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Toronto’s pre-eminent downtown mall, named after a now-defunct department-store chain, is conveniently located near several major hotels and attractions. If you are looking for a one-stop shopping destination, this mall, selling everything from batteries to hockey sticks, is it (see Eaton Centre).

This funky neighborhood, in a small pocket west of Spadina, is the heart of multicultural Toronto – a place where vendors from almost every corner of the globe have set up shop. Spilling out into the narrow sidewalks are stores selling an array of fruits, vegetables, and bulk dry goods, while music blasts from open doors and loudspeakers. Pedestrians jostle with cyclists and traffic moves at a snail’s pace, everyone vying for their inch of street space, particularly on Saturdays when the area is at its liveliest best. Leave the car behind and wander through the streets, soaking up the atmosphere, perhaps checking out the price of live lobster at a fish vendor’s or browsing through trinkets and secondhand clothes in the many eclectic stores at the south end of Kensington Avenue (see Kensington Market).

Burgers and hot dogs for the kids, served with fun and flair.

Linked to downtown by the 1918 Prince Edward Viaduct, which spans the Don River Valley, The Danforth has been called home by the city’s thriving Greek and Macedonian communities since the 1950s. In early August, the weeklong Taste of The Danforth street festival is a smorgasbord of tasty treats and live entertainment (see The Danforth).

A charming enclave east of Woodbine Ave full of fun for the outdoor enthusiast, including those who consider shopping a sport. Browse the eclectic shops or relax in one of the many cozy restaurants or pubs (see The Beach). Just south of the Queen Street East strip, a popular boardwalk stretches alongside a sandy beach to Ashbridges Bay (see Ashbridges Bay Park).

A neighborhood of eclectic shops, cutting-edge galleries, and funky cafés (see West Queen West Art & Design District).

Lingerie, especially for fuller figures – from top designers such as Lejaby and La Perla, in a wide range of colors and sexy designs. Expert fitting.

This intimate restaurant serves marvellous Italian food, delivered with welcoming, friendly service. The homemade pasta specials are always superb, as are grilled and roasted meats. The summer patio is great for al fresco dining.

Line-ups attest to the popularity of the Sunday brunch; you can browse the restaurant’s mouthwatering cookbook, Out to Brunch , while you wait. Dishes are named after characters in the novel and film Mildred Pierce ; Heuvos Monty is a wicked combo of refried black beans and avocado crème fraîche . Plenty of free parking (see Mildred Pierce).

The Pasta Bar is a Toronto institution – and less pricey than the elegant main dining room, which has been serving up inventive, consistently excellent cuisine for decades. Fabulous view of the city.

A cheerful, boisterous place with excellent, satisfying, Italian fare and a family atmosphere. There are lots of vegetarian options on the menu.

Elegant French food on a seasonal menu, which always includes game. Located in a former church, built in 1874.

Bars and restaurants buzz at night; shops and delis bustle during the day (see Little Italy).

In the 1960s, it was ground zero for hippies and the youth culture; today, this neighborhood is ground zero for establishment culture and the city’s most upscale shopping. Expensive shops on Cumberland St and Yorkville Ave, between Bay St and Avenue Rd, sell luxury goods such as cosmetics, jewelry, designer fashions, antiques, and leather luggage. The area’s numerous restaurants and bars cater to equally refined palates and wallets. There are also more than 20 fine-art galleries in the area, exhibiting some of the country’s top names. Sidewalk cafés provide stylish perches for people-watching (see Yorkville).

Yorkville

This festive Moroccan restaurant serves classic couscous with meat and vegetarian tajines (stews), along with scrumptious starters. Mint tea – packed with fresh leaves and sugar – is the real thing.

Thai and Laotian flavors characterize the menu at this established spot; pictures of the Queen Mum, the decor. Opt for a cozy booth, or ask for directions to the secluded back patio. Wicked desserts.

Warm and cozy, thanks to a fireplace and numerous rooms, though it can get crowded. Salads, sandwiches, pastas, and desserts are dished up 24/7.

Sophisticated organic comfort food with a nod to the Mediterranean, in a neighborly atmosphere.

The patio is the place to be at this Little Italy institution (see Little Italy). Panzerotti, pizza, and pasta are on the menu, but it’s the people-watching opportunities that draw the crowds.

North Indian cuisine whets the appetite with chickpea and potato pakoras , then heats things up with spicy vindaloos and other delectable curries.

Once the largest distillery in North America, this former industrial complex is one of Toronto’s hottest destinations. Victorian buildings and cobblestoned streets provide an unforgettable backdrop to the many unusual stores and galleries, and excellent restaurants and cafés found here (see Distillery Historic District).

High-speed elevators mounted on the outside of this, the world’s tallest telecommunications tower, whisk you up 181 stories to an unforgettable view of the city (see CN Tower & Its Views).

A treasure-trove of ancient mummies, exquisitely decorated period rooms, huge dinosaurs, stuffed birds, stunning Chinese art, and imposing Greek and Roman sculptures are among the many rewarding sights to be seen during a visit to this wonderful museum (see Royal Ontario Museum).

Lovers of organic foods and natural body care shop happily here at this 17-store complex dedicated to eco-friendly products. Recharge with a sampling of the delicious prepared foods on offer here.

Locals love St. Urbain Bakery’s dense, chewy buns, in the South Market. The bagel-cooking method – boil then bake in a wood-fired oven – hails from French-Canadian city Montreal.

Quintessentially Canadian, and perfect to fuel up for the day, the kaiser buns at South Market’s Carousel Bakery are stuffed with salty, peameal-encrusted pork.

A store for the chocolate cognoscenti. Sample the divine confections or try a cup of steaming Mayan hot chocolate, redolent with spices.

Just as diners are ordering dessert, the lights are dimmed and the music turned up, officially ushering in the night to this restaurant and wine bar. A terrific selection of wines, many by the glass and fairly priced. The splendid loft space has a large adjoining patio (see Crush).

Savor the bouncer escort to the fifth-floor bar, or pass muster to enter the two-level club and dance the night away to R&B and top 40 (see Easy & The Fifth).

Asian ingredients are given haute treatment. The sound of trickling water from chic waterfalls soothes patrons waiting in the lounge. Diners sit at booths or a communal table.

An upscale shopping strip of high-end fashion and home-decor stores (see Bloor Street).

Leafy residential sidestreets and lively cafés, ethnic restaurants, pubs, and shops along Bloor Street make for a great stroll (see The Annex).

A highlight of this Toronto island is Centreville, a bustling amusement park. Some 30 old-fashioned rides include “swan” paddle boats, an 1898 carousel, and pony rides (see Centreville Amusement Park).

With the largest ethnic Chinese population of any North American city, it’s not surprising that Toronto has several Chinatowns, though none other as old as this one, settled in the early 1900s. Originally farther east on Dundas Street, the hub is now Spadina Avenue, where scores of shops and restaurants – including many Vietnamese ones – rub shoulders. The area is even more frenetic during Chinese New Year celebrations, usually in February (see Chinatown).

Soaring 1,815 ft (553 m) above downtown Toronto, this is the defining icon of the city’s skyline and the world’s tallest free-standing structure. On the mezzanine level, check out the exhibit on the tower’s construction before “bungee jumping” from the top at an interactive daredevil display. Then let a glass-fronted elevator zip you, in less than a minute, to one of four lookout levels. The extra fee for the highest lookout, Sky Pod, ensures fewer crowds. The revolving restaurant, 360, offers fine food in serene surroundings (see CN Tower & Its Views).

Classic Italian pastas and grilled meats; desserts come in heroic portions.

Upscale but kid-friendly restaurant with fantastic Italian food.

One of the newer areas of Toronto to take shape as a destination, what this district lacks in architectural richness it makes up for in character. Along Queen St E between Carlaw Ave and Leslie St, secondhand furniture, housewares, and vintage stores offer 1960s and 1970s bric-a-brac, though you might have to compete with the set designers from the nearby film studios for the object of your desire. Casual cafés are perfect for weekend brunches and several good restaurants have opened up here.

Friendly local hang-out with Middle Eastern and vegetarian dishes.

Canada’s premiere museum has more than six million artifacts showcasing art, archeology, science, and nature (see Royal Ontario Museum).

Its hot dogs are legendary, as are its smoked-meat sandwiches.

This upscale neighborhood is home to students, families, and professionals. Huge trees front the Edwardian houses. Bloor St, a main traffic artery, is lined with shops between Bathurst Ave and Spadina Ave selling inexpensive clothing, jewelry, books, and secondhand CDs, and with eateries that won’t tax your wallet, including many ethnic and vegetarian spots. On weekends, the streets and bars are filled with young revelers (see The Annex).

Famous in the 1960s as a hippie hangout and now the city’s most exclusive retail district, this window-shoppers’ paradise abounds with eye-candy. Refined art galleries nestle among chic boutiques, bars, and restaurants. Visiting movie stars can often be spotted here, especially during film festival time (see Yorkville).

This secluded Toronto Island beach has the city’s only official clothing-optional area. (Don’t take off your clothes until you reach the well-signed, fenced section at the south end.) In 1999, the Point reclaimed its status as a nude beach, as it had been between 1894 and 1930, enabling nudists and cruisers alike to once again soak up the sun in the buff. “No swimming” warnings are posted when water pollution levels are high (see Hanlan’s Point).