Toronto - Canada
Toronto: On the move
Toronto is a dynamic city with many faces. As Canada’s largest city it is edgy and modern with a fascinating cross-section of the country’s diverse people.
At the heart of the city is the towering iconic symbol and popular tourist attraction, the CN Tower. The tower pinpoints the birthplace of the city and some of its most dynamic neighbourhoods. Get caught up in the buzz of the downtown Financial District. Be dazzled by theatre or dance the night away in the Entertainment District. Meet-up and be seen at the Village, the unofficial headquarters of Toronto’s LGBTQ neighbourhood. Hang with the cool kids at a cultural event in the Garden District or hit the pavement and browse the Fashion District.
The unsuspecting Rush Lane tucked inside the Fashion District is covered in graffiti art of varying quality. The one kilometre urban strip is covered from street gutter to roof top in an eclectic range of street art. Pieces range from political satire to pop culture. Walking “Graffiti Alley” feels like visiting a contemporary art space for rebels. Interestingly, much of the street are developed from a group of graffiti bombers who took over the alley annually for a 24-hour period of legal painting.
Downtown, the St. Lawrence Market is touted to be one of the best food markets in the world and is located within historic architecture. Nearby, the Distillery Historic District is an artsy enclave of galleries and cafés housed within Canada’s largest complex of Victorian buildings. Another landmark is the Art Gallery of Ontario that houses a diverse collection with some of Canada’s best known artists.
Toronto is very much a city made up of its neighbourhoods. This is due in part to the waves of immigrants that have come to call Toronto home. Each has left its indelible mark on the city, including the neighbourhoods of Italy, India, Portugal, Poland, Jamaica, China, Greek, Korea, Malta. These ethnic enclaves with millennial revitalisation have resulted in an eclectic and exciting mix of gift shops, salons, cafés, bars and restaurants. Each of these neighbourhoods have acted as puzzle pieces to the multicultural metropolis that is the city today.
Lying just to the east of the city is the laid-back beauty, affectionately known as the Beaches. This charming neighbourhood has a vintage small-town vibe. The boardwalk along the leafy green parkland and sandy banks of Lake Ontario is popular amongst tourists and locals alike. Stroll down the Queen Street strip, lined with quaint and quirky stores and a cool collection of bars and restaurants.
If you feel like getting lost in nature head to the Toronto Islands, a pleasant 15 minute ferry ride across Lake Ontario from downtown. The archipelago is a serene wilderness of meadows, woods, lagoons and sandy beaches (one of them clothing optional). The 15 islands are connected by a series of pathways and bridges. Wards Island in the east is home to a small local population privileged to have some of the best city views in one of the prettiest neighbourhoods. Centre Island draws in most visitors with its family friendly amusement park. Hanlan’s Point is perfect for naturalists with impressive lakeside gardens, sand dunes and beach.
Closer to the city, High Park features many hiking trails, diverse vegetation, a beautiful lakefront, greenhouses and even a zoo. From wild forests to formal gardens the park never stands still through surprising seasonal changes. All year round the mini-zoo allows close-up encounters with llamas, buffalo, bison, deer, peacocks. Probably the best known landmark in the park, however, is the maple leaf at the bottom of Hillside Gardens.
Toronto is a melting pot of diversity that continues to evolve in exciting ways.
