Walking Tours
Dozens of companies and attractions provide tours of Quebec City. One of the classic routes is to walk the 4.6km (2.9 miles) along the top of the fortification walls, with the option of continuing around the Citadel and along the Plains of Abraham; a partial tour is available from the Centre d'Interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec (see Key Attractions).

The most flexible tours are at-your-own-pace audio tours offered by CD Tour, whose headsets can be picked up at either tourist office (see Sightseeing).

A number of thematic walking tours are available: the Corporation du patrimoine et du tourisme religieux de Québec (tel: (418) 694 0665; website: www.patrimoine-religieux.com) covers the city's religious heritage, whereas Ghost Tours of Québec (tel: (418) 692 9770; website: www.ghosttoursofquebec.com) delves into the supernatural.

Bus Tours
Nearly a dozen companies offer bus tours, with the basic city tour including the Upper and Lower Towns, the fortifications and the Citadel, the Plains of Abraham and the National Assembly buildings. Most companies offer optional excursions and bus/walk or bus/boat combinations. Companies offering tours on a year-round, daily basis include Dupont Tours (tel: (418) 649 9226 or 1 888 558 7668; website: www.tourdupont.com) and Old Quebec Tours (tel: (418) 664 0460 or 1 800 267 8687; website: www.toursvieuxquebec.com).

Boat Tours
Boat cruises, which allow a magnificent view of the city, travel downstream to the Ile d'Orléans and beyond; departures are from the Bassin Louise, in the Old Port north of Upper Town. Les Croisières Le Coudrier (tel: (418) 692 0107 or 1 888 600 5554; website: www.croisierescoudrier.qc.ca) offers sightseeing cruises, as well as dinner cruises and longer excursions. Croisières AML (tel: (418) 692 2634 or 1 800 563 4643; website: www.croisieresaml.com) offers similar packages, as well as whale-watching trips (see Excursions).

Other Tours
The most romantic way to tour the city is in a horse-drawn calèche. These can be hired just inside the city walls near Porte St-Louis from Calèches du Vieux-Québec (tel: (418) 683 9222) or other companies.

Héli Express Tours (tel: (418) 877 5890; website: www.heliexpres.com) has helicopter flights over the St Lawrence River allowing views of the city and the Montmorency Falls. Departures are from the heliport on rue Abraham-Martin, located across the Bassin Louise from the Old Port.