Toronto

Toronto is Canada's largest city and arguably the most culturally diverse metropolis in the world — a claim backed by hard numbers. Over half of its 2.9 million residents were born outside Canada, and more than 200 languages are spoken across its neighbourhoods. This astonishing patchwork of cultures is not abstract: you feel it walking from the dim sum parlours of Spadina Avenue's Chinatown through the Portuguese bakeries of Dundas West, past the Tamil grocery stores of Scarborough, and into the jerk chicken joints of Little Jamaica. The CN Tower, once the tallest freestanding structure on Earth at 553 metres, still defines the skyline and offers a vertigo-inducing glass floor 342 metres above the ground. The Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario (redesigned by Frank Gehry), and the TIFF Bell Lightbox make the city a serious arts destination.

Toronto's waterfront along Lake Ontario has undergone a massive transformation in recent years. The Harbourfront Centre hosts free concerts and art exhibitions throughout the summer, and the Toronto Islands — a short ferry ride from the Jack Layton Terminal — provide a car-free escape with beaches, kayak rentals, and stunning skyline views. The Distillery District, a pedestrianised enclave of Victorian-era industrial buildings, now houses galleries, microbreweries, and some of the city's best restaurants. In summer, the neighbourhood patios overflow. In winter, the Christmas Market transforms it into a fairy-lit wonderland. Meanwhile, Kensington Market remains gloriously chaotic: vintage shops, cheese mongers, and taco stands packed into narrow streets that officially became a National Historic Site in 2006.

Sports are religion in Toronto. The Raptors' 2019 NBA championship sparked a nationwide celebration, and Maple Leafs hockey — despite decades of heartbreak — commands fierce devotion. The Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome) hosts Blue Jays baseball under its retractable roof, and the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September brings Hollywood glamour to King Street. Toronto's food scene reflects its multicultural DNA: Michelin-starred restaurants like Alo sit alongside Sri Lankan hoppers in Scarborough and Ukrainian perogies in the Junction. The city's craft brewery scene is booming, with more than 100 breweries operating across the Greater Toronto Area. Come hungry, stay curious.