A Travel Expert's Guide to Toronto: The Coolest Place to Be
Could this be the iciest, smoothest, crispest glass of wine I have ever enjoyed at the end of a busy day? It is a young white, and as I savour each sip, I adjust my thermals and gloves and zip up the parka that my waiter delivered alongside my drink. This is a bar like no other. It is a specially built ice lounge – it feels like sitting in an igloo – and I am tasting the liquid gold made from the frozen grapes Canada is famous for. Sipping ice wine at the 10Below Icewine Lounge in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s historic district… it does not get better than this. This started as a recommendation from the concierge at the Shangri-La Hotel. And it confirms to me that Toronto really is the coolest place to be.
It takes just eight hours to fly from the UK with Air Canada, and it is a breeze. For a start, I wind down with a drink at the newly refurbished Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Heathrow. Then, I step onto the direct flight and arrive to find the city buzzing with energy. It is barely lunchtime but ‘The Six’ is alive with throngs of people walking this way and that, accompanied by cyclists on a mission. Trendy cafés are full to the brim, and groups are gathered in appealing alfresco restaurants. There are impressive glass-structure skyscrapers, and the CN Tower is constantly coming in and out of vision. Wait, is that a beach? It is! I am captivated. There is just enough time to check into the hotel and discover that fly-and-flop is not a thing here. It is fly and discover.
Exploring Toronto's Neighbourhoods
The concierge has arranged a food market visit. I am delighted that another sense is being addressed. The compact city is walker-friendly but there is also the tram and a small metro system if energy is in short supply. It has distinct neighbourhoods including hip Dundas West with its cafés and bars, the Distillery District, with former grain stores and posh independent shops and boutiques, and the Financial District. And because the city sits on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario, it has the Beaches neighbourhood, too. Toronto is famously diverse. Its residents speak more than 140 languages between them. I hear the chatter during the 20-minute walk to St Lawrence Market, a two-level covered building that has been the hub for food vendors since 1803.
I am greeted by the hotel’s chef Troy Cabarios – a TV celebrity, no less. His enthusiasm for food matches mine as he excitedly weaves me around stall after stall, piled high with delectable produce, explaining its origin. Think artisan sausages, cheese, Montreal bagels and speciality coffee. I am fully invested in the food-tasting while listening to Troy describing the dishes he will be preparing for my evening meal.
Shangri-La Hotel and Downtown Attractions
Back at the hotel, I find Shangri-La Toronto has a buzzing bar, a Lobby Lounge, lovingly referred to as ‘Toronto’s urban living room’, and indoor and outdoor meeting and celebration venues. Fitness is encouraged at the health club. I am a keen runner, and so, it seems, is the rest of Canada. The hotel provides me with my own running map of the area. After a decent night’s rest, I am ready to hit downtown for a day of exploration. Shangri-La sits within a five-block radius of the performance centre for the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. However, as a Toronto newbie, I begin my city touring life at the CN Tower. I marvel as I circumnavigate the glass-encased viewing platform. It offers cracking views of the city, some 553m (1,815ft) below. Daredevil that I am, I stand on the glass ceiling and peer down. Those who dare can take it a step further and try out the EdgeWalk – complete with suit and harness, of course.
I meander my way around the Bata Shoe Museum, which displays more than 1,000 shoes and related artefacts. Retail therapy is covered with the Eaton Centre, which mixes international luxury brands with local labels. From here, I head towards the vibrant waterfront. The weather has pulled in the crowds, and I take a pew on a bench along the boardwalk. Folk can catch a ferry and head out to one of the green islands that are a mere couple of miles away. I clock up more steps by heading to Kensington Market (very bohemian), followed by the pedestrian-only Distillery District. This chic dining, shopping and culture hub opened in 2003 and the collection of buildings has its roots in the Victorian-era industrial architecture. Foodies will be delighted to learn that ethnic neighbourhoods – including Chinatown, Little Italy and Greektown – are a pride for the city and create a global dining culture.
Niagara Falls and Wine Country
If you like Korean food, I urge you to trek further afield to Takja BBQ House. Staff cooking meat on full grills at each table give the restaurant a theatrical edge. Winters can be harsh in Toronto and the city is prepared for such elements with its 30km underground Path, a pedestrian walkway with shops, cafés and even pharmacies. Another trip comes courtesy of the concierge: to Niagara Falls, the country’s most iconic destination. I am excited to see it first-hand despite the ungodly-hour start to beat Toronto’s rush hour and the crowds. I look in awe as I finally come face-to-face with the thundering falls, leaving a magical mist in their wake. I am breathless and damp but can barely take my eyes off this amazing sight. Hands down, no images can do it justice – and the spray on my face is like a wake-up call. The natural wonder can be experienced in various ways, including ziplining, hiking and the Maid Of The Mist boat tour. But being whisked off in a chopper with Niagara Helicopters tops them all. I swear my eyes bulge throughout this thrilling experience. From the sensation of lift-off to the excitement of soaring above the turbulent rapids, I am left gobsmacked.
The wider Niagara Region is the largest and most concentrated wine-making region in Canada and I head to Peller Estates, just a short drive away. I am treated to a slap-up meal in its farm-to-table Winery Restaurant. Wine buffs can take a tour of the vineyards and winery, which culminates with a visit to the 10Below Icewine Lounge for a taste of ice wine made from those frozen grapes. The lounge is carved from an astonishing 13,607kg of ice and maintained at the optimum temperature of -10C required for harvesting ice wine grapes. The room glows in soft, icy blues, with snowflakes, crystals and icicle-shaped ornaments suspended from the ceiling. Ice-block seating lines the perimeter, while a semicircular bar anchors the space. A bartender quickly pours a flute of Vidal ice wine, its amber-gold hue catching the light. The wine’s scent is immediate and rich, and followed by a silky texture and a balanced sweetness on the tongue. So I let the taste as well as the memories linger. And raise a glass to Toronto.
Getting to Toronto from the UK
Air Canada flies direct from London Heathrow to Toronto, offering year-round flights up to four times a day. A return flight starts from £434 in economy, £1,431 in premium economy and £2,271 in business class, including all taxes and charges. Sabi Phagura was a guest of the Shangri-La Hotel, but do not expect us to sugarcoat anything – our reviews are 100% independent. Rates for a deluxe king room start from CAD $575 (£309) and a deluxe one-bedroom suite from $1,250 (£672). The 10Below Icewine Lounge is an exclusive offering, available only to guests dining at the Winery Restaurant at Peller Estates. Priced at $50 (£27), the experience can be booked through the Shangri-La Hotel.
