Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, known as the “Father of New France,” the grand provincial capital of Québec is one of the oldest European settlements in North America and blends past and present beautifully. The only walled city in the Americas north of Mexico, Old Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage treasure offering 400 years of history and evolution, and its aged cobblestones also feature the best of today's shopping, food and entertainment. One requisite stop is high tea at Château Frontenac, an iconic North American hotel that commands the skyline from atop the promontory Cap Diamant. The changing of the guard at the Citadel, a residence of the Canadian monarch, also attracts a crowd. For green space and relaxation, Québec has one of the world’s largest urban parks, the Plains of Abraham, as well as the breathtaking waterfall of Chute Montmorency just north of the city.
