Holiday lettings & accommodation in Toronto

Toronto comprises hundreds of small neighbourhoods, each with their own distinct flavour and atmosphere - and all fun to explore. Toronto is roughly divided down the middle by Yonge Street, the longest street in Canada and runs from Lake Ontario northwards. Old Toronto is the heart of the city, facing onto the lake, and made up of the popular neighbourhoods of Downtown, West End, East End, Midtown and Islands. Downtown contains many of the city’s largest attractions, so any tourist will be passing through, but some of the other districts have more independent cultural appeal. West End boasts some of the city’s most interesting neighbourhoods such as Little Italy and Little Portugal while East End contains some of the hippest, such as the Beach and Leslieville. For a really tolerant, laid-back neighbourhood, head to Church and Wellesley which form Toronto’s most LGBT-friendly district. For something totally different, look for holiday accommodation on the Islands - this small island chain in the harbour is so peaceful that not even cars are allowed.

To get an idea of the sheer sprawl of Toronto, head up to the top of the iconic CN Tower - once the tallest freestanding structure in the world, and still the tallest in the Western Hemisphere. Daredevils can book an EdgeWalk around the edge of the tower, 116 storeys above the ground. Toronto’s location on the northern shore of Lake Ontario is an important feature of the city, and summer visitors should take the ferry to Toronto’s Centre Island, to escape the traffic and enjoy beautiful views of the lake and the city’s skyline. The city also has some fascinating museums, covering every interest. Sports fans will enjoy the Hockey Hall of Fame while fashionistas can while away an afternoon at the Bata Shoe Museum. The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection is great for literature lovers, and history buffs should head to Fort York to see their collection of original War of 1812 buildings. Toronto is also heaven for theatre buffs, with the third largest English-speaking theatre district in the world after London and New York.

Torontonians are rightly proud of the multicultural nature of their city, not least because it has created an excellent food scene. Toronto boasts over 8,000 restaurant meaning that the (enviable) problem in Toronto isn’t finding somewhere good to eat, it’s whittling the decision down from a choice of hundreds! Some things are straightforward: head to Little Italy, Greektown, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little India or Little Portugal if you know which cuisine you desire. All these neighbourhoods are packed with authentic dishes, as well as culture and music. Cabbagetown, Baldwin Village, and Queen Street East all offer a high density of places to eat in a small area. Coffee lovers will be in heaven in Toronto: the city is powered on caffeine and there is a cafe serving a decent brew on every block. When night falls, head to Clubland on Queen Street, for a huge number of pubs and late night bars. For a more chilled out evening, neighbourhoods such as Parkdale and Queen West offer a nice mix of music venues, bars and late night eateries.

Toronto is an enormous city, but it is perfectly possible to get around by public transport. The iconic Toronto streetcar system is the largest in the western world, and it is complemented by a comprehensive network of subway trains, rail services and buses. If you are visiting in the summer, renting a bicycle is a great way of seeing this fairly flat city - and actually makes getting from place to place in downtown Toronto much faster than a taxi or public transport. Toronto has a public bike system called BIXI with 1,000 bikes that can be picked up and dropped off at 80 locations across the city. Taxis are easy and numerous, but not a cheap option. If you are visiting for a significant amount of time, consider a side trip or two to explore more of southern Ontario: sights such as the Niagara Falls and Thousand Islands are near enough to make a daytrip possible, while the beautiful sandy beaches at Wasaga, Sibbald Point Provincial Park and Turkey Point are popular with Torontonians on sunny days.