgia it didn’t deliver. However, in Quebec, Canada there is a strong European feel so it added to the whole experience and gave it a more authentic feel!
If you want to base yourself in Montreal, you could do a day train to Quebec City. I think it’s worth spending a night or two in old Quebec, but you can easily tailor your experience to suit your preferences.
I spent a full day and half in Quebec City and my friend spent a full 24 hours. We took a late afternoon train to Montreal on Friday. The plan was to be in Montreal from Friday evening to Sunday evening, however, Air Canada cancelled our flight so we left early Monday morning.
Overall, it felt perfect! Though there is plenty of Montreal left for me to explore, I would gladly return to Quebec City so I can experience its charm in another season!
Discovering Quebec City’s Charm
Old Quebec is extremely charming and walkable! It’s not so large that it will take days to explore, though you could easily spend a leisurely couple of days in Old Quebec exploring the various streets, shops, and historical landmarks.
While I love just walking around when I’m in a city, here are some specific areas to explore while you’re in Quebec City.
The Citadelle of Québec
I opted to walk from my hotel to the Citadelle of Québec, which took about thirty minutes. It was beautiful as old town was covered in a blanket of snow.
When I arrived, I walked into the main lobby and gift shop where I learned of the tour that would be starting soon. I paid for it and walked around the shop for a bit before the tour began.
It was an inexpensive tour, but worth hearing the history of the Citadelle and learning about its present use! The views of St. Lawrence River and Old Quebec are worth seeing even if you elect not to do the tour! The winter wonderland was breathtaking!
Quartier Petit Champlain
While all of old Quebec is charming, this area is oozing it! Stroll down the cobblestone streets enjoying the shops and restaurants. Have a coffee and admire the squares with the beautiful Christmas tree!
I had read a tip to get some maple taffy in La Petite Cabane à Sucre de Québec. However, they weren’t serving it when I went, but I did get maple taffy at the Christmas market in Montreal!
The Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec wasn’t operating when we visited this area, which is a bummer! The snow had to be dealt with and there was no known time of completion. We tried a couple times while in this area, but it wasn’t meant to be. So we walked out of this area the same we walked in, but of course leaving meant walking up hill.
If you prefer a tour, consider this Private Guided Quebec City Walking Tour with Funicular Included
Place Royale
The charm of this square is next level. Coming around the corner on this early December day, the first sight to greet our eyes in Place Royale was this beautiful Christmas tree.
It’s definitely worth coming here for pictures, but my friend and I stopped at the coffee shop, Café La Maison Smith Notre-Dame, and enjoyed a coffee and a snack overlooking this adorable square.
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
If you are not staying at Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, I still recommend visiting, especially if you are in old Quebec in December! The lobby is beautiful and filled with Christmas trees! You don’t need to spend long, but it’s worth the stroll.
Consider this tour if you want to learn more: Guided Tour of the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City
Place d’Armes
This beautiful hotel is in Place d’Armes, a square worth visiting as well! There’s a UNESCO monument to one side, Fontaine Monument de la Foi (Fountain of Faith) in the middle of the square. The tourist office, Centre Infotouriste de Québec, sits on the other side of the square and in December there is a Christmas market here as well!
Dufferin Terrace
For good views of the river, take a stroll along this boardwalk, especially if you’re here in the Summer. I would love to return to Quebec City in the Summer one day as I can imagine it would hold the same charm with a different experience in every season.
Montmorency Falls
I visited the tourist center in old Quebec and asked about visiting the Falls. The time of year made this experience less ideal, so I ended up skipping it.
If you’re in Quebec City in another season, I recommend adding it to your Quebec City itinerary. You can visit on your own, but if you prefer the convenience of a tour, the below tour has great reviews and includes hotel pickup!
Christmas Markets in Quebec City
Christmas markets in old Quebec might change location from year to year, so check online before you go or head to Centre Infotouriste de Québec to find out more.
The Christmas markets are open Thursday to Sunday evenings! Thursday is likely the least busy night and we very much enjoyed walking around old Quebec on Thursday evening. There were crowds, but since they have the markets spread out, it never felt overwhelming.
Place d’Armes and Rue Sainte-Anne
The Christmas market had a few stalls in Place d’Armes, and the rest stretched down Rue Sainte-Anne. I remember having a delicious apple cider here!
Place de l’Hôtel de Ville
When you get to the end of the of the Christmas market stalls on Rue Sainte-Anne turn right on Rue des Jardins and you will run into Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. Another cute Christmas market sits in this square.
Walk down Côte de la Fabrique which turns into Rue Saint-Jean and enjoy the shops and restaurants on your way to the next Christmas market!
Place D’Youville
Walking through St. Jean Gate, you’ll be awed by the winter and Christmas aesthetics at Place D’Youville. Christmas Lights, ice skating, and a Christmas market made this a very popular place! It felt like the most crowded market of all, but with the ice skating rink I can understand why!
If you want to ice skate, I’d suggest coming to this area first as it’s probably less crowded when the Christmas market first opens for the evening.
Quebec City Christmas Markets
I absolutely loved the Christmas markets in old Quebec! They speak French, have this historical charming walled city and I loved that they had multiple Christmas markets spread throughout!
While I haven’t experienced a Christmas market in Europe yet, this is easily the next best thing! It feels like we have a piece of Europe right here in North America! If you are wanting a Christmas market experience and Europe is just not possible yet, consider Quebec City!
What We Did in Montreal
Montreal is a big city, so it’s safe to say we did NOT get to everything in the two and half days. However, I very much loved my first time in Montreal! While the one Christmas market didn’t really compare to Quebec City, old Montreal was wonderful for Christmas cheer!
Christmas Market Montreal
After checking into our hotel, we had dinner nearby and headed to the Christmas market. We were staying right next to it, so it was very easy to add it to our first night in Montreal.
As this was the only Christmas market in Montreal, it was larger than the individual markets spread out in Quebec City but if you were to combine them, Quebec City had the larger market.
We enjoyed walking around, and I was able to get my maple taffy here! We also encountered the same maple syrup seller from Quebec City here and I ended up buying some maple syrup, because when in Rome.
How was the Montreal Christmas Market
Overall, this market was good, but it definitely felt less cozy and nostalgic as it did in Quebec City. The area in Montreal the Christmas market sits is a shopping area. If it was in old Montreal, it would probably feel similar to Quebec City.
Overall, I think Quebec City wins for Christmas Markets, but spoiler, old Montreal gave us all the cozy Christmas vibes when we visited on Sunday.
Jean Talon Market
Of things I had bookmarked, the Jean Talon Market was one of the furthest spots. It’s a cute farmer’s market with some food stalls, flowers stalls and of course produce. I got a pastel de nata and reminisced about my trip to Lisbon, Portugal.
There were Christmas trees lined up outside for sale and snow started falling creating a magical moment for two Florida girls. Overall, we didn’t spend much time in the market and if you’re ranking things to do, I wouldn’t put this at the top of your list.
I had bookmarked La Brume Dans Mes Lunettes only to realize it wasn’t open until 10AM on Saturdays. So my friend and I ended up at Café Saint-Henri (Marché Jean-Talon) that sits across the street from the market. It was adorable and the croissant was so delicious!
St-Viateur Bagel vs Fairmount Bagel
We considered doing a food tour, but ended up just making the food stops on our own. I decided this meant that we had to compare the two famous bagel spots!
The bagels here are less dense than the bagels we are used to in the States. I can’t remember which one we chose as the winner, because it ended up being a bit unfair. At one location I got a bagel that was cold and the other I got a warm bagel. The warm bagel was far superior, so my main tip is to get a warm bagel. Let me know which you prefer!
The food tour does look amazing if you don’t want to wing it: Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
Mount Royal Park
From the Bagel shop, we hopped in an uber and made our way to Mount Royal Park. As we drove up, the snow was falling creating a great setting.
We were dropped off at the carpark and from there we walked to the Mount Royal Chalet to enjoy the expansive views of Montreal!
The walk was easy and the views are worth it! For us, this was a perfect stop between the bagels and our next Deli stop!
Schwartz’s Deli
What is a self directed food tour that doesn’t include the famous Schwartz’s Deli? After Mount Royal Park we were ready for our lunch stop.
When we got to the Deli, there was a significant line out the door. Considering the size of the line, it moved surprisingly fast. Before we knew it, we were seated a table with a couple hockey coaches and boys who were in town for a tournament.
They pack this place, so there’s never an empty seat and yes, it does feel crowded, but it’s part of the experience. The waitress took our order and of course I got the smoked meat sandwich. I had tried poutine in Quebec City, but my friend ordered that here.
I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a smoked meat sandwich and in the States I’d be far more hesitant. However, I ended up really enjoying it! The sandwich and the whole experience was great!
If you don’t want to wait in line or feel like sardines in this small deli, go for an early or very late lunch during the week. I was eating my sandwich about 3PM on a Saturday and the deli was packed!
Walking and Complexe Desjardins
After the deli we just slowly walked back to our hotel area. We walked around the mall for a bit enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season, saw a Christmas lights show inside and eventually ate dinner in the area. The Christmas market was even more packed Saturday night so we didn’t spend much time there.
Charming Old Montreal
Sunday morning we walked to Old Montreal from our hotel. We started on the far end and walked all the way to the St. Lawrence River. The area we stumbled upon was a very industrial and abandoned area, giving Hunger Games vibes.
As we made our way up the river, we passed various museums and the Vieux-Port de Montréal. This walkway would be a great area in the Summer! However, with the weather we were experiencing there were only a few hardcore runners around.
Old Town
Eventually we made our way into the Old Montreal area and loved the charm of this part of Montreal! We walked into some of the cute shops and bought some souvenirs and small Christmas gifts.
I usually bookmark tourist centers just to have their location handy if I think we could learn of cool things to do and see from a local. So we made our way to the tourist office in this area and were given a map and general points of interest.
British Tea Reservations
When planning my trip to Montreal, I noticed there were British Tea options! I had recently had tea in London and loved the experience! So I had excitedly bookmarked several options throughout Montreal.
One option was in Old Montreal, so we walked into bar à beurre Vieux Mtl and I asked about Tea Time. They said they could accommodate but we had to make a reservation for later that day so they could prepare. We made our reservation and continued on with exploring Old Montreal until the time of our reservation.
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel
One of the destinations we were told to visit at the tourist center is Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. When we arrived, we were told there would be a Christmas Concert a bit later! We gathered the information, and visited a museum recommended by the tourist office before returning for the concert.
Lieu historique national de Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier
This museum recommended by the tourist office was inexpensive and offered some reprieve from the cold. It was interesting and the perfect activity before heading back to the church for the Christmas concert.
Christmas Concert at Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel
Easily one of the best things we stumbled upon during our entire trip! We were told to arrive a bit early and we were given complimentary hot apple cider. There were also two musicians outside playing Christmas carols and to top off the beauty of the moment it was snowing!
We enjoyed the Christmas choir concert inside this beautiful church on a Sunday afternoon. While the Christmas market in Montreal did not live up to Quebec City, this moment definitely leveled the playing field!
Tea Time at bar à beurre
Right after the Christmas concert, we made our way to bar à beurre for our Tea reservation! It was my friend’s first Tea and she loved it! And I loved it again! I suppose anything that offers a tray of savory and sweet pastries is going to be a win!
The decor in bar à beurre was adorable and there were some other tea time reservations while we were there as well. From the upstairs of this cute little cafe, we watched the snow continue to fall outside while we sipped our tea and enjoyed our pastries.
After Tea we wondered around Old Montreal and ventured into more cute shops. It’s decorated for Christmas so areas like Place Jacques-Cartier are worth seeing. We enjoyed the snowfall and of course, took photos!
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
As the sun was setting, we decided to make our way to Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal on the other end of Old Montreal. The snowfall mixed with the lights around this church was absolutely stunning!
I’m sure it’s stunning in the daytime, but I think we really hit the jackpot of a moment.
Where to Stay in Quebec City and Montreal
Quebec City
In Quebec City the best place to stay is in the old walled city! It’s walkable and where you will spend the majority, if not all of your time!
I stayed at a Monastery, Le Monastère des Augustines, and loved it! Originally I booked it more out of curiosity, especially after reading about silent breakfast. However, I really loved it! The location was great as it’s close to the train station and to all the sights in old Quebec City.
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac $1,000+
Auberge Saint-Antoine $250+
Montreal
Montreal is a big city and you will have plenty of options! I recommend staying in old Montreal, or a central location between old Montreal and Mount Royal.
I stayed in a central location at DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal and it worked out perfectly! However, old Montreal was so incredibly charming, I’d most likely stay there next time.
Hotel William Gray $250+
DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal $170+
Is 2 days enough in Quebec City?
In my opinion, yes, but this will vary from person to person and general interests. In terms of old Quebec City, which is the main attraction here, two days is plenty. If you want to add the Falls, a river cruise, a hike and other experiences nearby then you could fill up more days in Quebec City.
Is Quebec City friendly to Americans?
Yes! I found the French Canadians to be very friendly and kind!
I’ve been France as well and found them to be pleasant, but some (not all) Parisians can be a little snobby. Though French people told me they feel the same about Parisians.
French speakers are wonderful overall and I found the French Canadians to be especially friendly!
Should you spend more time in Montreal or Québec?
Montreal is a big city, so you can naturally spend more time there, but Quebec City is so charming and begs you to slow down and savor.
Generally speaking, Montreal requires more time because it’s a big city!
Is Québec City worth visiting?
Yes! I loved the charm of Quebec City and I would love to return in the Summer one day!
If you’re a big city person, you won’t need to spend long here, but I definitely think it’s worth visiting.
Is it worth visiting Montreal if you have already been to Toronto in Canada?
Yes! I’ve been to both and they are completely different in my opinion! They are both big cities, but Montreal felt more artsy and European. So yes, visit Montreal and let me know which you prefer!
4 Days in Montreal and Quebec City in December
Though I couldn’t validate travel to Europe for less than a week just to experience a Christmas market or two, four days Montreal and Quebec City ended up being perfect! Even if you choose another season to visit these two cities, I can’t imagine you being disappointed.
I will happily return to Montreal and Quebec City whether in December or to enjoy the charms of another season. If you are considering a trip to either or both, I hope you have the best time!
