A Week in Montreal and Quebec City
Growing up in Alberta, I never explored much of Eastern Canada apart from visiting relatives in Ontario and Newfoundland. At the time, flights to Europe were often the same price as travelling across the country, so it made sense to travel abroad. However, Quebec has always been somewhere I wanted to visit, so when I discovered direct flights from Dublin, I finally decided to go (and my mother flew in from Alberta to join us, which was an added bonus).
Montreal
Montreal is surprisingly easy to reach from Dublin, with a flight time of around 6 hours. When you consider that it takes about 4 hours to get to destinations like the Canary Islands or Greece, it doesn't feel that far away. We spent four nights in the city, which gave us plenty of time to explore some of the highlights, sample Quebec’s famous food - poutine, bagels, and smoked meat sandwiches - and fit in some shopping too.
We kept our itinerary fairly relaxed but still managed to:
- Wander through Old Montreal and soak up the atmosphere
- Take a guided tour of Habitat 67, which is well worth it if you're interested in architecture
- Visit the Biodome (a big hit with the kids) and see the Olympic Stadium
Quebec City
From Montreal, we boarded a VIA Rail train to Quebec City. The journey was comfortable and took around 3.5 hours. We spent three nights there, and on our first full day we explored the historic Old Town before heading back to the hotel so the kids could enjoy some time in the pool.
The following day, we rented a car and drove to Canyon Saint-Anne, about 40 minutes outside the city. Afterwards, we spent the afternoon exploring Île d’Orléans which was one of the first places in the province to be colonised by the French and turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. We enjoyed a lovely lunch overlooking the St. Lawrence River, drove through colourful villages, and stopped at a traditional maple syrup shack where we learned all about maple syrup production.
For our return journey to Montreal Airport, we took a coach from Quebec City. It was comfortable, efficient, and an easy way to complete the trip.
Overall Impressions
Quebec felt nothing like the Canada I know. It has a distinctly European atmosphere, and in some places you could almost imagine yourself in France - yet it still feels uniquely Quebec. The combination of French heritage and North American culture creates an experience unlike anywhere else in Canada.
For anyone looking for an alternative summer destination away from the heat of southern Europe, I would highly recommend Quebec. The people are friendly, English is widely spoken alongside French, and it feels very safe and welcoming. It also pairs well with Toronto and Ottawa if you're looking to extend your trip and see more of Canada.
