Toronto Travel Guide

 Toronto sprawls along the northern coast of Lake Ontario, its pulsing heart surrounded by a jumble of satellite townships and industrial zones that together make up the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which spans over a hundred square kilometers. Several municipal governments and a slew of affluent donors have poured millions of dollars into glamorous architecture, sleek museums, a great public transportation system, and the restoration and development of the lakefront in recent decades. As a result, few would deny that the GTA has emerged as the cultural and economic heart of English-speaking Canada, and its five million residents live in one of North America's most likable and liveable cities.

There are many interesting locations to see in this part of Canada.

The city boasts a plethora of interesting locations to explore, the bulk of which are conveniently located in the heart of the city — either Downtown or Uptown. The CN Tower (until 2010 the world's highest freestanding building), which sits adjacent to the futuristic hump of the SkyDome stadium, now the Rogers Centre, is the most famous of all. The Art Gallery of Ontario, which has a first-rate collection of Canadian art, and the Royal Ontario Museum, which houses the Chinese and First Peoples collections, are among the city's major prestige attractions. The best of Toronto's smaller galleries, though, contribute to the city's allure. The Gardiner Museum has a fantastic collection of ceramics, the Bata Shoe Museum has a wonderful collection of footwear, and the Gallery of Inuit Art is modest but varied. There are also fascinating historical residences, such as Casa Loma's mock-Gothic extravagances and Spadina House's Victorian gentility, as well as the model colonial bastion of Fort York, where Toronto began. Spend some time admiring the attractive architecture of the busy St Lawrenceneighbourhood and the Distillery District, the city's most vibrant arts complex, which is housed in a large old distillery. Indeed, there is an exceptional performing arts program, ranging from dance to theater and beyond, as well as fascinating festivals, a thriving club scene, and literally hundreds of cafés and restaurants.

The sights of Toronto depict many aspects of the city, yet they do not encapsulate its character. The city remains enigmatic, too large and diverse to have a distinct identity, which gives it an alluring sense of excitement and surprise. Toronto may have grown from a lakeside village, but its expansion has been erratic and mostly unplanned, resulting in a cityscape that sometimes appear to be an especially haphazard mix of old and modern. Most visitors spend their time bouncing from site to attraction on the transport lines rather than walking because of the apparent chaos, which is exacerbated by the city's hot summers. However, if you have the time and commitment to get to know Toronto, get out on your feet and the city will progressively unveil itself.

An overview of the past

Toronto, located on a spit of land between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay, was an early portage route into the interior, with its name derived from the Huron word "place of meeting." The French explorer Étienne Brûlé was the first European to visit the region in 1615, but it wasn't until the middle of the eighteenth century that the French made a serious effort to control Lake Ontario with the construction of Fort Rouillé, a small town and stockade. After driving the French off the northern shore of Lake Ontario in 1759, the British opted to overlook the area for nearly forty years, until hundreds of United Empire Loyalists arrived in the aftermath of the American Revolution.

Upper and Lower Canada were created when the British separated their remaining American colonies in 1791. Upper Canada's initial capital was Niagara-on-the-Lake, but it was too dangerously close to the American border, so the province's new lieutenant-governor, John Graves Simcoe, relocated his government to Toronto in 1793, renaming the new colony York. Simcoe had great classical dreams of colonial settlement, but he was frustrated by the harsh realities of frontier life, observing that "the city's position was more calculated for a frog pond... than for the dwelling of human people." The capital, dubbed "Muddy York," was hardly more than a hamlet when the Americans assaulted and burned down its principal structures in 1812.

William Lyon Mackenzie and the Family Compact

In the early nineteenth century, an anglophile elite wielded effective economic and political influence, dubbed the Family Compact by leftist polemicists of the time. William Lyon Mackenzie, a radical Scot, was the Compact's most vocal opponent, espousing his ideas both in his newspaper, the Colonial Advocate, and as a member of the legislature. In 1834, Mackenzie became the first mayor of Toronto, as the city was called, but the radicals were defeated in elections two years later, and a dissatisfied Mackenzie considered violent rebellion. In 1837, he staged a sham insurgency in which a few hundred farmers marched down Yonge Street's major thoroughfare, fought a couple of half-hearted battles, and then dispersed. Mackenzie escaped across the border, and two of the other ringleaders were killed, but instead of retaliating, the British parliament proceeded to liberalize Upper Canada's administration, citing similar circumstances that led to the American Revolution. They gave Canada responsible government in 1841, combining the two provinces in a loose confederation and paving the way for the eventual merger in 1867, when Upper Canada was renamed Ontario.

The Good City of Toronto

Toronto had grown into a significant industrial center by the end of the nineteenth century, ruled by a conservative mercantile class that was fiercely loyal to British interests and upheld a strong Protestant culture. The working-class Orange Lodges supported this elite, and their reactionary influence was a prominent aspect of municipal politics, causing a visiting Charles Dickens to lament the city's "rabid Toryism." Other critics were similarly harsh, referring to Toronto as "Hogtown" and – with more than a hint of irony – "Toronto the Good" at various times. Nonetheless, these same Protestants, especially the Methodist-leaning middle classes who drove social reform campaigns such as suffrage and temperance, were excited about public education. The trappings, on the other hand, remained unappealing — Sunday was kept as a "day of rest" until into the twentieth century, and Eaton's department store closed its windows to discourage Sabbath window-shopping. Indeed, despite its capital position, the city was provincial in contrast to Montréal until the late 1950s, when the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway jolted the city and the first wave of non-white immigrants began to change the city's complexion. Indeed, Toronto is now one of the world's most varied cities, with more than 130 languages and dialects in use, and half of the city's people being born outside of Canada.

Toronto in the twenty-first century

The city's exterior was revolutionized by the erection of a succession of gigantic, modernistic skyscrapers in the 1960s, when the economy surged. The turmoil in Québec fueled this merry-go-round, with many of Montréal's anglophone-dominated financial institutions and significant enterprises relocating to Toronto in response to demands for equal treatment by francophones. Since then, Toronto's economy has followed the same boom-and-bust cycles as the rest of the country, but Ontario's political landscape shifted to the right in the mid-1990s with the victory of Mike Harris' Progressive Conservatives. Harris, who was known for his tenacity, pushed through a massive governmental restructuring that combined the city of Toronto with its surrounding suburbs to form the modern-day "Mega City." Despite the fact that the reform was profoundly unpopular in Toronto, Harris was re-elected in 2000 with the help of small-town and suburban Ontario voters. In 2003, Ontario shifted back to the center of politics, ejecting the Progressive Conservatives in favor of the Liberals, signaling a shift toward more moderate, consensus politics.

That notion was thrown out the window when Independent Rob Ford was elected in 2010. While he campaigned on a fiscally responsible platform, he was immediately embroiled in a conflict of interest crisis, as well as other allegations about his use of alcohol and drugs. The controversy to a head in an online video in which he admitted to taking crack cocaine while clearly inebriated. He originally refused to resign, but a time in rehab and a tumor diagnosis compelled him to do so, and things have been a little more stable since then, with John Tory's election in 2014 and the successful hosting of the Pan American Games in summer 2015.

Consumption of food and beverages

Toronto – particularly the neighborhoods around King St West, Queen St West, and West Queen West – is brimming with cafés and eateries, ranging from upscale designer establishments to casual neighborhood hangouts. Some of the greatest highlight the use of Canadian foods, notably fish and wild game, although there is no specific local cuisine. Prices range from upwards of $60 for a lunch at nicer restaurants to only a few dollars for a decent-sized snack or sandwich at bargain-basement cafés. The majority of restaurants are in the middle, with a charge of $35 per person for a two-course lunch excluding beverages.

Many of Toronto's classic pubs are run-down establishments that resemble beer halls. Indeed, until the 1980s, most metropolitan pubs had two entrances, one for men accompanied by women and the other for men exclusively, and many of them are still blue collar today. Others – and these are the best – provide a diverse selection of "craft" beers from a variety of tiny and emerging brewers, or focus on live music, or have evolved into clubs. Almost all of them provide some sort of (bar) food.

Entertainment and nightlife

The city that brought us The Weeknd, Fucked Up, and Rush continues to have a thriving live music scene that includes big-name and up-and-coming bands and artists, as well as jazz. The club scene in Toronto is likewise robust, though not earth-shattering, but there's plenty to keep anyone entertained for days (and nights) on end. Consult NOW (w nowtoronto.com), a free weekly magazine widely distributed around the city, for listings. In terms of the performing arts, Toronto offers a diverse selection of theatre, opera, ballet, and classical music. Its theatrical sector, which is the third-largest in the English-speaking world after London and New York, is a special strength. Toronto's popular theatres screen Hollywood blockbusters before they reach Europe, and the city boasts a superb art-house cinema, as befits a city that organizes the famed Toronto International Film Festival, which is frequently regarded as the best film festival in the world.

The outskirts

The majority of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is made up of satellite suburbs and industrial regions, a series of formless towns extending across a generally flat and gloomy landscape that stretches from Oshawa in the east to Mississauga and Burlington in the west, and north to Barrie. Nonetheless, the suburbs are home to a number of high-profile attractions, like the Ontario Scientific Centre and the Toronto Zoo, which each have hundreds of interactive science exhibits.

The most important festivals in Toronto

From beer festivals to a Caribbean carnival to a celebration of ice and winter, the city is always putting on something; for a complete schedule, go to wseetorontonow.com. The Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF (w tiff.net), was founded in 1976 and is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The festival normally offers up to 400 films over the course of a week and a half in September, and the lines to see them can be terrifying. Single same-day tickets are available at TIFF box offices (or as rush tickets just before screenings), but most TIFF guests buy books of tickets in advance or choose from a variety of passes offered on the TIFF website. In all circumstances, plan ahead of time. The excellent Toronto Jazz Festival takes place in June, and it generally coincides with the week-long Gay & Lesbian Pride, which culminates in a massive Pride Day Parade with one million attendees. Early in July, the Fringe Festival is also a lot of fun; over 150 low-cost shows (including plays, dance, alternative musicals, and busking) take place all around the city, both indoors and out.

The many neighborhoods of Toronto

One of Toronto's most noticeable aspects is the city's separation into separate neighborhoods, many of which are characterized by people' ethnicity, while others are defined by their sexual orientation or even their income. Some of these neighborhoods are identified by bilingual street signs, although aesthetically, they are often indistinguishable. Whether you want to shop, eat, or simply take in the ambience, the following guide will help you get the most out of the city's demographic mosaic.

The Seashores

Between Woodbine and Victoria Park Avenue, south of Queen Street East. Chic stores, grassy lanes, and a sandy beach framed by a popular boardwalk characterize this rich and particularly charming region.

Cabbagetown

It's located east of Jarvis and is generally defined on the south by Gerrard Street East, on the north by Wellesley, and on the east by the Don River. It got its name from the district's nineteenth-century immigrants, who had little front gardens full of cabbages.

Chinatown

From Beverley, it spreads west along Dundas Street, then north along Spadina to College. This area is bustling with restaurants and shops offering everything from china to jade to herbs and pickled seaweed.

The Gay Village is a community for gay people.

From the confluence of Church and Wellesley streets, the Village's profusion of taverns, restaurants, and booksellers stretch outward. During Toronto Pride, which took place in the last week of June, the streets were packed to the gills.

Kensington Market is a market in Kensington, London.

Between Spadina and Augusta, just north of Dundas. The area is perhaps the most ethnically varied in town, with Portuguese, West Indian, and Jewish Canadians populating the streets, which are lined with small stores, cafés, and open-air vendors.

Little Italy is a neighborhood in New York City that

One of Toronto's liveliest neighborhoods, with a slew of fantastic restaurants and clubs, is the so-called Corso Italia, which runs down College between Bathurst and Ossington.

Portugal is a small country in Europe.

Dundas Street West from Ossington to Lansdowne Avenue is a bustling, crucial neighborhood packed with retailers and home-grown cuisine places.

West Queen

Queen Street West, between University and Spadina, used to be the hippest section of town, but rising prices have moved its uber-hipsters further west, to what is known as "West Queen West," which runs from Strachan Street to Dufferin. With amazing pubs, restaurants, and boutiques, West Queen West is the city's shining gem.

Yorkville

Yorkville, located just above Bloor between Bay Street and Avenue Road, was "alternative" in the 1960s, with regular visits by counterculture luminaries such as Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell. The alternative vibe has faded, and the neighborhood now houses some of Toronto's most ostentatious apparel stores and art galleries.

The Toronto Islands and the waterfront

Despite its battalion of luxury tower blocks and the concrete brow of the Gardiner Expressway, the north coast of Lake Ontario has a lot to offer. A good portion of the waterfront now has footpaths and bicycle pathways, and the Harbourfront Centre has a year-round calendar of events. The Toronto Islands are much better, with their breezy tranquility attracting throngs of city people during the city's sweltering summers. The municipal boat takes only fifteen minutes to get there, but the contrast between the city and the islands is stark, not least because the islands are nearly totally car-free.

The Islands of Toronto are a group of islands in

The Toronto Islands, which arch around the city's harbour, were once a sandbar peninsula that was cut adrift from the mainland by a strong storm in 1858. The islands, which were first used as a summer retreat by the Mississauga Nation, went through many transformations throughout the twentieth century, including hosting a baseball stadium where Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run, funfairs with horses diving from the pier, and even serving as a training base for the Norwegian Air Force during World War II. This island, which is about 6 kilometers long and covers about 3.2 square kilometers, is a fantastic location to rest and unwind – also a place where visitors' automobiles are prohibited; many people use wheelbarrows or golf buggies to transport their gear, while others walk or pedal.

The city side of the archipelago is divided into a dozen small islets with houses, recreational facilities, lush gardens, and clumps of natural woods. The opposite side, by contrast, is a little wilder and windswept, consisting of a single long sliver of land that is arbitrarily separated into three "islands." Ward's Island, a calm residential neighborhood with parkland and wildness; Centre Island, the busiest and most developed of the three; and Hanlan's Point, which goes around to Toronto City Centre Airport, are the three islands in order from east to west. Hanlan's Point also has the city's nicest sandy beach, however most tourists stick to sunbathing because Lake Ontario is widely considered too filthy for swimming.

The article "Toronto Travel Guide" was seen originally on Rough Guides

 

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