TORONTO
Area: Ontario
Country: Canada


Location:
In SE Canada, in S of Ontario province. 18 mls SE of international airport. 81 mls N (around Lake Ontario) from Niagara Falls and US border.

Telephone code from UK:
1 647

Website:
http://www.toronto-tourism.com

Position:
On NW shore of Lake Ontario, one of Great Lakes.

Description:
Originally settled by 17th-century English and Scottish immigrants, Toronto has grown into a vibrant metropolis covering 144 sq mls, with a very cosmopolitan population of 2» million. Ontario's provincial capital and Canada's largest city, it is the country's leading financial and commercial centre with the headquarters of many banking and industrial institutions concentrated in the dense high-rise downtown area. Its skyline is dominated by the spectacular pencil-thin CN Tower that claims to be the world's tallest free-standing structure. The city is renowned for hosting various international festivals and seminars while remaining the most frequently used location for Hollywood film-makers after Los Angeles and New York.

Suitability:
Year-round international tourists using it as popular base for sophisticated culture, shopping and varied entertainment; jumping-off point for excursions to nearby Niagara Falls and USA.

Accommodation:
Large concentration of predominantly business-orientated multistorey high-rises, ranging from very affordable to quite expensive in and around central area. Most boast comprehensive leisure facilities, extensive conference and exhibition space as well as being close to one or other underground stations, bus and tram stops.

Shopping:
As varied as any major city. Downtown has several distinct areas that cater for all tastes including a sizeable Chinatown. Yorkville district to N of Downtown remains one of the country's most concentrated areas of luxury fashion, jewellers and private art galleries. Eaton Centre's enormous galleria is connected directly to underground trains and subterranean concourses that allow pedestrians to avoid worst of downtown traffic and freezing winter weather. Yonge Street, running N almost from ferry docks, provides dense array of smaller stores, fast food and surprisingly frequent sex shops and peep shows, while Queen Street is home to bohemian and avant garde designers.

Beach:
The mild summer climate and lakeshore position may be tempting but the heavily polluted water means no swimming.

Entertainments:
Daytime: city exploring including CN Tower, Chinatown, Little Italy and Harbourfront; boat tours on Lake Ontario; choice of museums and art galleries; zoo; indoor basketball, ice hockey and basketball at Olympic-designed Air Canada Centre or American football and baseball at impressive Skydome stadium with its high-tech retractable roof; all-day amusement arcades. Nightlife: reputedly has world's third largest concentration of theatres outside Broadway and Shaftesbury Avenue, showing world-famous musical productions, dramas and comedies; O'Keefe Centre and Air Canada Centre host regular concerts and pop gigs; umpteen cinemas including Imax Theatre; inordinate number of bars and clubs, plus several seedy erotica clubs for those who feel inclined.

Eating:
Vast range to suit all pockets, with visitors benefiting from city's cosmopolitan personality _ N American steaks, seafood, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Thai, French, German, Mexican etc. Ubiquitous fast-food joints and hot-dog stalls vie with myriad high-street and hotel restaurants. Button-popping portions and very keen prices (by European standards) at all but most upmarket venues.

Public-transport:
Fast, efficient network of underground trains, trams, buses and mainline railway link downtown sites with each other and metropolitan Toronto. Light Rapid Transit (LRT) line serves lower downtown, bustling harbourfront and port. Airport shuttle stops at many central hotels.

Local-excursions:
Nearby Niagara Falls and New York state (USA) are most popular destinations outside city. Car rental is relatively cheap and favoured by most to reach these places, although organised bus and air connections are available.