Toronto is the capital of Ontario and Canada's largest city, home to about 2.8 million people on the north shore of Lake Ontario. This guide covers the CN Tower, museums, neighbourhood food, transit and practical costs for visitors.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Canadian maple syrup
Pure Canadian syrup in tins or glass; look for the Canada Grade A label.
Price: CAD $12-30 (US $9-22) per bottle
Where: St. Lawrence Market, Eaton Centre shops, Distillery District
Ontario ice wine
Sweet dessert wine from Niagara, sold in small bottles.
Price: CAD $50-120 (US $36-86) per 200 ml
Where: LCBO Vintages stores, Distillery District wine shops
Indigenous and Inuit art
Carvings, prints and jewellery; ask for documentation of the artist and origin.
Price: CAD $40-2,000 (US $29-1,440)
Where: Royal Ontario Museum shop, Art Gallery of Ontario shop, Yorkville galleries
Canadian outerwear and knitwear
Parkas and wool basics from Canadian brands such as Roots and Canada Goose.
Price: CAD $90-1,800 (US $65-1,300)
Where: Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Bloor-Yorkville
Maple Leafs, Raptors and Blue Jays gear
Jerseys and caps from official team stores near the arenas.
Price: CAD $30-250 (US $22-180)
Where: Team stores at Scotiabank Arena (40 Bay St) and Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way)
Peameal bacon and Ontario cheese
Toronto's signature peameal bacon and Ontario cheddar, vacuum packed for travel.
Price: CAD $8-25 (US $6-18)
Where: St. Lawrence Market, Kensington Market
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
St. Lawrence Market
Historic public food market with more than 100 vendors, long ranked among the world's best food markets.
Where: Old Town
Hours: South Market Tue-Thu 9am-6pm, Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 5am-5pm, closed Sun-Mon; verify on website
Kensington Market
Compact multicultural district of vintage shops, cheesemongers, spice sellers and street art, closed to cars on selected Sundays.
Where: Kensington Market
Hours: Most shops daily about 11am-7pm; Pedestrian Sundays on the last Sunday of the month in warmer months
Evergreen Brick Works Farmers Market
Year-round Saturday market in a restored industrial site in the Don Valley.
Where: Don Valley
Hours: Saturdays 8am-1pm year round; verify on website
Spadina Avenue and Chinatown
Dense Chinatown retail strip with produce stalls, bakeries, herbalists and gift shops.
Where: Chinatown
Hours: Shops generally daily about 10am-8pm; restaurants later
Roncesvalles Village
Polish-heritage main street of bakeries, delis and independent gift shops, known for its August Polish Festival.
Where: Roncesvalles
Hours: Most shops Tue-Sat about 10am-6pm; Sunday and Monday hours vary
Distillery Historic District
Pedestrian-only Victorian industrial complex of galleries, artisan boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
Where: Distillery District
Hours: Shops generally daily 11am-6pm; verify on website
Bloor-Yorkville (Mink Mile)
Canada's best-known luxury retail strip, with flagship stores along Bloor Street and boutiques and galleries on Yorkville Avenue.
Where: Yorkville
Hours: Most boutiques Mon-Sat 10am-6pm or later, Sun noon-5pm; verify per store
Queen Street West
Long strip of independent boutiques, record stores and design shops running west from the Entertainment District.
Where: Queen West
Hours: Most shops daily about 11am-7pm; verify per store
The PATH
About 30 km of underground pedestrian walkways linking downtown buildings with shops, useful in winter weather.
Where: Financial District
Hours: Mostly Mon-Fri about 7am-6:30pm; many shops closed or limited on weekends
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Downtown multi-level mall of about 250 stores connected to Dundas and Queen subway stations.
Hours: Typically Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm; verify holiday hours on the website
Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Large high-end mall near Yorkdale subway station with a strong luxury brand lineup.
Hours: Typically Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm; verify holiday hours on the website
CF Sherway Gardens
West-end mall with premium retailers and department stores, reached by TTC bus from Kipling or Islington stations.
Hours: Typically Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm; verify holiday hours on the website
Bayview Village
Upscale neighbourhood mall steps from Bayview subway station.
Hours: Typically Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm; verify holiday hours on the website
Eataly Toronto
Italian market-hall and restaurant complex in the Manulife Centre at Bloor and Bay.
Hours: Typically daily from about 9am to 10pm; verify on website
Holt Renfrew Bloor Street
Canada's luxury department store, connected to Bay subway station through the Manulife Centre.
Hours: Typically Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm; verify on website
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Prices are fixed in stores and malls; haggling is not customary except with independent vintage and antique sellers.
Ask politely about a discount only when buying several items at independent antique or vintage shops.
Tax is added at the register, so budget 13 percent more than the sticker price.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Ontario HST of 13 percent is added at checkout on most goods; Canada has no tourist sales-tax refund scheme., Tipping is not expected in shops; tip 15-20 percent in restaurants and cafes with table service., Many stores close early on Sundays and holidays; check hours before travelling across town., Visitors returning to the US can usually bring home duty-free goods up to their personal exemption; check US CBP rules for alcohol, food and plants., Credit and contactless cards are accepted nearly everywhere; some market stalls are cash only, so carry some Canadian dollars.