Hotels near The Fortifications of Quebec and Artillery Park

Quebec City is the only city north of Mexico that still has its fortified walls, which is the specific reason UNESCO inscribed the Historic District of Old Quebec in 1985 under criteria four and six, across 135 hectares. You can walk the full 4.6 km circuit of the ramparts free of charge at any time of year, and it is the best orientation exercise in the city: gates, bastions, cannon and a continuous view over the Lower Town and the river.

The Parks Canada interpretation season runs 19 June to 7 September 2026, and admission is free across that whole window under the Canada Strong Pass. Outside it, 2025 rates were 10 dollars for adults and 8.50 for seniors, with under-18s free. Artillery Park, on rue McMahon, is part of the same site. The 2026 caveat matters: Phase 2 of the wall restoration runs from April to autumn 2026 in the rue des Remparts and rue de la Menagerie sector, and while no full street closures are planned, expect scaffolding and temporary detours on the most photogenic stretch. The walls also have steps, uneven footing, no railings in places and no shade.

Pro Tip: Walk the circuit anticlockwise from the Saint-Louis Gate on rue D'Auteuil, so the restoration works on rue des Remparts come at the end rather than spoiling your first impression. Do it in the last hour before sunset, when the stone goes gold and the day trippers have gone.