| 3 things to do absolutely in Toronto and Niagara Falls: 1. FOOD – try the Beaver Tails 2. ATTRACTIONS – if you can, don’t miss an NBA, NHL or MLB match 3. SOUVENIRS – buy some excellent Icewine of the Niagara Peninsula |
Introduction
Would you like to visit Toronto and perhaps add a day trip to the iconic Niagara Falls to your itinerary? In this article, we will describe what to see in Toronto and Niagara Falls in 3 days. This includes two days spent entirely in Toronto and a day trip to the famous falls.
We have included everything we could do in three days: add more ideas in the comments to make the most of your stay in this wonderful area!
So, let’s begin exploring one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and one of the most spectacular natural wonders!
Table of Contents
When visiting Toronto
The optimal times to visit Toronto are undoubtedly spring (April-June) and autumn (September-November)! During these seasons, you can enjoy the blossoming trees in the parks and moderate heat, avoiding the muggy summers and cold, snowy winters. And if you enjoy skiing or wish to take part in winter festivals such as “Winterlicious”, winter might be an interesting option to consider! Toronto’s winter season is known for its freezing temperatures!
So what are you waiting for? But fear not, citizens, because the administration has created an underground shopping system called PATH, which is similar to Montreal’s! And guess what? According to the Guinness World Record, PATH is the largest underground shopping center in the world, covering a whopping 371,000 square meters! Check it out for yourself and experience the wonder of PATH!
How to get to Toronto
Travelling to Canada from Europe has never been more convenient! Thanks to Air Canada, the country’s national airline, you can now enjoy direct flights to Toronto from major European cities. And that’s not all! KLM, Air France, and Lufthansa also provide flights to Toronto via their European hubs in Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt.
If you’re like me and travelling from Montreal (read here about Montreal!), you have three amazing options to choose from: plane, train, or coach. While the plane is the fastest option, it’s also the most luxurious and totally worth it! If you’re looking to save some cash, taking the train is a fantastic compromise between cost and speed! VIA Rail Canada offers a journey time of just 4 hours and 50 minutes, with prices starting at an affordable €100 one way.
Alternatively, you can opt for a coach with Megabus, which is even cheaper (at around €45 one way) but takes a little longer at 6 and a half hours. Click here now to compare all the best options for you, including train and coach timetables and costs!
How to get around
Toronto is an amazing city with a population of 2.7 million within its municipal boundaries and over 6 million in its metropolitan area! Its strong multiculturalism is a defining characteristic, with 36% of its citizens being of non-Canadian origin and over 170 languages spoken. How cool is that! And did you know that Toronto is divided into 240 districts, making an efficient and widely accessible transport system crucial?
When visiting Toronto, you can use the amazing underground network to easily travel throughout the city! The network consists of four main lines: Yonge-University, Bloor-Danforth, Sheppard, and Scarborough. Buses are also available for areas not covered by the metro. For more information on bus and underground schedules and subscriptions, click here!
Toronto has an amazing network of trams, known as ‘streetcars’! They connect different parts of the city and are a fantastic way to get around. And if you’re looking for a quick and convenient option during the warmer months, there’s also a bike-sharing network available for short trips.
What to see in Toronto and Niagara Falls: 3-day itinerary
Day 1 – Toronto
If you’re short on time, my advice is to find accommodation in Toronto’s Downtown and Old Toronto neighbourhoods, where most of the city’s attractions are located! This way, you can get around entirely on foot. There’s a practically endless selection of hotels in this part of the city, but if you’re on a budget, hostels are also a valid option. They’re often very clean and strategically located for sightseeing! I highly recommend ‘The Clarence Park’ hostel for its excellent quality-price ratio and cleanliness! It is located just a few hundred meters from the CN Tower, which is an iconic symbol of Toronto and Canada. Check here the availability of ‘The Clarence Park’!
As soon as you have settled in, why not visit the CN Tower at sunset to enjoy a breathtaking view of Lake Ontario and the entire city during golden hour?
First, head to the Entertainment District to experience the carefree atmosphere that characterizes the Ontario capital! To get there, take the metro and get off at Osgoode or St. Andrew stops, or take trams 501 and 504.
If you’re a fan of American sports, get ready for an unforgettable experience in this part of the city! The Rogers Centre, home to baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays, is one of the most impressive and easily recognizable buildings in the city skyline. Attending a match, even if you’re not familiar with the rules of the game, is an absolute must. Don’t forget to check online to see if there’s a Blue Jays home game or a musical event during your stay.
The Scotiabank Arena (previously known as the Air Canada Centre) is an amazing venue! It’s the home of the Toronto Raptors basketball team and the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, making it the ultimate destination for sports fans!
At Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, you can observe marine life from around the world while walking through glass tunnels surrounded by sharks and beautiful coral reefs!
Starting from Union Station, the city’s main train station located near the entertainment district, walk along York Street towards Lake Ontario! Upon reaching the water, get ready to discover a hidden gem – a red wooden house (145 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2H4, Canada) that sells a Toronto specialty, Beaver Tails!
These sweets are shaped like a beaver’s tail and make for an excellent snack during your tour of the city. You simply must try the classic version – it’s a real treat! So take a break, order some Beaver Tails, and enjoy the amazing view of the city skyline. And while you’re there, don’t forget to quench your thirst with their delicious lemonade, which is the best (and sweetest!) I have ever had.
After a short break, I recommend taking a walk along the lakefront to admire the beauty of Lake Ontario. Despite being the smallest of the North American Great Lakes, it is so vast that it seems like a real sea.
At sunset, take a stroll up York Street! Turn left onto Bremner Street and you will find yourself in front of the CN Tower!
The CN Tower is an iconic symbol of Toronto and a popular tourist attraction! Built in the early 1970s by Canadian National (CN), a major Canadian railway company, the structure was designed to provide television and radio broadcasts in the Toronto metropolitan area! Upon reaching the top, you will be amazed to realize that the tower is truly very tall! Measuring a height of 553.33 meters, it was once the tallest independent structure in the world, without the need for ground supports, until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Get ready for an unforgettable experience!
But don’t worry, the CN Tower still holds its own as an architectural marvel. You can experience the breathtaking views from multiple observation decks, such as the LookOut Level at 346 meters and the SkyPod at 447 meters. Moreover, the LookOut Level’s glass floor provides the sensation of walking on air!
Additionally, the tower features the 360 Restaurant, which rotates to offer diners a 360-degree view of the city! And if you’re a thrill-seeker unafraid of heights, you simply must try the EdgeWalk – the world’s highest full-circle hands-free walk on a 1.5-meter-wide ledge surrounding the tower’s main pod! To safely experience the thrill of walking outside the tower at a height of 356 meters, make sure to purchase tickets online in advance! The tickets vary based on the attractions included, with standard adult admission costing approximately €30. Visit the official CN Tower website for all necessary information and to purchase tickets!
Day 2 – Toronto
Start your visit to the city with a trip to St Lawrence Market! It’s one of the most famous food markets in the area, offering a wide range of local gastronomic products that are sure to delight your taste buds! Don’t forget to visit the amazing Berczy Park nearby, open every day except Mondays! You’ll love the unique fountain with different types of fake dogs spitting water at a large common bone. And while you’re there, take a moment to admire the stunning architectural aesthetics of the Gooderham Building, the sister building to New York’s Flatiron Building. The Gooderham Building is conveniently located between Wellington Street and Cherry Street.
The St. Lawrence Market is one of the city’s most famous historical complexes, in operation since the beginning of the nineteenth century and divided into three main sections: the South Market, the North Market and the St. Lawrence Hall. In addition to its lively markets, the complex offers a wide range of culinary and cultural events. The market often hosts cooking classes, food tastings and seasonal festivals that showcase Toronto’s multicultural culinary scene.
Once out of the market, head to the Distillery District. The Distillery District is a historic area that was originally home to the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, once the largest distillery in the world. After the distillery closed in the 1990s, the area underwent extensive restoration and redevelopment. Today the area is a popular tourist destination and a vibrant cultural centre with many art galleries, shops, restaurants and cafes. Cobbled streets, brick buildings and traditional industrial elements give the area a unique charm. Legend has it that the alcohol that Al Capone illegally imported into the United States during Prohibition was produced here.
After having lunch in one of the many restaurants at the Distillery District, head towards Toronto Downtown, because there are still many things to see.
Yonge Street is Toronto’s main thoroughfare and one of the longest streets in the world, stretching approximately 1,896 kilometres from Lake Ontario to the Rainy River on the Ontario-Minnesota border. Often referred to as the heart of Toronto, Yonge Street is home to iconic landmarks such as the Toronto Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square and Massey Hall.
In reference to Yonge-Dundas Square, a square located at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street, is often referred to as Toronto’s Times Square for its vibrant atmosphere and its bright billboards scattered everywhere. The square serves as a popular gathering place and center of cultural events, performances and festivals throughout the year. Come here to truly feel like you’re in the heart of Toronto, and probably Canada.
Also a must is a visit to nearby Nathan Phillips Square, home to the old city hall, the new modernist city hall and the iconic TORONTO illuminated sign.
There are still many attractions that you can visit depending on your tastes and the time available to you. Graffiti Alley is definitely worth a visit : it is a small street covered in murals from top to bottom. The same goes for China Town, the largest in North America .
At sunset, head towards Lake Ontario and from there take a typical ferry to the Toronto Islands, a group of islets in front of Toronto (they set sail near the Beaver Tails house). Ferries leave every day from 6.30am to 11.30pm and take you to the island of your choice in 15 minutes (cost approximately €4 return). But why visit these islands? Because that’s the only spot in the city where you can have the beauty of the Toronto skyline in front of you.
Day 3 – Niagara Falls
The third day is dedicated to one of the most beautiful experiences you can have here, a visit to Niagara Falls. There are several ways to get to the falls: by car along the Queen Elizabeth Way (about an hour and a half), by bus, by train and by organised tours.
To avoid having to think about it, I opted for the latter option and booked the “Toronto: Day Tour to Niagara Falls with Cruise from Toronto” package on GetYourGuide, offered by BG Tours Canada Inc. For €95 all-inclusive, the experience was included:
● Round-trip transportation by air-conditioned minivan
● Licensed Niagara Parks Tour Guide
● Maple syrup tour and tasting
● Icewine tasting (optional)
● Free time at Niagara Falls
Lunch was not included and I bought it at one of the many restaurants and fast food outlets on site. Also, with this package you can choose whether or not to include the ride on the Hornblower cruise under the waterfalls. I highly recommend this unforgettable experience, you won’t regret it!
The Niagara River marks the border between Canada and the United States in this area, and the falls are entirely on the American side: this gives you an unparalleled view of this natural wonder right in front of you from the Canadian side.
Around the falls, on both sides, you will see that over time hotels and attractions of all kinds have been built to make the most of the mass tourism that this place inevitably attracts at all times of the year. After enjoying the spectacle of the waterfalls and the thrill of the ride (be prepared to get wet, despite the cape provided!), I recommend a stop at the famous Little Las Vegas, a hundred metres away. This amusement park is packed with fast food and incredible attractions that will leave you speechless.
You can also sample and purchase the excellent Icewine, a true Ontario delicacy, as a souvenir. Icewine is a sweet wine made from grapes left to dry on the vine until they naturally freeze due to the cold climate of these areas.
If you have been to Niagara Falls, let us know in the comments which day trip you chose!
How much are you spending?
Toronto may not be a destination in itself, but it is certainly worth a visit during a multi-week holiday in Eastern Canada. I have therefore included the cost of flights and travel insurance, even though it is a much longer trip.
The costs per person are as follows:
● Direct return flight Nice/Montreal: approximately €1,100;
● 2 nights in a hostel: around €77 (July);
● Transport: €4 (ferry only, the rest I walked around);
● Food (average €15 per meal): around €90;
● Niagara excursion all-inclusive: €95;
● Travel insurance: approximately €120 (for 12 days).
Final thoughts
Whether you are stopping in Toronto before flying on to other destinations such as Vancouver, California or Hawaii, or if you are visiting Eastern Canada, I recommend that you spend at least two or three days in this city. This metropolis on Lake Ontario, whose name means “meeting place”, is a true melting pot of multiculturalism and diversity.
Moreover, its proximity to one of the world’s most spectacular natural phenomena, Niagara Falls, is an irresistible reason to spend a few days in this part of Canada, which has so much to offer from a natural and architectural point of view.
If you have any questions, leave a comment in the box below!
