Toronto fascinates visitors and residents of the city with its picturesque locations. This is a city that enchants you with the first street and always has something to surprise the inquisitive tourist. Every corner of the metropolis is memorable and inspiring. The beauty and majesty of Toronto’s landmarks are astonishing and admirable. Learn more at toronto-future.
North America is a unique continent and Toronto is a perfect recreational city, which is worth visiting if you want to get unforgettable impressions. We offer you a list of landmarks, which must be visited in Canada’s largest city.
1. The CN Tower
The height of the most famous skyscraper in Toronto including the spire is about 553 meters. Its construction lasted for 40 months and its main purpose was interference-free receiving and transmitting of signals. In addition to this direct function, the TV tower can also offer a lot of entertainment to its visitors.
The construction of the highest tower required considerable effort. The best architects and designers worked on its development and took into account every detail while planning the tower. Such a structure required serious security measures. A huge team was involved in the work and the creation of the landmark was preserved in step-by-step photographs.
There is a platform with a glass floor at the top of the tower, which offers an incredible view of the city and if the weather is calm you can even see the famous Niagara Falls. The glass high-speed elevator will help you to get unforgettable impressions. You can also purchase a souvenir card or book about the CN Tower.
There is also a restaurant called 360 on one of the tower’s upper levels. It has a moving platform, which makes a complete revolution in 1 hour and 12 minutes. In addition, you can have a tasty snack while enjoying the surrounding scenery. The dining hall seats 416 people and the variety of dishes is simply amazing. Despite the high prices, there are plenty of visitors here and you should make a reservation in advance.
2. Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the most romantic places in the world, which impresses with its energy and remains etched in memory forever. This natural landmark is located a 90-minute drive from Toronto. Travelers can observe this natural wonder from the ground (on observation platforms), from above (by helicopter) and from the water (on a special boat). In addition, visitors can get under the waterfall and feel its power. Tourists say that at such moments they experience separation from the outside world and extreme admiration.
Niagara Falls is part of the border between the USA and Canada, so you can watch it from the territory of both countries. It is located on the border between the American state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. The two countries are connected by a bridge located nearby. Interestingly, both American and Canadian cities, which are closest to the waterfall, are named the same, Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls are formed by three separate waterfalls, which are divided from each other by islands: Horseshoe Falls (also known as Canadian, 792 m long), Bridal Veil Falls (10 m long) and American Falls (323 m long).
The waterfall emerged as the result of the last glacier destruction. It always moves due to natural phenomena. Hydroelectric power stations were built and an artificial embankment of stones was made to slow down the unconquered giant. Scientists predict that within 5,000 years, there will be no trace of the American and Bridal Veil waterfalls and the Horseshoe waterfall will move 2 kilometers upstream.
53-meters high Niagara Falls is not a record-breaker, but it is one of the most powerful waterfalls on the entire planet. The total volume of water passing through the waterfall is 5.5 00 m³/s. It seems unbelievable, but the waterfall was completely frozen twice in its history, in 1848 and 1912.
The air near Niagara Falls is so humid that visitors’ clothes become soaking wet after visiting. That is also a reason why rainbows always appear in the sky there. At night, the waterfall is illuminated until midnight and in the summer, fireworks are lit twice a week.
Only extreme enthusiasts risk their own lives and dare to conquer the waterfall, which often ends up unsuccessfully and tragically. Unlike 90% of the fish that fall down and remain alive, extremes can’t boast the same. In Canada and the USA, there are laws that prohibit jumping from a waterfall. Even a $10,000 fine isn’t an obstacle for some people. The first woman to conquer the water giant was a 63-year-old pensioner. In 2012, the acrobat managed to walk along the rope stretched between the waterfall banks.
3. The Hockey Hall of Fame
The Toronto Hockey Hall of Fame is recommended as a must-see location for all travelers, even those who aren’t into sports. It is the most famous and popular hockey museum in the world. There is even a joke that Canadian children first learn to skate and then to walk.
The museum is located among skyscrapers in the former building of the Bank of Montreal, which was constructed in 1885. This is the only building that was not damaged in this block by the fire of 1904. About 300,000 people visit the Hockey Hall of Fame annually.
Tourists and locals have the opportunity to visit 15 exhibition sections, where every detail attracts your attention and takes your breath away. It presents trophies, including the famous Stanley Cup, sports uniforms as well as photos and information about famous players and coaches.
Visitors are invited to participate in interactive entertainment. For example, you can experience being a field player or goalkeeper, test your knowledge in a quiz or report a hockey match.
4. The Casa Loma Castle
The magical castle of Casa Loma is located in the very center of Toronto. It has attracted the attention of travelers with its grandeur and unique appearance for many decades. The exquisite building in Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic styles is surrounded by skyscrapers and office centers.
The mansion was built for the Canadian rich man Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, who lived with his family for ten happy years there. The financier dreamed of such a house and didn’t spare $3.5 million for its construction. The castle has a tower, a tunnel and underground passages. It is a vivid embodiment of the era, which is also equipped with the latest technical innovations. After the global financial crisis and the Great Depression of the 1930s, the mansion became a tourist attraction.
The castle has 98 rooms, three floors, towers and an underground level. Here, you can find decorative art pieces from the first half of the 20th century. The castle’s library was planned to fit 100,000 books and its Wine Cellar can store 1,500 bottles.
The Great Hall on the first floor is impressive. Here, a wealthy family hosted guests and arranged social evenings. In the Winter Garden, exotic plants bloomed year-round owing to steam heating. The master’s private office had a secret door that led to an underground passage. The castle was served by 40 servants. In addition to the living area, there was a bakery, stables, service stairs, storerooms and dressing rooms.
5. High Park
Many Toronto’s parks became tourist gems because of their amazing landscapes. A special place among them belongs to High Park, which is considered one of the largest and most popular. High Park was opened to the public in 1876. You can walk here all day and still have something new to see because it covers 161 hectares. A third of the park remains in its natural state featuring oaks trees and rare savanna ecology.
Winding paths and babbling brooks will take your breath away. There is one of the best places for fishing on the territory of the park, Grenadier Pond. High Park is also loved by sports fans because there are tennis courts as well as football and baseball fields. In the summer, children enjoy spending time by the large outdoor pool. In winter, an artificial ice rink is opened on the territory of the park. If you visit this place in spring, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the cherry blossom too.
A small zoo on the territory of the park is also very popular. Here, you can see bison, reindeer, majestic peacocks and other animals. You can move around the park both along footpaths or on a trackless train, which takes half an hour.
6. The Toronto Zoo
For enthusiasts of outdoor recreation, it is recommended to visit the Toronto Zoo. It was opened on August 15, 1974 and became the largest zoo in Canada, however, locals consider it the best on the whole continent. Indeed, no other Canadian zoo can boast of its size (287 hectares) and variety of animal species.
The entire area of the zoo consists of pavilions with different microclimates of certain natural zones and open enclosures. Some of the most interesting pavilions are Mayan Ruins, African Savannah, Australian and American. Sometimes, it is difficult to find the boundaries of the enclosures, as their inhabitants can move freely there.
When you enter the tropical jungle pavilion, it seems that a predator that has accidentally left his enclosure will attack you any minute. In addition to a huge variety of animal life, the zoo has an aquarium and even a botanical garden.
Among large animals, elephants and hippos are the most impressive. Interestingly looking rodents, naked mole-rats, live in the zoo too in an area, which resembles laboratory labyrinths. There is also a part of the zoo that is stylized as a real African park, through which you can drive in a car. The pride of lions and the graceful cheetah will also impress the visitors. The most popular inhabitants of the American Pavilion are beavers, the pride of Canada.
7. The Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Center is located on the bank of the Don River and is Toronto’s science and technology museum, which was founded in 1969. It presents exhibits from various fields of science, which tell visitors interesting facts and explain processes, such as achievements in optics, laser technology, biology, physics and space exploration, in an interactive form.
You can visit the planetarium, which looks like a cinema, where popular science films with visual effects are shown. Also, the unusual music fountain, which is located in front of the museum, works in summer, creating incredible melodies. It works like an organ, however, the fountain uses water instead of air.
8. Islands of Lake Ontario
The 15 islands of Lake Ontario can offer an incredible recreational time in a unique atmosphere. The hustle and bustle of the big city give way to a quiet and peaceful journey. Here, you can take a tour of the harbor and rent a kayak or canoe.
Also, there is an amusement park for children, Centerville, which is located on Central Island. The park includes a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster and a miniature golf course as well as a park and a picnic area. Island’s southern shore offers you beaches to sunbathe and an unforgettable view of the city at night.
9. The underground city of PATH
In Toronto, you can visit an unusual location, the 29 km-long underground city called PATH. Its name is literal, as the place consists of walking paths and 1,000 shops. This tunnel connects important local attractions and six subway stations.
The underground city is well-heated and lit. Due to its large area, it features park areas too. This location is easy to find because it is known to every local. In addition, most of the downtown skyscrapers have underground floors with offices, restaurants, and recreational areas. They are always crowded at lunchtime because office workers come down to have a snack and distract themselves from work processes there. The place is so popular and diverse that you can meet here bankers, students, employees, and tourists, speaking different languages, though gathered at the same location.
10. Ripley’s Aquarium
Ripley’s Aquarium is easy to find, as it is located in downtown Toronto, south of the CN Tower, on Bremner Blvd. It was opened in 2013 and since then, became world-famous. This is the place where you can dive into an unforgettable journey of the underwater world.
13,500 exotic marine and freshwater inhabitants live in 10 thematic galleries there. The size of the aquarium and the diversity of its inhabitants are impressive. Ripley’s Aquarium is divided into several galleries, including Canadian Waters, Rainbow Reef, Dangerous Lagoon, Discovery Centre, The Gallery, Ray Bay, Swarm: Nature by Numbers, Planet Jellies, Life Support Systems and the Shoreline Gallery.
The highlight of the aquarium is a moving platform with a transparent ceiling, where visitors seem to be swimming amid exotic sea creatures.
Toronto is a large modern metropolis, a busy port on Lake Ontario and an important industrial center of Canada. The visiting card of the Ontario capital is ultra-modern cultural centers, sports arenas and green parks. Toronto’s landscape is slender rows of skyscrapers against the background of the blue bay waters, snow-white yachts along the shore, well-kept streets and happy Canadians. This picture is the best description of Toronto.
Toronto is a fabulous and memorable city, which attracts visitors at any time of the year. Travelers love and admire every corner of this city. Our planet is so beautiful, so we should try to catch the smallest opportunity to see each of its creations and visit its magical places. Traveling through Toronto’s most picturesque locations is a real pleasure.
