Toronto itinerary for first-timers
The classic neighborhoods in an order that works, with a 4K street walk for every stop. Watch your trip before you take it.
Day 1: Downtown & the waterfront
Union Station and the Financial District, City Hall, Yonge-Dundas Square, and sunset by the CN Tower on the Harbourfront.
- 1
Morning
Union Station & the Financial District
The Beaux-Arts railway station and the bank towers around it, Canada's financial centre, with the underground PATH walkways linking them in winter.
- Union Station great hall
- Fairmont Royal York
- Toronto-Dominion Centre
Walking Toronto's Downtown Financial District
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toWalk north along Bay Street, about 10 min.
- 2
Late morning
Nathan Phillips Square & City Hall
The curved twin towers of the 1960s City Hall over a wide square with the Toronto sign and a reflecting pool that becomes a skating rink in winter, next to the lawns of Osgoode Hall.
- City Hall
- Toronto sign
- Osgoode Hall
Walking Toronto's Downtown Financial District
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toWalk east along Queen Street to Yonge, about 10 min.
- 3
Afternoon
Yonge-Dundas Square
Toronto's answer to Times Square, where the screens and crowds of Yonge Street meet the Eaton Centre mall.
- Yonge-Dundas Square
- Eaton Centre
- Yonge Street
Walk south down Yonge or Bay to the lake, about 25 min, or streetcar.
- 4
Sunset
The Harbourfront & the CN Tower
The promenade along Lake Ontario below the 553-metre CN Tower, with the ferries to the Toronto Islands and the skyline lighting up behind you.
- CN Tower
- Harbourfront Centre
- Island ferry views
Book a CN Tower time slot for sunset; the view takes in the whole city and the lake.
Toronto Waterfront Walk: Harbourfront and the CN Tower
Video by TORONTO WALK & DRIVE on YouTube
Day 2: Kensington, Queen West & the Distillery District
Kensington Market and Chinatown, Queen Street West and the AGO, the old town around Berczy Park, and an evening in the Distillery District.
- 1
Morning
Kensington Market & Chinatown
A few blocks of painted Victorian houses turned into vintage shops, cafés and food stalls, next to the busy shops and restaurants of Spadina Avenue's Chinatown.
- Kensington Avenue
- Augusta Avenue
- Spadina Avenue
On Pedestrian Sundays in summer the market streets are closed to cars.
Walking Toronto's Downtown Financial District
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toWalk south through Chinatown to Queen Street, about 10 min.
- 2
Late morning
Queen Street West & the AGO
The long street of independent shops and galleries, with the Art Gallery of Ontario, remodelled by Frank Gehry, and the boxy OCAD building on stilts above Grange Park.
- Art Gallery of Ontario
- OCAD University
- Queen Street West shops
Walking Toronto's Downtown Financial District
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toWalk or take the Queen streetcar east to Yonge, about 20 min.
- 3
Afternoon
Berczy Park & St. Lawrence
The old town east of Yonge: the dog fountain in Berczy Park, the wedge-shaped Gooderham Flatiron building and the 19th-century St. Lawrence Market.
- Dog fountain
- Flatiron building
- St. Lawrence Market
Walking Toronto's Downtown Financial District
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toWalk east along Front Street, about 15 min, or streetcar to Distillery Lane.
- 4
Evening
The Distillery District
A pedestrian village of red-brick Victorian distillery buildings and cobbled lanes, now galleries, cafés, chocolate makers and outdoor art.
- Trinity Street
- Gooderham & Worts buildings
- Outdoor art installations
In late November and December the Christmas market fills the lanes with lights.
Distillery District Walk: Old Toronto in 4K HDR
Video by 4K Canada Walking Tours on YouTube
Day 3: The university, the ROM & Yorkville
The University of Toronto campus, the Royal Ontario Museum, the shops of Yorkville, and the Victorian streets of Cabbagetown.
- 1
Morning
The University of Toronto
A leafy campus of Gothic colleges in the middle of the city, with Hart House, Trinity College and the shaded Philosopher's Walk leading up to Bloor Street.
- Hart House
- Trinity College
- Philosopher's Walk
Walk up Philosopher's Walk to Bloor Street, about 10 min.
- 2
Late morning
The Royal Ontario Museum
Canada's largest museum, dinosaurs and world cultures behind a crystal-shaped glass extension that juts out over Bloor Street.
- The Crystal
- Dinosaur galleries
- Bloor Street
Toronto Walking Tour: Bloor and Yonge Street
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toCross Bloor Street, about 5 min.
- 3
Afternoon
Yorkville
Once a hippie village, now Toronto's most polished neighbourhood: Victorian houses, galleries, the luxury shops of the Mink Mile on Bloor and a small park with a giant granite rock.
- Yorkville Park
- Yorkville Avenue
- Bloor Street shops
Toronto Walking Tour: Bloor and Yonge Street
Video by World Wanderings: 4K Walking Tours on YouTube
Jump toStreetcar or walk east along Carlton Street, about 25 min.
- 4
Late afternoon
Cabbagetown
One of the largest areas of preserved Victorian houses in North America, quiet tree-lined streets east of downtown, at their best in autumn colour.
- Victorian houses
- Riverdale Farm
- Parliament Street
Travelling with someone?
Send them this 3-day Toronto plan, videos included.
Planning your first trip to Toronto
How many days?
Three days covers downtown and the waterfront, the west-side neighbourhoods and the Distillery District, and the Bloor Street museums and Yorkville. Two days is enough for the highlights.
Where to stay
The Entertainment District and the Financial District are central and walkable; Yorkville is upmarket; Queen West is the creative quarter; the Harbourfront has lake views; Old Town and the Distillery District are quieter and historic. Compare areas →
Getting around
Walk downtown and take the subway or the streetcars for longer hops; tap a contactless card on every bus, streetcar and subway gate.
Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods strung along a few long streets. Yonge Street runs north from the lake through the downtown core; Queen Street West, Bloor Street and King Street cross it. The towers of the Financial District and the CN Tower sit at the bottom by the harbour, with Chinatown and Kensington Market to the west, the Victorian Distillery District to the east, and the university, the Royal Ontario Museum and the boutiques of Yorkville up at Bloor.
Every stop comes with a walking video filmed on those streets, so you can see the towers, the markets and the parks before you arrive. Use the buttons under each video to jump to the landmark, or press Preview to watch a whole day in a row.
Toronto itinerary: common questions
How many days do you need in Toronto?
Three days is a good first visit: one for downtown and the waterfront, one for Kensington Market, Queen West and the Distillery District, and one for the museums and Yorkville on Bloor Street. Two days covers the highlights.
Is Toronto a walkable city?
Downtown is, and it is flat. The neighbourhoods are spread along long streets, so expect some longer walks or short streetcar rides between them; the subway and streetcars take contactless cards.
Is it worth going up the CN Tower?
On a clear day, yes: the view covers the whole city, the lake and the islands, and sunset is the best time. Book a time slot online to avoid the queue.
When is the best time to visit Toronto?
May to October is the walking season, with warm summers and colourful autumns. Winters are cold and snowy, though the PATH walkways let you cross downtown indoors.
Travel times are approximate. Check opening days and any booking requirements before you go.
Where to stay in Toronto
6 areas compared, each with a street walk so you can see the neighborhood before you book.
Read the guide →Keep exploring Toronto
More 4K walking videos, top sights, food markets and dishes to try.
Toronto city guide →