When in Toronto
Toronto has a character largely representative of the rest of Canada: clean, pleasant and relatively unassuming at first glance. Don't let its facade fool you, however, what appears to be a quiet city will "slowly and surely seduce you", its fans claim.
It's easy to sell Toronto short but it would also be a mistake to do so. Its close proximity to Niagra Falls and Canada's other natural attractions make it a fantastic base for exploring the wider area, while the city also has much to offer in its own right.
With an array of festivals, music, sports, markets and attractive boardwalks, Toronto is a pleasantly cultural destination. The largest city in Canada, there is invariably plenty to do, while as Canada's business capital, it has also benefited from prosperity.
The Toronto region was first settled by Seneca Indians, who were the main inhabitants until the French arrived in the early 18th century and established a fur-trading post and mission. The arrival of the British then pushed out the French and Toronto was established as the capital of Upper Canada in 1793. In a typical display of colonial homesickness, the Brits renamed the city York, but the general murkiness of the area quickly earned it the moniker Muddy York.
York featured prominently in the 1812 war between the Americans and British. The Americans succeeded in holding it for six days, prompting the British army to march to Washington and torch the house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which was then painted white to hide the burn marks. With the war over, the city reverted back to being known as Toronto.
When the province of Ontario was formed, Toronto took on a more dominant role, soon challenging Montreal in the claim to be Canada's main city. It progressed strongly throughout the 19th century, fuelled by large-scale immigration from Europe.
Sadly, much of the city's history was destroyed in a great fire of 1904. Rebuilding brought a renewed moral rigour to the city and it became known as Toronto the Good for its moral and mannered culture, which only began to shift in the 1970s. During the later half of the 20th century, Toronto could claim to be one of the fastest growing cities in North America, riding a boom into the 1980s and 90s.
It's best to visit between June and October, when the weather is warm and the events plentiful. The temperature can be positively muggy in July and August, although don't complain about this to the locals as they will undoubtedly relish the reprieve from the winter freeze. Temperatures can plummet to minus ten between November and March, accounting for the popularity of indoor arts and sports. Many of the tourist attractions shut down or reduce their hours outside of the summer season, although those that do stay open often offer cheaper value and fewer crowds.
Although Canada has a justified reputation as a safe country, there are safety issues which travellers to Toronto should be aware of. The downtown area suffers from problems typical to many cities. The area east of Yonge St is frequented by prostitutes and female travellers are advised to ignore this area after dark. Begging from homeless people and street kids has also become a more visible problem in the city in recent years, although this is more a nuisance than a serious safety concern. Violent crime is typically infrequent although gang activity has become a marked feature of Toronto according to police, but this is not something that should concern tourists.
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Introduction
