Toronto is the biggest, most culturally diverse city in Canada and each district is a world into its own.
Day 1 — CN Tower, Kensington Market & Chinatown Tour
Start your day on top of one of the tallest structures in the world, the CN Tower, where you will get one of the best panoramic views of Toronto. www.cntower.ca/portal/
Once down, head to the Hockey Hall of Fame, even if it is only to take a close look at the Stanley Cup. www.hhof.com
For an energy-boosting lunch, try Fresh, which is a famous organic and vegetarian haven. One of their power shakes will quickly shake off any leftover jetlag.
894 Queen Street West, www.juiceforlife.com
If you are not the veggie type, Terroni is a delicious and simple Southern Italian option, with pizza, pasta,insalata, panini, dolce and of course, cafes...Magnifico!
720 Queen Street West, www.terroni.ca
Take a taxi to Little Italy for a walking tour of Kensington Market, Chinatown and the fashion district of Queen Street. Start from College Street and Augusta and walk right to Kensington Market. Go left on Baldwin Street, then right on Kensington Avenue.
Take the time to wander around and explore this varied collection of open markets, cafés and vintage clothing stores. A short walk along St Andrew Street brings you to Spadina Avenue, located in the heart of the city's historic Chinatown. If you like art, don't miss the Art Gallery of Ontario. www.ago.net
Walk south until you reach the fashion district of Queen Street West. Here you will find an array of cool boutiques, such as Mendocino, Fluevog and Artizia.
If you are more into fashion's leading names, such as Gucci, Chanel and Prada, find your way to the strip between Bay Street and Avenue Road on Bloor Street and step into a whole new world.
Just around the corner, in the posh Yorkville district, you will find Toronto's famous Italian restaurant, Sotto Sotto, where you can savour Chef Felice's comfort food. 116A Avenue Road, www.sottosotto.ca
For late-night action, walk back to Bloor Street and to the trendy Lobby lounge to cap a perfectly wonderful evening.
Day 2 — Museums, Toronto Islands or Niagara Falls
Enjoy a morning of museums at the Royal Ontario Museum - www.rom.on.ca — and at the most unique Bata Shoe Museum.
This collection of 12,000 artefacts spanning a period of 4,500 years will leave you with an impressive sense of the world's cultural diversity. www.batashoemuseum.ca
Later, head to Harbourfront's Queen's Quay terminal for a light lunch by the lake and take the ferry to the Toronto Islands, where you can rent a bike or enjoy the city's best skyline view. www.toronto.ca/parks/island
Later, go back to Little Italy, to one of Toronto's liveliest strips, on College Street between Euclid and Shaw Streets. Take your pick from the countless bars and cafés. Sotto Voce, Café Italia and College Street Bar are just a few spots to check out.
For a dining experience to remember, head to either Susur or Lee to sample some of the unique east-west fusions rustled up by the great Hong Kong-born chef Susur Lee. These restaurants, next to each other, provide a distinctive atmosphere.
Susur is luminous and refined while Lee is more casual, serving outstanding and creative tapas-style dishes.
Susur, 601 King Street West, www.susur.com, and Lee, 603 King Street West.
Toronto is a city of live music and musicals. Check out the free local entertainment weeklies, Now and Eye.
Niagara Falls
A different option would be to take a tour of a world wonder — Niagara Falls — located just one-and-a-half hours south of Toronto. Daily tours leave from the major hotels and are easy to book at www.niagaratours.ca
Hotels:
Park Hyatt, 4 Avenue Road,
www.parktoronto.hyatt.com
The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West,
www.thedrakehotel.ca
