Simon Pelletier of Cicerone Tours and Darley Newman dressed up to explore Quebec City.
Simon Pelletier of Cicerone Tours and Darley Newman dressed up to explore Quebec City.

Travel to Quebec City, the Eastern Townships and Montreal with this “Travels with Darley” Quebec Travel Itinerary

We hand-curated this Bonjour Québec vacation itinerary based on Darley’s experiences filming for her Emmy Award-nominated PBS series, “Travels with Darley.” The tours, restaurants, hotels, and activities are top notch. For travelers who want to take this itinerary and customize it further, we’ve got you covered. This trip will give you personal insights into Québec and its rich history. 

Discover the wonders of Québec following Darley and her local guides across Québec City, the Eastern Townships and Montréal to make the most of your adventures.

Eastern Townships Adventure

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Darley goes cycling through the treetops, a unique adventure activity in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

Day 1: Wendake and Québec City

Travel to Québec City, Québec (Jean-Lesage International Airport)

Wendake

Travel to Québec City, Québec, and head for Wendake (30 minutes’ drive), to discover the Huron-Wedat community as you experience this First Nation’s fascinating history, culture and legendary hospitality.

Begin your experience with lunch at Restaurant La Traite, the perfect place to discover cuisine inspired by the Indigenous terroir and one of the best fine dining spots in Québec City. During the summer, the magnificent terrace on the edge of the Akiawenrahk’ river offers a unique atmosphere in Québec City. In this exceptional setting comes the opportunity to taste game meats, sauces made from berries native to the region, and various herbs from the boreal forest.

Walk off your lunch with a guided tour of the permanent Territories, Memories, Knowledge exhibit of Huron-Wendat Museum, located a flight of stairs above the restaurant within the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations. Inaugurated in 2008, the Huron-Wendat Museum is a national institution of the Huron-Wendat people that oversees the conservation and presentation of their heritage. The tour also includes the Yändia’wish Room, space reserved for the temporary exhibition of the moment, and the Ekionkiestha’ National Longhouse, that offers immersion in the lifestyles of the Huron-Wendat Nation.

Accommodation Recommendation: Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations

If returning to Québec City:

Accommodation Recommendations:

  • Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Québec City (Upper Town). This heritage urban resort will seduce you with its breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and the architecture of the Old fortified City, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The Le Monastère des Augustines. Completely restored and redesigned, Le Monastère offers a unique holistic health experience, as well as a living connection with the Augustinian sisters’ heritage. Le Monastère welcome visitors of all cultures and faiths, favoring a historical and cultural approach to religion.

Dinner Recommendation: La Buche Cuisine Québécoise

Day 2: Québec City Tour, Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Île d’Orléans

Québec City Private Tour Experience* starting at 8am  After breakfast (on your own), meet your guide Simon Pelletier of Cicerone Tours in the lobby of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. Born in Québec City with 15 years tour guiding experience, Simon will take you on a tour of the major sites of Old Québec (Upper Town & Lower Town) featured on “Travels with Darley: Québec such as: 

At noon, you will depart for Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, discover this impressive fall.

Take the cable car up to the bridge and discover this wonder of nature! Enjoy a picnic boxed lunch in the grounds of Manoir Montmorency.

From Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, you will head to Île d’Orléans, an island located in the Saint Lawrence River about 5 km. east of downtown Quebec City. It was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace ancestry to early residents of the island. Start your journey with a visit to Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau to sample cider products from their apple orchard, followed by a visit and tasting of the delicious blackcurrant products, from gin to ice-cream at Cassis Monna & Filles.

Return to Québec City.

Dinner Recommendation: Chez Muffy Set within a historic maritime warehouse dating back to 1822, Chez Muffy overlooks the St. Lawrence River. Its menu sets on a local innovative cuisine, Quebec gastronomy, focusing on savory flavors and ingredients from the hotel’s farm on Île d’Orléans, all inspired by the season.

Day 3: Eastern Townships (Cantons-de-l’Est)

North Hatley, Lac-Brome, Granby, Sutton

Depart Québec City for the Eastern Townships (2.5 hrs. by road). Eastern Townships is a land of astonishing beauty – a kingdom of mountains, lakes, farms, and picturesque villages. The area is known for its spas, its regional cuisine and the high quality of its lodging offering romantic settings and mouth-watering dishes. This region is a year-round destination offering sporting activities. The Townships offer more than 50 attractions, over 130 festivals and three country roads: the Wine Route, the Townships Trail depicting two centuries of history through American and British architecture and the Summit Drive featuring magnificent landscapes and outdoor pleasures.

Tour of  Manoir Hovey

Lunch at Manoir Hovey’s Restaurant Le Tap

Manoir Hovey is a 5-star hotel and member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux hotel association. Tucked away on the shores of Lake Massawippi near North Hatley in an enchanting setting, it is a 75-minute drive from Montreal. Renowned for its award-winning fine regional cuisine and its exceptional wine cellar, the Manoir Hovey also charms its guests with its elegantly appointed rooms and suites and its refined, country-style decor. Surrounded by picturesque English gardens with stunning views of the lake. Add to this a renowned cuisine and a full range of recreational facilities year-round and you have all the ingredients for a complete vacation experience at this romantic inn.

Depart for Léon Courville Vineyard (1 hr. drive)

Ask for owner, Ms. Anne-Marie Lemire at the Leon Courville Vineyard, located on an exceptional rural setting with stunning views of the Eastern Townships. With its century-old sugar shack, the vineyard was planted on gravel and clay hillsides overlooking Lake Brome. A beautiful winery, with the most modern equipment, Leon Courville Vineyard produces red and white wines, aged wines in oak barrels, late harvest, and ice wines as well as sparkling wines. Since opening in 2005, the wines produced at the Léon Courville vineyard have won several awards and both its wines and sunsets have attracted many fans and connoisseurs.

Depart for Granby. Visitors can enjoy many attractions and activities nearby. The Yamaska National Park offers a wide range of activities in summer and winter, and Granby is close to the Wine Route where you can take the opportunity to taste products from the vineyards, take part in the fall grape harvest or just admire the beautiful fall colors.

Accommodation Recommendation: Le Saint-Christophe, Hôtel-Boutique & Spa

Dinner Recommendation: Bistro Piccolo, St-Christophe’s dining room

Day 4: Eastern Townships (Cantons-de-l’Est)

Grab a breakfast box and depart for Sutton (1 hr. drive)

VéloVolant at Au Diable Vert (Biking through the Treetops) 

Unique in Canada, the VéloVolant is an innovative and ecological activity. Be one of the first to soar through the treetops on a suspended recumbent bicycle which travels only as fast as your pedal strokes. VéloVolant is the highest of its kind, supported by towering maples and pines connected by high performance cable. The 1000-meter circuit meanders along a mountainside passing through ravines, over waterfalls as you peer through the canopy at the Green Mountains of Vermont. An experience that will take your breath away. Ready for a whole day or week of fun? Combine your VeloVolant experience with a stay in one of the tree houses or cliff cabins, a hike in the mountains or a paddle down the Missisquoi River.

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Sutton for lunch.

Lunch Recommendation: Mollies Café Dinette Buvette, Sutton

Charming café, dinette and buvette in Sutton. The staff offers a varied healthy menu prepared with local and regional products. Mollies also offers a fine selection of coffees roasted by Yamabiko in Sutton, and available for take-out. Mollies is the meeting point (the hub) of residents and visitors!

Now you’ve regained your energy, let’s head for the next adventure the Eastern Townships have to offer.

Zipline Coaster Mont Sutton. Imagine: a roller coaster mixed with a zipline going between trees! You go down, you go up, you turn right around that tree, then left around the other one, left again and it starts all over again! The feeling of being a bird of prey in the treetops of the glades. The Mont Sutton zipline coaster will give you many new thrilling sensations! After a series of turns, drops, loops up to 450 degrees, all on a 700 meters long descent through the Mont Sutton undergrowth, you will probably need a moment to recover from your emotion. This zipline coaster in wooded terrain is a first in North America and its pleasure will be incomparable!

Dinner Recommendation: Bistro West Brome. A creative and inspired, not to mention mouth-watering, menu awaits you at the Bistro West Brome. Chef Ugo-Vincent Mariotti, who previously worked the kitchens of Ferreira Café and Beaver Hall, uses fresh and local ingredients for his delectable dishes. Come experience attentive and personalized service, with the warmest of welcomes and in a relaxed atmosphere.

Day 5: Montréal

Breakfast Recommendation: Le Café de la Brûlerie before departing for Montréal (1 hr. drive).

As historic and grand as it is, Old Montréal teems with contemporary life among antique beauty, stunning architecture, and epic views. The lively main boulevards and quietly charming cobblestone side streets meet at the intersection between times old and new, modern boutiques and gourmet bistros tucked in buildings nearly four centuries old.

Take a guided tour of Old Montréal with Licensed Montréal Tourist Guide Francoise Bâby and visit places of interests featured in Travels with Darley: Québec episode:

Explore Downtown Montréal on your own. Montréal’s compact downtown core manages to deftly mix business district with high-fashion shopping, gourmet food with the latest entertainment.

  • Crescent Street. Everyone flocks to this famous downtown street for its array of bars, feel-good ambiance, and fun-loving crowds.
  • Dorchester Square-Place du Canada. Amidst heritage buildings and modern skyscrapers are two superb historic pockets of greenery that are great for relaxing.
  • Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. From its patron saints standing atop to its gold and wooden coffered vault to its baldachin, this cathedral draws many visitors (exterior shots only).

Accommodation Recommendation: Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Hotel

That Fairmont feeling means having the chance to enjoy a luxurious ambiance and a broad range of services to accommodate your every needs. Ideally located in downtown Montréal, Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth is the best place to start your journey in the vibrant City of Montréal.

Dinner Recommendation: Rosélys Restaurant, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Blending French elegance and English flair, Rosélys boasts sophisticated, Art Deco-influenced design and a refined bistro experience. With its name inspired by the Montréal flag, the venue is a tribute to the city and its cultural heritage.

Day 6: Montréal

Experience the Mile-End Montréal Food tour with Local Montréal Tours. Mile End is a thriving community of musicians, artists, and young entrepreneurs. The tour allows you to discover exactly what makes this special neighborhood tick! You will explore its back alleys, acclaimed shops, and exhilarating culture. Not to mention, you’ll also uncover some of Montreal’s most unique, tasty, and trendy food. Standouts visited by Darley:

  • St-Viateur Bagel, St-Viateur Street, Mile End
  • Drogheria Fine, a hole-in-the-wall known for gnocchi and tomato sauce.
  • Kem CoBa, Vibrant counter spot for sorbet, ice cream & soft serve in inventive flavors, plus baked goods.

If time permits, Darley also recommends:

Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. A true nerve center of the Montréal artistic community, the Plateau stands out for its lively commercial avenues, its charming shaded residential streets, its colorful houses, and its celebrated spiral staircases.

  • Mount-Royal Park. The main attraction along the Olmsted Trail is the Kondiaronk Belvedere at the summit of the mountain. This is the perfect place for views over the city, and the requisite selfie. For a longer walk, do the loop that surrounds the Mount Royal Cross, an LED-illuminated, 103-foot-tall steel crucifix that was first erected in 1924.
  • Murals along Saint-Laurent Boulevard. To get a street-level view of Montréal’s rich arts culture, all you’ve got to do is walk around! Street art has become one of Montréal’s core visual identities over the last couple of decades.

Dinner Recommendation: Marché des Artisans. Located in the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, Marché des Artisans is a bright, lively, accessible setting for gourmet discovery, showcasing exceptional products created by open, kind-hearted artisans. Marché des Artisans pay homage to good taste, authenticity, and excellence, by offering the very best from here at home and around the world. A great place to enjoy gourmet pizza or sushi and purchase artisan crafted souvenirs before you pack your bags.

Day 7: Montréal 

From beautiful food to beautiful insects? You’ve got that right. Montréal is home to one of the largest museums devoted to insects in North America and you’d be surprised at what a visit to the Montréal Insectarium can do for you.

Before leaving Montréal, Darley recommends a visit to the newly renovated  Montréal Insectarium. The team at the Insectarium has created an intimate, multi-sensory tour that takes the public on a journey from empathy to observation, encouraging visitors to redefine their relationship to insects. The Insectarium is part of theSpace for Life Attractions. From exploring our natural world to outer space, children of all ages can discover new worlds at the Space for Life, the largest natural sciences museum complex in Canada, which comprises the Botanical Garden, Planetarium, Biodôme, Biosphere and Insectarium.

Depart for Montréal-Trudeau International airport. À bientôt (See you soon!)