If you only have an hour, you have to take a stroll through old Quebec City. The architecture is a blend of French and English, with a lot of the buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Quebec City is the only walled city in North America, and it was built on a hill, so you get some spectacular views.

Best weekend trip to add on after a business trip

A great trip is to the surrounding natural areas outside of Quebec City. Orleans Island, or Ile d’Orleans, is a 25-mile-long island that can be reached via car over a bridge. The island is where the French settlers first landed when they came to the region and is protected wild land.

Just before the bridge, there is a waterfall that you must stop to see as well. It is 150 feet higher than Niagara Falls, with a manor house you can visit on the top of the cliff. It is called Montmorency Falls, and it is only 10 minutes from the city.

The resort Mont Ste-Anne is a nice place to stay-there is golf in the summer, and a nearby ski resort for winter visits.

Worth planning a trip around

• Summer Music Festival in July

• New France Festival, (Fête de la Nouvelle France) in August

• Winter Carnival in January/February

• Complete calendar of events