Toronto: top attractions and entertainment. Ontario Science Center

Toronto. While the city lacks the charm of Montreal and Vancouver, it still incredible city with plenty of markets, ethnic cuisine, great art museums, funky bars and performances, and delicious Asian food (so much great Asian food) to visit. Although Toronto has a higher cost of living than most other Canadian cities, there are plenty of free and low-cost activities that can make it an affordable place to visit. It is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world. The more I visit, the more I like it. It's perfect for 3-4 days!

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Toronto

1. Visit CN Tower

2. Art Gallery of Ontario

3. Royal Ontario Museum

4. Spend a day at the beach

5. Toronto Island Park

At 553 metres, the CN Tower is not only the tallest building in Toronto, but it is also the tallest building in North America.

Toronto's famous and most visible landmark, it is not to be missed.Rising above the city, the tower is visible from almost anywhere in the city.The CN Tower, built between 1972 and 1976, was the tallest building in the world for almost 30 years until its record was broken in 2007. blocked.

The tower has an observation deck with magnificent panoramic view to the city, the observation deck is located at an altitude of 447 meters above the city, on clear days you can seeNiagara Falls and New York State . You can get to the site using 2 elevators; at an altitude of 346 meters there is a restaurant and a terrace with a glass floor.

Official site: www.cntower.ca

2. Royal Ontario Museum

M Uzey is located north of Queen's Park, near the University of Toronto, main entrance from Bloor Street . The Royal Ontario Museum, founded in 1912, contains a collection of 6 million objects that are available in the museum's 40 galleries. This is Toronto's most conceptual landmark.

Official site: www.rom.on.ca/en

3. Rogers Center

Near the CN Tower close up northern shore Lake Ontario is home to the Rogers Center, which is a multi-purpose arena in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1989 on former railway lands , it is home to " Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League . Previously, the stadium served as home for " The Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association, and the Buffaloes of the National Football League.

While it is primarily a sports arena, it also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, fairs, concerts and monster truck shows . The construction of the stadium was completed in 1989, which was Toronto's answer to the ambitious race for the Olympic Stadium built by its main competitor, Montreal .

Official site: www.rogerscentre.com

4. Art Gallery of Ontario

The renowned Art Gallery of Ontario (AGA) occupies a unique modern building, located on the west side of the city center.A number of temporary exhibitions take place here throughout the year.Major exhibitions include collections of Canadian art, African art and European art.The museum also has an impressive collection of paintings by Canadian artists.

Official site: www.ago.net

5. Casa Loma

Casa Loma neo-gothic castle, which is now a museum and Toronto landmark. Casa Loma means "house on the hill" in Spanish. The grand castle was built in Toronto just over a hundred years ago. It was privately owned and owned by one of Canada's richest men, the eccentric financier and billionaire arms dealer Henry Pellat. The decision to build the castle was made after Pellat was knighted. His rich imagination and ambitions turned Casa Loma into a real fairytale castle with stables, a wine cellar, secret passages, a dungeon and, of course, many legends.

Construction began in 1911 and ended three years later. In the late 1920s, Casa Loma was used as a luxury hotel. During Prohibition, it became a popular nightclub for wealthy Americans.

Official site: www.casaloma.org

6. Toronto Zoo

A huge zoo in Toronto, the largest in Canada. IN Currently, it is home to more than 5,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish), representing more than 450 species. Toronto Zoo lies on the Red River and is located 40 km northeast of the city center.

One of the main attractions of the zoo is the panda enclosure, which opened at the zoo in 2013. The zoo is divided into 7 zoogeographical regions. The North America section is unique, with a spacious grizzly bear enclosure, a huge bison park and an impressive polar bear enclosure.

Official site: www.torontozoo.com

7. St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Marketis one of the two main markets in Toronto , second, this is p Kensington market . St. Lawrence Market was named the world's best food market by National Geographic in April 2012.

Official site: www.stlawrencemarket.com

8. Entertainment District

Toronto's answer to New York's Broadway district.Toronto Entertainment Districtis a center of attraction for theaters and art galleries. Also located heremost of the nightclubs in Toronto. The area comes alive in the evening. This place is perfect to come here after a busy day and enjoy theater productions with the latest shows, musicals and concerts.

Official site: torontoed.com

9. Eaton Center

The huge Eaton Center is located in the northern part of Toronto's Central Business District. One of the most famous landmarks in mall is a group of fiberglass Canada geese hanging from the ceiling. This sculpture is called Flight.

The Eaton Center is home to more than 300 shops, boutiques and restaurants and cafes, here you can find absolutely everything to suit your taste, this is one of the largest stores in North America. The Eaton Center is directly accessible from two tube stations, located at its southern and northern ends respectively.

Official site:www.torontoeatoncentre.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

10. Distillery District

Toronto's Distillery District is a historic area that has been restored and transformed into a trendy entertainment and shopping district.Visitors will find charming boutiques, galleries, artist studios and restaurants here. NearThe distillery also hosts a variety of entertainment events and is home to numerous art schools.

In addition to its entertainment functions, the Distillery is a true Toronto historical landmark, comprising more than 40 buildings and having the largest collection of Victorian industrial architecture in North America.

One of the most popular attractions is the Mill Street Brewery, a company that brews delicious beers such as Pilsner and Stout - beautiful place to stop and relax after the excursion.

Official site: www.thedistillerydistrict.com

11. High Park

High Park, this is a huge green space with many gardens, hanging baskets of flowers, nature trails, ponds and lakes, and man-made waterfalls. Park High is a Toronto city park. Here you can have a great rest after sightseeing the city, lie on the grass, enjoy the singing of birds and admire the old oak trees that occupy a third of the entire park.

Official site: highparktoronto.com

12. Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey is akin to a religion in Canada, and its shrine is the Hockey Hall of Fame, located nearfinancial district in downtown Toronto.

During the tour, the Hockey Hall of Fame invites tourists to see with their own eyes iconic things for any fan of this game. Central locationV Great hall takesThe Stanley Cup is an award given to the best team in the NHL, the most powerful hockey league in the world. The first Russian hockey player inducted into the Hall of Fame is the famous goalkeeper of the USSR national team, Vladislav Tretyak.

A ticket valid for three days can be purchased here:

This is the Dundas subway station, the square of the same name next to the Eaton Mall. The information kiosk is somehow lost against the backdrop of all this flashing advertising.
The bus has no schedule, intervals are approximately 25 minutes, starts at approximately..? Everything is in English, there are no other options. Attached is a map with entry/exit locations Hipp on, Hipp off. We simply called the bus Hip-Hop.
In addition to a bus ticket (it costs 43 per person), you should buy the following city pass:


We bought it at the CN Tower, the famous Toronto TV tower, it turns out cheaper than all the tickets separately. But I would exclude the zoo (although you can look at the pandas while standing in line),
but we didn’t go to the ROM - Royal Museum Ontario - only to the tower, Casa Loma castle and the Ripley aquarium at the tower - we really liked it there.


There are two tickets for the tower - to the very top or to the observation deck only. We didn't choose to go to the very top. The restaurant was not rotating, you can order beer and maple tea. It’s better not to order “nachos”, although it’s filling.
IN bus tour a boat excursion is included, from there a postcard view of Downtown opens (you can include your face there, you get an individual picture):


Well, here are these ancient buildings right in the middle:


You can take the metro, of course, which is Subway (not to be confused with the food chain):
A ticket costs one token - 2.9 dollars. Tokens can be bought in vending machines, like these:


But it’s better at the box office nearby, because... machines don't always work well.
If you don't pay in tokens, you'll have to fork out $3.25. True, it’s so funny that they simply throw them into a box, the driver determines by eye how much you threw. One direction - one token, if you get out and change direction, throw it again - at the entrance to the subway or bus to the guy in a transparent box (the guy is not in the photo).
We drove north-south (Finch-Union Station) - Southbound, Nothbound in Canadian and back. You can change to perpendicular branches (there are two of them). Buses included in this system (those with a metro sign):

And trams too (however, in order to transfer to a tram without paying extra, you need to take special coupons from the metro - there are special machines along the way - press a button - you get a coupon, which must be presented to the driver when boarding (all payments and presentation of tickets when boarding) Then no one is interested in tickets.
The metro is very convenient - you won’t miss a stop - they are constantly announced and the lights on the board light up - red - where you have not arrived yet, green - that you have already passed.
Walk along the embankment (closer to the road) - flowers bloom there in May and squirrels run around.
The Royal York Hotel, where the Queen of England stayed - you can go there, there are all sorts of glamorous cafes and shops, it is located opposite Union Station.



By the way, the metro map is here:


It’s clear, CN Tower, Downtown - skyscrapers, skyscrapers - and I’m so small.


If you walk along Bay st. (immediately from the Union Station building up past the hotel on the left) - at 5 o'clock in the evening you can see crowds of clerks returning home from work - an interesting sight. If you want tranquility, then it is best to go to City-hall, located next to Dundas, the contrast is striking with the action on Dundas.



Queens, I heard, has a concentration of all sorts of freaks.
Distillery Historic district - very interesting place, there is a market nearby, it’s also interesting to visit.


It would also be interesting to visit Black Creek Pioneer Village - the village of the first settlers, but, alas, we didn’t have time to go there, instead we were in High Park - a park, like a park, a lot of people on a weekend, beautiful, there are ducks, birds and squirrels.
By the way, I photographed many different birds, incl. on the backyard with friends:






I met a raccoon where I didn’t expect it, at a construction site near the University of York:


He didn’t pose for me, he just trotted away (although when I left, he came back).
The water is full of geese everywhere (beware of mines), there is even a sign for drivers:

The rest of the trips were by car, because... convenient.
Scarborough Bluffs - we visited on Victoria Day, so there were a lot of people (barbecue and all that), but in general the place is very beautiful (mostly black people live in the Scarborough area, which cannot be said about High Park - there are many Ukrainians there, for example). To go down to the beach, you need to go down here to the left of the cliff, otherwise you can only go around, but you can go further and down the hill - if you know where.

The people are very friendly, cyclists waved to me and shouted “Hai” when I photographed them, however, the neighbor was nicely mowing the lawn at 8 am on Sunday (it’s a pity that such things are not prohibited).
It’s better to come to the zoo early, because... later all the animals are already sleeping or lying far in the shade. If you are tired of walking, you can buy a ticket for 8 dollars for the carriage.




Niagara-on-the-lake and Niagara-on-the-falls absolutely different cities, it's interesting to compare. On the American side, the infrastructure at the waterfall is very pleasant - everything is green, a park, flowers, it’s nice to walk. It is better to board a boat to Niagara in hot weather, or warm weather, but not in cold weather - I advise you not to miss it. The asking price is 20. Just walking along the bridge between Canada and America is a quarter. If you can then return to Canada or you decide to stay in the USA.

You can buy souvenirs in Dolarama - but not everything there costs one dollar, it’s just a bait, I bought shower gel for 3 dollars.
We also bought maple tea and candies in the shape of maple leaves in Niagara, near the tower where they take the elevator. Ice wine syrup in a bottle shaped like a maple leaf is, in my opinion, nonsense, and also expensive.
Food - I liked it at the Second Cup kosher cafe, because... lived in the Jewish quarter. The coffee there is delicious. The rest is all networked. You take a small portion, drink a little, and don’t drink the rest. We'd also like to see an XXL portion.
"Had a blast" at the Swiss cafe-restaurant "Marchè", which is opposite hotel Royal York, on Bay st. 161 - you enter the building, there is an arched ceiling, inside there is the facade of an old bank (a building within a building) and you see a green cow - this is March. Nearby is the Hockey Hall.

For two - a portion of rösti and a leg of lamb - it was a menu for $16 each, plus dessert, two juices, coffee and beer - $73. Hot dogs on the street for 6 dollars, chicken salad - 23 (in a restaurant), you can take fish instead of chicken. Of course, it loses in price to a wrap with the same chicken from Tim Horton. But in general you need to know good places, Maybe.)
This is a tub of tea (more than in Switzerland).


I also liked the Mandarin buffet, the cuisine with a Chinese accent. Fee at the exit, fixed, drinks separately. It came out to 150 for four people. We took green tea and beer. They brought water for free. At Casa Loma, adult chicken nuggets with potatoes are delicious, but the portion is large. Cost $12. The French onion soup turned out to be so different from French.

Toronto is home to huge and majestic skyscrapers, beautiful parks, museums, attractions, architectural beauties, located on the coast of the equally picturesque Lake Ontario.

As many know from historical sources, the city of York was founded here by the British, and later it was renamed Toronto. The main thing is that the city has rich history, thanks to which the stay of tourists in the city is even more interesting and impressive. It was this fact that attracted me here. I would not say that Toronto has any big difference from such Canadian cities as Montreal or Ottawa; it is also beautiful and pleasant to be here, and the developed infrastructure allows you to spend time comfortably.

The name of the city, translated, means Meeting Place, since in the urban area the traditions and characteristics of many cultures that live today in this huge metropolis really meet and are closely intertwined.

The only difference between Toronto and other cities, at least that I noticed, is that the winter is not so cold, but with quite a lot of snow. Although throughout Canada, the seasons of the year are very clearly visible, this also applies to Toronto. It has a fairly humid continental climate, with not very hot summers and short spring and autumn. But it is worth noting that due to high humidity, the temperature always seems higher than the thermometer shows. The perfect time... read more

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Weather in Toronto by month:

*This table displays weather averages collected over more than three years

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Niagara Falls

Toronto is amazing and very interesting city, but its main attraction is not in the city at all, but far beyond its borders. This is the famous Niagara Falls, the same waterfall where virtuoso David Copperfield held his unforgettable and grandiose shows, this is the same waterfall that was filmed in many sensational films, this is the most famous waterfall in the world. The road from Toronto to the Niagara miracle of nature will take an hour and a half, but when I got there, my emotions knew no bounds! The view is simply mesmerizing, six thousand tons of water that fall down every second simply hypnotize your gaze, all of you, and it seems that you can watch it forever. Niagara is something worth traveling hundreds of miles over the ocean for, something worth traveling for!

You can see around the waterfall the whole city all kinds of entertainment for tourists and visitors to this place, it is called Niagara Falls. There is everything there - hotels, restaurants, cinemas, bowling alleys and even a casino. In fact, Niagara Falls has grown an entire city around it.

We were told that you can look at the waterfall in 24 different ways: from the most unusual and expensive, to the simplest and free. Not everyone can afford to try everything at once. The most common one for those who have the means is a helicopter; from above it may seem that this is not a waterfall, but lava from the water... You can also look at it from the inside, through a cave under the waterfall, this is the only place where...

You can't visit Toronto without trying it traditional cuisine Canada is various dishes from bison meat. They can be found on the menu of almost every establishment, and even fast food. This is because Canada is home to a huge number of bison. This pleasure is not cheap, but quite tasty, I liked it.

A common problem for tourists, and especially for those who are in Toronto for the first time, is that the prices do not include tax. It is about 7% of the amount indicated, no matter where, like a restaurant menu, a ticket to the aquarium, or a price tag in a store. In a cafe, a tip will also be included in the check. Therefore, you need to be prepared to shell out a couple more dollars on top.

The most recognizable building in Toronto, which can be classified as a landmark, is the Ciantaur Tower, see... read more

Food and products

It's incredible in Canada high prices for groceries + in Canada there is this trick: if, for example, you buy a sandwich for $10 (this is the normal price), then you pay a tax of 10%, that is, $11! So, having bought $100 worth of food, the authorities shortchanged us by another $12.50))). A bottle of Coca-Cola costs $6. A bottle of beer (0.5) - 7 dollars, bread (!!!) - 3 dollars, a bottle of wine (0.75) - 23 dollars (from). Lunch in a restaurant (usually three courses) costs $50, but the portions are huge, so we split it and the payment for everyone. Food in stores is not much cheaper than in restaurants; basic products (bread, water, etc.) cost $20. There is no point in buying food in stores; it is better to eat in a restaurant or cafe.

Souvenirs and other goods

Clothing is inexpensive in Toronto. Good branded sneakers - 30 - 50 dollars (believe me, this is normal for Canada). Near Niagara Falls there are a lot of different souvenir shops. The cost of souvenirs is from 5 to 100 dollars. Souvenirs are mainly Chinese, and they are sold by the Chinese (respectively). It is better not to buy expensive souvenirs (especially those that glow) - they break quickly, this is from my own experience.

Cost of services and entertainment

There is a huge Ferris wheel, the cost is $15, in the VIP cabin (I took advantage of this) it costs $50. It's a magnificent sight. Taxi fare - 3 dollars/km. Bus - 6 dollars, but can be purchased ticket for the whole day - 25 dollars. This is beneficial for tourists

Total money spent on vacation

Toronto is a large modern metropolis, a busy port on Lake Ontario and an important industrial center in Canada. The city arose on the site of an ancient Indian settlement in the 18th century; the first colonists were the French.

Modern Toronto is a genetic diversity of desperate seekers better life: subjects of the British crown, Irish, Italians, Jews, Chinese and Russians. Even in the XX-XXI centuries. the city retained its status as a leading immigration center.

The calling card of the capital of Ontario is its ultra-modern cultural centers, sports arenas and green parks. Slender rows of skyscrapers rise against the backdrop of the blue waters of the bay, snow-white yachts scurry along the shore, and happy Canadians stroll along the well-groomed streets. It is this picture that most clearly characterizes the appearance of Toronto.

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What to see and where to go in Toronto?

The most interesting and Beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

A huge TV tower built in the 70s. XX century. For about 30 years, the CN Tower occupied a place of honor as the most tall building in the world (the height of the structure is more than 555 meters). The tower is equipped observation deck with glass floor. It has been estimated that the structure is struck by lightning 78 times every year, but thanks to its strength and reliability, the TV tower can withstand the elements.

The original mansion was built at the beginning of the 20th century for wealthy businessman Sir G.M. Pellata. After some time, he sold the castle due to the inability to maintain the property and pay taxes. Until the 30s. the building was used as a hotel, and then went to the state. The castle has been turned into a tourist attraction. It is periodically rented out for private events.

A street that starts in the center of Toronto and stretches north all the way to the border with the US state of Minnesota. Before the colonization of America, well-known Indian trails ran along the site of Young Street. Nowadays, Young Street is one of the main and busiest streets in Toronto. There are a lot of restaurants, night bars, shops, and clubs that are popular among city guests.

A trendy area in the city center, formerly home to wineries and breweries. Nowadays modern industrial buildings of Victorian era architecture have been opened art galleries, restaurants are open and concerts are held. The Distillery District is considered a prestigious and fashionable area; people enjoy spending time here local residents and tourists.

The new City Hall was built to replace the old City Hall in 1965. The city authorities announced a worldwide architectural competition, which was won by the Finn V. Revelle. Thanks to the construction of the Toronto City Hall building, this architect made his name famous throughout the world. The structure consists of two towers of different lengths and a round building in the middle - a hall where the city council meets.

Historical building late XIX centuries. After the construction of the new city hall building, they wanted to demolish the old one, but the townspeople stood up for architectural monument. Nowadays, the current city court is located on the territory of the old city hall. The ancient architecture of the building is favorably set off modern buildings located in the surrounding area.

The building was erected in 1892 in the “Romanesque Revival” architectural style, which very well reflected the exorbitant territorial ambitions of the British Empire. The Ontario Provincial Parliament sits inside. Italian marble and pink brick were used during construction. The interior is moderately luxurious. The galleries are decorated with exquisite woodwork, and the windows are decorated with intricate stained glass.

The museum is located in an unusual and original building modern architecture. Outwardly, this structure resembles an orderly pile geometric shapes or a huge crystal with irregular edges. The walls of the museum reflect the cold shine of gray metal and glass. The Royal Museum houses more than 6 million exhibits: dinosaur bones, art, weapons, clothing, household items and much more.

The gallery is considered one of the largest museums in North America. Collections are housed in 50 halls total area more than 45 thousand m². Among the valuable exhibits of the gallery are paintings by Picasso, Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir, Rembrandt, Gauguin, Monet, Rubens. The museum also presents works by famous Canadian painters: D. Wall, D. Altmeida, F. Sullivan and others.

A museum designed to demonstrate and popularize scientific achievements humanity. It was founded in 1969. On the territory of the museum you can see with your own eyes the latest developments in the field of physics, astronomy, medicine, biology and other fields. An impressive part of the exhibition is devoted to space exploration and related tasks. The museum is aimed at the general public from the youngest to adult visitors.

The exhibition was founded in 1984. The museum's collection is entirely dedicated to ceramics and areas related to this craft. It is based on the private collection of ceramics by the Gardiner couple. Now there are about 3 thousand exhibits in the museum collections. It contains examples of ceramics from ancient Indian tribes, the Renaissance, Japanese and Chinese porcelain, English dishes and much more.

The museum's collection was assembled by the founder of the Bata shoe company and his wife. It all started with several shoe samples that Sonya Bata brought from various trips. On this moment The exhibition occupies three floors of a separate building. More than 12 thousand samples from all parts of the world have been collected here. There are even completely “fossil” pairs from Ancient Egypt, antique sandals and medieval boots.

As you know, Canada occupies a leading position in world hockey; this sport is literally worshiped here. The Hockey Hall of Fame is an exhibition dedicated to the development and formation of Canadian hockey. Here you can learn about the history of the NHL, read the biographies of great players, and look at the hockey uniforms and equipment of teams from different countries.

Multifunctional Entertainment Center, which includes sports stadium, shopping galleries, cafeterias and concert venues. It was erected in 1989. The Rogers Center sports arena can accommodate up to 50 thousand spectators. The building is equipped with a convenient retractable roof, which allows football or basketball matches to be held in any weather conditions.

Trading and office center, located in the heart of Toronto. In fact, it was invented by Timothy Eaton, who in the 19th century founded the largest trading network in Canada. At first it was a small family store, which gradually grew into a large mall. The Eaton Center houses boutiques and showrooms of many Canadian and American brands.

St. Lawrence is on the list largest markets Canada and in the TOP 10 best markets in the world (according to some sources). Here they sell natural and fresh products of excellent quality, produced in the province of Ontario. At the market you can buy baked goods, homemade cheese, meat and other farm products. The market has been operating since the beginning of the 19th century.

A historic city fort, on the territory of which buildings from the early 19th century have been preserved - witnesses of the battles between the British Empire and the colonies yearning for independence. Military parades dedicated to the national holidays Canada. Fort York also hosts a beer festival every year. The former military barracks house a historical exhibition.

Local residents consider their zoo to be the best in North America (in their opinion, all the best is in Toronto). The city zoo really boasts of size and species diversity. The entire territory is divided into thematic zones, each of which has its own microclimate. Among the interesting pavilions are “Mayan Ruins”, “African Savannah”, Australian and American pavilions.

City park, a recreation place with excellent infrastructure for visitors. The territory has its own zoo, playgrounds, walking paths, flowering gardens, a variety of cultural sites. The park is located in a picturesque hilly area dotted with ravines and small lakes. On weekends, visitors have picnics on the lawns, and sports fans can play tennis or go jogging.

A body of water that is part of the famous Great Lakes system. Along its banks are cities such as Toronto, Rochester (USA), Hamilton, and Kingston. From the language of the Huron Indians, the name “Ontario” can be translated as “shining waters.” The lake is the smallest in area among all the North American Great Lakes and is suitable for active navigation. The Niagara River flows into Ontario.