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Early summer and fall are the best times to visit Québec, when the climate is more temperate. However, if you are interested in the variety of winter sports on offer in the province plan your visit in October to November or January to March.

Christmas can be magical in both cities, but as a result they are crowded with tourists who come to celebrate amid the fairylights and the snow. June and July are the main months for the region’s renowned festivals (see Festivals and Events), so these months are also frenetic, but fun. Québec City draws the crowds to its Carnaval each February (see Carnaval de Québec Attractions).

The term “weather extremes” might have been invented in Québec, where residents and visitors alike comment on variations from hour to hour. Temperatures range from 40º C (105º F) in summer to -40º C (-40º F) during winter ice storms. Packing rain gear is de rigueur and wearing layers of clothes that can be taken on or off is the most sensible option at any time of year.

American citizens need only photo ID to enter Canada, but all other visitors must have a valid passport that extends beyond the length of the trip. You may stay in the country for up to six months, providing your passport covers this period. US and EU citizens need no visa to enter Canada, but other nationalities should check at the Canadian Embassy or Consulate in their home country for up-to-date regulations.

Health care is expensive in North America so it is essential to take out travel insurance prior to departure to avoid paying high fees should you fall ill during your trip. Make sure the insurance also covers travel cancellations as well as loss of valuables should you be the victim of theft.

More than 50 airlines serve Montréal and Québec City, but the scheduled airline with the most international flights is Air Canada. The charter company Air Transat offers cheaper options (see By Air to Montréal, By Air to Québec City).

You are forbidden to bring certain food products, such as fruit, into Canada from abroad and sniffer dogs may operate at airports to check your luggage. Visitors over the age of 18 may import 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, one liter of spirits and 1.5 liters of wine.

Québec is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – the same time zone as New York City. When it is midday in Montréal, it will be 5pm in London, 9am in Los Angeles and 3am in Sydney.

The whole of North America operates on a 110-volt, 60-cycle electrical system, with two or three-pronged plugs. Equipment manufactured in other countries will need an adaptor.

The airport taxi system is convenient but the airport bus, operated by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), is much cheaper, running to the center of the city from 7am until 1am. There is also a shuttle in Québec City.

The best way to deal with rush-hour traffic on the 11 commuter bridges in Montréal is to avoid it. From 4:30pm to 6:30pm traffic is at a standstill. In the morning, wait until after 9:30am before driving. Québec City’s concern is the Pierre-Laporte and Ile d’Orléans bridges. The same advice applies to these.

Unless driving through a maze of construction re-routings, one-way streets, closed-due-to-festival signs and pumped-up summer traffic is your idea of a good time, do yourself a favor and use public transportation, taxis, walk or rent a bike. In winter you also have the ice, snow banks, poor visibility and less street parking to consider.

A word of warning to fashionistas: walking through the ancient cobbled streets of Old Town areas in high-heeled footwear is a sure way of canceling the next day of activities. Make sure you wear sturdy, comfortable footwear.

The rates at airport exchangers are famously poor the world over. It is always preferable to deal with specialists in currency exchange in the cities themselves.

A pickpocket looks like any other person, so be watchful of characters bumping into you – it could be a thief at work. A favorite trick of pick-pockets is to work the crowds during the area’s many festivals so be particularly careful at these events.

Montréal and Québec City are famously safe cities but there are areas to avoid. Stay away from Pascal Street in Montréal Nord, east of boulevard Pie-IX, as well as rue Ontario Est – plan your visit during daylight. The Côtes-desNeiges neighborhood, especially Barclay Avenue, is also a no-go area at night but fine during the day. Strip clubs abound in the province and seedier elements are constant in these establishments. Québec City is very safe but common sense must be exercised.

Montréal International Airport has had its share of organized gang-related con artists preying on the public. While authorities have stepped up security, be aware of your possessions at all times. One of the favorite ruses is to distract your attention while stealing your luggage. They customarily work in teams of two or three, so monitor your luggage attentively at all times.

Montréal and Québec City have street beggars who congregate in high-traffic areas and outside SAQ stores, the province-run alcohol outlets. However, the province is a world leader in providing hostal facilities, free meals, medical services and halfway houses for the homeless, so beggars do have other options beyond your cash donation, which may be worth bearing in mind.

Visitors arriving by air will land at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, where transportation to central Montréal can be arranged. From here you can also make connecting flights to other Canadian and foreign cities, as well as other regions of Québec Province. Montréal has a second airport called Mirabel used for vacation charters and cargo flights.

Jean Lesage International Airport is located about 15 minutes from Québec City and is serviced by several major US airlines, a Cuban carrier, Air Canada and Air Transat, a charter company with direct flights to Paris.

Gare Centrale is where the Amtrak trains arrive from the US and VIA trains pull in from other points in Canada. This is also where you connect to buses for Québec City and daily services for other Canadian cities.

Cruise ships arriving in the Port of Montréal anchor at the Iberville Terminal, within walking distance of Vieux-Montréal. Arriving in Montréal by cruise ship, gracefully sailing under the Jacques Cartier Bridge and into Vieux-Montréal, is a romantic introduction to the “Paris of the Americas.”

A brand new cruise terminal is welcoming the floating hotels into the Vieux-Port. Traditionally, the cruise season extends from April to October.

To reach Montréal by car use either Hwy 401 from southern Ontario, which becomes Hwy 20 at the Québec border, and cross the Pont Galipeau bridge, or take Hwy 40 from Ottawa which crosses the Pont Ile aux Tourtres. The Cantons de l’Est auto-route (Hwy 10) is fed by US freeways 91 and 93, with other US East Coast travelers using Hwy 15 – both of these lead to Pont Champlain. Québec City visitors can choose either Hwy 20 or Hwy 40, both from Montréal, or Hwy 138 if traveling to Québec City from the east.

One of the most exciting and scenic ways of arriving in either city is aboard the hydrofoil called Les Dauphins du St-Laurent. This craft also stops at Trois-Rivières in both directions (see Trois-Rivières).

Since Montréal is an island city, shuttle boats (navettes) are in use, but only in fair weather, which fluctuates according to the winter icepack. A shuttle service is available from the South Shore community of Longueuil, generally from the end of May until mid-October.

One of the best viewpoints of this city is from the ferry crossing to the town of Lévis on the south shore of the St Lawrence River (see Ferry, Québec City to Lévis).

The best way around Montréal is by Métro, which operates from 5:30am until 1am. Québec City has no Métro.

Montréal’s bus/Métro system acts as a single network seven days a week. A single fare allows access to the entire system. Buses also run efficiently in Québec City.

The same tickets are valid on both the Métro and buses in Montréal. If you plan to use public transportation frequently during your stay, it is worthwhile investing in a one-day Carte Touristique for $7.00 or a three-day pass for $14.00 and you will have unlimited access to the major areas. These cards are available at the Berri-UQAM and Bonaventure Métro stations and, during the summer, at the Sherbrooke, Mont-Royal, Pie-IX, Viau, Jean-Talon and Longueuil stations too.

The Province of Québec has a reputation of being a combination of fast drivers, one-way streets, complicated parking signs, short-lived meters and over-priced parking lots. Overnight indoor parking or taking taxis are both worth the investment while staying in either city.

Both cities are walker-friendly, providing many wonderful streets to wander along and places to stop for a break. There are clearly marked walking trails but they share space with cyclists and sometimes in-line skaters, so be careful, but courteous.

Cyclists abound throughout Québec on the city streets, bike paths and in the parks. With over 350 km (215 miles) of paths around Montréal too, there is no shortage of surface. Ça Roule is a rental and repair shop.

For under $10 you can get from one place to another in the downtown core of both cities, rush-hour traffic not-withstanding.

In Montréal, calèche rides (horse-drawn carriages) are available at Place d’Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier, at the foot of boulevard St-Laurent or by calling Lucky Luc. In Québec City, call Calèches du Vieux-Québec or hail one on any of the old town streets. It’s a romantic, if expensive, way to get around. Rates are the same in the two cities, roughly $60.00 per hour, but each driver negotiates separately.

For the best view of Vieux-Montréal, hire a boat – the Vieux-Port has all the relevant information. Other beautiful areas to anchor include Marina de la Ronde and Lachine’s Pleasure Craft Harbour and Visitor’s Marina.

Quebecers use the Canadian dollar ($) which is made up of 100 cents (¢). A 5 cent piece is called a nickel, a 10 cent piece a dime, and a 25 cent piece a quarter. The $1 coin has a loon (a type of waterfowl) on it so is known as a loonie; the $2 coin is known as a toonie. French Canadians refer to sous meaning penny or piastres for dollar. Paper money comes in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 1,000-dollar denominations.

These money-changing shops cash checks and exchange currencies provided you have sufficient identification. For cash currency exchanges they sometimes provide better rates than banks. You can find them at airports, hotels and on popular boulevards and squares.

In the earlier 1900s Quebecers opened the first credit union in North America called a caisses populaire , or people’s bank. Today, while not as numerous as banks, they are more amiable and give attractive rates.

Quebecers recognize all major credit cards issued by legitimate financial entities throughout the world, but prefer cash, as there are charges associated with plastic. Bank debit cards are common at convenience stores, markets, bistros, cafés and restaurants. Check before you leave home that your debit card uses the Interac, Plus or Cirrus systems.

Traveler’s checks are accepted throughout Québec, but if you are traveling to isolated or rural areas, ask in advance to verify their acceptance. Otherwise you should have no real problems cashing American Express, Travelex, Visa or other major brand traveler’s checks in either of the city’s hotels, restaurants and stores.

Québec has a wealth of newspapers available at specialty stands. Local papers include The Montréal Gazette (daily) and Québec City’s weekly Chronicle-Telegraph in English. French papers include Le Devoir , La Presse , Le Journal de Montréal , Le Journal de Québec and Le Soleil .

Quebecers have the Canadian networks CBC (government-run), CTV and Global in English, and SRC, TQS, TVA and Téle-Québec in French. Radio stations are CBCFM at 93.5 & 95.1 in Montréal and 106.3 in Québec, CJAD 800 AM Talk Radio for English Montréal and INFO 690 AM for French. FM 94.3 CHYZ Radio Laval and CJMF 93.3 FM Classic Rock are active French stations in Québec City and Radio X CHOI at 98.1 FM broadcasts French and English music.

Tourisme Montréal publishes the official Tourist Guide each year available at many outlets. Free weeklies list most entertainment activities in both cities: The Mirror and The Hour (English) and Voir & Ici (French) are found in stores, restaurants and street boxes.

For cellular/satellite rentals with delivery seven days a week call World Cellular Rentals. To use public telephones, pick up the receiver, dial the number and deposit a flat fee of 25¢ to begin.

All municipal police stations in Québec are connected via the 911 emergency system. To contact police for less urgent business dial (514) 280 2222.

Fire stations are also linked to the 911 network in both cities. For non-emergencies call (514) 872 3800 in Montréal; in Québec City check out www.spiq.ca

Montréal’s mega-hospital should be fully operational by 2005, but there are other central hospitals in both cities.

These community health clinics provide neighborhood residents with a range of medical and health-related services and tests. It is possible to obtain immediate medical assistance by walking in to a CLSC.

A 24-hour pharmacy in Montréal is located at 5122 chemin de la Côtesdes-Neiges. PharmaPrix is a more central pharmacy, open until midnight, at 901 rue Ste-Catherine Est.

Various organizations offer information to disabled travellers.

Both cities are relatively crime-free, but the same precautions should apply as for any urban setting. Should you be a victim of crime, contact the police immediately. In Montréal, the Sun Youth Organization provides neighborhood watch teams on foot and bicycle. Crime Stoppers is a telephone service for reporting crime, allowing witness anonymity.

Dental services are available at the McCall Clinic in Montréal. For dentists in Québec City, call the number below.

You can purchase alternative health supplies at Carrefour Santé in Montréal or the Chantal Lacroix Clinic in Québec City.

The Montréal Métro subway system offers free travel on New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and St-Jean Baptiste (June 24). Tickets for performing arts events can be purchased direct from the venues or via Admission Network. Some clubs offer free admission incentives for the first group of patrons – call the relevant venue for details.

In summer in both cities there are street performers who display their juggling or musical talents free of charge. Shakespeare in the Park entertains crowds around Montréal; check the free weekly newspapers for schedules (see Newspapers). The Vieux-Port areas in the two cities regularly present outdoor concerts, fireworks displays and colorful demonstrations free of charge.

The best time to obtain discounts and passes is the “shoulder” season, outside the summer or winter tourist rush. To stimulate attendance, businesses will often cut the price of a tour, hotel room or show if you ask ahead of time.

Québec is famous for cheap food outlets, from casse-croûtes (snack bars) and patates frites (French fry) stands, to hot dog and hamburger joints. Ethnic food has boomed with Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese eateries such as Juste Nouilles offering lunch specials for under $5. The rule of thumb in restaurants across all price ranges is to eat your main meal at lunch time to save money.

The cheapest accommodations are youth hostels (see Budget Hotels and Hostels). The Université du Québec à Montréal has a lavish new auberge able to handle singles, doubles or groups (see Auberges). Local motels are also good value.

Budget-conscious shopping is offered at friperies (secondhand clothiers), selling fashions from every era and style at cheap prices. Rue St-Denis, avenue Mont-Royal, rue Ste-Catherine Est and boulevard St-Laurent are the streets to scout in Montréal.

Montréal’s secret for frugal entertainment is the Maison de la Culture network, a series of venues offering free or inexpensive performances by artists throughout Montréal districts. The events cover all styles of performing arts, even photographic and art exhibitions.

Free admission is available to the Musée des Beaux-Arts every day (see Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal), and to the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal (see Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal) on Wednesday evenings from 6pm. On UNESCO’s International Museum Day (late May), 28 Montréal museums open their doors free of charge from 9am until 6pm and provide a free shuttle bus service.

Use toll-free 1-800 reservations systems for accommodations, flights, tours and transportation once in Canada. Do not be afraid to ask for discounts and negotiate deals if you plan paying by cash.

Montréal and Québec City offer travelers a dynamic range of eating choices – diners may choose from a vast selection including delicacies from Afghanistan, Tibet, Algeria, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Poland, San Salvador, Cuba and many other countries. Local favorites include bagels, Montréal smoked meat, and poutine (French fries smothered in gravy with cheese).

It is common to find children’s portions in menu selections – if not, ask your waiter if they would consider offering one to you. Most will gladly comply, not wanting to lose your business. Of course chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King are always popular with kids. Some family restaurants even advertise free meals for children under five.

The provincial and federal governments impose hefty taxes on top of goods and services in Québec, amounting to 15 per cent. A few merchants include these taxes in their price tags but most do not, so always bear in mind that you will pay more at the cash register. For visitors, however, federal tax (GST) is refundable on most purchases. You can pick up refund forms at airports, train stations and bus terminals.

Throughout the Province of Québec, table d’hôte menus show up at both lunch and dinner sittings. These menus are fixed-price deals, serving either a soup of the day or salad to start, followed by a choice of principal dishes, then a dessert and coffee or tea. It is the most economical way to dine in Québec.

A number of restaurants offer dishes suited to vegetarians, and there are specialty eateries serving only vegetarian fare such as Le Commensal (chain), Govinda Jaya Jaya at 263 rue Duluth, and Kilo Prix at 201 rue St-Viateur in Montréal. Vegetarians may have fewer choices in more rural locations.

This centralized delivery system provides an amazing service, offering access to dozens of restaurants, many of which do not have their own delivery service. They deliver throughout the tourist areas of Montréal.

In Québec service personnel earn only minimum rates and depend on tips for the larger part of their wages. This does not excuse poor service but is a consideration at gratuity time. Customary tipping in Québec is between 15–20 per cent of the pre-tax total of the bill.

Laws of Québec prohibit smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants and the workplace, unless there is a separately ventilated space. Most establishments designate a separate section for smokers.

Bars and restaurants serve alcohol during hours of operation, usually until 3am. For private consumption, alcohol must be purchased at supermarkets, dépanneurs (convenience stores) or, for a wider selection, at Societé des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) outlets, which are found in both cities.