Toronto

Canada·North America

Currency

CAD

Language

English, French

Timezone

Toronto

Continent

North America

Our guide

Discover Toronto

Toronto is the most diverse city in North America — half its residents were born elsewhere — and that reads neighbourhood by neighbourhood rather than in its monuments. The CN Tower was the tallest free-standing structure in the world for thirty years, and its glass floor is still a test of nerve. The Royal Ontario Museum had a Libeskind crystal grafted onto its heritage façade, which the city still argues about. Casa Loma is a neo-Gothic castle built by a financier who went broke before living in it. And the Distillery District turned the British Empire's largest distillery into a red-brick pedestrian quarter.

When to go

May to October, without hesitation. Summer is warm and humid, with festivals most weekends. September and October add autumn colour. Winter is long and hard — the city is built for it, with thirty kilometres of underground walkway beneath downtown — but the days are short and the wind off the lake bites. April is the thaw: avoid it.

Getting around

The subway is two main lines in a cross, filled out by the largest streetcar network in North America. A Presto card covers all of it. Downtown walks well, and the underground PATH links the towers without going outside, which matters from December to March. The neighbourhoods — Kensington, Chinatown, the Distillery District — each walk easily once you are there.

Where to eat

Toronto is eaten by community: Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown, Little India and Koreatown each have their street. The peameal bacon sandwich, pork loin rolled in cornmeal, is the local speciality and belongs at the market. The city also claims a late-breakfast scene worth the detour. Fifteen halal addresses are listed.

Good to know

The Canadian dollar is the currency, taxes are added to the displayed price, and a tip of 15 to 18 % is expected in restaurants. Winter asks for equipment rather than courage: boots and a windproof coat. Niagara Falls is an hour and a half away and works as a day trip. And the city sprawls — one neighbourhood per half-day is a sane pace.

Smart Planning