People often ask: What makes a city great? What defines it, both for those who live there and for those who visit? Toronto could easily set itself apart by its cuisine, art, history, or sports. And, thanks to a world-class subway system, streetcars and buses, getting around Toronto is extraordinarily easy to do. Aside from the numerous cabs that swarm the city, the Toronto Transit Commission (
Downtown
Architecturally speaking, Toronto is an amalgam of different styles. In the early 19th Century, it took much of its architectural inspiration from the Georgian style. By the end of the 19th Century, the city opted for the heavier, bulkier lines of Richardsonian Romanesque. At the turn of the 20th Century, the Toronto City Council opted not to put a height restriction on downtown construction as many other cities had, thus giving rise to some of the tallest buildings in the British Commonwealth, most of which are found Downtown, including the 34-story
The more than 7000 fine dining establishments, bars, cafes, bistros, clubs and dance halls (a large number of which can be found Downtown) suit every taste from bohemian to business.
The downtown area of the city also houses a number of stadiums and arenas where some of Canada's top-of-the-line professional sports teams—the
Running into Downtown is
The Entertainment District
Overlapping Downtown, the entertainment districts is home to numerous world-class museums, art galleries, theaters, dance companies, festivals and parades that add creativity and culture to an already vibrant city. Any of these could serve to define Toronto. While the city may once have had a reputation as Toronto The Good, a nondescript place which shut down and rolled up the sidewalks at sundown, nothing could be further from the truth today. The city is alive with some of the best theaters, museums and galleries anywhere. For example, Toronto is the third largest center of English-speaking theater productions in the world (next to London and New York), with more than 200 professional theater companies and 10,000 performances a year.
One of the oldest theater spaces in the city, the
There's even a thriving film industry in the city. Often called "Hollywood North," Toronto is sought after for its diversity, locations, excellent production centers and local talent. The
But what the city is really all about is the people. And it shouldn't surprise anyone that the name "Toronto" comes from a Huron word meaning "Meeting Place." That's exactly what it is: a multicultural meeting place for more than 4.5 million, home to people of more than 70 different nationalities speaking some 100 languages.
Chinatown
That multi-ethnic gathering has given the city an exciting and awesome energy. It has also created a place of wonderful neighborhoods, each with its defining character and local color. With a plethora of different cultures and neighborhoods bumping into one another like pieces of tectonic plates, the cuisine is as diverse as the population—and matching any taste and affordability, from the unlimited expense account to those counting their pennies. In fact, while there are plenty of upscale haute-cuisine restaurants where price is of no concern, some of the best food Toronto has to offer is tucked away in the small eateries of the city's original
West Suburbs
Aside from the
While there is so much to see and do, to experience and taste, it's the residents of Toronto who give the city its special cachet. More often than not, people are glad to stop and give you directions. And don't be surprised if they tarry and chat a while, recommending places to go or filling you in on pieces of their city's history. This is what Toronto is all about. Not just a vast, sprawling metropolis. Not just a collection of concrete and cars. But a meeting place. The Hurons gave them the name. They try to do it proud.
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From Little Italy to bustling Chinatown, the Annex Yonge Street and Eglinton, the Danforth to the Beaches, Torontonians rejoice in the multi-cultural mosaic they call home. And nowhere is this more evident than in the vast smorgasbord of culinary delights offered by the Greater Toronto area's more than 7000 restaurants, cafés, bistros, diners, pubs, resto-bars and other assorted eateries.
Toronto has everything from the Kama Classical Indian Cuisine's fiery hot vindaloo and mouth-watering sawara butteryaki at the Rikishi Japanese Restaurant to the upscale French of Arlequin with its duck confit, the power lunches at Acqua, a current hot spot for the downtown business and professional crowd.
Little Italy
Lying west of Yonge, between College Street and Dundas, Little Italy is a natural place to start the gastronomic search. Host to countless classic Italian ristoranti like Giovanna Trattoria, and Trattoria Giancarlo, this section of real estate is the piece of cannoli in a box of fudge. Although the days of the checkered tablecloth and candle in a Chianti bottle may be gone, the mouth-watering food and click-heel service remains. Ironically though, the best pizza does not reside here. We find it a couple of blocks east on Elm, where inside an old Victorian house sizzles Il Fornello. Lest we forget that most important meal of the day, the breakfast-brunch, Toronto offers a variety ranging from the simply solid, void-filling and all-day version at Mars Restaurant to sophisticated entrees, bubbly and jazz accompaniment at Sassafraz.
Chinatown
East of Spadina, from King up to College, sprawls one of Toronto's Chinatowns - the original. It is here among the proliferation of shops, jewelry stores and banks that we'll find some of the best Asian-influenced cuisine on the continent: the emperor's feast at the Bright Pearl Seafood, with imperial lions guarding the entrance; the Thai Princess, with its eager-to-explain uniformed waiters; and the Pho Hung, a Vietnamese hot spot where people actually line up to get in—just like a night club!
Davisville
Those looking for upscale cuisine and a night cap or two outside the downtown core have only to keep on heading up Yonge towards Eglinton. Clustered around this uptown intersection are some of the city's very best wining and dining establishments—with a little star-gazing thrown in as icing on the cake. Among the group, North 44, Centro Grill & Wine Bar and Grano stand out: North 44 for the inventive cookery of five-star chef Mark McEwan; Centro for its parade of celebrities and unusual combo of sushi bar and Italian cuisine; and Grano for the fresh bread, pick-your-own display-case antipasti and its feeling of old-style warmth and friendliness.
Downtown
Framed by Front to the South and Bloor to the North, Toronto's downtown core is at its busiest and most expressive during the lunch hour. Sandwiched between Bay and Jarvis, this area encompasses the business and entertainment district of the city. The Shopsy's Deli location at Front and Yonge is the place if you're looking to ease your hunger pangs without too much of a pain in your wallet. There's pastrami on rye, corned beef on a kaiser, roast beef on an onion roll or almost any other deli meat combination you can think of—all topped off with a kosher pickle.
Sports fans have little to complain about when searching for their favorite foods and ambience. There are plenty of places where you can put your foot on the rail, sip a cool lager and watch your team on a big-screen TV. A good starting point is the Hard Rock Café at the Rogers Centre where you can chew on a burger and take part in the seventh inning stretch at the same time. For a more laid-back scene, you can try Hoops Sports Bar & Grill. Located near the Maple Leaf Gardens, this bar went from frenzied to comfortable once the hockey team moved to the Air Canada Centre. And, of course, there's Wayne Gretzky's itself at 99 Blue Jays Way. The Great One, who many argue is the best hockey player of all time, occasionally drops in to autograph a few sticks and napkins.
And we haven't mentioned Turkish (A La Turka), Russian (Samovar Barmalay), Serbian (Skadarlija), Middle Eastern (
At night, that light in the otherwise dark window of the sky, waving weary travelers to a place of comfort, is the magnificent skyline of Canada's largest city. It's a skyline reflected in the inky blackness of Lake Ontario, signaling an ethnically diverse cosmopolitan city that welcomes everyone in from the cold with genuine good-hearted hospitality.
Be you business traveler or world-wandering vagabond, when visiting Toronto, there are two major options on where to stay—and more than 32,000 hotel rooms from which to choose! If you are here for a brief visit, then the airport strip is home to many excellent hotels. However, if it's an extended trip or business that takes you into the city, then the sights and sounds of the bright lights and the big city's downtown is what you may be looking for.
International Airport
Imagine a hotel so close to the airport that the only way you'll see a cab is if you happen to be watching Taxi Driver in your hotel room. Actually located within Toronto's Pearson International Airport, the Sheraton Gateway is a full amenity, 500-room hotel that is a covered walk from Terminal 3, or a complimentary shuttle from Terminals 1 and 2.
If you're a little more adventurous and actually would like to leave the confines of the airport, a short loop limousine ride will bring you to the Airport strip. Consisting of Airport and Dixon Roads, this piece of the Monopoly board belongs primarily to the well-known hotel chains. And, with 50 airport hotel locations throughout the world, no landing strip would be complete without the Airport Hilton, providing high-end comfort for those who prefer executive class accommodations.
As well, the newly renovated Park Plaza Toronto Airport, the fashionable Delta Toronto Airport and the Toronto Airport Marriott on Dixon Road are top-flight hotels that cater to the business and leisure traveller alike with indoor pools, health clubs and on-site restaurants. In addition, there is the warm and familiar Days Inn on Airport Road, with facilities for the entire family at very moderate rates.
Downtown
Toronto's downtown is approximately a 20-minute ride from the airport, with the core offering a much greater selection when it comes to suitable accommodations—everything from five-star grand dame hotels to bring-your-own-bed youth hostels, from bed and breakfasts to room service on the terrace.
Directly opposite Union Station stands the granddaddy of all Toronto hotels, the Royal York. At the heart of Toronto since 1929, this hotel is what lodging was once all about. Big and spacious, with a ballroom for a reception area, it is also the entryway to the downtown underground shopping complex known as The PATH.
Further west on Front Street is the InterContinental Toronto Centre. Ideally situated adjacent to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and around the corner from the CN Tower and Rogers Centre, this deluxe hotel is equipped to provide for both the businessperson and the family on the go.
Then there's Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown itself, a four-star hotel right out of left field. Or out in left field. It's the world's only sports and entertainment hotel and, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking the baseball field, a unique sporting experience in more ways than one.
With its marble pillars and vaulted ceilings, the King Edward provides Edwardian luxury and elegance within Toronto's high end business sector. It's embraced as much for its gracious style as for the gourmet cuisine dished out from Chiaro's, the critically acclaimed on-site restaurant. If the King Edward is elegance, the Delta Chelsea Inn at Gerrard and Bay takes the cake for size. With 1591 (or so) rooms, it's considered the largest hotel in Canada.
West of Yonge on King is the totally out of place Travelodge Toronto Downtown West. More of a motel or a motor inn than a hotel, you'd expect to find this in the suburban outskirts rather than in a big city inner core. Nevertheless, if you feel the need for down home comfort with lots of parking, then this independent is available for about half the price of the bigger, swankier hotels.
Harbourfront
Just a long home run away from Rogers Centre is the Westin Harbour Castle. Located on Harbour Square with rooms fronting Lake Ontario, this hotel provides spectacular scenery from both the hotel and the 360-degree revolving Lighthouse Restaurant.
Entertainment District
Most of the major hotel chains are represented in Toronto's business and entertainment districts. Across from Nathan Phillips Square and Toronto City Hall, the Sheraton Centre Toronto on Queen Street West is 43 floors of award-winning accommodations. Around the corner from the Sheraton is the Hilton Toronto on Richmond. The Holiday Inn On King, opened in 1991, is close to the theater district and is consistently one of the top-rated hotels within the Holiday Inn empire.
Off The Beaten Path
There are a range of B&Bs available in Toronto for those who prefer the old-fashioned comfort of a large house, the company of pleasant hosts and a secluded street close to but away from the hustle and bustle. The Ambassador Inn on Jarvis is a century-old renovated mansion that's a good alternative to some of the higher-priced chain hotels. Two streets east of Jarvis, in the Old Cabbagetown district, another Victorian B&B, the Aberdeen Guest House, offers a communal setting with large, spacious bedrooms and a weekday continental breakfast.
For those who need longer-term accommodation or accommodation that provides kitchenettes and other conveniences, Toronto has a number of executive apartments available on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These include the Alexandra Apartment Hotel on Ryerson, north of Queen and east of Bathurst, offering daily maid service and direct phone lines, and Residences On Bay.
Finally, for those traveling light and for both the young and the young at heart, the Global Village Backpackers at Spadina and King comes with 200 beds, multiple washrooms, games rooms and a locker facility.
The final decision, of course, is yours. Five-star luxury or bare-bones economy, Toronto is not only an accommodating place but has the accommodations to suit your needs.
Museums & Galleries
Canada's largest museum is the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), an all-round museum with adjoining planetarium, greeting you with four impressive Amerindian totem poles in the hall. The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) boasts an extensive and well-presented collection of landscape paintings by Canada's famous Group of Seven. Don't miss the world's largest exhibit of Henry Moore sculptures, beautifully arranged by the artist. The AGO is also known for the skillfully simple Inuit stone carvings, as is the Toronto Dominion Gallery of Inuit Art. On a lighter note, the Bata Shoe Museum is unique; among their 10,000 shoes are Elvis' blue suede loafers. The Hockey Hall of Fame also has shoes, but only those with blades beneath them.
Theater & Performances
Busloads of Americans drive for ten hours to spend just three hours in Toronto. Why? With over 500 theater productions every year, the city on Lake Ontario is the second largest stage center in North America. You can see Kiefer Sutherland in a Tennessee Williams play or the metamorphosis of Kiss's hard-rocking lead singer to Phantom (of the Opera) in King Street's Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales theaters. It is also worth going a little off the beaten track to catch more adventurous offerings in places such as Front Street's Sony Centre.
The grassroots of theater are just as fresh and strong in Toronto. Community-centered theaters such as Tarragon and the Factory master challenges like Beckett, as well as drama from new and upcoming playwrights. Modern dance has found a home in the Premiere Dance Theatre, a multicultural venue for music and movement at the Harbourfront Center. More classical but nevertheless innovative performances can be seen at the National Ballet Company, considered the top dance troupe in the country. The Laugh Resort and Yuk Yuk are still defending their positions as the major comedy spots, but recently Rivoli's backroom has established a reputation for edgy comedy.
Cinema
Not only is Toronto one of the most popular American film sets—watch out for huge white trucks and sealed-off streets - it is also a great movie theatre city, especially at fringe and second-run cinemas like the Bloor or the Fox. Apart from Hollywood fare at entertainment complexes, you can see international films at the Cumberland, and theme retrospectives at the Cinematheque. Not to mention the Toronto International Film Festival, considered among the top in the world.
Nightclubs
No, those lines you see as you walk along Richmond Street are not for soup kitchens. You're in hot nightclub country, the places where only the coolest and hippest get in. Most clubs don't specialize in one style, but often change their playlist daily from retro to dub to techno in order to attract the most diverse dance crowd. The biggest club around here is the Joe, a three-level auditorium-sized dance hall for the masses. The Big Bop is nearly as big, but stays true to its alternative roots. College Street and environs is another good strip with the smoky Comfort Zone late-night hangout.
Live Music
For live music events, Horseshoe Tavern is the place to see a great young band before it fills the concert halls. Toronto is on the A-list for pretty much every major tour in North America, from the Three Tenors in the Rogers Centre multi-purpose stadium to the Buena Vista Social Club in old Massey Hall or Celine Dion at the Air Canada Centre. The repertoire of classical music offerings is too long to list, but Roy Thomson Hall is a safe starting point for excellent acoustics, be it for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Choir or the latest Philip Glass opera.
Sports
The Air Canada Centre is home to two of Toronto's big sports teams. Cheer the Raptors as they slam dunk against their NBA competitors and the popular blue-and-white Maple Leafs playing for ice hockey's Stanley Cup. They compete for spectators with the Blue Jays, who swing their baseball bats in the 53,000-seat Rogers Centre.
Outdoors
Over the last ten years, Toronto has discovered street life. In the summer, you will have trouble deciding whether to go to Nathan Phillips Square or to Harbourfront for free concerts and different festivals every weekend. East along the lakeshore, Ontario Place combines waterpark fun with massive open-air rock concerts and the first Imax Theatre (Ontario Place Cinesphere) in a family amusement park.
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