Toronto, the capital of Canada’s Ontario province, has undergone a renaissance in recent years – so it’s the perfect time for a city break. Matthew Hampton spends two days there
Toronto the Good. That’s the nickname for a city that, just a few years ago, might best have been described as somewhat staid. Clean, safe and friendly for sure, but maybe not much fun.
Times have changed. Over the past few years major architectural projects, a resurgent downtown district and increasingly fashionable shopping and nightlife have all helped push Toronto into the limelight.
Here’s how to spend a rewarding couple of days in the Ontario capital.
Day one
08:00 – Drop by Shanghai Cowgirl on Queen Street West. Their all-day breakfast is a local legend: steak and eggs should set you up nicely for a busy day.
09:30 – The CN Tower – still the tallest freestanding building on Earth – is the perfect place to get a sense of direction. The views over Toronto and across Lake Ontario are stunning. Take a step onto the glass floor if you’re not afraid of heights.
10:30 – The new wing at the Royal Ontario Museum is the stand-out attraction of Toronto’s cultural renaissance. The £133 million extension – a striking steel-and-glass structure by Daniel Libeskind – is as much of an attraction as the art inside.
The transformation of the city’s arts scene doesn’t end there – this November sees the highly anticipated reopening of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Toronto-born Frank Gerhry has designed a new building every bit as intriguing as his Guggenheim in Bilbao.
12:30 – Mix art with food at the Gardiner Museum. Local celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy runs a popular restaurant at this recently refurbished museum, dedicated to ceramic arts. Expect fine crockery.
14:30 – It’s time to hit Toronto’s shops. The Canadian dollar may not be as cheap as the American, but there are still bargains to be had. Bloor Street has luxury labels, Queen Street West has quirky independent boutiques; Yonge Street is more mainstream.
17:00 – Enjoy the cocktail hour at one of the many bars around the Distillery District, a formerly rundown but now spruced-up neighbourhood. As the name suggests, it used to be full of distillers; now it has bars, restaurants and several theatres. The Young Centre for the Performing Arts is one of the main venues.
Jetset offers Segway tours of the Distillery District as a pre-bookable add-on: 30-minute tours cost £19.
20:30: Time for dinner, dancing and nightlife. Try the Opal Jazz Lounge for a swanky night out. This modern jazz venue on Queen Street West is pretty informal, but the food is anything but – it’s highly rated for its French-inspired dishes.
Day two
9:00 – No trip to Ontario is complete without a visit to Niagara Falls. There are several ways to experience it, from a helicopter flight to a Maid of the Mist boat (which have been chugging happily away for the past 100 years).
A Niagara Falls and Great Gorge Adventure Pass, including a Maid of the Mist trip and other Falls attractions costs £23 with Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets; a 12-minute helicopter trip costs £59. Niagara is at best done as a day trip from Toronto.
10:00 – Indulge in a North American staple: brunch. Beerbistro on King Street East offers an unusual take on it: most dishes – from eggs Benedict to burgers – use beer in some way. Cheers!
11:30 – Toronto’s lakeside is the perfect place to chill out for a morning (and a good incentive not to overdo it at brunch). There are 12 beaches dotted around the city – often a surprise for those who think Canada is exclusively snowy.
Summer temperatures get up to 30C, so come pack some sun cream. Wasaga is the longest freshwater beach in the world and popular with families. Woodbine Beach is good for biking, rollerblading and beach volleyball.
15:00 – Check out Toronto’s festival calendar in advance. There are numerous events throughout the year, including the Toronto International Film Festival in September (the biggest in the world Cannes and Berlin); The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in May or Luminato in June, which ties in theatre, music, dance and film.
18:00 – Look out for familiar faces at Blowfish, a trendy sushi restaurant on King Street West. Celebs often dine here when they are in town for film shoots. It’s a good spot during the Film Festival.
19:00 – Head to the theatre. Toronto’s theatre scene rivals New York and London for variety; there are more than 100 venues to choose from.
Look out for plays at the Distillery District theatres, major events such as the Stratford Shakespeare Festival or the Shaw Festival, or blockbuster musicals such as Dirty Dancing or Cabaret. Keith Prowse can pre-book tickets.
Flights, accommodation and packages
Icelandair added Toronto to its North America network in May. Return fares lead in at £360 including taxes for departures up to early October. Flights are via Reykjavik.
Travel 4 offers two nights’ room-only at the four-star Metropolitan hotel this November from £481 per person, with flights with Air Canada including taxes.
Travelpack offers three nights at the four-star Delta Chelsea this September and October from £383 per person, including flights with Air Canada, plus taxes of £244 per person.
Jetset offers two nights at the four-star Fairmont Royal York from £369 this November, with flights on Air Transat including taxes. For £415 per person, transfers and city tour area included.
