city guide.
toronto
NEIGHBOURHOODS
BLOOR-YORKVILLE
Posh neighbourhood vibe; well-to-do dining and upscale nightlife; luxury accommodations; designer boutiques and department store Holt Renfrew
WEST QUEEN WEST
Trendy restaurants and quaint cafes; MOCCA and contemporary art galleries; drum circles in Trinity Bellwoods Park
KING WEST/QUEEN WEST
High concentration of chain retailers and boutiques interlaced with street stalls; optimal spot for street performers and people-watching; wide variety of restaurants
DOWNTOWN TORONTO
High-rise buildings home to the finance scene; club-centric nightlife; Path underground shopping and renowned Eaton Centre
LITTLE ITALY/KENSINGTON MARKET
Streets lined with vintage shops and food markets; eclectic cafés and speciality restaurants; artists' haven; countless street-performers
OLD TOWN/DISTILLERY DISTRICT
Weekend flea at St Lawrence Market; restaurants and bars in the Distillery District; interior design and speciality stores
LESLIEVILLE/RIVERDALE
Spread-out, residential vibe; interior and speciality stores; up-and-coming neighbourhood
PARKDALE
Charming cafes; hip nightlife scene; vintage shops and antique furniture stores
48-HOUR RECOMMENDATION
TORONTO CITY GUIDE | 48 HOURS
Wake up at...
The stylish Beverly Hotel, a cost-effective boutique hotel on Queen Street. Start your morning by heading east for a pastry and coffee at Lavish & Squalor Merchants General, a shabby chic lifestyle boutique and apothecary a short walk from the hotel. Head back west on trendy Queen Street where you can shop new athleisure brand RYU, Canadian favorite Reigning Champ and see modern home decor at Umbra. Continue into the West Queen West area for Toronto apparel staples Sydney’s, Oliver Spencer and Popup 120. Be sure to check out Community 54 for the coolest limitededition sneakers before peeking at RusTeak for custommade and antique furniture and Logan & Finley for outdoorsy apparel as well as locally made soaps and fragrances.
Spend the afternoon...
Spend the afternoon... Exploring the kitschy Kensington Market before grabbing lunch at Seven Lives for what some say are the best Bajastyle tacos in the city. Seven Lives is one of the busier eateries in Kensington Market, so be prepared to wait a bit or grab and go. Make your way north up to Ossington Avenue to see WC The Store for a beautiful range of refurbished interiors. Visit retailers Lost & Found, Jonathan + Olivia and Victoire for heritage and contemporary menswear and womenswear.
Spend the evening...
On the eastside of the city for a calm stop in the Distillery District. Explore the cobblestone streets for apothecary and boutique Deciem, as well as handbag destination Hoi Bo, bespoke men's atelier Gentil Uomo and vintage shop Blackbird. Don’t miss large menswear store Gotstyle. Take a break from shopping to explore the beautiful Royal Ontario Museum of Art. Pull up a seat back downtown at Terroni Adelaide for fine Italian fare before a nightcap just north at the Imperial Pub on Dundas Street, a favourite among locals for its generous pints.
Wake up at...
The Hazelton Hotel, located in charming Yorkville. Evoking 1940s Hollywood glamour, these luxury accommodations come fully equipped with five-star amenities such as rainfall showers and The Hazelton Health Club & Spa. Stop at Rose and Sons for a light breakfast (or brunch on the weekend) before making your way to Bloor Street. Along the way, pop into 6 by Gee Beauty (Canada's exclusive retailer of Le Labo), as well as TNT for a curated edit of designer labels for men and women spanning names such as Alexander Wang, Comme des Garçons and Band of Outsiders. Once on Bloor Street, find renowned department store Holt Renfrew, and it's dedicated men’s counterpart located a few steps away.
Spend the afternoon...
Continue up Bloor Street to La Société for French bistro fare and a menu featuring roasted peach salad, pan-seared foie gras and duck confit. Once filled, make your way south to the Art Gallery of Ontario for an afternoon spanning the eras with collections ranging from the Old Masters to American and European modern and contemporary art. The Frank Gehry-redesigned building is reason enough to explore the grounds.
Spend the evening...
Venture further west on Dundas Street to The Black Hoof and its sister spots Rhum Corner and Cocktail Bar. Start out with a meat-focused menu at The Black Hoof, featuring dishes such as horse tartare and sweetbread karaage with a classic drink list for pairing. Once finished, head across the street to Cocktail Bar for a pre-nightcap, where the menu is divided into categories such as Bold & Citrusy, Liquor Forward and Wild Cards. The true nightcap however is had at the Toronto Temperance Society, a members' club dedicated to bringing back cocktails as they were pre- Prohibition. The menu here is adapted from recipes that date back nearly 100 years.
TORONTO CITY GUIDE | FAST FACTS
TORONTO PEARSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (YYZ)
Toronto’s main airport is located 17mi (27km) northwest of downtown Toronto. Taxi fare from the airport to downtown is around $50-60, with flat rates available depending on destination. Tipping is typically 10-15% of the total fare. Bus services are provided by the Toronto Transit Commission. The 192 Airport Rocket provides all-day accessible service with a trip time of 20 minutes between the airport and Kipling Station on the Bloor-Danforth Subway. The Airport Express is a 24-hour service running to downtown Toronto and several major hotels. The UP Express also travels between Union Station and Pearson International in just 25 minutes for a small fare.
TAXIS
Taxis and Ubers are plentiful in Toronto. Their initial charge is $4.25 and $1.75 per additional kilometre (0.6mi). Major companies include Diamond (1 416 366 6868), Beck (1 416 751 5555) and Metro (1 416 504 8294). Tipping in taxis is typically 10-15% of the total fare.
subway
The Toronto Transit Commission operates the subway, bus, streetcar and Light Rapid Transit (LRT) systems. Fares including transfers to buses or streetcars are $3.25 for a single ride, $12.50 for a day pass and $43.75 for a weekly pass. The subway operates Monday-Saturday from 6am-1:30am, and Sunday from 9am-1:30am. The Blue Night Network operates on basic surface routes, running every 30 minutes from 1am-5:30am. Where the subway ends, buses and streetcars take over, running east to west and north to south along the city’s main thoroughfares. When paying the fare (on the bus, streetcar or subway), always pick up a transfer so that you don’t have to pay again.
tipping guide
Tipping is expected in Toronto.
Waitstaff: 15-20%
Bartender/Cocktail Waitress: $1-2 per drink
Porter/Doorman: $1-2 per bag, $1-2 for hailing a cab
SHOPPING HOURS
Boutiques are open Monday to Friday from 11am to
7pm, Saturday from 12pm to 6pm and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Shopping centres are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 9pm, Saturday from 9:30am to"
"7pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm.
* This is a general guideline as hours are flexible and different
for each store. Please check store websites or call for more
specific information
other
Time Zone: Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Electricity: 110V
Common Language: English