Things to do in Toronto

Neighborhood · Downtown West

A few blocks of Victorian houses turned into produce stalls, vintage shops and cheap kitchens from a dozen cuisines.

Local tip: Go on a Pedestrian Sunday in the warmer months, when the streets close to cars and the whole market spills outdoors.

Food · Old Town

A 200-year-old market hall of butchers, cheesemongers and bakers, plus the peameal bacon sandwich the city is known for.

Local tip: Come Saturday morning for the farmers' market in the north building — but arrive before 9am, because by 11 it's shoulder to shoulder.

Nature · Lake Ontario

A car-free archipelago fifteen minutes by ferry from downtown, with beaches, boardwalks and the best skyline view there is.

Local tip: Take the Ward's Island ferry rather than Centre Island — quieter, residential, and you can walk the length of the islands back toward the crowds.

Culture · Old Town

Pedestrianised Victorian industrial buildings housing galleries, studios and restaurants in the old Gooderham & Worts complex.

Local tip: It's at its best in December for the Christmas Market and at its worst on a summer Saturday. Midweek evenings are the sweet spot.

Food · East of the city

Sri Lankan, Hakka Chinese, Filipino and Caribbean cooking along Lawrence and Ellesmere — the real depth of Toronto's food scene.

Local tip: This is where locals send visitors who ask where to eat properly. Take the subway to Kennedy and go from there; ignore anyone who tells you it's too far.

Nature · West End

400 acres of trails, ponds and a small zoo, with a famous cherry blossom bloom drawing the whole city each spring.

Local tip: For the blossoms, go on a weekday at sunrise. The weekend crowd is genuinely overwhelming and the park restricts car access during peak bloom.