There’s something undeniably magical about a winter escape to Québec. Picture charming snow-covered streets, cozy stays that invite you to snuggle up by the fire, and romantic adventures that make the cold feel like an afterthought. Whether you’re gliding hand-in-hand across an ice rink, racing down a historic toboggan slide, or unwinding in a steamy outdoor spa, Québec offers the perfect setting for a dreamy couples’ getaway. In this post, I’ll take you through our unforgettable winter trip—from our charming stays to all the romantic activities that made this getaway so special.

The perfect winter destination for couples

If you’re looking for a beautiful destination for a cozy winter getaway, Quebec is absolutely perfect. However, you might be wondering, where is Quebec? Quebec is a province in eastern Canada, and its capital city is Quebec City. It is the only province in Canada where French is the official language. Québec is known for its rich history, European-style architecture, and beautiful winter scenery, making it a perfect destination for a cozy and romantic getaway!

During this trip, we opted to fly into Montreal, rent a car, and drive the 2 hours to Quebec City. There are other options for transportation, including public transportation, a great train system, and direct flights to Quebec City. For this particular trip, we chose the rental car due to costs and the epic Airbnb in the mountains we stayed at during the second part of our trip. I highly recommend Enterprise rental cars as we rented a 4 wheel drive SUV for one week for the cost of $250usd.

Where We Stayed: The Perfect Cozy Retreats

For the first part of our trip, we stayed at the Hotel Boutique Ophelia. Located near the heart of Old Quebec, this boutique hotel is a perfect romantic and cozy vibe for a couple’s winter stay. Just steps from popular tourist areas like the Château Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, Quartier Petit Champlain, as well as many sought-after boutiques, restaurants and art galleries.

This boutique hotel featured modern amenities, newly remodeled rooms, two on site restaurants, plush bedding, and our room had a free standing tub for a relaxing night in. Offering both comfort and luxury, contactless entry, and an upscale experience, I highly recommend this hotel for your winter getaway.

Romantic dinner in an igloo – winter in Quebec City

One of the best parts of this stay was the delicious on site restaurants: Restaurant Ophelia and Bistro L’Atelier. You cannot come to Quebec in the winter and not have a meal in an igloo!! Lucky for you if you stay at this hotel, the Restaurant Ophelia features several personal sized igloos for a romantic evening. Booking in advanced is a must. The igloos are heated and have cozy blankets, so you won’t even notice the frigid temperatures out of the bubble. The service was incredible, food was delicious, and the drinks were even better. 10 out of 10 I highly recommend either of these restaurants.

Romantic Airbnb in Quebec for a winter getaway

During the second part of our Quebec winter vacation, we opted to stay in an unique Airbnb in Lac-Beauport. About 30 minutes from Old City Quebec, this Airbnb is perfect for couples looking to getaway from the hustle and bustle of every day life. This Airbnb has a tiny house vibe, but is actually quite spacious. The Hygge is part of the Le Maelstrom project and is located on the Mont-Tourbillon mountain in the municipality of Lac-Beauport.

On the main floor, you will enjoy unparalleled privacy in the middle of the forest directly from your plush king bed. A soaking tub, rainfall shower and panoramic views are exactly what you need for you and your partner to feel reconnected and relaxed.

The second floor features a cozy wood burning stove, essential kitchen supplies, a comfortable couch and an ensuite deck to leisurely enjoy the outdoors. Also, a highlight of our trip, this Airbnb also features a hot tub with incredible nature views. I’ll set the scene for you one night. The snow was coming down in peaceful beautiful flakes, the trees were dressed in a blanket of white, and the sun was setting across the horizon. Fresh vegetables, steak and dessert were on the grill, while a bottle of wine was being poured. The hot tub was warm and inviting as good conversation was had. A truly remarkable night that we will never forget.

If this Airbnb is already booked, please research other Airbnb’s in the Lac-Beauport area as the options are truly incredible. An Airbnb fanatic’s dream of options to choose from! Ultimately, we decided on this one due to the hot tub, secluded area, unique design, and great Airbnb hosts. Be sure to book here in advance!

Romantic & Adventurous Winter Activities

What to do in Quebec in winter on a romantic couples trip? Honestly, the options are endless. Whether you’re looking for an adventure seeking toboggan slide, a bucket list dog sledding tour, a romantic ice skate through the snow covered forests, or stroll the romantic streets, Quebec has it all! Here are the top things I recommend doing in winter in Quebec:

1. Ride the Iconic Toboggan Slide

• Located in front of the famous Château Frontenac
• This thrill is a sentry old slide that is the best $4 you will spend
• Ride this with a group up to 4 people – the more people the faster you will go
• I recommend riding at least twice, once to obviously take photos and videos and a second time to really take in the beautiful views
• No need to get tickets in advance, you can buy them at the office here
• Parking is very limited in the city, so we did end up paying $40usd to park at the Frontenac
• Have fun and enjoy the ride

2. Go Dog-Sledding Through a Winter Wonderland

• We booked a dog sledding tour with “Dogsledding Tour with Tours Québec“
• The experience of riding through the snow with huskies is a blast!
• Be sure to dress in layers, I love Kuiu gear for both women and men gear
• We had a one hour tour booked, but I would honestly recommend two hours because it was that much fun
• The trees were freshly covered in snow and the sun was shining
• Our only negative thing to say about this experience is that our particular guide was not super friendly to us or helpful. He primarily talked with the other couple in our group the entire time instead of us. We still made the best of it, but wanted to note this odd encounter
• Lastly, be prepared for a physical demanding experience. My husband had to run with the dogs a lot and was certainly out of breath by the end of it

3. Ice-Skating in a Picture-Perfect Setting

• The amount of ice skating options in Quebec is quite overwhelming – I guess when you’re in Canada, what do you expect?
• We opted to ice skate through the forest at Domaine Enchanteur
• This location has a variety of wild life, petting and feeding the animals, maple syrup taffy, a warming area, skate rentals, and acres upon acres of paved trails
• For a cozy, romantic experience, this is the place to go!
• Watch this video to see the magic of ice skating through the woods

4. Explore the streets of Old City Quebec

• I highly recommend a day or two of no plans and simply wandering around the city
• The streets are lined with cute boutiques, cozy cafes and plenty of dining options
• We found that the morning hours were most chill with less people
• The night time vibe was also beautiful when all the Christmas trees were lit up
• A few of my favorite food stops were: Au Petit Chalet, Chez Muffy, Tavern Grande Allee, Restaurant Sagamite, and the Cafe La Maison Smith

5. Unwinding with a Nordic Spa Day

• My last recommendation for romantic things to do on your winter getaway to Quebec – spend a day at a Nordic Spa
• While there are many spa options in Quebec, we chose the one closest to the city – Strøm spa nordique
• Situated along the river, this spa is spacious, romantic, relaxing and has great features
• Indoor and outdoor spas, cold plunges, saunas, therapeutic services, dinning and more
• This is the perfect ending to a winter getaway! Watch this video to see the relaxing vibes

Tips for Planning a Romantic Winter Getaway to Quebec

The best time to visit Quebec if you are wanting those cozy, romantic winter vibes is December through February. We went the last week in January and the temperatures were in the 20-30s! There was plenty of snow for all of the outdoor activities and even snowed a few times during our trip. Be sure to bring plenty of warm layers, waterproof boots, gloves, hats, and a few packs of handwarmer/footwarmers.

Quebec does have a fun winter carnival, so if you choose to go during that time, be sure to book activities and restaurants in advance. Otherwise, most things we booked the day of or night before!

Final Thoughts

Quebec was the perfect romantic getaway with cozy stays and plenty of things to do. I would absolutely recommend this trip for a couple’s getaway! Our favorite parts of the trip were relaxing in the hot tub at the Airbnb, dog-sledding, and eating so many yummy meals. Save and pin this image below to help you plan your own Quebec winter getaway!

Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out this 10 day itinerary for Switzerland!