Greater Toronto
Toronto
The most multicultural city in the world, best eaten neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
- City
- Food
Best in May · September–October
About this place
Toronto is the arrival point for half of Canada’s international visitors and most of them leave straight away. Give it three days in September or May: a film festival, the islands, markets from six continents, and the maples in the ravines that cut through the city.
Things to do
Eat by neighbourhood
Kensington Market and Chinatown on Spadina; Little Portugal and Little Italy on Dundas and College; Gerrard India Bazaar; Scarborough for Sri Lankan, Tamil and Hakka. The St. Lawrence Market Saturday farmers’ market is the best breakfast in town.
Toronto Islands
A 13-minute ferry from the foot of Bay Street to a car-free park with the skyline behind you. Ward’s Island is the quiet end; bring a bike or rent one on Centre Island.
TIFF
The Toronto International Film Festival runs the first two weeks of September, with public tickets to hundreds of screenings. Book hotels early; the city otherwise stays affordable.
Museums and the Distillery District
The Art Gallery of Ontario’s Canadian and Indigenous galleries, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the cobbled Distillery District, which turns into a Christmas market from mid-November.
Ravines and the Bluffs
The Don Valley and Rouge National Urban Park are walkable from transit and colour up in mid-October. The Scarborough Bluffs are 90 m cliffs over Lake Ontario at the end of a bus route.
Hockey and basketball
Leafs and Raptors seasons start in October. Regular-season tickets are far cheaper than playoffs, and the Hockey Hall of Fame is downtown.
When to go
September
TIFF, warm evenings, lake swims still possible at the islands, and the summer festival crowds gone.
October
Ravine colour, Nuit Blanche (one all-night free art night, early October) and the hockey season opening.
May
Cherry blossoms in High Park at the end of April into early May, Doors Open Toronto at the end of the month, patios opening.
January to March
Cold, but Winterlicious prix-fixe menus, skating at Nathan Phillips Square and the Bentway, and hotel rates at their lowest.
How to get there
Fly to Pearson (YYZ)
Nonstops from most major European, Asian and US hubs. The UP Express train reaches Union Station downtown in 25 minutes.
Billy Bishop (YTZ)
The downtown island airport, served by Porter and Air Canada from eastern Canada and the US northeast. A short tunnel walk to the waterfront.
Trains and transit
VIA Rail to Montreal, Ottawa and Niagara Falls from Union Station. A PRESTO card covers subway, streetcar and bus; no car needed.
Trips here
No listed trips here yet.
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