There’s no denying Toronto is having a moment for all things British. Between HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hosting the wildly popular Invictus Games and record acclaim for the British film industry at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Canada’s arguably favourite city is showing it’s love for the UK. Constantly on the move, Toronto offers something for returning fans and first time visitors alike. Tourism Toronto here notes all that’s new and exciting for Autumn 2017.
Toronto’s reputation for ‘bringing the boutique’ continues with some new downtown hotel openings and renovations. The Broadview Hotel opened on 28 July 2017, after the 126-year-old building was fully restored from its former glory. The 58-room boutique hotel includes a Rooftop Restaurant with stunning views. Plus, a brand new luxury lifestyle hotel brand, BISHA Hotel, opened on 5 September 2017 offering innovative cuisine ambitiously offered across four restaurants led by ICONINK, including a signature restaurant with celebrity chef Akira Back. Public spaces include a 44th floor rooftop restaurant and infinity pool.
Other new hotels include Hotel X Toronto which is now accepting reservations for December 2017. The only property in Exhibition Place, Hotel X Toronto will be a unique lakefront urban resort bringing a cutting edge mix of hospitality, sports and entertainment. The property’s sports and entertainment concept, along with a lavish garden setting and spectacular lake views, create an unparalleled environment for visitors and locals alike.
Toronto is world famous for its adventurous cuisine and Autumn 2017 sees a number of new restaurants to get visitor mouths watering. Casa Loma’s BlueBlood Steakhouse opened on 5 September after significant investment to create a world class restaurant inside Toronto’s iconic castle. The Victor Restaurant + Bar, nestled within the Hotel Le Germain Toronto, completed renovations and re-opened on 6 September offering a completely new menu.
With microbreweries continuing to open up throughout Toronto’s neighbourhoods, it’s unsurprising Drink Toronto is expanding its premium walking tours of the best drinking and eating establishments this autumn. New tours will be introduced in the downtown core, financial district, Little Italy, The Annex, Yorkville and Leslieville. These tours are perfect for those wanting to experience more of the local culture while at the same time relaxing with a drink or two.
For those who prefer to explore at their own pace, On the Town has just published two downloadable walking tours of Toronto’s most popular neighbourhoods on the VoiceMap App. Using their phones like a museum audio guide, travellers can explore the Financial District, City Hall, Kensington, Chinatown and the Art Gallery of Ontario at their leisure. Tours are approximately one hour long and are perfect for singles or groups.
Toronto’s well established exhibition and art scene is further strengthened with upcoming exhibits in the Royal Ontario Museum. With a new season of Vikings hitting our screens on 29 November, the well timed Vikings exhibition is an extraordinary window into the lifestyle, religion, and daily lives of these legendary explorers, artisans, and craftspeople and takes place from 4 November 2017-2 April 2018.
For fashion lovers, in celebration of the House of Dior’s 70th anniversary, the Christian Dior exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum explores the brilliance behind Dior’s dramatic creations that revived the entire Paris haute couture industry after the devastation of the Second World War (taking place between 28 November 2017 and 18 March 2018).
In the famous Ontario Science Centre, Legacy, a life-sized, anatomically correct orca skeleton carved entirely from reclaimed cedar, will be on exhibition. Created by award-winning Canadian artist Ken Hall, Legacy comprises more than 200 carved cedar bones based on 3D digital scans of orca bones and is the result of six months’ full-time fabrication. This visually compelling piece explores our relationship with the natural world and asks visitors to reflect on our current environmental practices and the changes we want to inspire for the future.
Literary fans should seek last minute deals to Toronto with the International Festival of Authors (IFOA) taking place from 19 – 29 October 2017. This festival showcases the finest international novelists, poets, playwrights, short story writers and biographers. For those looking to be part of true Canadian tradition, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair brings along over 300 vendors, regal horse shows and entertaining dog shows from 3 – 12 November 2017.
