Toronto, Canada
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Airport: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Served by: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair
City Statistics
Overview
Getting There By Air
Tel: (416) 247 7678 (T1) or 776 5100 (T3) or 1 866 207 1690.
Website: www.gtaa.com
Pearson International Airport is located 27km (17 miles) northwest of downtown Toronto. Canada's busiest and largest airport, it handles more than 30 million passengers per year and is served by more than 75 scheduled and charter airlines, providing service to 183 destinations in Canada, the US and the rest of the world.
Airport facilities: The airport's two terminals have facilities that include ATMs, bureaux de change, shops, duty-free boutiques, banks, childcare facilities, medical clinics, chapels, porters, left luggage, traveller's aid, bars and restaurants. The free LINK train regularly shuttles passengers between the terminal buildings. Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Dollar/Thrifty, Hertz and National/Alamo.
Business facilities: Sheraton Gateway Hotel (tel: (905) 672 7000) offers a 24-hour business centre. Some business facilities are available through the various airline executive lounges. There are public Internet stations in T3 and Wi-Fi access available in T1 and T3.
Transport to the city: Pacific Western operates the Airport Express bus (tel: (905) 564 3232 or 1 800 387 6787; website: www.torontoairportexpress.com) from the airport to downtown Toronto every 20 to 30 minutes (journey time - 30-60 minutes).
Public bus services run by the TTC (see Getting Around) include bus 192 (the ‘Airport Rocket') to Kipling subway station (journey time - 20 minutes), bus 58A to Lawrence West station (journey time - 60 minutes) and night buses 307 to Eglinton station (journey time - 45 minutes) and 300A, which travels along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue.
There is also a GO Bus (tel: (416) 869 3200 or 1 800 438 6646; website: www.gotransit.com) to Yorkdale and York Mills subway stations (journey time - 35 minutes).
A number of private bus companies operate services to various destinations, including Niagara Falls. Information desks for each company are located in the arrivals area of each terminal. Licensed limousines and taxis are also available at fixed rates based on a zone system, with journeys to downtown Toronto taking about 40 minutes.
Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ)
Tel: (416) 203 6942.
Website: www.torontoport.com
Toronto City Centre Airport is situated on an island in Toronto harbour. Handling scheduled commercial, charter, private and corporate flights, the airport primarily services the nearby business community, offering flights from nearby destinations in Canada, such as Montreal and Ottawa.
Airport facilities: There is a restaurant at the airport. Car hire should be arranged in advance from downtown companies (see Car Hire), which will arrange for pick up at the ferry landing.
Transport to the city: A two-minute ferry ride (free of charge to airline passengers) provides transportation every 15 minutes to the mainland, where taxis are available at metered rates. Ferry services operate daily 0530-2400.
Approximate flight times to Toronto: From London is 8 hours; from New York is 1 hour 35 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours 15 minutes.
Getting Around
Toronto's three subway lines operate Monday to Saturday 0600-0130 and Sunday 0900-0130. The arms of the U-shaped Yonge-University-Spadina subway extend from Union in the south to Finch and Downsview to the north. The Bloor-Danforth subway connects Etobicoke in the west with Scarborough in the east, where the Scarborough Rapid Transit basically provides an eastward extension to the line. The east-west Sheppard subway serves northeast Toronto.
Streetcars (trams) and buses operate throughout the city centre approximately 0500-0030/0100 all week (although service on many routes begins later and is less frequent on weekends and holidays). These are supplemented by the 'Blue Night Network' night services from 0130-0500.
Prepaid fares are cheaper and can be purchased at subway stations or from newsagents. These are often handier, as exact change is required on buses and trams. Transfers are available for switching between the subway, bus and tram. Two types of day passes are available: a pass for one person, good any day of the week; or a group/family pass for two adults or combinations of adults and children, good on weekends and holidays.
GO Transit (tel: (416) 869 3200 or 1 800 438 6646; website: www.gotransit.com) operates rail services from Union Station to suburban destinations, as well as GO buses throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Tickets are available from GO train stations, bus terminals, transit ticket agencies and bus drivers. Ticket prices vary depending on distance travelled. Day passes are also available.
Although there is a lot of street parking available, it is notoriously difficult for drivers to find a spot and many opt for the simpler although slightly more expensive option of parking in a private car park. Canpark (tel: (416) 482 2203) operates a number of 24-hour locations in the city centre
Drivers must be at least 21 years old and pay by credit card. Those aged under 25 may have to pay an extra fee and choose from a limited range of vehicles. North American and European visitors may use national licences. Visitors from other countries are often required to have an International Driving Permit as well.
Maps and information on cycling in the city are available from the Toronto Cycling Committee (tel: (416) 392 7592; website: www.toronto.ca/cycling), which has a downloadable cycling map, and the Toronto Bicycling Network (tel: (416) 760 4191; website: www.tbn.on.ca). Riding a bicycle in the winter is not a good idea, due to possible icy road conditions (not to mention the cold).
Hotels
Hotel prices are subject to a provincial sales tax, levied at 5% on accommodation, as well as a federal goods and services tax of 5%. This is usually added to the bill at the end. Tipping is expected in Toronto and porters are usually given a C$5 note for their efforts.
The hotels below have been grouped alphabetically within four categories and divided into price bands:
$$$$ (over C$250)
$$$ (C$200 to C$250)
$$ (C$150 to C$200)
$ (up to C$150)
These are based on the lowest standard rates for a double room, excluding taxes and breakfast, unless otherwise specified.
Luxury
Cosmopolitan Hotel
This boutique hotel, located in the heart of the city's financial district, puts the emphasis on well-being and fashion. Not only created for the chic and trendy, the Cosmopolitan entices multiple generations of travellers who appreciate the simplicity and serenity intricately woven into the hotel's design. There are just five suites per floor, and rooms are light with big windows; interestingly, each suite has a 2m (7ft) fountain. There are 95 suites and two penthouses. The Shizen Spa combines the latest techniques in acupuncture and holistic philosophy with classic spa treatments. (The Cosmopolitan's similarly sleek sister property near the Eaton Centre, the Pantages Hotel and Suites , is also worth checking out. or
Downtown
8 Colborne Street
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 350 2000 ,1 800 958 3488
Web: www.cosmotoronto.com/
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
The Four Seasons chain was founded and started by Canadian Issy Sharp and, although this hotel is not the original, it is more often than not the one celebrities and well-heeled visitors choose when visiting the city. Located in Yorkville, a chi-chi district littered with boutiques and cafes, the hotel is well known for its service and comfort. Features include corner rooms with balconies, marble bathrooms and family perks, such as child-size bathrobes and bedtime milk and cookies, as well as time-savers such as complimentary overnight shoeshine and one-hour pressing. In addition to the standard business amenities, including 24-hour business services, the hotel provides a limousine service to the downtown core on weekdays. Of course, the hotel has not neglected the basics for relaxing either - there is a heated pool, a health club (with whirlpool and sauna) and spa services. The chic Avenue bar and lounge and the award-winning restaurant, Truffles (see Restaurants ), are city landmarks. or
Yorkville
21 Avenue Road
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 964 0411 ,1 800 819 5053
Web: www.fourseasons.com
Hazelton Hotel
Since opening in August 2007, the Hazelton in the ritzy Yorkville district has drawn a steady stream of actors and hipsters, many attracted by its proximity to luxury boutiques and Toronto International Film Festival events. Granite, leather and velvet predominate the décor in the hotel's public areas, 62 rooms and 15 suites, which also feature original Canadian artworks. Huge bathrooms have heated floors, soaker tubs and rainfall showers. Business centres on each floor and hotel-wide Wi-Fi cater to the corporate crowd. Amenities include a lap pool, fitness centre, spa, private screening room and 24-hour room service. Mark McEwan, chef at the hotel's restaurant One , is a local culinary celebrity who also owns North 44 (see Restaurants ).
Yorkville
118 Yorkville Avenue
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 963 6300
Web: www.thehazeltonhotel.com
Le Royal Meridien King Edward
Known affectionately by locals as the 'King Eddy', this elegant century-old hotel was the choice for visiting royalty in the mid 1920s and has continued to draw distinguished guests ever since. Its opulent décor and impressive service have ensured the hotel's reputation. The hotel's original 1903 facade alone is stunning. Its downtown locale makes it ideal for theatre-goers, shoppers and businesspeople. Although not all rooms are spacious, they are well appointed, tastefully designed and have thoughtful perks, such as complimentary daily newspapers, bathrobes and 24-hour room service. A state-of-the-art business centre joins the list of guest facilities, which includes a 24-hour fitness centre and in-house spa. or
Financial District
37 King Street East
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 863 9700 ,1 800 543 4300
Web: www.lemeridien-kingedward.com/
Delta Chelsea
Canada's largest hotel, the glass-clad, sky-high Delta Chelsea tries to cater for everybody in its 1,590 guest rooms. For families, there are Nintendo games, a bottomless cookie jar (in the Family Fun suites only) and kids' discounts in the restaurants. For business travellers, there is a dedicated floor of rooms equipped with cordless speaker telephones, faxes, well-stocked desks and back-friendly chairs. All rooms are en suite. Facilities include two pools (one with a water slide) and a fitness centre. Many rooms have been designed for travellers with disabilities and the staff are always on hand to assist with meeting planning or presentation. Weekend packages are often very economically priced. or
Downtown
33 Gerrard Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 595 1975 ,1 800 243 5732
Web: www.deltachelsea.com/
The Strathcona
A popular budget hotel, The Strathcona is located directly across from the city's main railway hub - Union Station. The Strathcona now aims itself at the budget business traveller. It provides corporate rooms with Wi-Fi access and has a full service meeting room and 24-hour business centre. The guest rooms are small but comfortable and the hotel is just steps away from the Queen's Quay waterfront, theatres and great shopping. All rooms are en suite. or
Theatre/Financial District
60 York Street
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 363 3321 ,1 800 268 8304
Web: www.thestrathconahotel.com/
Cambridge Suites
Located in the heart of the Financial District, this all-suites hotel is designed with the business traveller in mind. The experienced staff can handle all kinds of business occasions, from state-of-the-art presentations to informal breakfast meetings. The exterior of the hotel is typically North American - 20 floors of green glass, while the 231 guest rooms range from one bedroom apartment-style units to deluxe duplexes, usually decorated in muted browns and creams. All rooms have work areas that are comfortable, well designed and feature two double-line telephones and high-speed and Wi-Fi access. The penthouse suites have Jacuzzis.
Financial District
15 Richmond Street East
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 368 1990, 1 800 463 1990
Web: www.cambridgesuitestoronto.com
Fairmont Royal York Hotel
The tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929, the massive Royal York even now is a prominent feature of Toronto's Lake Ontario skyline. It retains quite a bit of its between-the-wars classic ambiance, but frequent upgrades have allowed it to keep pace with its many nearby competitors. Its convenient location (steps from the banks of Bay Street and connected by tunnel with Union Station) makes it a favourite with both business and leisure travellers. Amenities include a business centre, indoor lap pool, 24-hour fitness centre, spa and children's wading pool. The Library Bar and EPIC Restaurant are traditional without being stuffy. or
Financial District
100 Front Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 368 2511 ,1 800 257 7544
Web: www.fairmont.com/royalyork
InterContinental Toronto Centre
This modern high-rise is ideal for business travellers. Located next door to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and a short walk from the heart of the Financial District, the hotel has 12 top standard meeting rooms, as well as a ballroom, boardroom and several smaller hospitality suites. The staff's experience in all varieties of meetings and conferences mean that any business occasion should run smoothly. The 586 guest rooms are appointed with luxurious materials, including comfortable beds and down duvets, as well as a coffee/tea maker, two telephone lines, high-speed and Wi-Fi Internet access, and complimentary newspaper delivery. The indoor pool and fitness centre are available to all guests. or
Financial District
225 Front Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 597 1400 ,1 800 422 7969
Web: www.torontocentre.crowneplaza.com/
The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto
Located midtown, next to the sprawling green campus of the University of Toronto and Queen's Park, the concrete and glass exterior of The Sutton Place Hotel may not take one's breath away but once inside the European styling is luxurious, with antiques and paintings throughout. Although it is the hotel of choice for film celebrities during the Toronto International Film Festival, it also serves the business traveller very well. There are 10 individually designed meeting rooms and three breathtaking ballrooms (the rooftop ballroom, Stop 33 , offers a superb view of the city), and a professional staff is on hand to facilitate any type of event. The suites are spacious and all have a large work desk, two-line telephone with voicemail, fax/modem point, bathrobes and complimentary daily newspaper delivery. Furnished apartments are available within the hotel for extended stays. or
Midtown
955 Bay Street
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 924 9221 ,1 866 378 8866
Web: www.suttonplace.com/
The Gladstone Hotel
This is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto (built in 1889), and it is now one of the city's most exciting, with artist-designed hotel rooms and suites, studios and exhibition spaces. In this hotel, guests have instant access to the Toronto art scene - either through events, by going outside to enjoy the city's art and design neighbourhood, or simply by enjoying the paintings in their rooms. The hotel offers 51 comfortable hotel rooms and suites.
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 531 4635
Web: www.gladstonehotel.com/
Park Hyatt Toronto
Formerly known as the Park Plaza, this hotel has a rooftop bar-lounge that has made appearances in some Canadian novels, such as Margaret Atwood's Cat's Eye (1988). Millions of dollars were invested in refurbishment of the 1930s art deco building - including the addition of the Stillwater Spa. Along with its location in ritzy Yorkville, the hotel boasts typical business amenities of two-line telephones, plush bathrobes, in-room safe, complimentary shoeshine and Internet access.
Yorkville
4 Avenue Road
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 925 1234
Web: parktoronto.hyatt.com/
Business Etiquette
Business cards are normally exchanged after meals or meetings, not during introductions. The giving of gifts in business situations is unusual and might be treated suspiciously. In the workplace, it is common to answer the telephone by stating one's first and last name. Around the office, however, people (both superiors and co-workers) are usually addressed by first name. Working hours are typically Monday to Friday 0900-1700, although slight variations are not uncommon. The best time to visit Toronto for business purposes is between September and May, as the summer is the most popular time of year for holidays.
Sightseeing
Immediately to the north is the dense cluster of office towers that comprise the Financial District, including some architectural wonders by Mies van der Rohe (Toronto-Dominion Centre) and Santiago Calatrava (the galleria at BCE Place).
Interspersed between these (and even underlying many of the buildings) are some of the city's main shopping areas, with the theatres and nightclubs of the Entertainment District to the west, and some of Toronto's chief tourist attractions just to the north.
The latter include Toronto City Hall, a gem of modern architecture, the nearby Art Gallery of Ontario, the vast collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, and the medieval-inspired 20th-century castle, Casa Loma, which stands a bit further to the north.
In the city's west end, the enormous, sweeping patch of green known as High Park unfurls, while along the waterfront Ontario Place and the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds provide fun days out for families with children. Beyond the trail-laced ravine of the Don Valley, to the east of the centre, is The Beaches, with chic boutiques and a waterfront promenade.
Toronto is known as a city of neighbourhoods and many of these are a short distance from the Financial District's towers. Unlike many major North American cities, Toronto has a thriving, vital, leafy downtown that keeps home owners and families from fleeing to the suburbs.
Two of the city's most affluent areas are Rosedale and Forest Hill - pleasant for walks and people-watching. Yorkville, a hippy enclave in the 1960s, predictably went chi-chi in the 1970s, today offering elegant cafes and restaurants and even a Prada store.
Toronto's Chinatown - arguably North America's best due to Toronto's enormous Chinese community - centres on Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. Danforth Avenue is home to Greektown. Toronto has one of the highest concentrations of Italians outside Italy and many of them originally made their homes in Little Italy, west of the city centre.
Near the University of Toronto, the Annex is a trendy, popular neighbourhood known for its lively nightlife and cultural scene. The area around Church and Wellesley Streets is home to the city's out and proud gay and lesbian village.
Suite 590, 207 Queen's Quay West
Tel: (416) 203 2600 or 1 800 499 2514.
Website: www.torontotourism.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1800.
Ontario Travel Information Centre
20 Dundas Street West
Tel: (416) 314 5899 or 1 800 668 2746.
Website: www.ontariotravel.net
Opening hours: daily 0830-1700 (until 2000 from late May through August).
Key Attractions
Reopened after a C$254m expansion led by Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry, Canada's premier art gallery, the AGO, contains 110 galleries displaying temporary exhibitions and a large permanent collection of international art. Its European collection covers the Italian Renaissance, Flemish Masters, 17th-century French painting and the Impressionists, right through to 20th-century works by Chagall and Picasso and beyond. The gallery's greatest attraction, however, is the Canadian collection, featuring a cross-section of work from the Group of Seven - a group of early 20th-century painters whose work embodies the sublime beauty of Canada's boreal wilderness. The gallery is also home to one of the world's largest collections of Inuit art, as well as works by Henry Moore. It is worth allowing extra time to visit The Grange, a restored 19th-century house, adjacent to the gallery.
317 Dundas Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 979 6648.
Web: www.ago.net
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1730 (until 2030 on Wed).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Bata Shoe Museum
The Bata Shoe Museum is the only museum of its kind in the world. Housed in an equally unique building shaped, appropriately enough, like a shoebox, the museum owns some 12,500 items of footwear, dating as far back as 4,500 years. Pieces range from Elvis Presley's loafers and Queen Victoria's ballroom slippers to 19th-century beaded Native American shoes and leather broad-toed Tudor shoes.
327 Bloor Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 979 7799.
Web: www.batashoemuseum.ca
Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat 1000-1700, Thurs 1000-2000, Sun 1200-1700.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
CN Tower
At a height of 553m (1,815ft), the CN Tower was, until recently, the world's tallest tower; it is still the defining symbol of this lakefront city. On a clear day, it offers stunning views of up to 120km (75 miles) across the surrounding cityscape and Lake Ontario. Glass-fronted elevators (one with a newly installed glass floor) bring visitors to the main section (at an equivalent to 114 storeys high) where a terrifying glass floor enables visitors to stare 342m (1,122ft) straight down. A more leisurely view can be had from the revolving 360 Restaurant on the floor above. Another set of elevators leads to the SkyPod, 33 storeys further up. There is also a group of entertainment venues at the base of the tower, including a motion-simulator ride.
301 Front Street West
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 868 6937.
Web: www.cntower.ca
Opening hours: Usually from early morning until 2200 or 2300 in the evening. Opening hours are adjusted seasonally, so visitors should call the tower to check.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Canada's Wonderland
Located in the northern suburb of Maple, Canada's Wonderland is, as its name suggests, an amusement park. Although not on quite the same scale as a Disney or Universal outfit, it nevertheless features over 200 attractions on its 121 hectares (300 acres) of landscaped grounds and 8-hectare (20-acre) waterpark. There are more than 60 rides, including, 'Drop Tower', 'Jet Scream', 'Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion' and 'Shockwave'. In 2008 'Behemoth', Canada's largest rollercoaster, opened. There is also a Nickleodeon Central theme area for kids.
exit 33)
9580 Jane Street (Highway 400
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (905) 832 8131.
Web: www.canadas-wonderland.com
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200 (Jun-Aug); Sat and Sun 1000-2000 (May, Sep and Oct).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Casa Loma
Toronto seems an unlikely location for a castle, but since 1911 the soaring battlements of Casa Loma have lent an element of magic to the city. The 98-room castle was completed in 1914 by Sir Henry Pellatt, a charismatic financier, industrialist and philanthropist, to be his home. Financial ruin forced its sale years later and the castle eventually became the popular tourist attraction it is today. The castle is a bizarre hybrid of a medieval-style stonework exterior (replete with turrets and battlements) and an early 20th-century interior. Highlights include the splendidly carved Oak Room, secret passageways and pseudo-gothic Great Hall, which has 18m- (60ft-) high ceilings. The gardens are open between May and October.
1 Austin Terrace
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 923 1171.
Web: www.casaloma.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Fort York
Fort York harks back to the days when Toronto, then as British as afternoon tea, was named York. As a colony, the city occasionally had to deal with revolutionaries to the south, so Fort York was founded in 1793 to ensure British control of Lake Ontario. Most of the buildings, however, date from 1814 because, during the War of 1812, the evacuating British blew up the gunpowder magazine - an explosion so unexpectedly large that it killed 10 of their own men and 250 advancing Americans, and destroyed a good deal of the fort. Highlights of Fort York include blockhouses, barracks, officers' quarters, costumed staff and period demonstrations.
off Fleet Street
100 Garrison Road
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 392 6907.
Web: www.toronto.ca/culture/fort_york.htm
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (late May-early Sep); Mon-Fri 1000-1600, Sat-Sun 1000-1700 (early Sep-late May). Several short closed periods throughout the year.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Gardiner Museum
One of the world's premier ceramic art museums, it now boasts 2,694 sq m (29,000 sq ft) of exhibition space and features Asian ceramics, 19th-century ceramics made at Minton, and contemporary studio ceramics, in addition to collections including Ancient American, Italian Renaissance majolica, and 17th- and 18th-century English delftware. The museum also features a restaurant and an expanded shop specialising in artist-designed and handmade objects.
111 Queen's Park
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 586 8080.
Web: www.gardinermuseum.on.ca
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 1000-1800, Fri 1000-2100, Sat-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Centre was opened in 1969, with a mission to 'open minds to science by creating environments that excite curiosity, inspire insights and motivate learning in science and technology'. This difficult task is successfully accomplished with over 800 fascinating exhibits. Themes explored in depth include the human body and space travel. Interactive exhibits include piloting a spacecraft or touching the hair-raising Van de Graaff generator. An Omnimax Cinema offers a 24m (79ft) domed screen. A new 2,325 sq m (25,000 sq ft) innovation centre featuring over 50 unique interactive experiences geared to teenagers and young adults opened in 2006, part of a C$47m renovation. It includes garbage art, fish music, a sound panel room, vibrating chair and other challenges designed to encourage skills, attitude and behaviours that enable innovation.
770 Don Mills Road
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 696 1000.
Web: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
Opening hours: Generally 1000-1700 but it varies by season; call to check.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
The ROM is one of the most exciting museums in Canada, and it recently got even better due to a massive redevelopment project. The museum's striking facade alone will take your breath away, but deeper within, the museum houses excellent collections featuring almost 6 million artefacts. The exhibits representing East Asia include a renowned collection of Chinese art, with wall paintings, snuff bottles and ceramic head cushions, as well as the only complete example of a Ming tomb in the west. Other levels handle the life sciences, the ancient Mediterranean and a Canadian heritage collection. Ten new ROM galleries opened in late 2005, and the spectacular new Michael Lee-Chin Crystal galleries and public spaces opened in 2007, featuring a grand new entrance and six new galleries overlooking the street. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the new crystal is covered in a luminous skin of aluminium and glass. Like I.M. Pei's pyramid at the Louvre, it has not been without controversy but is likely to become a major urban landmark.
100 Queen's Park (Bloor Street West at Avenue Road)
Toronto
Canada
Tel: (416) 586 8000.
Web: www.rom.on.ca
Opening hours: Sat-Thu 1000-1730, Fri 1000-2130.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Culture
The Horseshoe Tavern
The Horseshoe Tavern is a gritty down-home and historical venue and the first on the continent to receive The Police, is a good place to hear local and international acts. 370 Queen Street West www.horseshoetavern.com
Music and Dance
Massey Hall
Massey Hall hosts everything from jazz, classical, rock and world music to international dance troupes. 178 Victoria Street www.masseyhall.com
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Evidence of how seriously the city takes its role as a cultural capital is the C$181 million Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the magnificent new home of the Canadian Opera Company inaugurated in June 2006. Designed by Toronto architect Jack Diamond, the centre integrates the best features of the grand European opera houses with innovative technology in acoustics and sightlines. The centre is also the performance venue for The National Ballet of Canada. 145 Queen Street West Tel: (416) 363 8231. www.coc.ca/house/house.html
Theatre
Harbourfront Centre Theatre
Near the waterfront, the Harbourfront Centre Theatre, at the Harbourfront Centre, was built as an ice house in the 1920s but was renovated into a modern theatre, showing musicals alongside more serious pieces, in the 1990s. 231 Queen's Quay West Tel: (416) 973 4000. www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Royal Alexandra Theatre
Built in 1907, the Royal Alexandra Theatre is an old, spacious Victorian theatre that shows musicals along with the occasional piece of serious theatre. 260 King Street West
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