Place Royale

The charming square at the base of Cape Diamond can get unbearably crowded when cruise ships come to town. However, if you are lucky enough to pass through it on a quiet day, you will understand instantly why UNESCO declared the city a World Heritage Site. With its perfectly preserved church, Notre Dame-des-Victories, and surrounding stone Norman-style houses, you may feel transported back hundreds of years. Step inside the church to see its unusual fort-shaped altar and the ship hanging from the ceiling that was modeled on one that brought the French soldiers here in 1664. The Centre d’Interpretation contains a number of exhibits on the city’s history, including displays of an 18th-century family in full period dress and an area where children can try on period costumes.