Is Lower Town a good place to stay in Quebec City?

The Lower Town is the most romantic place to stay in Quebec City. Place Royale, Petit-Champlain and the Old Port are on the doorstep, the boutique hotels are among the best in Canada, and the funicular takes you up to the Château in under a minute.

This is where the city began, and its narrow streets still feel like the 17th century. Stone houses hold galleries and bistros, a huge mural shows the city's history, and the ferry to Lévis crosses the river throughout the day. In winter, Petit-Champlain is lit up with Christmas decorations.

The downside is the price and the quiet evenings. Rooms are expensive, there's little nightlife, and you'll climb steep stairs or take the funicular to reach the Upper Town.

What makes the Lower Town special is the atmosphere. You can stay in a hotel full of 300-year-old artefacts, walk the cobbled lanes after the crowds leave and watch the ice floes drift down the St Lawrence in winter.