Two days in Canada's biggest, most multicultural city — the CN Tower, Kensington Market, the Toronto Islands sunset, and where to stay in every neighbourhood.
Toronto is Canada's biggest city and its most multicultural — half its residents were born outside Canada, and over 140 languages are spoken on its streets. A weekend here is a world tour. Here's how to do it.
Day 1 — The core and the islands Start at the CN Tower — go up for the orientation view, or skip the line and admire it from below. Walk west through the Entertainment District to Rogers Centre, then north into the Financial District. Spend the afternoon at the Royal Ontario Museum or the Art Gallery of Ontario. Come evening, take the ferry to the Toronto Islands — 15 minutes across and a world away — for the skyline view at sunset.
Day 2 — Neighbourhoods and food Toronto's character lives in its neighbourhoods. Begin in Kensington Market for vintage shops, coffee, and the city's best street food. Walk east through Chinatown (one of North America's largest), then into the Distillery District for cobblestones, galleries, and a craft brewery. End with dinner in a Little Italy or Greektown restaurant.
Where to stay Downtown (Financial District or Entertainment District) for walkability and the skyline; King West or Queen West for nightlife and design hotels; Yorkville for upscale. The city is vast — pick a base near what you want to see.
Good to know The TTC (subway, streetcar, bus) covers the city well — get a Presto card. You don't need a car in the core. And eat globally: Ethiopian on Danforth, dim sum in Chinatown, Jamaican patties, Sri Lankan in Scarborough — Toronto's food is its best attraction.
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