Toronto is one of the world's most multicultural cities — the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Distillery District, and a food scene spanning every cuisine.
Toronto is one of the world's most multicultural cities -- the CN Tower at 553 meters, Royal Ontario Museum, Distillery District, and a food scene spanning every cuisine on earth define Canada's largest city. Over 50% of residents were born outside Canada, giving the city a global character reflected in its neighborhoods like Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown, and Little India. Toronto is the financial and cultural capital of English Canada with world-class theatre, sports teams, and Lake Ontario's waterfront.
June through September offers warm summer weather for lakefront activities at Harbourfront Centre and Toronto International Film Festival in September. Winter (December-February) is cold at -5 to 0 degrees C but has the cheapest flights and the Distillery District Christmas Market. April-May and October-November are shoulder seasons. Summer temperatures average 25-30 degrees C. July is the warmest month. December-February brings the possibility of ice skating at Nathan Phillips Square.
Air Canada uses Toronto Pearson as its hub with extensive domestic and international networks to Europe, Asia, and the Americas. WestJet operates domestic and transborder routes. Porter Airlines serves short-haul routes from Billy Bishop airport. Delta, American, and United serve Toronto from US hubs. British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, and Emirates offer international connections. Air Transat provides seasonal leisure routes.
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) is 22 km northwest with the UP Express train reaching Union Station in 25 minutes for .35 CAD. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is on an island near downtown with a free ferry and pedestrian tunnel -- Porter Airlines operates from here for short-haul convenience. Taxis from Pearson cost -70 CAD. The TTC bus and subway connection is the cheapest option at .35 CAD. Pearson has two main terminals with extensive shopping.
Billy Bishop Airport often has cheaper short-haul fares and is walking distance from downtown. The Toronto CityPASS saves 35% on major attractions including CN Tower and Royal Ontario Museum. The PATH underground walkway connects 30 km of downtown shops and restaurants -- free to explore in winter. St. Lawrence Market offers affordable artisan meals on Saturdays. Many museums have free evenings weekly including the AGO on Wednesday nights. The Toronto Public Library offers free museum passes.
Toronto's TTC operates the subway with four lines (1-4), streetcars, and buses covering the city. Single fares cost .35 CAD with a PRESTO card and a day pass costs .50 CAD. The subway runs from about 6 AM to 1:30 AM. Streetcars are iconic to Toronto and run along many downtown routes. The UP Express connects Pearson Airport to Union Station in 25 minutes for the premium fare. The GO Transit commuter rail connects the suburbs and is useful for day trips to Niagara Falls. Bike Share Toronto has 6,800 bikes at 625 stations with day passes from CAD. The city is walkable in downtown areas but the subway is necessary for covering distance. Uber and Lyft are widely available. Winter walking requires warm clothing and careful footing on icy sidewalks.
Downtown near Yonge-Dundas Square offers central location with hotels from $220-300 CAD per night. Queen West and King West provide trendy neighborhoods with boutiques and restaurants with mid-range hotels from $170-250 CAD. The Entertainment District near the CN Tower has luxury hotels from $320-400 CAD. Yorkville offers upscale boutiques and high-end hotels from $420-500 CAD. Budget travelers check hostels in the Downtown and Kensington area from $30-50 CAD.