Toronto is regularly ranked among the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, and that diversity is genuinely walkable, distinct Chinatowns, Little Italy, Greektown, and Koreatown sit within a few subway stops of each other, each with its own food and street life, all beneath the CN Tower's dominant silhouette over Lake Ontario.
Neighbourhoods and Food
Kensington Market, a bohemian, chaotic mix of vintage shops, food stalls, and murals, sits directly beside Chinatown, and the contrast between the two in a single block is a good introduction to how densely layered Toronto's neighbourhoods can be.
St. Lawrence Market, regularly ranked among the world's best food markets, is worth a morning for its peameal bacon sandwiches alone, a Toronto specialty found almost nowhere else.
The Waterfront and Islands
The Toronto Islands, a short ferry ride from downtown, offer car-free beaches and parkland with a classic skyline view back at the city, Centre Island is the most visited, but Ward's Island has a quieter, more residential character worth the extra ferry stop.
The CN Tower's glass floor, over 1,100 feet above the ground, remains one of the more nerve-testing viewpoints in North America, and the tower's revolving restaurant offers the same view without quite the same vertigo.
Recommended Stay · Toronto · Entertainment District
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
A downtown high-rise hotel with skyline and lake views, a short walk from the CN Tower, waterfront, and the Entertainment District's restaurants and theatres.
