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These islands are one of Montréal’s greatest escapes and one of Canada’s premier tourist areas, accessible either by car or train to Brockville. About two hours west of the border of Ontario and Québec, 1000 Islands actually covers 1,865 islands running the 80-km (50-mile) span from Brockville to Kingston, formed by meta-morphic rock at the end of the last Ice Age. St Lawrence Islands National Park is the jewel in the crown. Camp sites are available on 11 of the islands.

This street has vitality and panache, reflected in its bevy of eclectic eateries, curiosity shops and cafés but mostly in the laid-back attitude of its residents. Bargain shops nestle beside haute couture boutiques, while markets sell everything from hip fashion to ethnic cuisine.

It is rare to see birds from the northern and southern hemispheres in one place, but in this unusual exhibit animals from the Arctic, Antarctic, Tropics, Laurentian and St Lawrence marine habitats are housed under one roof in a controlled setting resembling their natural surroundings (see Biodome).

This award-winning center opened in 1979 to build public awareness about architecture within society; it promotes scholarly research in the field and stimulates innovation in design practice. Its collections, housed in two buildings, one of which is the restored 1874 Shaughnessy House, include models, drawings and photographs of some of the world’s most important buildings. Do not miss the gardens across the street.

This natural wonderland is bounded by the Richelieu and St Lawrence rivers and the US states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The personality of the region owes its profile to the Appalachian Mountains, with top-notch hiking trails at Owl’s Head, Mont Sutton, Mont Bromont and Mont Orford. The peaceful villages throughout this vast district, such as Knowlton, are a historic remnant of 19th-century British settlement, their Victorian buildings now home to antiques shops and cafés (see Attractions in Cantons de l'Est, Restaurants in Cantons de l’Est).

You can see an incredible congregation of wild birds indigenous to the province by driving 45 minutes east of Québec City. Over 290 species populate the marshes, lowlands and hills of the area, the most photographed being the snow goose – thousands of them return to these fertile grounds every year.