Food Art And Culture:How To Get The Most Out Of Toronto

Known as one of Canada’s best cities for culture, Toronto has an abundance of art, history, culture and food to offer on its streets.

You only have to look at Toronto’s beautifully graffitied city walls, live music venues and wealth of trendy restaurants to know that the capital city of Ontario is one of Canada’s most cultured hubs. Visitors travel to this city from all over the country in order to experience its lively hub of art, music and food. From historic districts and streets hiding unsavoury stories of the past, to lively food and art markets, you will never be at a loss for cultural experiences in this town. Here’s our pick of the best free and outdoor food, art and culture experiences in Toronto.

1. The Distillery Historic District

Distillery, Market

Toronto, The Historic Distillery District. Image shot 2006. Exact date unknown.

Toronto’s Distillery Historic District began in 1859 as the site of the Gooderham and Worts whiskey distillery, which operated for 150 years in the heart of the city, before war and prohibition forced its closure. During its time, the distillery produced nearly half of the total volume of spirits in the province of Ontario and was one of the country’s most important manufacturing facilities. Today, this historic district has been transformed into a pedestrian-only village with cobblestone pathways and Victorian-era buildings, popular with local artists and often full of visiting tourists in search of the city’s history. You can choose to either take a free tour of the district with a local guide, or go it alone, taking time to stop at the many galleries, shops and restaurants.

2. St Lawrence Market

Market, Food Court, American, Seafood, Mediterranean

An important part of Toronto’s history, St Lawrence Market can be found every weekend, serving the city with a myriad of unique food and drink. Opened over 200 years ago in St Lawrence Hall, the market is known today as one of the best in the world. Spread over three locations, the South Market, the North Market and St Lawrence Hall, visitors can walk through all three to get a look at Toronto’s agricultural scene and local food traders, as well as its bustling street food culture, which attracts thousands of visitors to the market each week.

4. Kensington Market

Market

Located close to downtown Toronto, this bohemian neighbourhood has become a popular destination for visitors, who walk through to soak up the local culture and art, as well as enjoy the trendy eateries. The outdoor pedestrian market can be found between the hours of 11am and 7pm, with many stalls to explore and entertainment playing well into the evening. On a visit to Kensington Market, make sure to look out for a little glimpse of local artistry, including Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture, Mike Gontmakher Foto show, VINTA Gallery and the Toronto School of Burlesque.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.