Skip to content
MASA
Leslieville and Riverside, Toronto
north america

TorontoTravel Guide

Canada6 stories

Canada's largest city is a lakefront mosaic of neighborhoods, food cultures, and glass towers anchored by the CN Tower — one of North America's most livable and most multicultural metropolises.

Is Toronto right for you?

When to come

Late spring through early fall

Around 27°C by day in July, 0°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We publish a multi-day route for this one.

Toronto is inA proper winter
When to go
January: around 0 degrees by day, -7 at night, 65 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
February: around 1 degrees by day, -6 at night, 54 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
March: around 5 degrees by day, -2 at night, 53 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 12 degrees by day, 4 at night, 78 millimetres of rain, some rain.
May: around 19 degrees by day, 10 at night, 76 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 24 degrees by day, 15 at night, 82 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
July: around 27 degrees by day, 18 at night, 77 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
August: around 26 degrees by day, 18 at night, 72 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
September: around 22 degrees by day, 14 at night, 69 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
October: around 15 degrees by day, 8 at night, 69 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 8 degrees by day, 2 at night, 71 millimetres of rain, some rain.
December: around 3 degrees by day, -3 at night, 58 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Late spring through early fall

Average daily highs, recorded at Toronto (City station), 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
Plan itWhere to stay in Torontoad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Toronto

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Toronto

Leslieville and Riverside, Toronto
01
Stays

Where to Sleep in Toronto, and What Each Address Actually Buys

Toronto's hotel map is really a transit map, so pick the neighbourhood off the subway lines and streetcar routes first and let the budget choose the building second.

Canada · 10 min
Fishmongers shucking oysters behind the counter at St Lawrence Market in Toronto, jars of preserves and hot sauces stacked along the front of the stall
02
Food

Cheap Eats in Toronto That Punch Above Their Price

Toronto’s best value is not in its dining rooms — it is in market counters, bakery windows and immigrant neighbourhoods. Eight dishes that deliver far more than they cost.

Canada · 2 min
Toronto skyline seen across the water from the Toronto Islands at sunset, with the CN Tower silhouetted against an orange sky
03
Hidden Gems

The Toronto Neighborhoods Most Visitors Skip

Toronto's character lives on the streetcar strips fifteen to thirty minutes from downtown — which six to walk, in what order, what they cost, and the months they do not work.

Canada · 12 min
Leslieville and Riverside, Toronto
04
Itineraries

Toronto in Four Days, One Transit Line at a Time

Toronto is worth three full days, four if you want to leave the city on one of them, and the cleanest way to order them is to let the streetcar spines decide.

Canada · 10 min
Aerial view of downtown Toronto at sunset, with the CN Tower rising above the skyline and the Lake Ontario harbourfront below
05
Destinations

Toronto for First-Timers: The Complete Guide

Canada's biggest city rewards walkers and eaters. Here is how to organize a first visit around Toronto's towers, markets, islands, and wildly diverse neighborhoods.

Canada · 2 min
A busy indoor food market hall in Toronto - a painted BAKERY sign hanging over deli counters and bread cases, with shoppers browsing bins of nuts and candy beneath brick arches
06
Itineraries

Give Toronto Four Days and Let the Streetcars Route Them

Toronto is a city of corridors rather than landmarks, so the sane way to plan it is one transit line a day, including the one line that is currently a building site.

Canada · 11 min
Our picks

What we'd do in Toronto

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for Canada

Money

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Language

English and French; French is the working language in Montreal and Quebec City, where English is still widely understood.

Power

Type A/B, 120V 60Hz

Getting around

Each city has its own card - Presto in Toronto, Compass in Vancouver, OPUS in Montreal - and Toronto and Vancouver also let you tap a contactless bank card at the reader.

Tipping

Expected: 15-20% of the pre-tax bill in restaurants, and card terminals now routinely prompt 18% or more.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving

Right-hand side; a licence in English or French is accepted for a short visit, otherwise carry an International Driving Permit alongside it.

Emergency

911

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

Keep exploring

More of North America

A cobbled street in Old Montreal lined with stone buildings, café terraces, potted plants and a row of national flags, with a dome visible at the end of the street
Montreal
Canada
Aerial view of the Chateau Frontenac and the Dufferin Terrace above the St. Lawrence in Quebec City at sunrise
Quebec City
Canada
Vancouver's downtown high-rises packed along the waterfront, with boats moored below and the snow-capped North Shore mountains behind.
Vancouver
Canada
Aerial view of the Midtown Manhattan skyline at sunset, with the Empire State Building rising at the centre
New York City
United States
The Washington Monument rising above pink cherry blossoms in full bloom along the Tidal Basin in spring
Washington, D.C.
United States
Courtyard of the Boston Public Library, Boston
Boston
United States
Cloud Gate, the mirrored bean-shaped sculpture in Millennium Park, reflecting Chicago's skyscrapers with visitors gathered beneath it
Chicago
United States
A sunlit French Quarter street in New Orleans with colorful Creole buildings, iron-lace balconies hung with plants, street musicians, and bicycles on the sidewalk
New Orleans
United States
Aerial view of Miami's Brickell waterfront, with high-rise towers lining Biscayne Bay and a palm-fringed shoreline drive curving below
Miami
United States
Street performers on stilts in bright costumes drawing a crowd on a narrow street in Old Havana
Havana
Cuba
A small Maya stone temple standing on the limestone cliff above the turquoise Caribbean at Tulum, waves breaking on the rocks below and palm fronds framing the right of the frame
The Riviera Maya
Mexico
A steak-frites plate on a dark wooden table — sliced grilled steak beside a pile of herb-tossed french fries with a knife resting across the plate
Las Vegas
United States