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A slice of European, a pinch of cosmopolitan North America and fully its own quirky self, 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 is Canada鈥檚 artiest, coolest city, worth spending days and days exploring.

Known for its French-Canadian culture, 17th-century historic district and architectural landmarks, 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 is the largest city in the Queb茅c province.  From lining up to eat 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒-style bagels and smoked meat to climbing 鈥渢he mountain鈥� and checking out world-class museums, there is so much to enjoy in this captivating city. Just make sure to leave time to wander and soak in the vibe. These are the best things to do in magnificent 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒.

1. Explore 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 cool neighborhoods

One thing 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒ers love to disagree about is which neighborhood is the best or 鈥渃oolest.鈥� Decide for yourself by strolling around its many charming areas.

Le Plateau is where you鈥檒l find 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 classic residential duplex and triplex architecture with outdoor staircases, as well as atmospheric parks like Carr茅 St-Louis and Parc La Fontaine. Up along the Main (aka Blvd St Laurent) is the Mile End鈥檚 mix of trendy restaurants and Jewish institutions and Petite Italie, home to the fabulous food stalls of March茅 Jean-Talon and cannoli galore.

Vieux-Port (Old Port) is 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 400-year-old neighborhood, while Quartier des Spectacles hosts festivals and culture. Downtown along Rue Ste-Catherine is where the big-store shopping happens. East in 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 lingo 鈥� though really northeast on a map 鈥� you鈥檒l find 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 Gay Village (also called Le Village) party zone and rough-and-tumble hipster 鈥榟ood Hochelaga. West along Rue Notre-Dame are Griffintown and St-Henri, where there are trendy restaurants and paddle boats along the Canal de Lachine. Venture to Verdun to explore an up-and-coming neighbourhood with its own beach.

Local tip: The areas of Downtown and the Old Port of 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 are packed with hotels but head out a bit further to neighborhoods like Le Plateau or St-Henri if you want a more local experience.

2. Wander around the Old Port

Yes, 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 Vieux-Port is its most touristy area, with souvenir shops, caricaturists and cheesy attractions aplenty, but it's still a must-visit. Dating back to 1611, the neighborhood has a mix of British and French architectural styles, along with a wide boardwalk and historic shipping structures. Some of the prettiest buildings include the Basilique Notre-Dame (Basilica), H么tel-de-Ville (City Hall) and the former bank that鈥檚 now used for the stunning .

Local tip: Time your visit to Basilique Notre-Dame to experience , an immersive light and sound show that transforms the stunning interior of the church.

3. Join locals at a festival and see a show

Rarely a week goes by in 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 without a festival taking over city streets and parks. When they do, there鈥檚 nothing like seeing everyone鈥檚 faces light up in sync with scintillating light shows. Spring and summer festivals include for live jazz and other concerts, many of which are free; for graffiti, live hip-hop and shopping along The Main; for live circus performances in the streets; , one of the world鈥檚 premiere comedy festivals; Formula 1 Grand Prix racing and parties on Crescent St; and heart-pumping music festivals in summer and in sub-zero temperatures. If you aren鈥檛 in 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 in time for a festival, you can always see a show at a performance venue like , and .

Detour: Visit Qu茅bec City for the world鈥檚 largest winter carnival, and Baie-St-Paul for , a summer music festival with live concerts across town including in the river.

4. Climb Mont-Royal

惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 so-called 鈥渕ountain,鈥� and the city鈥檚 namesake, is the core of 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒, and thanks to smart city planners that made sure the park was protected from development in 1876, an urban oasis. Parc du Mont-Royal has a wide pedestrian path that zig-zags gently to the top where you鈥檒l find Lac-aux-Castors (Beaver Lake) and Kondiaronk Belv茅d猫re, a charming visitor chalet which hosts the city鈥檚 best views.

On Sundays at the bottom of the mountain by the monument to Sir George-脡tienne-Cartier (one of the fathers of Canadian Confederation) join dozens of people shaking and swaying to bongo drums and other instruments at Tam Tams, an unofficial weekly party that carries Le Plateau鈥檚 hippie days into today.

5. Take your tastebuds on a tour

This city is justifiably famous for its 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒-style bagels (fluffy, water-baked bagels covered in sesame seeds), which are lighter and, let鈥檚 face it, better than New York鈥檚 (don鈥檛 @ me), and smoked meat (brisket) sandwiches. Both were brought to 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 from Eastern Europe by Jewish immigrants. Try bagels at Fairmount Bagel and and line up for smoked meat at .

Stay hungry though as there鈥檚 more eating to be done. Portuguese immigrants gave 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 another iconic dish in the 1960s and 鈥�70s: piri-piri chicken. Try some spicy bird at Ma Poule Mouill茅e, and the restaurant whose founder is attributed with introducing Portuguese-style chicken to 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒:

While not necessarily a 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 dish (the origin are casse-cro没te chip wagons in central Qu茅bec), if this city is your only stop in Qu茅bec, you鈥檒l want to try ooey-gooey poutine (well-cooked French fries with squeaky cheese curds bathed in thick gravy). , and are the best.

Local tip: Take a walking tour from the Mus茅e Juif de 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 to taste the city鈥檚 best Jewish noshes and learn about the community鈥檚 history.

6. Feel natural diversity

In the city鈥檚 east end, is a group of four (five if you include the Biosph猫re in Parc Jean-Drapeau) of the city鈥檚 best attractions that focus on the natural universe and our place in it. The 叠颈辞诲么尘别 (which is different from the Biosph猫re) recreates five natural habitats that allow you to see what it鈥檚 like in the sub-Antarctic islands (penguins!) and feel the humidity of a tropical rainforest complete with views of parrots. The Insectarium allows you to enter the world of creepy crawlies and butterflies. There鈥檚 also the huge and impressive Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens), which hosts occasional light shows, and the intriguing Plan茅tarium.

Detour: For a bigger dose of nature, head north of the city to the Laurentian Mountains, dotted with dozens of lakes and sliced by rivers along with Mont-Tremblant, Eastern Canada鈥檚 most popular ski resort.

7. Pick up tasty produce at the market for a park picnic

Qu茅bec blossoms with fresh produce every year, from crunchy apples to wild blueberries exploding with flavor and ground cherries (tiny orange fruit), all attractively on display in overflowing baskets at the city鈥檚 two main farmer鈥檚 markers March茅 Atwater and March茅 Jean-Talon. Pick out your favorites for a picnic at one of the city鈥檚 many wonderful parks to get a taste of local life as a 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒er. Some of the finest parks are Parc La Fontaine, Carr茅 St-Louis, Laurier, Jarry, Jeanne-Mance, and Maisonneuve.

Local tip: You鈥檙e allowed to drink alcohol in 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 public parks, but only if you have ample food (ie a baguette and cheese not just a bag of chips). You also must be seated at a picnic table. If not, you could be fined.

8. Be wowed at a museum or immersive show

惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 is Canada鈥檚 art capital and has some of the country鈥檚 best museums. Visit Mus茅e des Beaux-Arts for a multi-floor collection of spectacular art from around the world. The Muse茅 McCord Stewart is a smaller museum focusing on Indigenous art, maps and fashion centered around the city鈥檚 many cultures. Go to 笔辞颈苍迟别-脿-颁补濒濒颈猫谤别 to learn about 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 history and venture underground to an archaeology site.

Another favorite is , an immersive art extravaganza with virtual reality and other shows that are out of this world. For a nouveau twist, check out the app, which casts augmented reality visualizations of the city鈥檚 history on buildings and foliage.

9. Relive Expo 67

Across the St Lawrence River from the Old Port is a partially artificial set of islands created for the Expo 67 (1967) World鈥檚 Fair. Many of the amazing structures that welcomed 50 million visitors (Canada鈥檚 population at the time was around 20 million) to Parc Jean-Drapeau over the six months it was on are gone, but you can still see Moshe Safdie鈥檚 brutalist architectural feat Habitat 67 and the Biosph猫re dome. Most weekends in the summer, Parc Jean-Drapeau hosts a mini-electronic music festival, , and there鈥檚 an amusement park, , as well as a beach.

Local tip: Ride over one of the bridges to Parc Jean-Drapeau with a bikeshare. It鈥檚 a fun adventure and provides terrific views over downtown and the St Lawrence River.

10. Go out on the town

While 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 has, for the most part, shaken off its reputation as a Sin City 鈥� earned during its rowdy neon-lit days during and following US Prohibition 鈥� it鈥檚 still a great place to have a good time when the sun goes down. Kick off your evening with a 5 脿 7 (happy hour) at one of 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒鈥檚 many rooftop bars and terrasses before tasting natural wine or craft cocktails at a hip bar. Continue your night (惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 bars don鈥檛 have to close until 3am) at the many clubs downtown and in Le Village. Some of the best include , Else鈥檚, and as well as nightclub.

11. Cheer on the Habs at Centre Bell

There are few sports franchises with as storied a history as hockey鈥檚 the 惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 Canadiens 鈥� stretching to when the team was an 鈥淥riginal Six鈥� National Hockey League franchise all the way to the team鈥檚 improbable appearance in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. Catch a Habs game at Centre Bell and feel the raucous atmosphere of the hometown team. Just don鈥檛 you dare cheer for arch-rivals Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs.

12. Hunt for treasures while vintage shopping

惭辞苍迟谤茅补濒 is the ultimate place for thrifting. Many friperies (stores selling secondhand goods) dot the city鈥檚 neighborhoods 鈥� think never-ending stalls of flea markets, hip boutiques, sustainability-focused designer stores, mysterious antique shops, and inviting vinyl and book sanctuaries. For a quintessential flea market experience, choose the gargantuan .

There's a wealth of vendors selling a large variety of items (clothing, designer bags and shoes, jewelry, toys, antiques, produce, soaps...you name it) at very reasonable prices 鈥� make sure you bring cash and not all stalls take cards. Hadio, Eva B, March茅 Underground and Espace Pepin are superb vintage shops featuring everything from clothes to quirky gifts, and Aux 33 Tours is the top choice for vinyl, both used and new.