Toronto

Downtown

Most visitors to Toronto spend all of their time in the downtown area which really has everything that you could hope for in a large urban city. The downtown area is built up around the large financial district and boasts a fantastic thespian scene with numerous theatres along Yonge Street and King Street as well as the Toronto Opera House. Shopping opportunities abound with the St Lawrence Market hosting farmers markets, delis and antique market and the enormous Kensington Market complex hosting food and clothing stores as well as restaurants and bars. Central Toronto boasts one of the best nightlifes in North America and has the largest gay community outside of San Francisco; the Church St gay community is worth witnessing.

East End

The East End is one of the oldest areas of Toronto and is comprised of a fairly diverse mix of neighbourhoods with hugely expensive Victorian mansions rubbing up against pockets of great ethnic variety. The Cabbage Town district is interesting to explore for its restored Victorian Irish homes whilst the Portlands boast a newly thriving neighbourhood of restaurants, bars, art galleries and cafes. Also worth a look is the Greek Town which is crowded with Greek bars and restaurants and comes alive especially for national celebrations. Perhaps the biggest attraction in the East End is the Toronto Zoo which has 10km of trails to explore and houses 5000 animals.

North York

Like the East End, North York is an area of vast disparities of wealth and huge ethnic diversity. Certain areas of North York have a record of violent crime and tourists would be well advised to try to find an alternative to travelling through the Jane and Finch Corridor for example. The numbers of Russian, Jewish and Persian people living in North York make for some varied and bustling neighbourhoods each displaying its own rich culinary traditions. Visitors to North York will be rewarded by a clutch of museums and cultural centres. These include the Black Creek Pioneer Village, the Aerospace museum and the North York Performing Arts Centre. North York is also home to Downsview Park, the first urban national park in the country.

Scarborough

Largely suburban, Scarborough has maintained a distinct and appealing character of its own at a time when other areas have succumbed to modernity. It is also the greenest part of Toronto and boasts areas of striking natural beauty. Amongst these is the Rouge River Valley which is in many places dense and untouched forest land. The Scarborough Bluffs are probably the most striking natural feature in Toronto, a 14km stretch along the edge of Lake Ontario reaching heights of nearly 70 metres, they offer some fantastic views.