The Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park), Martello Towers and the Parliament Building

Step through Porte Saint-Louis on the western side of the Old Quebec ramparts and the narrow medieval alleys open into grand 19th-century boulevards, the ornate Parliament Building of Quebec, and 108 hectares of sweeping cliff-top green parkland overlooking the St. Lawrence River: The Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park / Parc des Champs-de-Bataille).

1. The Plains of Abraham: The 30-Minute Battle of 13 September 1759

Named after 17th-century river pilot Abraham Martin, who pastured his cattle on these high meadows, this cliff-top plateau is the site of the most famous battle in Canadian history. Before dawn on 13 September 1759 during the Seven Years' War, British General James Wolfe landed 4,500 troops at the base of the cliff at Anse-au-Foulon, scaled the steep 53-metre ravine path onto the open plains, and faced French Marquis Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. The musket battle lasted less than thirty minutes; both Wolfe and Montcalm were mortally wounded, and the clash led to the 1763 Treaty of Paris handing New France to the British Crown:

• What to See in the Park Today (Open Daily, Free): start at the interactive Plains of Abraham Museum (835 Wilfrid-Laurier Ave), walk out to the 4 Cylindrical Stone Martello Towers built by the British between 1808 and 1812, stroll through the 6,000 blooms of the Joan of Arc Garden (Jardin Jeanne-d'Arc), and follow the cliff-edge path to the Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace for a frontal view of the Citadelle and Château Frontenac. In July, these lawns host the 11-day Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) music festival; in winter, they become 14 km of groomed, free cross-country ski and snowshoe trails.

2. The Quebec Parliament Building (Hôtel du Parlement) & Grande Allée

Directly between St. Louis Gate and the Plains of Abraham rises the 1886 Hôtel du Parlement, designed by Eugène-Étienne Taché in the French Second-Empire architectural style of the Louvre Palace in Paris. Stand at the bronze Fontaine de Tourny (an 1855 cast-iron fountain gifted from Bordeaux, France) to admire the 26 bronze statues of historical figures set into the facade niches, and book a free guided tour inside the National Assembly chambers (bring photo ID). Afterwards, dine on the outdoor patios of lively Grande Allée.