Toronto


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For other places with the same name, see Toronto (disambiguation).

Toronto [1] is the largest city in Canada, and 5th largest in North America with a population of 2.6 millon and a metropolitan population of nearly 6 million. It is the capital of the province of Ontario, Canada's most populous province.

Contents

[edit] Districts

Toronto is known as a city of neighbourhoods. Distinct areas, often centered around a main street (Queen, College, Bloor etc.), are packed tightly together but each has something different to offer. The relative compactness of these neighbourhoods makes exploring on foot easy and pleasant, especially in the warmer months.

  • Downtown:
    • Financial District - The downtown core is the economic centre of Canada. Bay Street is the home of the head offices of the "Big Five" Canadian banks, as well as North America's third largest stock exchange, the TSX. While full of powerful hustle during the work week, this area is generally dead at night, though safe, and never totally empty.
    • Harbourfront - Along the waterfront from west to east from Bathurst to Yonge. During the summer months, free cultural festivals happen every weekend. Well worth a visit. Future plans for development.
    • Chinatown - One of North America's largest Chinese districts (and one of six to be found in and around Toronto). Centred on Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street, and home to a large produce market, it is very popular on weekends - especially with Chinese-Canadians from surrounding areas seeking Chinese foods not usually available in regular grocery stores.
    • The Annex - A food and shopping mecca, well known by Torontonians as one of the friendliest neighbourhoods with older houses set amongst beautiful tree lined streets. The large number of University of Toronto students and faculty who live here gives this neighbourhood a somewhat intellectual reputation, as reflected by the large number of second-hand bookstores in the area.
    • Toronto Islands - A chain of islands in Toronto harbour and home to a small residential community, an airport, a small amusement park, kilometres of bike trails, spectacular city views, picnic grounds and even a clothing-optional beach. The inexpensive ferry ride alone is worth the trip, but one can easily spend a relaxing day or two here. Torontonians love to come here to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is car-free.
    • Kensington Market - Bohemian and cosmopolitan, where cultures from all over the world mix, and home to food markets, bakeries, intriguing cafes, and a number of vintage clothing stores.
    • Fashion District/Queen Street West - Home to some of Toronto's more off-beat clothing stores and shops, but still fairly commercial and very popular with young adults seeking to look their best. Many excellent restaurants and small music venues dot this street, where a great up and coming live band might be seen on any given night.
    • Clubland/Theatre District - Home of entertainment and party people alike. Toronto's theatre industry is the second largest in North America, second only to Broadway in New York. Major productions with world-class production values can be found, as well as independent plays in rep-theatres.
    • Church/Wellesley - Toronto's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered/Transsexual (LGBT) district. Toronto rivals San Francisco as the LGBT capital of North America, with the Pride festival, usually the last week in June with the parade on Sunday, draws tourists from all over the world as the streets fill with proud LGBT people (and others enjoying the party).
    • Yonge Street - Ample shopping and activity along this heavily visited main district. Main hubs are along Yonge Street at Queen, Dundas, Bloor and Eglinton. The stretch between Bloor and Dundas tends to be rather fun and kitschy, and is known locally as The Yonge Street Strip. Locals are both amused and somewhat horrified by The Yonge St. Strip, as it can be a bit gaudy. Truth be told, Torontonians generally avoid it, although they love to show it off to visitors. Also known as Highway 11, Yonge St. is often cited as the longest street in the world, because Highway 11 extends North from the city, over the top of the great lakes, all the way to Rainy River on the border with Minnesota, (1,896 kilometres away). A respectable road trip could be enjoyed by simply traveling Hwy 11 from start to finish (plan 3 or 4 days if you want to take your time).
    • King Street East - A mecca for interior design fanatics and small studio production, King Street east of Yonge is an attrative area ripe with window shopping opportunities. One can also access the multitude of restaurants, shops and cafes in the Distillery District from the King & Parliament St. intersection. The historic St. Lawrence area, containing some of the oldest buildings in the city and site of urban renewal in the 1980s to Corktown and the recently started West Donlands urban renewal project closer to the Don River.
    • Greektown - Located on Danforth Avenue from Broadview to Jones, "The Danforth" is a delightful place to spend a summer afternoon shopping, especially if you like Greek food. Very popular with locals. Don't miss Taste of the Danforth, when a section of Danforth Avenue is closed for a weekend to celebrate the area's diverse food.
    • Cabbagetown - Located along Parliament Street, north of Dundas Street, this is a neighbourhood of historic Victorian houses, once home to poor Irish immigrants, now home to residents who have restored them while maintaining the neighbourhoods original character. Just to the east you will find Riverdale Farm, with access to Toronto's fantastic parks system, winding for miles throughout the Don Valley.
    • The Beach - Along Queen Street East, east of Woodbine you'll find a trendy neighbourhood of young professionals, cafés, beaches, a boardwalk, and a fantastic summer Jazz festival.
    • Bloor West Villlage/High Park One of the largest parks in Toronto, High Park is well worth a stroll through the gardens, zoo, playgrounds, and trails. All free and even has a City run swimming pool. If coming in July or August, make sure to stop by for Dream in High Park, an annual pay-what-you-can Shakespeare event.
    • Toronto/Bloor-Yorkville - Located along Bloor Street from Yonge to Avenue Road and North to Hazelton Lanes, and boasting some of the country's most upscale shopping, from the flagship Canadian retailer, Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen, as well as Roots, to internationally known Tiffany's, Armani, Gucci, and many others. The area also offers luxury hotels and numerous chic restaurants, very popular with visiting celebrities, particularly during the Toronto International Film Festival (every September). It's a wonderful area for strolling, particularly on the streets directly north of Bloor, popular with locals and offers casual rooftop dining and sidewalk patios in summer,with establishments such as Hemingways, Remys, Dimmis, and The Pilot. At the corner of Bloor and Avenue Rd. you will find the Royal Ontario Museum, the second largest in North America.
    • Toronto/Little Italy - An attractive neighbourhood along College Street West featuring many small Italian and Portuguese Cafés and restaurants. There is also another Italian neighbourhood called Corso Italia on St Clair Avenue west of Bathurst.
    • Koreatown - Located on Bloor Street West between Bathurst and Christie Streets (immediately west of The Annex, immediately north of Little Italy). The neighbourhood is home to dozens of Korean (and Japanese-Korean) restaurants and bars, as well as Korean grocery, clothing and book stores.
    • Little India/Gerrard India Bazaar - Shops, restaurants and festivals with a South Asian flair stretch for approximately six blocks along Gerrard St. East, west of Coxwell Avenue.
    • Little Jamaica - Caribbean restaurants and shops saturate the Eglinton West area from Caledonia Road to Keele Street.
  • East End - The former city of Scarborough has a less than perfect image, though this is not totally deserved. Largely designed during the 1970s, similar mistakes were made in urban planning as found in some US cities with respect to uninspiring low-income housing clumped together in large blocs, with unfortunate results in terms of poverty, crime and urban decay. Scarborough is quite large though, and other areas do not suffer this problem. In the Northeast end of Scarborough lies the fabulous, sprawling Metro Toronto Zoo. To South along the Lake are the picturesque Scarborough Bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario and the botanical Rosetta McClain Gardens.
  • Midtown - Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue is a popular young neighbourhood with vibrant street shopping, movie theatres and many excellent restaurants. Colloquially called "Young and Eligible" since many people in their late 20s and early 30s tend to rent apartments here. Due to significant construction in the area (no doubt taking advantantage of the popularity of the area with upwardly mobile 20 and 30-yr. olds) rental properties are rapidly being overtaken by high-rise condominium buildings.
  • North York - A large number of upscale condominium buildings has added vigor to this area in recent years. Also the home of Little Moscow and other cultural districts. Large Chinese, Korean, Iranian, and Jewish communities exist in North York.
  • West Toronto/Etobicoke - Etobicoke is largely comprised of middle class housing and suburbs, much of the land is commercial/industrial but with more concentrated Waterfront condominium development occuring at a fast pace in Mimico.

[edit] Understand

In 1998 the cities of Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and York and the Borough of East York amalgamated to form the current City of Toronto. This is also known as Metropolitan Toronto or "the 416" after its area code (although now there are some new area codes, the overwhelming number of area codes in the Toronto are still "416") and has a population of over 2.6 million people. More than half of these were born in some country other than Canada - a fact obvious to any visitor immediately, as the city has many vibrant bustling neighborhoods with street signs in several languages. Toronto and its surrounding suburbs are collectively known as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Outlying suburbs are also known as "the 905" after their area code, although technically this code is also used in both Hamilton and the Niagara Region, stretching to the border in Niagara Falls. The entire area including Toronto is known as the "Golden Horseshoe" and has a population of over 8 million people.

Free weekly newspapers, distributed from boxes on street corners and in racks in stores and restaurants (can be good sources of information on cinema, dining, music, theatre, and other events and local news):

  • Eye Weekly [2] - Thursdays
  • Now Toronto [3] - Thursdays

Depending on where you go in Toronto, you will be able to find locally printed newspapers in a variety of languages. For example, in Chinatown you'll find Chinese newspapers. In "Little Italy" you'll find Italian newspapers. You'll also find newspapers in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Tagalog, Greek ...

A popular urban myth has it that the United Nations rated Toronto as "the most multicultural city in the world". While the UN and its agencies are not in the habit of rating cities, it remains a fact that Canada is a nation of immigrants, and Toronto demonstrates this abundantly. A UN agency lists Toronto as second only to Miami as the city with the most foreign born residents, but Toronto's residents represent far more cultural and language groups, which is arguably a better measure of multi-cultural. Most immigrants either pass through Toronto on their way to other parts of the country, or they stay in Toronto permanently. This contributes to the overall cultural mosaic that is Toronto today. Within Toronto, most ethnic groups will work their way into the fabric of Canadian society but still retain their distinct ways such as language, dress (for special occasions), customs, and food.

As a result of this cultural mosaic, Toronto is home to many ethnic festivals throughout the year. Toronto also boasts several radio stations which broadcast in various languages as well as at least two multicultural television channels. The City of Toronto officially deals in 16 different languages while the Toronto Transit Commission (public transit) has a helpline that deals in 70 languages. Even large department stores such as The Bay in downtown Toronto proudly advertise service in 9 languages. The lingua franca of Toronto however, remains English.

[edit] Climate

It gets very cold during the winter and very hot and muggy in the summer. Fall is the best season. Toronto's public buildings are air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter.

[edit] Sports teams & arenas

Toronto has several major league sports teams:

  • Toronto Argonauts [4] - Canadian Football League, play at Rogers Centre
  • Toronto Blue Jays [5] - Major League Baseball, play at Rogers Centre
  • Toronto Maple Leafs [6] - National Hockey League, play at the Air Canada Centre
  • Toronto Raptors [7] - National Basketball Association, play at the Air Canada Centre
  • Toronto Rock [8] - National Lacrosse League, play at the Air Canada Centre
  • Toronto F.C. [9] - Major League Soccer, play at BMO field on Exhibition Place grounds

The Air Canada Centre [10] (40 Bay Street) is sometimes referred to as "The Hangar".

The Rogers Centre [11] (1 Blue Jays Way) is often referred to by its original "SkyDome" name.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Pearson International Airport (YYZ) (or LBPIA - Lester B. Pearson International Airport) is about 45 minutes by car from the downtown core and is serviced by most major international carriers. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 hosts all Air Canada flights and a few other international carriers, while Terminal 3 hosts all other airlines including WestJet and Zoom. (There is no Terminal 2 anymore.)

Several options exist for getting downtown from Pearson:

  • Airport Express bus service is quick, convenient, and frequent (peak periods: every 20 minutes; off-peak periods: every 30 minutes). It picks up at both terminals, and stops at several major hotels in the downtown core. Adult fares are $16.45 one way, $28.35 for round trips.
  • TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) provides public bus services that run to and from Pearson. The best TTC option is the 192 Airport Rocket that runs every 20 minutes between Kipling Station on the Bloor-Danforth Subway, and Pearson Airport. Kipling Station is the western most subway stop on the Bloor-Danforth line and it takes about 45 minutes to reach downtown. One way adult fare on the TTC is $2.75 (or less if purchased in bulk) which includes free transfers to other TTC buses or the subway.
  • GO Transit, the commuter transit agency, provides express buses that run from the airport to Yorkdale and York Mills subway stations in North York for $4.05. This takes about 35-45 minutes, followed by another 20 minutes on the subway to get downtown.
  • Blue22 is an express train scheduled to be built from the airport to downtown Toronto's Union Station. However, it has not yet started construction due to route alignment issues.

Taxis run a flat rate of $40 airport taxi while airport limousines go slightly higher at $50. Limousines are generally slightly larger (though not stretched) and more comfortable vehicles than taxis. Government approved rates can be found here.

Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ) (or TCCA, or "the Island Airport") handles much less traffic. One of it's main tenants is Porter Airlines which services Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Toronto City Centre Airport offers only short-haul regional flights to neighboring Canadian cities.

A free ferry service makes the short crossing (just 121 metres - possibly the world's shortest regularly-scheduled ferry route) between TCCA and the mainland every 15 minutes, 6:45AM-10:07PM.

[edit] By bus

Greyhound provides transportation from most major Northeast cities, Ontario Northland provides service from the northern parts of Ontario and Coach Canada links Montreal and Toronto. GO Transit provides buses from outlying Toronto areas. Greyhound, Coach Canada and Ontario Northland buses stop at Toronto Coach Terminal, which is a short walk to the Dundas or St. Patrick subway stations of the Toronto Transit Commission.

[edit] By train

Toronto is situated along a primary VIA Rail corridor. Trains travel east towards Montreal and Ottawa, west towards towards Western Ontario (Windsor, Sarnia, and Niagara Falls) and north to Northern Ontario and then also out West from there.

Express service exists between Toronto and Montreal. The only stop in between is Montreal Airport. It is a very nice service with beautifully painted carriages. Remember to ask for student fares if you have an ISIC card.

The Canadian service operated by VIA (three times weekly) goes through "Northern" Ontario, across the prairies, then through the mountains all the way to Vancouver.

Daily through rail service from New York via Buffalo and Niagara Falls (the Maple Leaf) is operated jointly by VIA Rail and Amtrak. Other schedules use a bus from Toronto to Buffalo.

[edit] By car

Major highways leading into Toronto are the QEW, the 404, the 401, the 400, and the 427. Toronto is in the enviable position of being the largest city in Canada, so it's relatively easy to find a sign pointing you in the right direction. Be advised that traffic on incoming highways can be extremely heavy.

The main streets in Toronto are laid out in a grid pattern that makes it one of the easiest cities to get around in by car. Getting from point to point anywhere in the city can be achieved with only a few turns. Parking in the downtown core can be expensive and hard to find, but is plentiful and inexpensive or free throughout the rest of the city.

[edit] Transit bylaws

Toronto has two bylaws related to the transit system that often confuse or surprise visiting drivers:

  • If a bus is signalling intent to merge into traffic from a stop, you must yield to the bus.
  • If a streetcar in front of you and travelling in your direction has its doors open, you cannot pass the open doors.
    • However, if a traffic island (it'll look like a raised median with a transit shelter on top) separates the streetcar from your lane, you may pass with caution.

Additionally, drivers are advised that Torontonians generally take their obligation to give a wide berth to emergency vehicles quite seriously: if you hear sirens or see lights, pull over to the side of the road safely but quickly.

[edit] Get around

Toronto is huge, and most roads run for very long distances. If possible, driving should be avoided. In addition, many places have parking shortages and what few spaces are available might also be expensive.

[edit] Public transit in Toronto

Toronto has a safe, well maintained and effective public transportation system, run by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) [12], and you can get pretty well anywhere you want in the main part of the city with the subway / streetcars / buses.

Current fares are $2.75 (discounted to $2.10 if you buy 5 or 10 tickets or tokens at a time).

A TTC Day Pass is available for $8.50. This pass allows unlimited travel on all TTC services within the City of Toronto, except for Downtown Express buses. For one person, it allows unlimited one-day travel on any day of the week, from the mid-morning (9:30AM) until 5:30AM the next morning. On Saturday and Sunday, and statutory holidays, up to 6 people can travel with the TTC Day Pass, from the start of daytime service until 5:30AM the next morning:

  • 2 adults alone, or with up to 4 Children/Youths (Youth = *19 years of age or under).
  • 1 adult alone, or with up to 5 Children/Youths (Youth = *19 years of age or under).

The day pass does not have to be purchased on the day of use.

For many years, the TTC has offered a monthly pass, the Metropass. This usually costs $99.75 a month, though it is available at a lower price under certain conditions. The monthly pass is transferable, allowing owners to transfer the pass to another person at the end of their trip.

A weekly pass was introduced in September, 2005, for $30 a week. It lasts from the start of daily service, 5:30AM Monday morning, to 5:30AM the following Monday. The weekly pass is also transferable.

There are three subway lines:

  • The Bloor-Danforth line runs east-west along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue. It meets the Yonge-University line at Bloor-Yonge, St. George, and Spadina stations, and meets the Scarborough Rapid Transit (RT) line at Kennedy station.
  • The Yonge-University-Spadina line runs in a U formation, travelling north-south along Yonge Street, bending at Union Station, then travelling north-south along University Avenue, Spadina Avenue, and Allen Road. It meets the Sheppard line at Sheppard-Yonge station and the Bloor-Danforth line at Bloor-Yonge, St. George, and Spadina stations.
  • The Sheppard line runs in an east-west direction along Sheppard Avenue. It meets the Yonge line at Sheppard-Yonge station and terminates at Don Mills Station in the east.

Other TTC services are provided by buses, streetcars, the Scarborough RT line, and Wheel-Trans vans (for people with disabilities). There are also a number of Downtown Express buses that run during rush hour, for which additional fare must be paid.

[edit] Tokens vs. Tickets

If you have decided not to purchase a daily pass (and they are an excellent option for those who intend to use transit a lot, especially for families), you may want to purchase tokens instead of tickets. They're equally valid at collector's booths and when boarding busses/streetcars, but the TTC also offers separate and automated token and metropass-only turnstiles at all stations which are often much quicker than waiting for the queue in front of the collector's booth to clear.

Tickets may be purchased from many convenience stores (look for a TTC sign in the front window) and a few hotel desks as well as collector's booths at any subway station. Tokens may be purchased from vending machines in stations and from collectors. Bus and streetcar drivers do not offer change and do not sell tickets or tokens.

[edit] Transfers

All but one of the TTC's bus and streetcar routes have a subway station somewhere on the loop, and while many routes will take you into the station and beyond the ticket barrier, some of them (especially downtown) will only take you to the outside of the station. In this case, you can enter the station by presenting a valid transfer. If you don't have one, you need to pay another cash fare. (Although in practice, station collectors who see twenty people with transfers from the same route and one person without one will often wave the extra person by, don't count on it.)

Transfers are free, but should be obtained at the first vehicle or station you enter on your journey. If your journey starts on a bus or streetcar, ask for one as you pay your fare. If you start at a subway station, look for a red machine about half as high as you are. Press the gold button and collect your transfer.

[edit] Connecting public transit services

The areas that surround Toronto--Mississauga, Brampton, York Region, Durham Region--have their own transit systems. There are no free transfer privileges between the TTC and these other transit systems. To use both the TTC and another system, two fares must usually be paid (though see GTA Pass below). In many places, these networks do overlap, so you can transfer easily. Prices are similar to prices for the TTC.

A weekly GTA Pass (Greater Toronto Area Pass) is available for the price of $43.00 (recently raised from $41.25). It is valid on the TTC and the transit systems in Mississauga, Brampton, York Region, but not Durham Region. This pass is also tranferable, although only one rider may use it at a time. If you are travelling through the fare-zone boundary in York Region with a GTA pass, you will have to pay an additional $1.00.

A system of regional trains and buses, GO Transit [13], connects Toronto to its surrounding areas. The majority of these services, especially trains, are oriented to weekday commuters travelling to and from downtown Toronto. Go Transit charges fares by distance.

Discounts on the fares for connecting transit services are available under certain conditions, if you are traveling to or from a GO Transit rail station. The GTA Pass is not valid on GO Transit.

[edit] Taxis

Taxis are plentiful and safe, but not cheap. As with most big cities, driving a car downtown can be annoying; parking is often hard to find and expensive, and traffic along certain streets can make vehicle travel slower than mass transit.

[edit] By bicycle

In recent years the "core" central area has become relatively bike friendly. The city government has installed many new bike only lanes that span major east-west or north-south corridors. It takes a reasonably pro-bike position and a bike-map is available on the City website. Doughnut shaped bike lock racks have been installed on many sidewalks, usually in front of shops, restaurants or major points of interest.

By far one of the nicest bike paths is the Martin Goodman Trail, the east-west route that hugs lake Ontario, spanning the city from Etobicoke to the eastern ends of the city. Take care- this path, while busy, is also enjoyed by pedestrians and rollerbladers who are not as speedy as the typical biker. Biking is fairly common on major routes without bike paths too, such as Yonge Street, King and Queen Streets and Dundas and College. Beware of parked cars - often accidents are not caused by moving cars, but rather by careless drivers or passengers who unexpectedly open their driver's side door. However, by and large Toronto is about as safe for bikers as most European cities, and certainly safer than most U.S. cities with their much reduced density of bikers. Here, at least you are expected. Also be cautious of street car tracks as bike wheels can be easily caught and cause a spill. The city is general pretty safe and in the centre of the city mainly flat which makes it ideal to bike, while dodging busy public transit, traffic jams or taxi fares or the severe parking fees and scarce spaces, and most of all SEE the city. And it is fast: door to door, in all of downtown Toronto bike beats car every time.

A special treat for bikers of all levels is a tour out to the Leslie Spit lighthouse and bird sanctuaries (no cars!) east of the islands (bring a picnic); as well, the island ferries transport bikes at no extra charge (again, no cars on the islands) and this is just the best way to get around by far.

Biking in the winter months is only enjoyable with proper equipment for regular bikers though, it does get cold, it can be quite windy, and snow removal may take some time.

[edit] See

see Downtown district article for more possibilities & further information:

  • Art Gallery of Ontario [14] -This is the largest art gallery in Canada. It has a great Canadian paintings exhibit and the world's largest collection of Henry Moore sculptures. The European paintings exhibit is so-so.
  • Bata Shoe Museum [15]
  • Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) [16]
  • CN Tower [17] -The second tallest free standing structure in the world. You can ride a glass elevator to the top. The view is incredible and there is a glass floor, which is very scary to walk on. There is also a revolving restaurant which offers spectacular views as the sun sets over the city.
  • Casa Loma [18]A castle built in the early 1900's by Sir Henry Pellatt.
  • Hockey Hall of Fame [19]
  • Kensington Market. A grungy market where most of Toronto's immigrant community started off before they moved onwards and upwards to make space for the next wave behind them.
  • Ontario Place [20] A great place to take the kids in summer with an Imax theater inside.
  • Ontario Science Centre [21] -Lots of hands on science exhibits, including a rainforest, a tornado machine, sound proof tunnel, balace testing machines, and more. It also contains Ontario's only Omnimax (full wrap around) movie theatre.
  • Royal Ontario Museum [22]One of the better museums in North America. Make sure you check out the dinosaurs and the Egyptian exhibits
  • Toronto City Hall Two buildings forming a semi-circle overlooking Nathan Phillips square, which has a very popular skating rink in the winter. Arcitecturally stunning. Next door to Old City Hall which has a more classical architecture
  • Toronto Island [23]
  • Toronto Zoo [24]

see Toronto Islands district article for more possibilities & further information: see The Annex district article for more possibilities & further information:

  • Yonge Street

[edit] Tours

Toronto has great tours available; most are very affordable ($25-$35) and offer hotel pick-up and drop-off.

[edit] Do

see district articles for more detailed information

  • Just Walk- Tortonto has so many varied neighbourhoods that a random walk through downtown is fascinating in its own right.
  • Beaches - Toronto has some excellent beaches in the east end that offer typical beach activities such as volleyball, bike/rollerblading paths and a boardwalk along the water. Lake Ontario tends to be quite cool, even in mid-summer, and is cleaner than its local reputation might suggest - testing is conducted regularly and beaches have notices posted if the water is considered unsafe for swimming. The Toronto Islands tend to have the cleanest beaches (including a clothing-optional beach at Hanlan's point).
  • The Distillery District [29] the former Gooderham & Worts distillery lands have been rejuvenated into a pedestrian-only village dedicated to the arts and entertainment. It has fantastic restaurants, festivals, and art galleries.
  • The Lakefront and Toronto Island, in the downtown core offers biking and walking trails, with an excellent view of the Toronto skyline.
  • Theatre - Toronto has a great theatre scene for every taste and budget. Check out the big theatres on King Street and Yonge Street for the big splashy (and pricey) shows, such as the former runs of Chicago, The Lion King, Les Miz, Cats, etc. Small theatres in the Annex and elsewhere offer smaller productions that range from original Canadian works, avant-garde, experimental theatre, small budget musicals to British murder mysteries. Also try to check out the new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the brand new (2006) home of the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. The Toronto Symphony plays in the recently acousticaly renovated Roy Thomson Hall.
  • Chinatown -Centered on Dundas and Spadina its a great way to see China, without the airfare. Vast crowds crush the sidewalks as venders sell as authentic as you can get Chinese food and not so authentic knock-offs.
  • Little Italy/Portugal Village- Centered at College and Grace, this is the spot to get a sense of the Western Mediterainian. Sit at one of the many coffee shops and watch the world go by on the weekends. A great time to visit is durring the World Cup of Soccer (regardless of where in the World it is actually being held) as both communities face off and rivalries reach a fever pitch. Recently the rivalries have begun to infect adjacent communities and it is now getting to the point that the entire city is being draped in a mind numbing variety of flags once every four years.

[edit] Buy

see district articles for more information

Toronto has ample opportunities for shopping, and nearly any section of the city has unique places to shop and find deals:

  • Yonge Street is locally regarded as the longest street in the world (this is actually not true, but it's best not to argue with the locals about it). It runs from the edge of the Lake to about 100 KMs north of the city. The in-town end is a touristy-shopping district with many restaurants, souvenir and gift shops etc.
  • Yorkville is the high-end shopping district of Toronto. It is located just north of Bloor and Bay Streets. Bloor Street is home to many designer boutiques.
  • Located a short walk west of the Eaton Centre is the city's fashion district along Queen Street West, an area usually bustling with local hipsters looking for the latest looks in a variety of trendy stores. The stretch between University Ave. and Spadina tends to be much more mainstream with an ever increasing number of chain stores. More offbeat choices can be found west of Spadina Ave. stretching all the way into Parkdale.
  • Kensington Market, around College and Spadina, has hundreds of stores. Most of them are food vendors, but there are a number of used clothing shops as well.
  • Pacific Mall at Steeles and Kennedy in Markham, [30]. The largest Chinese indoor mall in North America. Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in Asian Canadian culture. Take the 53B bus from Finch subway station. About 1-3hrs from downtown.
  • Chinatown, centered at Dundas Street and Spadina, is one of North America's largest Chinatowns with many stores geared towards tourists. It is a good place to pick up souvenirs though it is important to pay attention to the quality of the items.
  • Toronto Hockey Repair and Goalie Heaven [31] is a world renowned hockey equipment vendor, attracting people from around the world to shop.
  • Toronto Eaton Centre [32] - shopping mall at Yonge & Dundas
  • Yorkdale Shopping Centre [33] - shopping centre by Yorkdale subway station
  • The Underground Mall-stretching from the Eaton Center south to Union Station, an undergound shopping mall has been created for all the commuters to get from Union Station to their offices and back without ever going outside. In a city of Toronto's summer heat and winter cold, this is essential.

[edit] Eat

Toronto is generally considered to be one of North America's top food cities. It has the same variety as New York or San Francisco, the compact and safe downtown keeps them closer together, and the Canadian dollar makes them cheaper. As a multicultural city, Toronto boasts authentic ethnic cuisine like no other city in North America. It is easy to eat out in Toronto and have a superb meal for cheap.

see district articles for further information

[edit] Farmer's Markets

Surrounded by the extensive fertile farmlands of Southern Ontario, Toronto has an abundance of farmer's markets - one is happening, in season, almost every day. Several markets are year round, while others are seasonal, generally running from May to October.

  • The St. Lawrence Market has been bringing the freshest foods into the city for Torontonians and visitors alike since 1901. Located at Jarvis and Front, the St. Lawrence Market stretches over 2 buildings, the 'North Market' and the 'South Market' - and often over the section of Front street between them! The North Market is home to a Farmer's Market, open Saturdays year round. It features fresh vegetables in season, preserves, spices and herbs, and direct from the source foods, such as honey direct from the beekeeper or maple syrup from the people who tapped and boiled it. The South Market has over 50 specialty vendors, with a large seafood section, a dozen butchers, several bakeries, and three very extensive cheese shops. In the basement, there is also a specialty area for handcrafters, and an extensive foodcourt, with merchants often cooking food that they bought fresh that morning from upstairs. The South Market is open year round, Tue-Thu 8AM-6PM, Fri 8AM-7PM, Sat 5AM-5PM.
  • Riverdale Farm at 201 Winchester Street (three blocks east of Parliament Street) is a year-round producing farm owned by the City of Toronto as part of its extensive park system, open daily for tours, education, and more 9AM-5PM. The Friends of Riverdale Farm operate an onsite store and restaurant, Shop at the Farm and Farm Kitchen, in Simpson House (daily 10AM-4PM), and a weekly Farmer's Market (Tuesdays, May 10 - Oct. 25, 2005, 3:30-7PM). Riverdale farm is a working farm, with barns and outdoor paddocks, and animals of all types. In an attempt to provide education about farming, the staff is approachable, and will discuss chores as they go through the daily tasks of keeping a farm running. Tours are available, or you can wander the 7.5 acres freely.

Other farmer's markets in Toronto:

  • City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West - Wednesdays, June 1 - October 5, 10AM-2:30PM (except June 29 due to Jazz Festival)
  • East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue - Tuesdays, May 24 - October 25, 9AM-2PM
  • Etobicoke Civic Centre, 399 The West Mall - Saturdays, June 4 - October 29, 8AM-2PM
  • North York Civic Centre, Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street - Thursdays, June 16 - October 20, 8AM-2PM
  • Scarborough Civic Centre, Albert Campbell Square, 150 Borough Drive - Fridays, June 3 - October 14, noon-5PM
  • The Dufferin Grove Farmer's Market, 875 Dufferin Street (across from the Dufferin Mall) - Thursdays, year round (outdoors around the rinkhouse in summer and in the rinkhouse in winter) 3:30-7PM

[edit] Interesting Food Districts

  • A small section of Baldwin Street (east of Spadina, north of Dundas) has many small outdoor cafes ideal for summer lunches.
  • King Street between University Avenue and Spadina Avenue has many upscale restaurants appealing to theatre goers.
  • College Street to the west of Bathurst has a cheaper set of eclectic restaurants popular with university students from nearby University of Toronto.
  • Bayview Avenue south of Eglinton, is the location of some of Toronto's best French pastry shops, including Rahier and La Cigogne
  • Bloor Street to the west of Spadina in the Annex has a similar set of restaurants to College, with a particularly heavy concentration of budget-friendly Japanese restaurants. Most restaurants tend to be very laidback.
  • Yorkville - it's more about being seen than actually eating but there are a few hidden gems - Toni Bulloni (152 Cumberland Ave) is a GREAT, un-pretentious Italian spot. Sushi Inn (120 Cumberland) is one of the most popular sushi restaurants in the city..enjoy!! CS

[edit] Cafés

  • Bulldog Coffee 89 Granby Street [34] serves the best espresso and espresso based drinks in Toronto. One of the owner/baristas regularly wins competitions for his latté art. Daily 7AM-7PM.
  • The Red Tea Box 696 Queen Street W - excellent teas, good food, cozy atmosphere, and decadent desserts that look too good too eat. Not cheap, but very good. Only open for lunch. 416 203 8882.
  • Dufflet's 787 Queen Street W ([35]) - cakes to die for--they supply desserts for a number of the city's best restaurants. Limited seating, but taking out a coffee to go and strolling along this interesting stretch of Queen St. is ideal in warmer weather. You can also buy customized birthday cakes here.

[edit] Vegetarian

see district articles for further information

  • Bo De Duyen (Chinatown)
  • Café 668 (Bathurst and Dundas)
  • Buddha's Vegetarian Food (Bathurst and Dundas)
  • King's Café (Kensington Market)
  • Vegetarian Haven (Baldwin Street): All of the food was good, very filling, big portions. Staff was very friendly and 'real', the restaurant is clean and beautiful (outdoor seating a big plus), and the cost is very acceptable ($13.60 CAD for entree and soup). This place stands out as the mark of an excellent restaurant.

[edit] Drink

see district articles for more information

The majority of Nightlife in Toronto is centred around the appropriately named Clubland and in the fashion district on Queen Street West. Nearly everywhere is packed to the brim with pubs and bars, but none so much as Adelaide and Queen Street in those districts. Clubs tend to operate on Richmond and Adelaide streets (both run east-west, 1 block apart); names change frequently, but the district keeps on going. Three other clubs of note outside this district: The (long-lasting) Phoenix (on Sherbourne), The Guvernment (Toronto's largest club - on the harbour east of Yonge Street) and the Docks (literally operating on part of Toronto's commercial port, but this place has an outstanding view of the city on warm summer nights, and boasts an extensive entertainment complex).

Hipper more art and music oriented crowds tend to gravitate towards Parkdale (Queen West past Bellwoods Park). The hipsters hangout and comment on their outfits (and sometimes the art) in the wide array of bars, galleries and clubs that dot the area - in particular the Stones Place (mostly Indie and sometimes gay crowds), The Social (a mixed bag), and the Drake and its poor cousin Gladstone Hotels. The same folks also frequent the Annex / Kensington Market Area of the city at night for club nights, casual drinks and art / music events. One of the main "corsos" of the city is Little Italy: College Street, between Bathurst and Ossington flows over with music, sidewalk cafes and excellent food and a crowd that enjoys the summer heat and the offerings. The drinking age is 19.

  • The Green Room 296 Brunswick Avenue (416) 929 3253 is a cozy funky bar hidden in an alley just off Bloor. It has affordable prices and a beautiful courtyard garden when the weather is warm. Daily noon-2AM.
  • The Feathers Pub 962 Kingston Road (416) 694-0443 (map) is possibly Toronto's most British pub, and has approximately 300 single malt scotches available at reasonable prices.

[edit] Sleep

see district articles for detailed information

Most hotels and hostels are situated directly outside the downtown core. Prices for rooms generally range from $150+ for a standard hotel, $60-80 for a motel, and $20-40 for a bed in a hostel.

Hostels

Toronto has several youth hostels, including ones in the downtown area. Global Village Backpackers at Spadina and King is perhaps most famous, with its garish colour scheme and party-hard attitude. Equally situated is a Hostelling International located at the foot of Church Street.

Bed & Breakfast

Another popular alternative for over nighters are Bed & Breakfasts, of which Toronto has hundreds, many of them in the downtown core. Prices range from $60 to several hundred dollars depending on the house and amenities offered. The Toronto Townhouse are Toronto Tourism award winners and still is one of the better ones. They have two locations - one in Cabbagetown and the other in the Annex area.

Another popular inexpensive place is Castlegate Inn Toronto Bed and Breakfast because of its close proximity to the Spadina subway station and the University of Toronto.

[edit] Learn

International students often prefer to study in Toronto because of its safety, proximity to other tourist destinations, and favourable exchange rates and visa policies.

Toronto is home to three public universities - the University of Toronto (Canada's largest) is spread out all over the city (including the main downtown campus, an East-end Scarborough campus, and University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) in the neighbouring city of Mississauga). York University (the third largest in Canada) is located on the northern border of the city, though the original Glendon College campus at Bayview and Lawrence is still in existence; and Ryerson University is located in the heart of the downtown core.

Seneca College (Canada's largest college) is spread out over the city with over 16 campuses of varying sizes.

George Brown College is known for its business and culinary faculties which are located right behind its St. James Campus which is located downtown. Its other campus, Casa Loma Campus, is located midtown, near Casa Loma.

Ontario College of Art and Design is located downtown near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue.

Toronto, like other Canadian cities, also has dozens of English as a Second Language (ESL) schools. The largest association of private English and French language schools is the Canadian Association of Private Language Schools.

[edit] Contact

For emergency, dial 911 (you can dial it at the pay phone without putting in any coins).

Local calls at the pay phone cost 50 cents. Local calls are not metered, so you can talk as long as you want. However, due to the popularity of cellphones there are fewer pay phones than before but contrary to what some believe they are not dissapearing, rather there are fewer street booths than were found 10 years ago. Despite this, most large public facilities still have ample pay phones to use. In malls, pay phones are usually located between the inner and outer doors at the entrances.

In addition, many public facilities (such as shopping malls) now also have phones which provide free local calls, which are funded by advertisements run on colour LCD screens. Watch for large, wall-mounted ovals in high-traffic areas.

Toronto has two area codes: 416 and 647. These area codes overlap. That is, they are both associated with the same geographic area. The suburban areas outside of the city also have two overlapping area codes, 905 and 289. As a result, Toronto has 10-digit local dialing. You must always dial the area code as part of the number you are trying to reach.

International calling cards are widely available to many countries for reasonable rates.

Toronto is a city with many Internet cafés, especially on Yonge Street around Bloor, and also on Bloor Street between Spadina and Bathurst. It's not hard to find a place to call home and the costs are relatively low, from $3 for 30 minutes. However, currently Internet cafés are opening and closing at an astounding rate so on repeat visits to the city you may find that the one you used last time has disappeared. For a guide to some of them, see YYZTech's Internet cafe reviews. Most major hotels offer high-speed internet in their rooms and in their business centres. Many coffee shops, donut shops and some food courts in the downtown core offer wireless, high-speed (some free, some not). The widespread availability of high-speed internet access in homes, businesses and hotels means that internet cafes are largely becoming a thing of the past.

Toronto Hydro Telecom operates a public WiFi network called One Zone that covers six square kilometers in the downtown core. Rates are $4.99 for one hour, $9.99 for a day, or $24.99 for a month, but you must have a cell phone capable of receiving text messages to access the network.

Free Internet access is available on computers at Toronto Public Library branches, and the Toronto Reference Library also provides free wireless access on the first two floors. Access to the Internet requires entry of a library card number; visitors can request a one-time-use access number to use in place of the library card number.

[edit] Stay safe

Although the overall violent crime rate in Canada is much lower than that found in the United States, it is still higher than the rate in some European countries such as Germany. In 2005, Toronto's murder rate was lower than most other large Canadian cities, but there was an increase in violent gun-related crimes. Petty crime is generally not a problem in Toronto, although rates of vehicle and bicycle theft are high.

Toronto also has a large homeless population, many of whom will ask you for money. If you do not want to offer them money, simply look the panhandler in the eye and say "not today" or "sorry". Toronto's homeless tend to live up to expectations of Canadian courtesy and will smile and say, "Oh that's alright, don't worry about it!"

Be careful when getting off the streetcars. Although vehicles are supposed to stop when the streetcar doors open, some motorists will ignore this and keep going.

On the whole Toronto is remarkably safe and the streets are vibrant with pedestrians and bicyclists, and if you use common sense you should have no trouble at all: don't walk around alone late at night, be aware of your surroundings, etc. Avoid the club/entertainment district at closing time, fights are common occasionally escalating to where weapons become involved. The downtown core and most of the surrounding suburbs are largely risk-free, but be careful when in Neighborhoods such as Jane-Finch, Regent Park, Parkdale and Morningside Avenue.

Among the major world tourist cities, Toronto has the third coldest winter temperatures with the first & second place cities of Moscow & Montreal being significantly colder. Mild periods occur melting accummulated snowfall but nevertheless you must come prepared and dress warmly, preferably in layers as conditions are changeable. The average January high temperature in Toronto is -1°C and the average low is -8°C, but it can drop or -20°C or colder with a biting windchill. In July the average maximum is 27°C and the average low is 18°C, with sometimes hot, humid conditions but the city has many parks or public spaces with gardens to cool off.

[edit] Get out

Toronto is a great starting point for exploring southern Ontario. The Niagara Region, including Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake, is less than an hour's drive from Toronto towards the United States border at the Falls. The Waterloo Region to the west has colleges and culture, and Muskoka, to the north and The Kawarthas to the northeast of Toronto, are cottage country areas, with country inns, hundreds of lakes and rivers, camping, fishing/hunting, provincial parks, and a wealth of year-round outdoor activities amongst natural beauty.

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