The Best Cities In Canada Were Ranked & 2 Quebec Spots Made The Cut

The best cities in Canada were ranked and two Quebec destinations managed to make the top five.

Travel + Leisure, a travel magazine focused on providing trip ideas, hotel picks, flight sales, city guides, and travel tips from the experts, announced its 2023 World Best Awards, highlighting Canada's top cities, hotels, spas, and resorts.

When it comes to the best cities across Canada both Montreal and Quebec City snagged top spots.

Travel+Leisure readers were asked to complete a survey and share their opinions on the best of the best across the country. The top cities were based on specific criteria including sights, landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping and overall value. For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

The travel publication went on to receive more than 685,000 votes from nearly 165,000 readers across over 8,500 unique properties and destinations.

So, which cities made the cut?

Quebec City landed first, with a reader score of nearly 86. The city is renowned for its unmistakably European atmosphere, emanating from its charming cafes and bistros, breathtaking landmarks like the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, and, naturally, the sounds of French conversations echoing around each cobblestone street.

"With only 550,000 residents, Québec City is an approachable-sized city, and readers appreciated that intimate feel — not to mention its walkability," Travel+Leisure said. Readers were particularly in love with the friendliness of the people, the architecture, the food, and the many exciting nearby sites including Montmorency Falls and the Citadelle de Québec.

Victoria, British Columbia came in second with a reader score of 85. The smaller city was praised for its coastline and picturesque setting. Not to mention it's a skip and a hop away from Vancouver, where you can catch sights of remarkable mountains, oceans and wildlife.

Montreal rounded off the top three, receiving a reader score of 83.32. The city was described by Travel+Leisure voters as "one of the best, if not the best, food cities in North America," and they aren't wrong. With so many must-try restaurants in Montreal, the city is a foodie heaven.

The magazine also touched on Montreal being a city well worth visting even during the wintertime. "It's the most romantic time to visit," Travel+Leisure voters said. This isn't too big a surprise considering Montreal is adorned with twinkling lights during the winter, reflecting off the pristine snow-covered streets, creating nothing short of an enchanting ambiance.

Wondering which other Canadian destinations ranked in the top five? Here is Travel+Leisure's complete ranking of the best cities in Canada according to readers:

1. Quebec City, Quebec (85.85)
2. Victoria, British Columbia (85.09)
3. Montreal, Quebec (83.32)
4. Vancouver, British Columbia (82.69)
5. Toronto, Ontario (81.55)

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.