Toronto
Toronto is an exciting global story told by its people in dozens of different languages and illustrated by its writers, artists, poets, actors, singers, restaurateurs, raconteurs, architects, horticulturists, and politicians. Toronto is touted as the most diverse city in the world where visitors can experience cultures of the world.
Greater Toronto lists more than 100 cultural backgrounds of its 4.7 million citizens.
Visitors to Toronto can easily trip from one “country” to the next by simply hopping on the subway and getting off at the next stop. An hour or two spent in any one of the city’s many ethnic neighbourhoods will give most visitors a genuine feel of its individual culture and character. Chinatown (all three of them), Kensington Market, Little Italy, Greek Town and the Gay Village are all well worth exploring.
If your time is short, you may have to limit sightseeing to Toronto’s Waterfront district, exploring the Harbourfront or The Beaches.
Follow your eyes to the world’s tallest structure to see Toronto and Lake Ontario from a dizzying vantage point that soars 553 metres at the CN Tower. The Tower is the focal point of Toronto’s Entertainment Center where something is happening 24/7 throughout the year.
Sports fans should not miss the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame. Even better, take in a professional sporting event at the magnificent Toronto Rogers Centre. The skydome with a retractable roof is an architectural showpiece and is so massive that it could enclose both the Roman Coliseum and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Eating out in Toronto is like being in the proverbial candy shop where do you start? The choices are incredible from sampling most ethnic foods purchased from street vendors to fine dining at the gracious and historic Fairmont Royal York.
Visitors are faced with the same daunting choices when picking a festival to attend at any time of the year. Toronto hosts more than a 1000 annual festivals. Caribana is the biggest single-day happening and largest Caribbean festival in North America.
The annual Toronto International Film Festival is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile films, stars and market activity. Toronto’s cultural scene is as eclectic as its neighbourhoods. It all comes together during Nuit Blanche on September 30 to October 1, 2006 with a free sunset to dawn explosion of contemporary visual art, music and dance.
Live With Culture is year-long initiative to showcase and raise awareness of the vast scope of Toronto’s cultural activities. Its website (www.livewithculture.ca) is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide that features all of Toronto’s arts and culture events. Humanitas, is a month-long celebration that showcases Toronto’s many cultures through storytelling, performances, and exhibitions.