Quebec City

Perched atop cap Diamant, surveying the St. Lawrence River below, Quebec City is one of the landmarks of North American history. The cradle of French civilization in North America, today it is a busy seaport, an important centre of services and research, a cultural hot spot and, of course, the provincial capital. UNESCO declared the old quarter of Quebec City a world heritage site in 1985. It is the only fortified city in North America, and from the top of its ramparts you can admire the maze of narrow, winding streets and sloping roofs below. Inside the venerable old walls, visitors will find several fascinating museums, including the Musée de l'Amérique française, tucked away within the centuries-old walls of the Seminary, and two others telling the stories of the Ursuline and Augustine nuns. Climb back up toward the Citadel that dominates the city, and you'll pass by the immortal Château Frontenac (now a five-star Fairmont hotel, available through Holiday House), with its medieval-looking gables and turrets. From there you can stroll the boardwalk of Terrasse Dufferin, with an incomparable view of the St. Lawrence. Keep walking and you'll come to the Plains of Abraham, also known as Battlefields Park.