Slow Travel in Québec City: How to Immerse Yourself in Québec City’s Charms This Summer

Upon arrival in Québec City, the first thing you’ll notice is the grand European architecture and charming, historic streets. Stay a little longer, and you’ll soon realize there’s so much more to discover in this welcoming, contemporary capital city.

Rather than ticking boxes off a whirlwind itinerary, Québec City rewards those who slow down to fully engage with its enriching culture. Eco-friendly wellness pursuits, innovative accommodations, and cutting-edge cuisine rooted in indigenous and French-Canadian traditions allow you to embrace the present; the city’s rich cultural heritage connects you with the past. 

Québec City’s contrasts shine, and there’s plenty to savor while the city summers all out. Keep your schedule light, live in the moment, and take your time to discover Québec City’s distinctive appeal on a slow summer adventure.

Slow travel is all about staying in one place for longer, while cultivating a greater sense of presence and connection to your destination. When choosing your home away from home in Québec City, take advantage of unique visitor experiences that let you to slow down and recharge in deeply relaxing environs. 

The old and new seamlessly entwine at Monastère des Augustines, a former hospital founded in 1639 that has been beautifully restored as an eco-friendly hotel and wellness center. Located in the historic heart of the city, the monastery offers daily yoga, meditation, spa treatments, and balanced meals — all just a stone's throw from the city’s most famous attractions. Guests even have the option of sleeping in an authentic Agustine cell.

For a tranquil escape in the Canadian wilderness, drive 30 minutes from downtown and you’ll find Bora-Boréal, an enchanting floating chalet on a secluded private lake. The comfortable, contemporary cottages accommodate up to four people, with immersive views of the lake and mountains beyond, plus plenty of hiking trails, kayaks, and paddle boards.

Active types can stay busy at Entourage-sur-le-Lac, built on nearly five acres with 375 feet of shoreline along Lake Beauport. This modern resort offers revitalizing outdoor activities like pontoon boat rides, sunset kayaking, mountain biking, and more. Rooms come equipped with Egyptian cotton bedding, bathrobes, and panoramic lake views — perfect for quiet moments. 

To fully appreciate and absorb the city’s rich history, spend time in Old Québec — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only fortified city north of Mexico, and the birthplace of French North America with a history dating back 400 years. Once upon a time, those solid ramparts and walls defended against enemies; today, you can admire them on a walking tour around the quartier (that’s French for “neighborhood”). 

Browse local businesses in the Petit-Champlain shopping district, visit the marina of Old Port, and stroll the Plains of Abraham, the site of a pivotal battle in the Seven Years’ War. Just beyond the fortifications, find Parliament Hill and its crown jewel, the Parliament Building, where free guided tours will teach you the inner workings of Québec’s governmental institutions. After a day of meandering, put your feet up with un verre de vin (a glass of wine) on a sidewalk patio along the tree-lined Grande Allée.

One of the best ways to experience slow travel in Québec City is with a day-trip to Île d’Orléans, an island in the St. Lawrence River known for its idyllic country vistas, small villages, and incredible gastronomy. Visitors can walk or drive along Chemin Royal, the island’s main road, chatting with producers at organic farms, vineyards, and cideries along the way. Buy bottles of local wine at Vignoble Sainte-Pétronille and nearby Saint-Pierre Le Vignoble; cheeses at Les Fromages de l'Isle d'Orléans; bread at Boulangerie Blouin; and jam at Cassis Monna &  filles.

With so many options, you might be tempted to squeeze it all in a day, but take your time and enjoy the slower pace of life the island’s artisans strive to safeguard. Breathe deeply in the sprawling lavender fields at Seigneurie de l’Île d'Orléans, and pick strawberries at the organic farm Ferme Jean-Pierre Plante (from late June to mid-July). Just be sure to taste ice wine — a sweet dessert wine made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine.

A destination’s food scene is more than plated dishes served in a restaurant; it’s about the people working behind the scenes to make it possible. At this modern public market, you’ll come face to face with roughly one hundred regional producers, growers, and artisans displaying their wares. It’s the ultimate one-stop-shop to prepare a meal or a picnic, with offerings like local maple and honey, cheese, fresh produce, seafood, spirits, butchery, herbs, and more. 

Located in one of Québec’s most beautiful glacial valleys, Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier offers over 62 miles of hiking trails of varying ability levels. Set out with a picnic lunch, plenty of water, and no agenda other than to bathe in the natural world beyond the city walls. Learn about local flora and fauna on a guided tour with park naturalists, or embark on a fishing or kayaking excursion on the river’s calm waters. 

Diverse accommodations make it easy to drop in. Ready-to-camp sites come complete with canvas tents, meal-preparation equipment, outdoor stoves, and refrigerators; regular campsites and yurts keep it simple. Traveling with a group? On-site cabins can accommodate up to 14 people.

Feeling the raw power of a waterfall thunder through your chest is an almost mystical experience. Montmorency Falls, located in the eponymous park just 15 minutes from Old Québec, offers that sense of wonder in spades. There are a few ways to get close to the falls, which are taller than Niagara: cross the suspended bridge, climb the 487-step staircase, zipline over the plunge, or, if you’re bold, follow one of three via ferrata routes up the cliff.

Québec City serves as the ideal jumping off point to experience the raw, rugged beauty this province is known for. Yet the city’s historical treasures, local food scene, and unique French-Canadian culture are also ripe for discovery — especially when you can slow down and summer all out.