Private Quebec City Tour: Plains of Abraham & Old Town

Plains of Abraham walking tour exploring the decisive battle that shaped New France

A private 3-hour guided tour of Quebec City with a licensed guide and dedicated driver, starting from your hotel. You visit the Plains of Abraham (where the 1759 battle between French and English forces determined the region's future), Dufferin Terrace for views of the St. Lawrence River, Old Quebec's UNESCO-protected colonial streets, and landmarks including the Basilica-Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec and Place-Royale where Samuel de Champlain founded the city in 1608. The itinerary adjusts to your interests, and you combine walking through neighborhoods like Petit Champlain with sightseeing from the vehicle.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Quebec City's main sites

• Meet guide and driver
• Visit Parliament Hill
• See Plains of Abraham
• View from Dufferin Terrace
• Walk through Old Quebec
• Visit Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
• See oldest monument obelisk
• Explore oldest port in Canada
• Visit Notre-Dame de Québec Church
• Explore Place Royale
• Visit Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church
• Shop in Quartier Petit Champlain
• Walk Antique Dealers District

The Experience

Your guide picks you up at your hotel and the tour unfolds across the city's layered history. The Plains of Abraham is the centerpiece—the 1759 battlefield where French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm and English General James Wolfe led their troops in a conflict that was part of a larger global war. Your guide explains what most visitors don't know: the battle's place in that wider struggle and how it reshaped the region. From there you move through Old Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and the most intact fortified town north of Mexico, where colonial architecture has survived over 400 years.

Dufferin Terrace, a long wooden boardwalk beside the Château Frontenac, gives you a panoramic view of the St. Lawrence River and the surrounding landscape. The guide takes you through Place-Royale, where Champlain established Quebec City, and into the Petit Champlain District with its boutiques, cafés and galleries. You'll see the Basilica-Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec (built in 1647 as the first stone church in the city) and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church, one of North America's oldest, rebuilt in 1763 after the Siege of Quebec. The Port of Quebec, Canada's oldest, anchors the tour's sense of how the city grew from a colonial outpost into a major hub.

The route mixes walking and vehicle time, so you cover more ground than you could on foot alone. Your guide speaks English or French, and because the itinerary is adjustable, you can steer the tour toward what interests you most. Hotel pickup and drop-off mean you don't arrange your own transport, and the private vehicle keeps the pace yours—no waiting for a group to gather or move between stops.

What’s included

• Private vehicle and driver for 3 hours.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• licensed tour guide for the full duration.
• access to all outdoor stops and neighborhoods including the Plains of Abraham, Dufferin Terrace, Old Quebec, Place-Royale and the Petit Champlain District.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Tour Travel & More

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in a Quebec City hotel without a car—the pickup and private driver mean you don't arrange your own transport, and the guide's knowledge of the Plains of Abraham and the city's colonial history gives you context that walking on your own wouldn't provide. The adjustable itinerary also lets you spend more time on what interests you most instead of following a fixed group schedule.

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Top questions

What happened on the Plains of Abraham that changed Quebec?

On September 13, 1759, French and English forces clashed on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm and English General James Wolfe led their troops in a battle that was part of a larger global conflict and determined who would control the region—a turning point that shaped North America.

Can I walk around Old Quebec on this tour, or is it all from the vehicle?

You combine walking with sightseeing from the vehicle. The tour includes time on foot in neighborhoods like the Petit Champlain District and around landmarks such as Place-Royale and the Basilica-Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec, so you experience the streets and architecture directly, not just from the car.

Does the tour include entry to museums or churches?

Entrance fees are not included in the tour price. Your guide shows you the exteriors and explains the history of sites like Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church and the Basilica-Cathedral, but if you want to go inside, that's an additional cost you arrange separately.

What is Dufferin Terrace and why is it on the tour?

Dufferin Terrace is a long wooden boardwalk next to the Château Frontenac that overlooks the St. Lawrence River and the surrounding landscape. It's one of the tour's main stops because it offers a panoramic view of the city and the river, and it's a central landmark in Quebec's geography.

Is the tour private, or will I be sharing it with other travelers?

This is a private tour. You have a dedicated guide and driver for the full 3 hours, so the experience is tailored to your group and pace, not shared with strangers.

What language does the guide speak?

Your guide is a licensed professional who speaks English or French. You choose the language when you book.