 Toronto skyline as seen from the ferry to Toronto Island | ||
| Toronto | ||
| province | Ontario | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2.731.571 (2016) | |
| height | 76 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Toronto is the capital of the province Ontario and is located on the north-western part of Lake Ontario. Together with the surrounding communities (Golden Horseshoe) it is the largest metropolitan area Canada. About 8 million people live here.
Districts
Toronto (historical name: York, also "little York" compared to New York) is divided into the city center (the actual Toronto) and the districts of North York, York, and Etobicoke in the west and East York and Scarborough in the east. Toronto is built on a checkerboard pattern.
The city's central axis is Yonge Street, which extends north from Lake Ontario and then runs northwest across the entire province of Ontario. In an east-west direction, one of the main cross streets is Bloor Street. The intersection of the two streets marks the upper end of the actual city center. At the same time, the city's main subway lines run under these two streets, so the corner of Bloor-Yonge can be said to be the center of Toronto. However, the heart of the city is more towards the lakeshore at Queen St.
The districts of the city of Toronto are in turn divided into different “neighborhoods” which often have their own character.
The central districts are the Financial District and Entertainment District. Group around Old Town, Destillery District, Fashion district, Chinatown, Kensington, Little Italy and Koreatown.
To the north, the “Annex” and “Yorkville” districts to the north-west of Bloor-Yonge are very urban and hip, with fine restaurants but also student bars. Yorkville also hosts the Toronto Film Festival, the most important in North America. North-east of Bloor-Yonge is Rosedale, a quiet and rich district with imposing properties and a park-like landscape. Directly south of that is St. Jamestown / Cabbagetown. Originally named after the Irish emigrants who grew their cabbage in the small front gardens here, this area is now a mixture of rich and poor, straight and gay.
Further east along Bloor St, beyond the Don Valley are Riverdale to the south and "the Danforth". Here Bloor St changes its name to Danforth, hence the name. Many Greeks have settled in this district, Moussaka, Souflaki and others Specialties are on offer here in first-class quality. Riverdale, on the other hand, is dominated by Thais and Indians, with many good and inexpensive restaurants. If you want to buy a saree or Bollywood films, you have a large selection here. Even further south and directly on the lake is "Studio District" - this is where the heart of the media world beats in old industrial buildings, some of which have been converted into lofts. Further east: "The Beach" - actually a district with a sandy beach and a mile-long "Boardwalk" on Lake Ontario. In summer you can skate here, play beach volleyball or have a coffee in the pavilion. The best way to get to this district is by tram ("The Red Rocket"), which runs on Queen Street (another east-west street). At the east end of the line is the RC Harris Filtration Plant, an imposing waterworks in the Art Deco style that processes the water from Lake Ontario for the city. From here you can walk east for hours along the lakeshore. The city is here above the sandy cliffs and the beaches are quite lonely.
background
From humble beginnings as a trading center for the English, who traded in fur with the Indian tribes of the hinterland (Toronto means "place of encounter" in the Huron language), the city (initially called York by the settlers) has increasingly become an economic center Canada's developed.
Today Toronto is a metropolis that attracts people from all over the world. In no other place in the world have different ethnic groups been counted. The coexistence of these immigrants shapes the image of Toronto. There are typical streets for each group, with specialty shops, restaurants and cultural institutions offering a piece of home on the other side of the ocean. Ukrainians, Jews, Indians, Thais, Chinese, Greeks, Italians, Portuguese, Japanese, Poles, Greeks and many more have given Toronto their face.
The big bracket for this togetherness is the location on Lake Ontario, which also gives the province its name ("glittering water"), with sandy beaches and hills that date back to the Ice Age. Toronto is a good starting point for trips to the surrounding areas, the Muskokas, the Bruce Peninsula, the Niagara Escarpment, Georgian Bay (part of Lake Huron), Algonquin Park or to Niagara Falls
getting there
By plane
Most travelers arrive in Toronto by air. Toronto International Airport is the 1 Lester B. Pearson International Airport
(IATA: YYZ) and is about 30 minutes by car (it takes significantly longer during rush hour) west of Downtown.
There are different ways to get to the city center. The fastest and most convenient connection is after the Airport Express shuttle has been discontinued[1] the Union Pearson Express This is a rail-bound airport feeder. After only two intermediate stops and a journey time of around 25 minutes, you will find yourself on the Union Station, the main train station, again. However, this is not the cheapest option and costs CAD 12.35 for a full route and an adult (or CAD 27.50 before March 9). In connection with the Presto smartcard even only 9 CAD.
A taxi ride to the city center costs 46 CAD. The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city center is with the TTC. The bus 900 Airport Express commutes regularly between all two terminals and the terminus Kipling the underground. A single trip costs CAD 3.00.
The Pearson International Airport can also be used as an entry airport for the United States can be used if you fly on from there.
The flies from the German-speaking area Lufthansa the airport from Frankfurt am Main and Düsseldorf, Air Canada from Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Vienna and Zurich as well Condor from Frankfurt am Main.
Porter Airlines flies from several Canadian and US airports Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport(IATA: YTZ) on Toronto Island. From there you can take the "shortest ferry crossing in the world" (121 m) and the free shuttle bus to Union Station in a few minutes.
By train
With VIA Rail is Toronto z. B. from Montreal to reach out. The central station 2 Union Station located in the middle of the city. From here you can reach any relevant point in the city by taxi or TTC.
With Amtrak can be done with the Maple Leaf from new York above Niagara Falls drive to Toronto in about 12 hours for $ 150 (2017).
By bus
The 3 Bus terminal is located near the Eaton Centers on Dundas Street.
In the street
As Canada's largest city, Toronto is also the hub of the motorway network. The city can be reached from New York via the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), a toll-free motorway at the border crossing at Buffalo begins and leads into the middle of the city. From the west (Detroit) and east (Ottawa/Montreal) coming leads the Highway 401 Toll-free into the city.
By boat
mobility
Public transport
Toronto has a limited subway network:
the Yonge-Spadina-Line describes a U from Downsview in the north over the W.R. Allen Rd, Spadina Ave, and University Ave to Union Station in the south and from there again north on Yonge Street to the other north end on Finch Ave. This line is at its north ends GO transit (local rail and bus network for Toronto and the surrounding area) connected
The other major underground line runs east-west under Bloor / Danforth streets, connecting Etobicoke and Scarborough districts. Here the western end point is Kipling (with a connection to the GO traffic) and in the east you change at Kennedy Station to an above-ground extension to the east.
The subway network is supplemented by numerous tram lines (Torontonians like to call their trams “the red rocket”), which run through the streets both north-south and east-west. Most of the lines follow a single road for the majority of the route. E.g. on Queen Street (Line 501), College Street / Carlton Street (506) or Spadina Ave (510). Please note that the trams only accept cash, as well as this only appropriately. The tram drivers do not bring change.
The entire network of underground, trams and city buses is operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) managed. GO Transit is responsible for local traffic.
Rates
Toronto Transit Commission Tariffs (April 2019):
- Presto Card: Standard $ 3.10, Seniors $ 2.15, Students $ 2.15
- Presto ticket: 1 trip $ 3.25, 2 trips $ 6.50, day pass $ 13.00
- Cash: Standard $ 3.25, Seniors (65) $ 2.20, Students (13-19) $ 2.20
- Children (1-12): free of charge
You can pay the tariff with a Presto ticket, Presto card or cash.
Presto is an electronic tariff payment system, and Presto cards (Presto tickets and Presto cards) are electronic cards. When you get in, you hold the Presto card with a built-in RFID chip to a reader, where the reader checks its validity. Presto cards can be purchased from vending machines at subway stations and from Shoppers Drug Mart stores.
Presto cards can also be bought and used at the train stations of GO Transit and Union Pearson Express. On the GO Transit and Union Pearson Express transport services, you must also use the Presto card hold to a reader.
Presto tickets are disposable cards that expire after the specified use (1 trip, 2 trips or day pass). They are only valid for the TTC traffic services in Toronto. Day passes are valid until 3:00 a.m. the next morning.
A Presto card is $ 16 ($ 6 for the card and $ 10 for tariffs). Presto cards have no expiration date. Each use of the Presto card automatically deducts the tariff from the card. So you have to upload money from time to time to the card at a machine. Presto cards are valid on many public transport services in and around Toronto. Seniors and college students are expected to visit a Shoppers Drug Mart to put the Presto card on for discounted rates; they have to show an ID.
You can pay the tariffs with cash. Coins are then attached to the tariff box (fare box) thrown at subway stations, buses and old trams. (On new trams, there is a machine where you can pay with coins.) It is important that you get one afterwards transfer Received as a receipt, so that you can continue your journey with another TTC means of transport and also prove that you have paid during ticket inspections. At underground stations and on new trams there are machines to get one transfer to print out. For buses and old trams, the driver gives Transfers after paying the tariff.
Children under 12 travel for free, but must be able to prove their age on request.
Transfer tickets
_(16068945645).jpg/165px-Old_model_fare_collection_machine_at_Spadina_and_King,_2014_12_20_(1)_(16068945645).jpg)
Ticket machine
GO ticket machine
Presto Card reader
_(16068945645).jpg/165px-Old_model_fare_collection_machine_at_Spadina_and_King,_2014_12_20_(1)_(16068945645).jpg)
By bicycle
In addition to the usual bike rental options, there is also in Toronto Bixi a rental system with fixed locations that can be used by everyone (similar to the Call-a-Bike system in Germany). Here you need a credit card with which you can make the booking at the machine, you pay 5 CAD for 24 hours or 12 CAD for 72 hours and can then use a bike anywhere for a maximum of 30 minutes and at everyone during this time Return the station. Surcharges are added for longer use in one piece. Long-term rentals (i.e. for bike tours outside the station area) are therefore unattractively expensive. The next bike can be borrowed from 2 minutes after a successful return. Attention: With use, a security deposit of 250 CAD is blocked on the credit card per bike! The station density is medium and the served area is limited to downtown. A road map with cycle paths and all stations is available at every station, so that you can plan longer tours through the city, including changing your bike.
A maximum of two bicycles can be borrowed with one credit card. Groups should therefore have several credit cards with them.
Attention: when returning it to the station, make sure that the bike locks into place correctly (first yellow, then green light and confirmation tone), otherwise the bike is considered not to be returned and it can be really expensive. Sometimes it helps to raise the rear of the bike.
With the ferry
They are a specialty of Toronto Ferrieswho have favourited Toronto Island (on Lake Ontario, just outside the city) to the mainland. Hanlan’s Point, Center Island and Ward’s Island can be called from the ferry terminal at the southern end of Yonge St. The adult ferry currently costs $ 7. The islands are connected to each other, closed to traffic and can be explored by bike, roller-skate or on foot. In the winter months only the ferry to Ward’s Island is operated and most of the attractions on the islands are closed.
The drive to the Toronto Islands from the Harbourfront is a pleasant 15-minute drive with the best views of the Toronto skyline.
- 4 Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Tel.: 1 416-392-8193. All ferries to the islands depart from this terminal. There are three destinations on the islands. During rush hour, it usually takes between 15 and 90 minutes to get on the ferry. It can be faster to buy the tickets online beforehand.
Another ferry (free for pedestrians) connects Toronto City Airport, which is also on the island, with the mainland.
In the street
As in (almost) all major North American cities, Toronto is not a big dream for drivers: Dense traffic, few and also expensive parking spaces spoil the pleasure of driving. In some districts you can park for free during the day, but you have to leave your car by midnight at the latest. The best way to get around Toronto is by public transport. It is important to ensure that a parking space is already included when booking the hotel. Otherwise you can go to one of the parking garages in the city center.
taxi
Taxis are plentiful, safe but not cheap. The base fare is $ 4.25, with an average 3 mile journey costing about $ 13.
Over's UberX service can be booked anywhere in the city using a smartphone app. They're not as safe as a taxi, but fares are about half the price of a taxi. An average three-mile drive costs about $ 8.25.
Tourist Attractions
- 2 CN Tower, 301 Front St W. Tel.: 1 416 868-6937. One of the outstanding sights in Toronto is the CN (Canada National) Tower, completed in 1976, on the shores of Lake Ontario. Back then it was the tallest free-standing building in the world and is still number 6 today. It serves as a television tower and has two viewing platforms. The first with several levels is at 342 meters, there are also glass plates in the floor, through which you can look straight down. A second is at 447 meters. There is also an expensive revolving restaurant on the lower level (approx. CA $ 30–50 per person). There is also a cinema with moving chairs. You should plan your visit so that the sky is not cloudy, as the top of the tower can be in the clouds. For those who are not afraid of the surcharge (13.56 CAD), we recommend the increased platform (Skypod) to visit, the view is a bit different. Instead of during the day, when it can get very crowded with long lines in front of the cash register, it is better to go before dusk and then experience it on the tower, so you have the skyline by day and night. After the normal process, you will be channeled straight to the top if you book both levels. You have to defend yourself a bit, because the glass panes in the floor on the lower level are badly scratched. In the dark, the tower is illuminated and the light is refracted in the many scratches and you can hardly see anything. It is best to first drive to the lower level before dark, then to the upper level and wait there for darkness. The opening times are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays until 10.30 p.m. When the thaw begins after a freezing rain, the wind sweeps the chunks of ice from the tower. For security reasons, the area must then be cordoned off. The tower is also repeatedly closed to the public due to private rentals. You can usually find more details on the website with opening times. Wikipedia about the CN Tower.Price: CAD 38 / adult.
- 1 Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd. Toronto, ON, M5V 3M9. Tel.: 1 416 362-2337. This unconventional brewery is located in an old engine shed right next to the CN Tower and the Rogers Center.Open: Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.Price: Guided tour from 10 CAD.
- 3 Hockey Hall of Fame. The world's largest collection of ice hockey devotional items is just a stone's throw from the Maple Leafs venue. The entrance fee of 17.50 CAD is more for real ice hockey fans.
- Toronto Island. Toronto Island is a barrier archipelago in Lake Ontario. There are beautiful parks and sandy beaches that are densely populated in summer. Toronto Island is easy to get to by ferry. The crossing takes about 15 minutes and costs about 8 C $ there and back. The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is located south of downtown, on Queens Quay West (Harbor Square Park). During the crossing, as well as on the island, you also have a great view of the Toronto skyline.
- Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St W, Toronto. Tel.: 1 416-979-7799, Email: [email protected]. Open: Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Mon - Wed 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thu 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
activities
- 1 Canada's Wonderland. Tel.: 1 905 832-8131.
Is a large amusement park just outside of Toronto with a variety of roller coasters and attractions. The day ticket costs around $ 57 for adults, but is cheaper if you buy it online.
- Toronto Urban Adventures. offers guided tours on different parts of the city, food and drink and other topics. The tours are on foot and are held in English.Price: Tours from CAD 30 to CAD 150 per person, food, drink and entrance fees are included.
Regular events
- The Chinese New Year in Chinatown is / was this year on February 12, 2021. It will be on February 1, 2022 and April 27, 2021 the next year or the year after that.
- The Chinatown Festival is on a weekend in mid-August at 287 Spadina Avenue
- Mid-November to December 21st 1 Distillery Historic District (Christmas Market)
shop
Toronto offers many opportunities for shopping. Those looking for exclusive designer fashion will find a variety of shops on Bloor Street between University Ave / Avenue Road and Yonge Street. But Toronto also has a lot to offer the regular shopper. One of the starting points are the large shopping centers along Yonge Street. The Eaton Center is one of Canada's largest shopping centers. It can be reached via the underground station Dundas and Queen (Yonge-Line). The Eaton Center is on the tunnel network PATH connected that runs through the entire inner city and from which countless shops can be reached. This means that you don't have to walk a meter outdoors in winter. Another larger mall is Yorkdale Mall in north Toronto. This can also be easily reached by underground (Yorkdale station - University Line).
If you are looking for souvenir shops, you should definitely stop by Chinatown. Here you can buy everything a tourist's heart desires. A visit to is a must for every shopper Kensington Market east of Chinatown between Spadina and Augusta Ave. Here you will find a multicultural and sometimes alternative offer, ranging from clothing and delicacies to a wide range of cozy, European-style cafés and bistros.
- 2 St. Lawrence Market, 92-95 Front St East, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C3. Tel.: 1 416 392-7219. Open: Weekly markets are Tuesday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., on Sunday there is an antique market from dawn to 5:00 p.m.
kitchen
That is popular Peameal Bacon Sandwich. Roll halves are thickly coated with mustard, then breaded and fried back bacon and occasionally cheddar and vegetables.
Chinatown
- 1 King's Noodle, 296 Spadina Ave (near Dundas St). Located in the heart of Chinatown, this restaurant offers a diverse selection of Chinese noodle dishes and a few other specialties. If you like dim sum, you should switch to one of the numerous other restaurants in Chinatown. Unusual for Canadian conditions, at King's you can only pay with cash.
Cheap
- Salad King, 340 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1R8, Canada. Tel.: 1 416-593-0333. Thai restaurant in a central location. Cheap (and good !!) dishes, fast service.
medium
- 2 Marché Bay Adelaide, Concourse Level Brookfield Place, 333 Bay Street M5H2R2. Marché-Mövenpick offers a special highlight in the Brookfield Place. At the entrance you will get a map of the 'market stalls' at which delicacies are conjured up. One stand has sushi, another offers freshly squeezed juice and another one smells of crepes. As a guest you go from stand to stand, take what you would like to eat and receive a stamp on a card. This must be shown when leaving the restaurant and triggered accordingly.
- 3 Rock Lobster Food Co., 538 Queen Street West. Loud and hip: as the name suggests, mainly seafood is served here. At the weekend the shop is always full and reservations are not accepted, so you sometimes have to wait 20 minutes to get a table.
- 4 Pearl Harbourfront, In Queen’s Quay Terminal, 2nd floor, 207 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 1A7. Tel.: 1 416 203-1233. Chinese food overlooking Lake Ontario.Open: Daily 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.Price: Dishes 10-30 CAD.
Upscale
- 5 Woodlot, 293 Palmerston Ave, Toronto. Tel.: 1 647-342-6307. Rustic Canadian Lumberjack Kitchen, all handmade on a wood stove.Open: Monday to Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.Price: Main courses from CAD 26.
nightlife
The nightlife in Toronto is very diverse. There is a large number of Irish pubs and cozy bars. There are also various sports and cocktail bars. In the latter, DJs often play at a later hour, so that the boundary to a club is fluid. In general, everything is a little more relaxed here than in the USA, you are not asked for ID every time you order. Nevertheless, you have to be prepared for queues and ID checks at "hip" clubs at the weekend. The prices for drinks are (as everywhere in North America) very high. A cluster of bars can be found downtown on the corner of Yonge St. andDundas Square, as well as near the intersection of Adelaide St. W and Duncan St.
- 2 Tequila Bookworm, 512 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2B3. Tel.: 1 416-504-2334.facebook url usedcozy pub in Chinatown, good offers for pitchers with interesting beer creations.Open: daily 12: 00-2: 00 a.m.Price: Snacks 5 -10 €.
- 3 Amsterdam BrewHouse, 245 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2K9. Tel.: 1 416-504-1020. Large selection of beers. Right on the harbourfront with a view of the water.Open: daily 11:30 am-11: 00 pm, Sat, Sun-1 am.Price: burger 15 CAD, beer from 20oz 7.50 CAD.
- The Rebel House, 1068 Yonge St, Toronto. Tel.: 1 416-927-0704. Open: Mon - Wed 11.30 a.m. - 11 p.m., Thu Fri 11.30 a.m. - 1 a.m., Sat 10.30 a.m. - 1 a.m., Sun 10.30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
accommodation
Cheap
If you don't want to spend too much money on accommodation, but still want to live centrally, one of the hostels in Chinatown is recommended. The comfort is limited there, but you can get a bed for less than 25 CAD / night.
In addition to the normal accommodation, there is also the possibility to spend the night cheaply in student dormitories during the semester break (May – August). That is representative here Neill Wycik College Hotel mentioned. Overnight stays are possible for approx. 30 CAD / night. The rooms are small and only meet basic requirements, but everything is very clean and you are in the middle of downtown Toronto.
medium
Upscale
- 1 Making Waves Boatel, 539 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5V 3G3. Tel.: 1 647 403-2764. The boat is at the foot of the CN Tower.Open: Only open from April 1st to September 30th.Price: Cabin for 2 people from CAD 200 with breakfast (minimum 2 nights).
Learn
Work
security
Although the crime rate in Canada is far lower than in the United States, it is still higher than in European countries such as Germany. In 2004, the homicide rate in Toronto was lower than in other major Canadian cities, although gun-related crimes have increased in Toronto.
health
Practical advice
Canada has a well-developed telecommunications network. In the metropolitan areas and in southern Ontario and Quebec, 100% coverage is provided by the major wireless operators (Bell, Rogers and Telus). You can use the mobile network with German SIM cards, but the high prices make it not worth it. It is cheaper to use VoIP services from the app store. Internet hotspots are free in almost every cafe and in most hotels.
trips
130 kilometers away are the Niagara Falls and the city Niagara Falls, Ontario. There are plenty of options for day trippers from Toronto. If you book early on the Internet, you can get fares of CAN 2.50 for both routes.
About 320 kilometers down the St. Lawrence River are the Thousand Islands, a group of around 1,800 small islands that can be explored on excursion boats. On the way there you can visit the picturesque town Kingston (Ontario) Make break.
literature
Web links
- https://www.toronto.ca/ - Toronto Official Website
