Perched on Parliament Hill is Québec’s Parliament Building (Hôtel du Parlement), a beautiful old structure surrounded by gardens, walkways and historic monuments. Tour the eight-storey parliament building for free. The National Assembly and provincial legislature are based here.
Spend some time in the gardens around the Hôtel du Parlement before and after your tour. Fruit, vegetables and herbs grow in the impressive garden at the front of the building. See more than 130 different varieties of edible flora, including medicinal plants, strawberries and peas. The gardens were designed to encourage locals to grow their own food.
Québec’s former premiers are celebrated in the form of statues spread throughout the grounds. Have your photo taken beside the Fontaine de Tourny, which is decorated with carvings and 43 water jets.
Visitors with an interest in politics should book ahead to sit in on the National Assembly. If this doesn’t interest you, take a shorter half-hour tour. You can still see inside the National Assembly Chamber, where the state’s local members meet. The walls are lined with art.
Walk 5 minutes from the Parliament Building to the Marie-Guyart Building to visit the Observatoire de la Capitale on the 31st floor. The observation deck 221 metres (725 feet) above Québec is the highest point in the city and offers incredible views. See a multimedia presentation and use 3-D touchscreen computers to learn about the city’s history. The presentation is included in the price of admission.
The Hôtel du Parlement is lit up at night. It’s worth a trip back to Parliament Hill to photograph the colourfully illuminated building and its 26 bronze statues of important historic figures.
Reach Parliament Hill by bus. It’s a little way from the centre of the city in the La Cité-Limoilou neighbourhood. If you choose to come by car there are parking lots nearby. Pay to park in the Convention Centre (Centre des Congrès) carpark. Find out when parliament is sitting on the National Assembly website.
