Toronto in 2 Days: everything you need to know

The capital of Ontario is a multicultural city with an undeniable charm. If you have little time to explore it, I recommend organizing an itinerary through the main locations. This way, you will be able to enjoy the best things to do in Toronto and optimize every minute of your trip. On the first day you can focus on exploring the sights and attractions in Downtown and Oldtown, such as Little Canada, CN Tower and the famous Natha Phillips Square.

You can also enjoy the street art in Graffiti Alley, the flashing billboards in Yonge Dundas Square and the history of the world's most famous old distillery in the Distillery District. If you want to continue exploring the city, you can take advantage of some of the best food tours in Toronto, to delve into Kensington Market and Chinatown for a multicultural experience. Also, don't miss a glimpse of the impressive castle at Casa Loma or the tunnels of the Underground City.

In two days you can cover the main sights and areas of Toronto, as well as visit less crowded sites free of tourists. In general, I recommend you to use the first day to get to know the best locations between Downtown and Oldtown. The advantage is that it is very easy to get around, as most attractions are within walking distance by car, train or subway tunnels. You can enjoy the events in Nathan Phillips Square, see the illuminated signs in Yonge Dundas Square, appreciate the miniatures in Little Canada, and many more activities.

If you want to enjoy a tour of Toronto and see the city from above, I recommend venturing to the CN Tower. Also, the local street art is a must, in Graffiti Alley you will find a variety of murals. Finally, a few minutes away is District Distillery, a neighborhood built on an old distillery.

Nathan Phillips Square

The day can start at Nathan Philips Square, the most central square in the city. Here you will find the famous Toronto Sign, which makes it an ideal place to take pictures to remember. This square hosts a variety of multicultural events, and is also a quintessential shopping area with food trucks, art exhibits and ice rinks during the winter.

In fact, if you are planning some things to do in Toronto for Christmas, this location is a must on your itinerary. Many of the best tours of the city consider this square as a mandatory stop, as here you will find:

• Toronto Old City Hall: an iconic building, which served as city hall until 1966. You can climb the clock tower to appreciate the city from above.
• Toronto City Hall: a modern building, which has become an icon of the city.

Yonge-Dundas Square

To get to your second stop of the day, you only need to walk five minutes along Bay St and Edward St, starting from Nathan Phillips Square. This is Yonge Dundas Square, a square between Yonge Street and Dundas Street, known as Canada's version of New York's Time Square, or London's Picadilly Circus. In this place the illuminated signs steal the attention of passers-by, and during the day you can enjoy street music, open-air shows and street stalls.

In this area you will find a water fountain ideal for cooling off, in case you visit Toronto in summer, and it is also within walking distance of the Eaton Centre Mall, so you can take shelter from the weather for a while. Taking advantage of your walk around the area, you can take a look at the Metropolitan University of Toronto and the CAA Ed Mirvish theater where local plays and music shows are screened.

Little Canada

In Toronto there is a place where you can enjoy different Canadian attractions in miniature version, of course it is Little Canada. It is a theme park located one minute away from Yonge Dundas Square, which you can access through Dundas St E or through the Underground City. It's a great option if you're looking for things to do in the city with kids, as you'll be able to see samples of the local medieval castle, better known as Casa Loma.

You'll also find small replicas of the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, as well as monuments from Ottawa and Quebec. You can find skip-the-line tickets starting at 36 euros per person. Please note that this ticket does not usually include the cost of workshops and access to the 3D Lit area.

CN Tower

If the miniature version of North America's tallest tower impressed you, then you have to come see the CN Tower in person.

It's just a ten-minute drive from the Little Canada spaces and offers the best views of the city. Here you'll find a revolving restaurant, observation deck and even a museum. Plus, if you're adventurous you can walk a ramp into the Toronto sky. The entrance to the tower has an approximate price of 40 euros, although there are attractions inside at an additional cost.

Graffiti Alley

To continue enjoying the charm of Toronto, head to your next stop of the day at Street Art or Art Street. You can take a walking or biking tour to appreciate the local art and history. In this area you'll find impressive murals as well as street art exhibits. This location is a six-minute drive from CN Tower, taking Front St W. It is very famous, as it was one of the first legal street art streets in Toronto.

District Distillery

Finally, you can finish the day in District Distillery, a neighborhood built on an old distillery, once the most important in the world. It is located twenty minutes away by car, along Front St E and Richmond St W. Keep in mind that, through the subway tunnels, you can shorten your way. Here you will find stores, restaurants and a pleasant atmosphere. You can also appreciate old buildings, but the most interesting are the events that you can enjoy in the area, especially in December when the Christmas season is celebrated in Toronto.

Before your time in Toronto runs out, you have to give its flea markets and galleries a chance. They have a peculiar energy, which will surely put you in a good mood. Therefore, you can't leave the city without taking a look at Kensington Market and Chinatown, where the multicultural contrast is noticeable in every corner. On the other hand, the neo-gothic castle in Casa Loma is also an emblematic site par excellence.

Kensington Market and Chinatown

When it comes to the best food tours in Toronto, Kensington Market is a must stop. It is the perfect place to sample dishes from around the world, as well as live a multicultural experience surrounded by smells, tastes and sounds. In 1920 it belonged to Jewish families, who sold crafts, food and objects. Due to its antiquity, it is an authentic Canadian tradition, where you can taste seasonal products. This local icon is located in a picturesque neighborhood, where foreign communities live.

After visiting the market, just a five-minute walk down Spadina Ave, you will find the famous Chinatown. This is a Chinatown that brings together the entire Asian community. You will find free events, food stalls and customs from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Pakistan, India and Japan. It has established itself with tea houses, herbal medicine stores, low priced handicrafts and more. If you're looking for things to do in Toronto in February, I recommend stopping by this area as it hosts annual Chinese New Year celebrations.

Art Gallery of Ontario

The next stop on your itinerary is the Art Gallery of Ontario, located eight minutes from Chinatown by car along Dundas St W. It is a landmark building, whose futuristic structure preserves important works by artists from all continents. For example, you can take a look at paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, Rubens and other famous exponents. It is considered one of the best museums in Toronto, as you will find Indian and African art.

You can find tickets from 28 euros without queues, to appreciate all the works that are housed inside. Note that there are some temporary exhibitions, which may be free or at an additional cost. Among the paintings you can find highlights the Massacre of the Innocents by Pedro Pablo Rubens, which depicts the execution of minors by orders of King Herodes.

Casa Loma

Get ready to feel like you are in a fairy tale at Casa Loma. It is a neo-Gothic castle, a thirteen-minute drive from the Art Gallery of Ontario. It is very popular due to the variety of events and festivals held on its grounds, especially offering many activities to do in Toronto at Christmas.

Its corridors hold memories of ancient times, so you can take a tour of its grounds to see the royal halls, the rooms of its creators and some of the best local museums.

Also, at Casa Loma you can explore the Great Hall, take a stroll through the acres of the garden and check out the stables near the estate. In the subway part there are tunnels connecting the castle, with interesting secret passages. The Toronto City Pass includes this attraction. However, you can also pay the entrance fee which is around 25 euros.

Getting around in Toronto is very easy, as there are different lines of transportation. The most comfortable option is the car or cab, but some days the traffic can lengthen the transfer times. For this reason, it is convenient to use the Toronto Transit Commission network, which includes different options: subway, bus and streetcar. With the same type of ticket you can access any of the lines from anywhere in the city.

More economical options

• Metro: it has two lines, the yellow one connects the north with the center, while the green one takes you from east to west and vice versa. It is a good option if you need to organize transfers between the airport and Toronto, but you have a limited budget. It operates from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., but is usually open later on Sundays. You can find tickets from 3 euros per person.
• Streetcar or Street Car: it is a more complete method of transportation than the train, although both complement each other. It is ideal if you want to move around Downtown, although in winter they usually have long waiting times. The main advantage is that it operates twenty-four hours a day and has a cost from 3 euros one-way ticket, which does not include possible transfers by subway and bus.
• Bus: if you want to tour around Toronto, but do not want to spend a lot of money, you can take the bus. It is the line that reaches more corners of the city and has a night route.

More comfortable options

• Cab: it is the most comfortable way to move around the city, but also one of the most expensive. The advantage is that the fare is usually flat, so the taximeter is not used. You can order them at home through the government line, for this you must dial 416-TAXICAB or order one through certified applications such as UBER. It is not advisable to take clandestine cabs, for your safety.
• Bicycle if you want to take a ride outdoors, you can rent a bicycle (an ideal option if you plan to stay a couple of days). There are public bicycles with friendly rates, but from 5 euros you can use bicycles for several days or just plan a bike tour around Toronto.
• Trains and external buses: if you plan to make excursions from Toronto to other places on your own, it is best to use the network that connects the suburbs with the surrounding areas.
• The PATH: you can explore the city through the subway tunnels, which allow you to get from one end to the other in less than five minutes, as well as explore restaurants, stores and galleries. To access from the outside, you can head to the marked points, which include subway or train stations, parking lots, stores and more. For guidance, you can use the Underground City map.