Location
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and the provincial capital of Ontario. The City of Toronto covers an area of 641 km² (247 square miles) and is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south. Toronto’s climate is moderated by Lake Ontario; its climate is among the mildest in Canada east of the Rocky Mountain range. It receives less snowfall during the winter than most other Canadian cities, and mild periods occur throughout the winter so total snow accumulation over the course of the winter is usually significantly lower due to regular melting.
Toronto has a thriving tourism industry as it has many landmarks and attractions, the most popular of which is the CN Tower.
Attractions
CN Tower – Located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, the world’s tallest building (553 metres) stands between the SkyDome and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front Street, just north of Bremner Blvd. Near the top, a 24 sq. metre glass floor allows visitors to watch the streets under their feet.
Casa Loma – Visit Canada’s Majestic Castle, Casa Loma and step back in time to a period of European elegance and splendour. Canada’s foremost castle is complete with decorated suites, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and beautiful 5-acre estate gardens.
Ontario Place Toronto – Ontario Place is internationally acclaimed cultural, leisure and entertainment parkland located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The complex extends throughout three man-made islands along the Lake Ontario waterfront and has lots of rides, attractions and entertainment.
Wild Water Kingdom – Attractions for young and old, including Seven Story Speed Slides, Tube slides, a children’s interactive playground, a half-acre tidal wave pool, mini-golf, batting cages, Caribbean Cove — our tropical paradise, hot tubs, and much more!
Paramount Canada’s Wonderland – Canada’s leading amusement park with attractions, entertainment and over 60 rides, including water park and fun for the kids. Fun for all ages.
Ontario Science Centre
Medieval Times Dinner – The Toronto Ontario Medieval Times castle is located in beautiful Exhibition Place. Step back in time Toronto!
African Lion Safari – Completely different manner of exhibiting animals from the traditional approach; that is, the visitor is caged in the car, and the animals roam in 2 to 20 hectare (5 to 50 acre) reserves.
How to get there
BY AIR;
Lester B. Pearson International Airport
Located just west of the city, about a 30-minute drive from our downtown .The airport is accessible from highways 401, 427 and 409.
Toronto City Centre Airport
Located on the western tip of a series of islands in Toronto Harbour, the island airport handles scheduled, private and corporate flights. Major airlines operating from the island include Air Ontario, Trans Capital Airlines and Grand Aviation.
BY ROAD;
Approaching Toronto by car, you will reach Toronto by one of several major routes paralleling the shore of Lake Ontario. Highways 401 and 2, and the Queen Elizabeth Way, enter Toronto from the west. Highways 401 and 2 also enter Toronto from the east. Hwy 400 runs from the north and connects with Hwy 401
BY RAIL;
Toronto is served by the VIA Rail System, the network that provides all rail service throughout Canada (with connections to the Amtrak system through Niagara Falls, New York). Union Station is located on Front Street, between Bay and University (across the street from the Fairmont Royal York Hotel). The station is right on Toronto’s subway line, and is within walking distance of SkyDome, the CN Tower, the financial district and many downtown hotels, shops and restaurants.
BY BUS/COACH;
Major bus routes converge in Toronto. Out-of-town buses arrive and depart from the Bus Terminal, located at 610 Bay St. Service to/from points all over Ontario, Canada and the U.S. National and regional bus lines serve the Greater Toronto area. Call 416-393-7911.
Festivals
Canada Day – July 1st, in 1982, “Canada Day” became the official name for July 1. Before then the day was known not only as Dominion Day but also as First of July, Confederation Day and July the First.
The Stratford Festival – May
Shaw Festival – May
Ottawa Jazz Festival – July.
York Shakespeare Festival – July & August
The Fringe: Toronto’s Theatre Festival – July
Beaches International Jazz Festival – July
Toronto Carnival Caribana, Canada’s largest street festival, is a West Indian carnival that lasts for 18 days. It ends on the first Monday in August and features a fantastic parade of music and dance the Saturday before.
Eating Dining Shopping
More than 300 boutiques, megastores, malls and specialty shops
Shopping Malls
The Eaton Centre is Toronto’s landmark shopping centre with over 285 shops, restaurants and services. It’s open seven days a week including most holidays.
Other Malls
Yorkdale Centre
Sherway Gardens
Square One
Woodbine Centre
Fairview Mall
History
Toronto is a Huron people’s word meaning ‘Meeting Place’. The first settlement in the entire Toronto area, was Teiaiagon, which was populated by the Seneca Indians and then later by the Mississauga Indians on the east bank of the Humber River.
The first European to stand on the shores of Lake Ontario in the vicinity of what is now Toronto was French explorer Etienne Brule. Toronto was very crucial for its series of trails and water routes that led from northern and western Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Known as the “Toronto Passage”, it followed the Humber River, as an important overland shortcut between Lake Ontario and the upper Great Lakes. For this reason Toronto became a hot spot for French fur traders.
Useful telephone numbers
Emergency Number Tel; 911
Airport Information (Lester B. Pearson International Airport) 1-888-422-7533
Train station:
Tourist Office: ONTARIO (1-800-668-2746)
Holiday rents online:
National Transport Line
24 hour medical service