3 days in Toronto

Day by day

1. Day 1: CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

   CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Royal Ontario Museum, then Nathan Phillips Square in the evening.

   1. Morning

      CN Tower

      At 553 metres, the CN Tower was the world's tallest free-standing structure for more than 30 years after it opened in 1976.

   2. Late morning

      Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

      Late-evening sessions and weekday mornings are much quieter than weekend afternoons.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Peameal bacon sandwich

      Carousel Bakery and other counters at St. Lawrence Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Royal Ontario Museum

      Canada's largest museum mixes natural history and world cultures, from dinosaur skeletons and a walk-through bat cave to Chinese temple murals, Egyptian mummies and First Nations art.

   5. Evening

      Nathan Phillips Square

      Come after dark for photos of the lit sign, and bring or rent skates in winter.

2. Day 2: Art Gallery of Ontario and St. Lawrence Market

   Art Gallery of Ontario, St. Lawrence Market and Distillery District, then King Street West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Art Gallery of Ontario

      Head first for the Group of Seven rooms, then climb Gehry's spiral staircase at the back of the building.

   2. Late morning

      St. Lawrence Market

      Toronto has had a market on this site since 1803.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Butter tart

      Bakeries across the city and at farmers' markets, including the bakeries of St. Lawrence Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Distillery District

      Visit on a weekday in the winter-village season; weekend evenings are extremely crowded.

   5. Evening

      King Street West

      Clubs, rooftop lounges and late restaurants in the Entertainment District, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.

3. Day 3: Toronto Islands and Kensington Market

   Toronto Islands, Kensington Market and Casa Loma, then Ossington and Dundas West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Toronto Islands

      A short ferry ride across the harbour, the car-free Toronto Islands have lake beaches, picnic lawns, bike paths, the 1808 Gibraltar Point lighthouse and the Centreville amusement park for young children.

   2. Late morning

      Kensington Market

      Graze rather than sit down: patties, empanadas, tacos and churros from different counters make a cheap lunch.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jamaican beef patty

      Caribbean bakeries in Little Jamaica on Eglinton Avenue West, in Kensington Market and at corner stores citywide.

   4. Afternoon

      Casa Loma

      Financier Sir Henry Pellatt built this Gothic Revival castle between 1911 and 1914, complete with towers, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel to the stables and a glass-domed conservatory.

   5. Evening

      Ossington and Dundas West

      Dense strips of cocktail bars, wine bars and small music venues favoured by locals.

Before you go

• CN Tower: Timed tickets bought online avoid the longest queues; EdgeWalk must be booked well ahead.
• Ripley's Aquarium of Canada: Book a timed ticket online for weekends and school holidays.
• Toronto Islands: On summer weekends buy ferry tickets online to skip the ticket-office queue.

If it rains

• Swap in Hockey Hall of Fame (Financial District): Pair it with a Maple Leafs or Raptors game at nearby Scotiabank Arena if your dates line up.
• Swap in Bata Shoe Museum (The Annex): Combine it with the ROM, a short walk east along Bloor Street.
• Swap in Aga Khan Museum (Don Mills): It is about 25 minutes by car from downtown, so plan lunch at the museum and time in the gardens.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Entertainment District keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Old Town and St. Lawrence ($$$) suits first-timers, food lovers, couples and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–24 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Toronto
• 2 days in Toronto
• 4 days in Toronto
• 5 days in Toronto
• 7 days in Toronto

Questions travellers ask