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photo credit: slava

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and one of the most popular urban travel destinations for both Canadians and Americans. Given the size of the city, its rich history, its great multicultural attitude and its role as an important travel destination, it’s a place that offers a lot of different terrific activities to be enjoyed. For the visitor who wants to enjoy a comprehensive sightseeing tour of the major attractions in Toronto, the following is a list of the things that should be included on the itinerary:

• Allan Gardens Conservatory. This attraction does a great job of showing off both the nature and urban lanscape of Toronto. There are six greenhouses here featuring a wide variety of different plant life but this is part of the urban parks system located in downtown Toronto. The conservatory has been under intense revitalization since 2000 and has been a great addition to the tourist itinerary since that time.

• Art Gallery of Ontario. People who are interested in making sure that they see the important art museums of an urban destination will not want to miss this one. Unfortunately, it is closed until fall of this year for renovations and additions of new galleries. When it reopens, it will be one of the places of priority for tourists to consider visiting.

• Cabbagetown. This is a historic neighborhood east of downtown Toronto where people go to see the old Victorian houses that make up the architectural landscape here. Entertainment, dining and shopping can all be enjoyed at this destination.

• Casa Loma. This is called Toronto’s most famous castle and it’s certainly a magical sight to behold. An audio tour takes you through secret passageways and tunnels, many different castle rooms, stables and an extensive garden area outside of the castle. It’s one of the places in Toronto where you can almost feel like you are actually in ancient Europe instead of modern Canada.

• Chinatown. Believe it or not there are seven different Chinatowns in Toronto. People who are interested in this cultural experience will find visiting at least one of them to be a valuable addition to a trip to this area. Old Chinatown is the largest of them and actually one of the largest Chinatowns in North America so it’s the most popular one for visitors to explore.

• City Hall and Old City Hall. There are two different City Hall buildings in Toronto and both are worth exploring as a visitor. The Old City Hall is a historic tourist attraction built at the end of the nineteenth century. It has the third largest clock face in the world (think the Big Ben of Canada) and is home to several statues and monuments that are worth checking out. The new City Hall, erected in the 1960’s, is across the street and is one of the most outstanding architecturally-interesting buildings in the city.

photo credit: Donnay

• CN Tower. This is a communications tower and tourist attraction that is considered to be one of the tallest structures in the world. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire city and is definitely a place where you should get some pictures for the scrapbook.

• Distillery District. This is a historic district named for the nineteenth century distilleries that were housed here. In the twenty first century, it became a pedestrian-focused arts and cultural area with a historic air to it. It’s a great place for tourists to go to enjoy shopping and entertainment while getting an experience of the historic charm of the city.

• Dundas Square. This is a public square in downtown Toronto which holds a variety of different events enjoyable to both locals and visitors.

• Exhibition Place. This is a convention and events center that many visitors end up spending time at because they come to the area specifically for an event that is taking place here. Those travelers in the city for another reason may still want to see what is going on here at the time that they are traveling in the area.

• Greektown on the Danforth. Anyone who loves Greek culture, Greek food or even just a lively neighborhood will find that there is a lot to be enjoyed when shopping, dining or partaking of the nightlife in this neighborhood of Toronto.

photo credit: RightIndex

• High Park. Toronto is a city with a large number of great public parks. This is the best of the best. It is a famous tourist attraction but also a place loved by locals. An oak savannah, an abundance of wildlife and a number of different activity areas are all major points of attraction here.

• Hockey Hall of Fame. People visiting Canada often want to check out the events and locations related to the sport of ice hockey. This is one of those not-to-be-missed attractions for people interested in the sport.

• Koreatown. Visitors who want to experience a variety of different cultures during their trip to Toronto should make sure not to miss out on the opportunity to visit the city’s Koreatown for shopping or dining.

• Leslie Street Spit. This is an area of urban wilderness that really shows off the nature surrounding Toronto and gives the visitor something to take away that’s more than just a big urban experience. It’s a bird sanctuary for many different types of birds.

• Little Glenn. This is a statue more than twenty feet tall that is located in Toronto and which is a favorite tourist attraction for many people. It’s of a life-sized human boy pulling a humongous obelisk statue.

• Little Italy. Visitors go to this neighborhood in part because they want to experience the cultural offerings of the neighborhood (like all that great food) but also because it’s one of the hottest Toronto neighborhoods for people seeking active nightlife in the city.

photo credit: Sweet One

• Nathan Phillips Square. This is a public square in Toronto that is considered to be a favorite by many people because of all of the activity that takes place here.

• Old Toronto. Downtown Toronto is the historic heart of the city and a place where there are many different sights to be seen. specifically it’s of interest because of the historic architecture and many historic landmarks here.

• Ontario Science Center. Any visitor interested in checking out Toronto’s best museums will not want to neglect the opportunity to visit this cutting edge science center. It’s great for visitors of all ages and a favorite sightseeing attraction for families.

• Panorama Lounge. You’re going to get hungry during your trip and there’s only one restaurant that stands out above the others - literally. This one is located fifty one stories up and offers terrace dining so that you can get an amazing view of Toronto while you dine.

• Queen’s Park. This is an urban park in Toronto. There are numerous footpaths that take the visitor through the park to see the various historic monuments and statues that are located in the city. Those people seeking a great self-guided walking tour of Toronto would do well to start here.

photo credit: wyliepoon

• Rogers Centre. This is a multi-sport arena where visitors can go to check out a game of their choosing. People interested in professional level sports in Canada will definitely not want to miss including this on a sightseeing tour of the city.

• Rouge Park. Toronto is a major urban area but it has a lot of wilderness to it as well and this park is one of the best examples of that. Any Toronto visitor who wants to get in some good hiking or even some overnight camping will want to make this part of their vacation.

• Royal Ontario Museum. This is considered to be one of the world’s greatest museums so it’s certainly something that should be missed if you’re interested in checking out the serious highlights of Toronto.

• St. Lawrence Market. This public market has been ranked among the best in the world so it’s definitely a sight that should be seen in Toronto. There are over one hundred vendors here selling food and crafts so you’re sure to find something that you want to purchase but the very experience of spending time here is what’s really important about adding this to your itinerary.

• St. Michael’s and St. James’ Cathedrals. These are two of the most famous churches in Toronto and are among the most visited places by Toronto tourists. They are located close to one another and are worth a stop, especially if historic religious architecture is of interest to you.

• Toronto Eaton Center. Visitors who want to get in some modern shopping won’t want to neglect to visit this amazing glass galleria filled with over two hundred stores of all kinds.

• Toronto Islands. Take a ferry to this beautiful chain of islands in Lake Ontario to enjoy a great day of picnicking, hiking or relaxation. It’s one of the most beautiful parts of Toronto.

• Toronto Zoo. Every city has its zoo and this is one of the best in the world. Anyone who likes zoos will find that this is an important attraction to see in Toronto.

Tags: Canada | North America | sightseeing | Toronto