This Riverfront City Outshines Ottawa And Vancouver For Canada's Best City In 2026

As the second-largest country in the world, Canada is home to many important urban centers. This year, Quebec City, on the St. Lawrence River, took the crown as Canada's best city at Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. On July 7, 2026, Travel + Leisure unveiled its annual survey, in which more than 207,000 readers cast 661,000 votes. Quebec City earned a score of 86.99, with readers praising its "Old Town, grande dame hotels, and romantic ambience." The city ranked ahead of Canada's capital, Ottawa, and Vancouver, its third largest metropolitan area, combining historic European charm with riverfront beauty.

Quebec City occupies a prominent location on a cliff that rises over 300 feet above the St. Lawrence River. It was first founded as a French fur trading post in 1608 before becoming the fortified capital of the Colony of New France. The city's heritage is apparent in its well-preserved buildings and cobblestoned streets, which helped earn the Historic District of Old Quebec a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1985. Today, visitors stroll down quaint thoroughfares lined with restaurants serving French Canadian specialties and boutiques selling locally made wares. Rising above the city is the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, a French castle-inspired hotel that opened in 1893. 

Quebec City is also relatively easy to reach from the U.S. Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) has nonstop service to several U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The city offers something different with each season, from blooming flowers and outdoor adventures in the spring and summer to vibrant foliage in the fall. Though it may be cold, the snowy and festive winter months are when travel expert Samantha Brown calls Quebec City "a snow globe come to life."

Quebec City's Old Town is the heart of the city and a major reason it earned the top spot in the rankings. Old Quebec is divided into the Upper and Lower Town, which are connected by a funicular. Upper Town is still surrounded by historic defensive walls that developed between the 17th and 19th centuries and is anchored by the bustling streets of Rue Saint-Louis and Rue Saint-Jean. For a classic French-Canadian meal in a historic setting on Rue Saint-Louis, stop at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiennes, which has operated since 1966 inside Maison Jaquet, a house built in the 1670s. Here, you can feast on traditional dishes such as poutine with warm duck confit or Quebec meat pie in the cozy dining room. If you're shopping along Rue Saint-Jean, Artisans Canada is one of the most charming shops lining the streets of Old Quebec, with a beautiful selection of arts, crafts, and fashion all made in Canada.

To appreciate Quebec City's riverfront setting, head to the Dufferin Terrace, a 19th-century promenade that runs right in front of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. From here, you'll have panoramic views over the St. Lawrence River, a thriving waterway traversed by cruise ships, ferries, sailboats, kayaks, and even ice canoes in the winter. 

You can reach Old Quebec's Lower Town by taking the funicular from Dufferin Terrace. Here you'll find Rue du Petit Champlain, North America's oldest shopping district, where shops are stocked with Québécois treasures and delicious local eats. Stop at Boutique Red Canoe for Canadian-made outerwear, Sculpteur Flamand for locally carved wood sculptures, and La Petite Cabane à Sucre de Québec for maple sweets. Afterward, take a break from shopping and walk to Place des Canotiers, a waterfront square where you can enjoy a walk or sit by the St. Lawrence River. 

Travel + Leisure readers singled out Quebec City's "grande dame hotels" as one of its draws, and the best-known is Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. With its towering spires, turrets, and high-pitched roofs, it was built in the late 19th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Today, the hotel is a National Historic Site of Canada and one of Quebec City's best-known landmarks. 

Guests can check into the 610 rooms and suites, which feature a neutral color palette and picture windows framing city views. The hotel's top suites are named after the most illustrious guests, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Alfred Hitchcock, and Celine Dion. There are multiple restaurants and bars, ranging from the fine-dining Champlain Restaurant to Bar 1608, which boasts river panoramas. When guests need a break from city exploration, there is also a relaxing spa and indoor swimming pool. Though some guests complain on Tripadvisor about the crowded public areas, high prices, and dated interiors, the history and incredible views make up for it. "There is truly no other hotel in Old Quebec City comparable to the Frontenac," wrote a reviewer on Tripadvisor, where the hotel has a 4.5-star rating. "If you appreciate olde world style, this is the place."

Another unusual place to stay in Quebec City is Hôtel de Glace, North America's one and only ice hotel, whose ephemeral season lasts January to mid-March. Located about a 40-minute drive outside the city, the property features 30 suites made from snow and ice. Here, you can sleep on top of ice beds warmed by sleeping bags, sip on frosty drinks at the Ice Bar, and soak in the outdoor hot tubs.