Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario, the financial capital of Canada and a city of incredible resources. With a population of more than two and a half million people, Toronto is a true cosmopolitan city (911, the emergency number, is offered in 150 languages, although the majority of people speak English) and it is not by chance that its name, aboriginal in origin, means “meeting place”.
The city is skirted by Lake Ontario, from which a view of the downtown area’s towering skyscrapers can been seen, including the old St. Lawrence Market. Here you can find all the best local food, including ice wine (or Eiswein), a sweet dessert wine famous for its intense and velvety flavor. Ice wine is obtained from grapes which have been left to freeze naturally while still attached to the vine: a procedure that results in a thick amber liquid with a high concentration of natural sugars.
Toronto’s hallmark is its 553 meter high CN Tower, the world’s tallest building for nearly 30 years. At the base of the tower one finds interesting shops and restaurants, but the most exciting part is going up to the observation deck, which offers a stunning view of Toronto and Lake Ontario. On clear days you can actually see the United States.
Art lovers will have the choice of whether to visit the Royal Ontario Museum, considered one of the 10 most important museums in the world, or the Art Gallery of Ontario, known for housing the world’s largest collection of sculptures by Henry Moore.
Those who prefer nature, on the other hand, won’t have to go far. Niagara Falls is just an hour’s drive from the city and offers visitors a unique look at one of mother nature’s majestic masterpieces.
