You may technically be in Canada when you visit Toronto, but it’s a city which is quite possibly the most successful melting pot of different cultures in the country. Separated from New York State by the vast Lake Ontario, this city seems less purist than the rest of the country in keeping the influence of the Americans at bay – or that of many other cultures, for that matter. In Toronto, you can eat like a New Yorker for breakfast, enjoy a Korean walnut cake with an Italian espresso for a mid-day snack, and dine out in the evening on any cuisine you could imagine: Chinese, Indian, or Malaysian – you name it, Toronto’s got it. Previous waves of immigration from the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia and the USA itself has made Toronto the relaxed and vibrant multicultural city you’ll discover today.
It’s also a veritable paradise for shopaholics, with glittering malls, markets, boutiques and galleries galore (the Square One Shopping Centre in the city’s largest mall, with over 360 shops, more than 40 places to eat and four massive departments stores). Don’t forget to take in the infamous CN Tower for some jaw-dropping (and slightly hysteria-inducing) overviews of the city. If you’d like to get away from the rumble of the city itself, a day trip will take you to the breathtaking Niagara Falls, or you could simply mosey (or whatever the Canadian equivalent is) out to the lush ravines on the outskirts.
Unpretentious, easy-going and full of verve and energy, Toronto is a city you’ll be fondly savouring long after your stay has ended.