It’s historical, it’s based on generations of close ties and it’s more besides – we’ve a lot in common. After all, we both have bigger, brasher neighbours!
I scooted off to Toronto recently – a vibrant city with great shopping, brilliant dining and nightlife, and some world-class hotels.
There’s two reasons why I’d encourage you to copy me in considering a visit.
One is the positive exchange rate for Brits over there just now. Secondly, the low-cost carrier of Air Canada – called Air Canada Rouge – has flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
They provide exceptional customer service and a host of Air Canada benefits.
Rouge flight attendants are trained in customer service at the Disney Institute to create a fun, relaxed on-board atmosphere.
Their flights to Toronto from Glasgow run June 14 to September 25, three times a week.
The leisure airline already operates seasonal non-stop service to Toronto from Manchester (June 3 to September 30; five weekly flights) and Edinburgh (June 15 to October 12; four weekly flights) as well as from Dublin year-round.
Since I was there last, even more skyscrapers and shopping malls have emerged and the “underground city” has to be seen to be believed.
This entire city below ground level allows the citizens to escape the heat of summer and bitter cold of winter – you can do absolutely everything without ever having to face the elements.
If there’s one overriding characteristic of Toronto, it is its cultural diversity, with 50% of the population born outside Canada.
You can eat your way around the world without leaving Toronto, what with Little Italy, Little Portugal, Greektown, Chinatown, Koreatown and Little India, to name just a few.
There are some great food walking tours that take in the many markets.
And you’ve got to try a peameal bacon sandwich (with the delicious local honey mustard) and a butter tart at the 200-year-old St Lawrence Market.
The Distillery District is now home to many of the city’s hottest designer boutiques, cafes, artisan shops, art galleries and award-winning restaurants.
The pedestrian-only village features more than 70 cultural and retail establishments in the restored red-brick, Victorian-era buildings of the renowned Gooderham & Worts whiskey distillery.
One quirky place to visit (especially if you’re a bit of a shoe-aholic) is the Bata Shoe Museum.
Housed near the University of Toronto, the museum began as a personal passion for shoes by Sonja Bata, who has been collecting shoes of every type since the 1940s.
It has shoes from every era of Western fashion, shoes from every corner of the world and even shoes worn by folk like John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe and Pablo Picasso. £7 entry fee.
If this has got you in the mood for shopping (you can’t actually buy shoes there) head for Queen Street West, Dundas Street West and Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
This is where you’ll find small specialist shops.
Two things you must do before leaving this area is visit the CN Tower’s Skypod observation deck at 447 meters (135 stories) up, and drive two hours to Niagara Falls.
The best way to see the Falls is on the £70 20-minute helicopter tour. It gives an excellent commentary and views of this wonder of the world.
You can also go on a boat with Hornblower Cruises. Suitably clad in a free cagoule, you travel to within soaking distance of the falls and get some great photos.
From the falls, travel 20 minutes or so to the beautiful little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It’s real chocolate-box North America with lovely craft shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants.
In Toronto I stayed at the lovely Ritz Carlton Hotel, which I’d thoroughly recommend.
Very central, it offers 263 luxurious rooms, all with a view of the river or the city (mine looked straight on to the CN Tower).
The hotel has a wonderful spa and two excellent restaurants.
For additional pampering and attention, The Ritz Carlton Club is located on floor 20 and features a spacious lounge facing Lake Ontario with personal concierge and staff as well as continuous complimentary food and beverages throughout the day.
10 fun facts on Toronto
1. According to multiple official sources, Toronto is the safest metropolitan area in North America.
2. Toronto Island lies on top of a 900-acre floating sandbag.
3. By 2020 the prediction is that Toronto will have the highest number of high-rise flats in the world.
4. The Guiness Book of Records says PATH (Toronto’s underground city) is the world’s largest underground walkway.
5. Even though Canada has two official languages, English and French, French is only the 12th most spoken language in Toronto.
6. Toronto Film Festival is widely regarded as the second most prestigious in the world, behind only Cannes.
7. You can rent canoes and kayaks at Toronto harbour to explore the islands.
8. Massey Hall has been part of Toronto’s music scene since 1894.
9. Canadian history can be seen at Fort York, site of the Battle of York during the War of 1812.
10. The CN Tower opened in 1976 and remains the tallest freestanding structure in the Western hemisphere.
For more info, see ontariotravel.net
For flight offers, visit aircanada.com or phone 0871 220 1111. Fares start from around £400 return.
Rooms from £200 at ritzcarlton.com/toronto
Cheaper accommodation can be found through the tourist board. Log on to seetorontonow.com
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