Private Walking Tour Quebec City: 25 American Stories

Two and a half hours walking the sites where American and Canadian histories collided

This private walking tour of Old Quebec traces 25 stories connecting American and Canadian history across 250 years, from the 1775 invasion through the 1871 Treaty of Washington. A live English-speaking guide leads you through the Citadel, Place Royale, Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral, the Fortifications and other landmarks, with pickup included. The tour runs 2.5 hours and suits history enthusiasts who want the narrative woven together rather than reading plaques alone.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Old Quebecpassing by
2. Quebec Lower Town10m
3. Petit Champlain District10m
4. Quebec Royal Square10m
5. Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral10m
6. Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Sitepassing by
7. Port of Quebec10m
8. Citadel of Quebecpassing by

Explore Old Québec's historic sites

• Introduction to Old Québec history
• Visit Rue de la Barricade site
• Explore Quartier Petit-Champlain
• Short break at Mountain Hill street
• Discover Place Royale history
• Tour Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral
• Learn about Ursuline Nuns' legacy
• Pass by Fortifications of Quebec
• Visit early Roman Catholic parish archives
• See Quebec Parliament House façade
• Explore Port of Quebec and Chateau Frontenac
• Pass by Citadel of Quebec stronghold

The experience

The tour opens in Old Quebec itself, the ultimate historic district to tell the story of French and British Americas. Your guide walks you to Rue de la Barricade in Lower Town, where the December 1775 American attack on Quebec City is commemorated: Benedict Arnold was defeated here by British troops and local militia, days before the Declaration of Independence. From there you move through Petit Champlain District, where the discoverer of the Mississippi River, Louis Joliet, had his home in the 1600s, and later Irish shipbuilders settled along the St. Lawrence River.

The route takes you to Place Royale, called Canada's Jamestown, where history markers recall the King William's War and Queen Anne's War periods and the co-founders of Quebec City and Acadia. You'll stand at Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral, the first Roman Catholic cathedral in Canada, where the Louisiana Governor and founder of Detroit was married in 1687, and where Pope Francis came to apologize to the First Nations. The guide connects this to Andrew Jackson's 1830 Indian Removal Act, showing how the same colonial logic shaped both nations. You'll see the Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site, built from the early 1600s through the end of the 1871 Treaty of Washington, and learn how the city was shaped by the King William's, Queen Anne's, King George's and French and Indian Wars, then the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War.

The tour also covers the Ursuline Nuns who arrived in 1639 and later settled in New Orleans from 1727 to educate girls: their school remains the oldest school for girls north of Mexico. You'll pass the Quebec National Assembly building, erected after the 1871 Treaty resolved the last claims between Canada and the USA, and learn about the Canadian Pacific Railway and the 1893 Chateau Frontenac, built by American-born CPR President Cornelius Van Horne to launch coast-to-coast tourism. The Citadel, built after the Battle of New Orleans scared the British colonies north, closes the narrative arc from invasion to peace.

What’s included

• Guiding services throughout Old Quebec.
• pickup included.
• live English-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 37 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Quebec 1608

Is this one for you?At 2.5 hours, the tour fits a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole day, leaving time to explore the shops and cafés of Petit Champlain or the lower town on your own. Choose this one if you want the connections between American and Canadian history explained as you walk, rather than piecing together plaques and monuments alone.

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Top questions

What does the tour cover about the 1775 American invasion of Quebec City?

The tour commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Quebec during the 1775-1776 invasion, stopping at Rue de la Barricade in Lower Town where Benedict Arnold was defeated by British troops and local militia days before the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Which historic buildings and sites do you visit on this walking tour?

You walk through Old Quebec visiting the Citadel, Place Royale, Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral, the Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site, Petit Champlain District, and the Quebec National Assembly building, with stops at landmarks connected to the shared history of both nations.

How does the tour connect Quebec City history to American history?

The guide traces 25 stories showing how events in Quebec shaped the United States and vice versa, from the 1775 invasion and War of 1812 through the American Civil War's influence on Canada's founding in 1867, ending with the 1871 Treaty of Washington that marked 100 years of peace between the nations.

How long is the walking tour and what is the physical demand?

The tour runs 2.5 hours and requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Strollers are welcome for infants and small children, and service animals are allowed.

Is transportation to the tour included, and what language is the guide?

Pickup is included with the tour, and the guide conducts the walk in English.