Toronto is one of the cleanest, safest and most dynamic cities in the world writes Karen Creed
Anyone I know who has ever visited Toronto has loved it. Perhaps it’s because there is something there for everyone; world class theatres, concert halls and galleries; fantastic nightlife, thousands of restaurants, endless shopping, even sandy beaches. Add to this its magnetism for Hollywood movie makers and accompanying A-list stars and it is no wonder why visitors swarm to this city all year round.
Toronto instantly surprised me as it is much more compact than I anticipated and easy to navigate. However it still offers a chance for the rambling tourist to get lost among the rows of elegant streets flanked by trendy restaurants and open air markets. My first morning in the city started with a guided tour of the city. Leaving us to visit the typical hotspots ourselves, Bruce ushered us instead deep into the suburbs to explore in-depth the city’s nooks and crannies.
What we found was a colourful composition of different neighbourhoods each with its own distinct identity. Neighbourhoods such as Cabbagetown boasting tree-lined streets and preserved buildings, Little Italy, Little India, three Chinatowns and a very vibrant Gay Village all close to the downtown area. Strolling around these suburbs you get a fascinating insight into the huge number of ethnic groups that have chosen Toronto as their home. The Distillery is a quietly historic corner of the city, replete with snazzy condos, galleries and coffee shops. It is also a hot location for big blockbuster movies. Unbeknownst to me, Toronto is a city beloved by movie-makers for its ability to resemble, well, just about anywhere. If you think you have never seen Toronto in a film then think again. Movies shot here include X-Men II, How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, Resident Evil and Chicago.
With scorching summers and bitterly cold winters, Toronto is well adapted to both seasons. If it snows, you can keep snug in PATH, downtown Toronto’s phenomenal underground 16-mile walkway, linking shops and entertainment. Up on ground level, purchasing is as popular a pastime. The only problem you will have is finding enough time to visit all the malls and boutiques. Just like New York you cannot visit Toronto without doing at least some bargain shopping. Current exchange rates make retail therapy a big draw in this former 18th century French fur-trading post. Mix your shooping tour with the chic boutiques of Queen Street and King Street West, to the ethnic mishmash of Kensington Market. Most also include a mall into their shopping itinerary (such as the Eaton Centre) for a choice of international and local brand names.
There are two excursions which should not be missed while visiting Toronto. I crammed both into one day but ideally they merit at least an overnight stop. Take a trip to Niagara and you will see an awesome sight, but return in another century and the falls will have shifted, for it is still on the move. Every second, 10,000 cubic feet of water cascades over dolostone and shale cliffs to create the phenomenon that is these falls. There are several ways to experience this thunderous onslaught and I tried all of them. A helicopter ride makes an excellent overture offering global pictures of the mighty river coursing between two countries. Dockside, I purchased a ticket for the Maid of the Mist and was handed a transparent-blue mac with hood, to keep me dry. Clad in blue plastic and leaning expectantly over the railings, we set sail towards the natural wonder. We cruised first to the base of the American Falls and from there swung upstream, plunging and rocking, powering us towards the ultimate experience: the swirling and eddying basin at the foot of Horseshoe Falls.
Back on dry land, there was no time for dawdling around the town of Niagara as we had a second treat waiting – wine tasting at the Inniskillen winery. This area of southern Ontario has long been renowned for its fruit farms but its wines, all cool-climate varieties, are a relatively new innovation and surprisingly good. Inniskillin prides itself on the quality of its produce, including its regional speciality. Originally developed in Germany in the 18th Century, ice wine is made from grapes that have been left on the vines until deep winter when the fruits, frozen by ice, contain more concentrated sugar. Only then are they are harvested, sometimes at night. The resulting wines, complex and sweet, are served chilled, usually as an aperitif. Armed with our bottles of ice wine, we drove back to Toronto via Canada’s most charming town. Niagara on the lake is a delightful, tranquil 19th century town set amongst the Canadian wine growing region.
As much as I didn’t want to leave my cocoon of comfort in Hotel Soho, we had booked our final two nights in its sister hotel, the Metropolitan. Equally comfortable and central, it boasts one of the most renowned Chinese restaurants, Lai Wa Heen. If you opt for a tasting menu, you will start with their signature dish of dim sung followed by a colourful array of dishes covering all food groups and spices. It was here that I discovered a new found appreciation for Chinese food.
While it is difficult not to eat well in Toronto, I was kindly escorted to the most reputable hangouts by my knowledgeable tour guide. I was told ‘eat out once a day and it will take you 21 years to dine your way around this city.’ First stop was a local treat of a pea bacon butty at St Lawrecence’s Market. This was followed by a lunch buffet in Chinatown. All this food was simply making me hungrier for more, and a late night craving for pizza was easily satisfied at one of Littly Italy’s boltholes. While we managed to eat our way around the city in four days, my most memorable meal was at the Hotel Soho. Senses restaurant is relatively new to Toronto’s restaurant scene but already has a repuation for its fabulous fusion cuisine.
Impressed by the socialising, shopping, and swanky hotels, what interested me most about Toronto is the people. When I asked directions from the locals, they welcomed my enquiries with Torontonian hospitality, which I quickly realised is a hallmark of the place. In a dozen and more different accents the locals greet you with smiles and genuine offers of assistance. Socialising in this Canadian city also gives you a greater appreciation of what a mixed cultural and ethnic bunch Torontonians are. Toronto is not New York, but nor is it a paler version as some might assume. It possesses a style of its own that is worth experiencing at least once.
