Quebec City Walls Visitor Statistics (2026): 2.22M Visits

Q: Has visitation recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes. After falling to 993,249 in 2020-21, visits rose to 1.32 million in 2021-22 and 1.75 million in 2022-23, then passed the pre-pandemic level with 2.01 million in 2023-24. By 2025-26, attendance reached 2.22 million, 14.7% above 2019-20.

Published Oct 26, 2026

At a Glance

2.22 million people visited the Fortifications of Québec in the fiscal year ending March 2026 (2025-26)¹, the site's highest total since 2017-18².
That was an 11.2% increase on 2024-25³ and 14.7% above the pre-pandemic level of 1.94 million in 2019-20⁴.
The COVID-19 pandemic cut visitation by 48.8% to 993,249 in 2020-21⁵; numbers passed pre-pandemic levels again in 2023-24⁶.
The walls are open all year round⁷. Adult daily admission is $10.00 CAD, and visitors aged 17 and under get in free⁸.
The site preserves about 4.6 kilometers of walls, gates and military works in the UNESCO-listed⁹ Historic District of Old Québec⁷.

How many people visit the Fortifications of Québec (Quebec City walls) each year?

About 2.22 million people visited the Fortifications of Québec, the walls around Old Québec, in the fiscal year ending March 2026 (2025-26)¹. That was up 11.2% on the year before and the site's highest total since 2017-18². Visits have topped 2 million every year since 2023-24⁶, though only just in 2024-25, at 2,000,488³.

Before the pandemic, the site saw 1.94 million visitors in 2019-20⁴.
In 2020-21, COVID-19 travel restrictions and public health measures cut that by 48.8%, to 993,249⁵.
Visitation then bounced back fast, rising 32.7% to 1.32 million in 2021-22¹⁰ and another 33.1% to 1.75 million in 2022-23¹¹.
Visits reached 2.01 million in 2023-24⁶, up 14.6% on the year before and back above the 2019-20 pre-pandemic level.

Bar chart of annual visitor arrivals to the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site for fiscal years 2018-19 through 2025-26, showing a sharp drop to 993,249 in 2020-21 and a recovery to a high of 2,224,062 in 2025-26. — Annual visitor arrivals to the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site by fiscal year, 2018-19 to 2025-26.

Are the Fortifications of Québec Canada's most visited national historic site?

Yes. In 2025-26 the Fortifications of Québec drew more visitors than any other national historic site that reported attendance to Parks Canada¹. Across every Parks Canada place with a reported figure, only Banff and Jasper national parks drew more.

Banff National Park: 4.56 million visitors¹
Jasper National Park: 2.39 million visitors¹
Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site: 2.22 million visitors¹
Lachine Canal National Historic Site: 1.49 million visitors¹
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site: 1.09 million visitors¹

Even so, the site has yet to match its own record. Its busiest year since Parks Canada's series began in 2001-02 was 2002-03, when 2.63 million people visited², and it last topped the 2025-26 figure in 2017-18, with 2.23 million.

How have visits to the Quebec City walls changed since 2001?

Parks Canada has published yearly attendance for the Fortifications of Québec since 2001-02², and the 25-year record shows some big swings.

Visitation peaked at 2.63 million in 2002-03².
It then fell for most of the following decade, reaching a low of 1.13 million in 2011-12².
Visits almost doubled over the next six years, climbing to 2.23 million in 2017-18².
The 2025-26 total of 2.22 million¹ is still about 15% below the 2002-03 peak.
Across all 25 years, the site averaged about 1.79 million visitors a year.

Annual visitors to the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site by fiscal year, 2001-02 to 2025-26
Fiscal year	Visitors	Change from previous year
2025-26	2,224,062¹	+11.2%
2024-25	2,000,488³	−0.5%
2023-24	2,010,480⁶	+14.6%
2022-23	1,754,330¹¹	+33.1%
2021-22	1,318,506¹⁰	+32.7%
2020-21	993,249⁵	−48.8%
2019-20	1,939,748⁴	−4.8%
2018-19	2,037,471²	−8.8%
2017-18	2,234,221²	+3.7%
2016-17	2,153,885²	+9.4%
2015-16	1,968,560²	+16.7%
2014-15	1,686,199²	+10.4%
2013-14	1,527,047²	−1.6%
2012-13	1,551,574²	+37.1%
2011-12	1,131,337²	−6.3%
2010-11	1,207,396²	−21.1%
2009-10	1,529,432²	−6.6%
2008-09	1,637,940²	+13.4%
2007-08	1,444,159²	+15.6%
2006-07	1,249,118²	−21.4%
2005-06	1,588,439²	−16.8%
2004-05	1,908,315²	−20.7%
2003-04	2,406,924²	−8.4%
2002-03	2,627,611²	+3.4%
2001-02	2,540,037²	—

What can you see along the Quebec City walls?

You can walk the 4.6 kilometers of walls at any time of year, and the views from the ramparts are spectacular.⁷ Highlights along the way:

The city gates: Saint-Louis Gate was built between 1878 and 1881 and Saint-Jean Gate between 1938 and 1939, while Parks Canada rebuilt Prescott Gate in 1983 to extend the walkway on the ramparts.¹²
Artillery Park: Open from June to September⁷, it includes the Dauphine Redoubt, begun in 1712, and barracks that housed French and British soldiers before the site became a munitions factory that closed in 1964.¹³
The Citadel: A fortress within the fortified city, built by the British on the heights of Cape Diamond after American independence.¹²
Dufferin Terrace: The walkway along Cape Diamond opened on June 9, 1879, 14 years before the Château Frontenac joined the skyline in 1893.¹²

Is it free to visit the Quebec City walls? Fees and tours

Not for adults. Parks Canada charges a daily admission fee for the site, and guided tours cost extra⁸. Visitors aged 17 and under get in free, and from June 20 to September 2, 2025, admission was free for everyone. The fortifications are accessible all year round⁷.

Daily Admission Fees

Adults (18-64 years): $10.00 CAD⁸
Seniors (65+ years): $8.50 CAD⁸
Youth (17 and under): Free since a 2018 policy change⁸

Guided Tour Options

Fortifications of Québec Guided Tour: $22.75 CAD for adults, $21.25 CAD for seniors, $12.75 CAD for youth.⁸
Artillery Park Guided Tour: $18.50 CAD for adults, $17.00 CAD for seniors, $8.50 CAD for youth.⁸
Annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass: $83.50 CAD for adults⁸, covering entry to many other Parks Canada sites.

Other Resources

FAQs

Are the Fortifications of Québec open all year?

Yes, you can walk the walls all year round, though Artillery Park is open only from June to September⁷.

How long are the Quebec City walls?

The site includes about 4.6 kilometers of walls, gates and military works⁷ that protected Québec City for more than three centuries.

Why are the Fortifications of Québec historically significant?

Québec is one of very few walled cities in North America, and its fortifications sit within the Historic District of Old Québec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site⁹.

Do children pay to visit the Fortifications of Québec?

No. Visitors aged 17 and under have had free admission since a 2018 policy change⁸. Daily admission is $10.00 CAD for adults and $8.50 CAD for seniors.

Has visitation recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes. After falling to 993,249 in 2020-21⁵, visits rose to 1.32 million in 2021-22¹⁰ and 1.75 million in 2022-23¹¹, then passed the pre-pandemic level with 2.01 million in 2023-24⁶. By 2025-26, attendance reached 2.22 million¹, 14.7% above 2019-20⁴.

Why are the visitor numbers given by fiscal year?

Parks Canada reports attendance at its sites by fiscal year, which ends in March¹⁴. A figure for 2025-26, for example, covers the year ending March 2026¹⁵.

Where are the Fortifications of Québec, and how do you get there?

The site is at 2 D'Auteuil Street in Old Québec. It is about 16 km from Jean-Lesage International Airport and 255 km east of Montreal via the Trans-Canada Highway/A-20 E, and VIA Rail runs regular trains to the Québec City station⁷.

Is there parking at the Fortifications of Québec?

There is no parking at the national historic site itself, but there are paid parking spaces in the area⁷. Bus routes 3, 11, 21, 25, 28, 37, 800, 801 and 807 stop nearby.

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References

Parks Canada attendance 2025-26 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i j k
Parks Canada attendance 2001-02 to 2018-19 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y
Parks Canada attendance 2024-25 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
Parks Canada attendance 2019-20 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d
Parks Canada attendance 2020-21 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d
Parks Canada attendance 2023-24 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d e
Plan your visit – Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i
Fees – Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i
Historic District of Old Québec – UNESCO World Heritage Centre · whc.unesco.org ↑ b
Parks Canada attendance 2021-22 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
Parks Canada attendance 2022-23 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
10 facts on the fortifications – Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c
Artillery Park – Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑
Parks Canada attendance (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑
Parks Canada attendance 2025_26 — Open Government Portal dataset · open.canada.ca ↑
Parks Canada attendance 2023-24 — Open Government Portal dataset · open.canada.ca