Canada
Quebec City
Welcome to Quebec City, Canada! This is the only city in North America (besides some in Mexico) still surrounded by its very own old stone walls, with a fairy-tale castle-hotel watching over the river below.
Why is it famous?
Quebec City's old town, called Old Québec, is still wrapped in nearly 3 miles (4.6 km) of stone fortress walls — the only complete city walls left in North America north of Mexico.
Towering above it all is the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, a castle-like hotel so famous it's one of the most photographed hotels in the entire world.
How was it built?
French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608, making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America.
The ramparts were built up over centuries — first in the 1690s, then rebuilt and strengthened again in the 1740s and once more in the 1820s — to defend the city perched on a cliff above the St. Lawrence River.
Amazing facts
Old Québec's cobblestone streets, stone houses, and fortress walls earned it a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
Most of the city speaks French as a first language, making it feel like a little piece of France in North America.
Quick facts
- Old Québec's cobblestone streets, stone houses, and fortress walls earned it a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- Most of the city speaks French as a first language, making it feel like a little piece of France in North America.
- In winter, the city hosts a giant Winter Carnival with ice sculptures, ice canoe races, and a friendly snowman mascot named Bonhomme.
- The Château Frontenac hotel has been welcoming guests since 1893 and has over 600 rooms.