Toronto in Two Days: Neighbourhoods, the CN Tower and the Harbour

Toronto looks spread out on the map, but the parts a visitor actually wants are connected by a short subway ride and a lot of walking. Two days is enough for the centre, one neighbourhood and the harbour, as long as you do not try to add Niagara on the same day.

Day 1: downtown and the lake

Start at Nathan Phillips Square and City Hall, walk to the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium, then down to the Harbourfront for the ferry to the Toronto Islands. In summer the islands are the best skyline view in the city; in winter the ferries still run but check the schedule. Finish with dinner in the Distillery District, where the brick warehouses are lit and pedestrian-only.

Day 2: markets and neighbourhoods

Morning at St Lawrence Market, which has been running since 1803: peameal bacon sandwiches, cheese, and a good coffee. Then walk east to the Distillery District if you skipped it, or north to Kensington Market and Chinatown for the opposite end of the city's food scene. Queen West and Ossington are the evening options.

Practical notes

• Buy a Presto card or use contactless payment; single cash fares cost more.
• The CN Tower is weather-dependent; go on the clearest day of your stay.
• Toronto is walkable downtown, but distances add up: plan one neighbourhood per half-day.

If Niagara is on your list, give it its own day or two; the falls are 90 minutes away without traffic and deserve more than a rushed stop.