Planning a trip to Canada and the Great Lakes region? Here is our presentation of the best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto!
The largest city in Canada and the state of Ontario and bordered by Lake Ontario, Toronto is the fifth most populous city in North America. With 2,731,571 intramural residents and 5,928,040 people across the city, Toronto is ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live in. It is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with 49% of the population born outside Canada. But beware, the price of your accommodation to stay in Toronto will be high, the city being the most expensive in Canada.
Founded at the very beginning of the 19th century, Toronto is made up of 242 neighborhoods, but most of the sites of interest are concentrated in the historic city center and the old near suburbs. Between Old Toronto, Toronto Entertainment District, Yorkville, Chinatown, Kensington Market and King West, each district offers a different atmosphere, from bohemian to chic, from the business district to the artistic and cultural district. Here is our selection of areas to stay in Toronto.
Distillery District
Crédit photo: Flickr – Matt Kozovski
True historic district of the city - however young - the district of the Gooderham and Works distillery is a pedestrian zone where there are red brick buildings typical of Victorian architecture - named after the British queen Victoria: more forty buildings and ten streets listed as historic heritage of Canada. Be sure to satisfy a craving at the St. Lawrence market, frequently referred to as the best market in the world. The Victorian buildings have been rehabilitated into clothing stores, art galleries, concert halls with concerts all year round, bars and restaurants, making the neighborhood a place where social life does not stop at night. It's an expensive neighborhood to stay in Toronto, but very central.
Entertainment District
Photo credit: Flickr - wyliepoon
The entertainment district has been nicknamed as such because this is where you will find most of the musical outings to enjoy performing arts, festivals and concerts. The Toronto International Film Festival takes place there every year in early September. Cinemas, sporting events, comedy clubs, theaters, discos and bars will delight your evenings. During the day, bask in Roundhouse Park, the neighborhood's green lung, near the famous CN Tower. Don't miss the Steam Whistle Brewery, the neighborhood brewery. You are at home here, the best area to stay in Toronto if you are looking to combine sport, party, culture and proximity to the city center.
Yorkville et The Annex
Crédit photo: Flickr – Crystal Luxmore
These two districts are opposed by the way of life that one finds there and consequently, by the sociology which populates the places. In Yorkville, the focus is on fashion and luxury. A former gentrified hippie neighborhood that has become the lair of haute couture, you'll be in the right place to stay in Toronto if you like chic shopping and fine dining restaurants. Tiffany, Chanel and Hermès are all brands for your high-end purchases.
Its neighbor The Annex offers a completely different living climate: adjoining the University of Toronto, the neighborhood is frequented by student youth who, of course, do not frequent upscale fashion circles. There is a plethora of cafes, theaters, bookstores, art galleries, bars and restaurants frequented by a trendy population of night owls on the lookout for cultural discoveries and an inexhaustible thirst for art.
Kensington Market, Little Italy, Chinatown
Credit photo: Flickr - Save Webb
Square of houses enclosed between Chinatown et Little Italy , Kensington Market is a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan area, one of the oldest and busiest areas of the city. Scottish and Irish immigration district around the 1880s, the area is also the land of reception for West Indian immigrants, of Latin American, European and Vietnamese origin. In fact, there is an incredible concentration of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops, especially east of Bellevue Square Park. To immerse yourself in a cultural immersion, this is the neighborhood to stay in Toronto.