Travel: Toronto – the most multicultural city on the planet has something for everyone – Scotland on Sunday Travel

Foodies, culture vultures, sports and shopping fans will all be happy in the city on the shores of Lake Ontario

St Lawrence’s Market, Toronto, a heaven for any foodie right on the banks of Lake Ontario. Pic: Gilberto Mesquita - stock.adobe.com

Kevin Durkee smiles at me as I take the first bite. I’ve told him we love bacon butties in Scotland and he’s promised me that this version, in Toronto, will be better than anything I’ve had. The peameal bacon sandwich does not disappoint at 9am on a Thursday in Canada’s biggest city.

Durkee is taking me round St Lawrence Market, a heaven for any foodie right on the banks of Lake Ontario. His company, Culinary Adventure, organises tours of this melting pot of cultures that epitomises everything about Toronto. There are stalls from all corners of the earth, as well as local produce. This city of more than five million people is reckoned to be the most multicultural on the planet. Walking around Toronto and visiting its wares, you get a real sense of it. But more about that later: let me first explain this souped-up bacon roll.

Peameal bacon is luscious slices of pork loin seasoned and originally rolled in yellow pea flour, although cornflour is now more widely used now. It originates from the 19th century, when Englishman William Davies emigrated to Canada. His brother, based in London, wrote to Davies telling him that there was an acute shortage of pork in the UK and help was required. So Davies showed his entrepreneurial side and set up a pig business. He shipped the slaughtered hogs across the Atlantic Ocean preserved perfectly to huge success. He became very rich, although in an ironic animal kingdom twist, died when cracking his head off a rock after being attacked by a goat. The city pays homage to Davies these days by serving up his bacon in delicious, light but slightly sweet rolls. It’s a treat to the taste buds, with no need for butter. Just let the bacon do the talking.

A Downtown view from a Premier View room at the Shangri-La, Toronto, on University Avenue. The five-star hotel is centrally located with all the main attractions 30 minutes' walk away. Pic: Phillip Reed

Scotland on Sunday Travel

There is much to like about Toronto - once known as Hogtown, the fourth largest settlement in North America. Connected directly with Scotland via seven-hour flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh, my Air Canada journey from the capital was stress-free and comfortable. Pearson Airport is only a 30-minute drive from Downtown, the beating heart of the city and the place to base yourself.

My lodgings are Shangri-La Toronto on University Avenue and this five-star luxury hotel lives up to the chain’s classy high standards with delectable food, first-rate facilities and sleek, well-appointed rooms. The staff could not be more welcoming, polite or attentive and there is a spacious, chic, lively lobby that mirrors the energy of Toronto. Live music is played here every evening and if you fancy a night in, then cocktails followed by dinner at Bosk, a Canadian/Asian-themed restaurant, certainly does the trick. You'll have a quite glamorous dress for company too, as Rhianna's 2015 striking yellow Met Gala outfit by Guo Pei takes pride of place in the foyer.

A tremendously spacious pool and the top-notch Miraj Hammam spa make it very easy to spend time within the hotel's confines, but its location is the clincher for me in terms of a city break because so much of what you need to see in Toronto is achievable by foot from here. This feels rare in North America. There is no sprawl. All main attractions are 30 minutes away by foot at most from the Shangri-La Hotel. And there is plenty to see. Toronto has something for everyone, from the foodie, the shopper, the culture vulture or the sports fan.

A pool in the Shangri-La hotel's Miraj Hammam spa. Pic: Marcelo Barbosa

The CN Tower is one of the best places to start. Built in 1976 by the country's national railway company and once the tallest building in the world before Dubai’s Burj Khalifa came along, it is a symbol of Toronto’s rapid transformation in the 70s, moving from a largely industrial background to a commercial and economic hub. Taking the elevator to the top allows you stupendous views of Toronto’s skyscraper-pocked skyline on three sides and to the south, Lake Ontario and Toronto Island, part of the city that broke off the mainland to create an archipelago that tourists and locals frequent to chill on the beach.

Back on the ground, the aforementioned St Lawrence Market and the neighbouring Corktown - also known as the Distillery District - are some of the best places to hang out during the day. Certainly El Catrin, a Mexican eatery, is an absolute must for lunch, with delicious tacos. But whatever cuisine you fancy, you’ll find it here. Take a stroll around the city and so many nationalities are represented. It is a very cosmopolitan, welcoming and safe place. Cheap but good-quality food is in plentiful supply but there are high-end options. The exceptional AP on the 53rd floor of the Manulife Centre is the pick of the bunch, with chef Antonio Park fusing Asian and Canadian cuisines together for not a bank-breaking bill given its supreme quality.

Museum-goers can get their fill with the Royal Ontario and Bata Shoe but I make no secret of my desire for sports. They do it differently in North America. Toronto is home to Canada's only Major League Baseball team, the Blue Jays. An evening at the Rogers Centre, slap bang in the middle of the city, is in stark contrast to taking in a football or rugby match in Scotland. The game is still the centrepiece but there is so much more going on within the stadium, with fan engagement and entertainment so important. The ability to serve alcohol helps but there is much we can learn from what is done at an MLB game.

I asked one of my tour guides when it is best to visit Toronto. Winters are brutally harsh – temperatures can drop to -30C – but spring and early summer bring pleasant, manageable conditions that are perfect for exploring. Toronto comes alive in early September when TIFF, the international film festival which partners up with Shangri-La Toronto, rolls into town. Second only to Cannes in terms of size, TIFF prides itself on being very accessible to the public and is a jewel in the city’s crown.

The Rogers Stadium, home to Toronto's baseball team, the Blue Jays. Pic: dennizn - stock.adobe.com

With welcoming people, a burgeoning food and drink scene and a relaxed, high-end vibe, Toronto feels like a city on an upward trajectory. Many people call it a mini New York and that is not an inaccurate description. Not an obvious city-break destination, you can easily spend five days here and enjoy every minute. Just don’t eat too many bacon rolls, and best avoid any goats …

Factbox

Flights: Air Canada – Economy Adult fare Edinburgh to Toronto Pearson Airport return: £637.61 including taxes/surcharges and 1 x checked bag per person. Fare is subject to availability and valid for departures up to 30 October 2023. www.aircanada.com

Accommodation: Shangri-La Toronto, www.shangri-la.com/en/toronto/shangrila/. Rooms start from (Deluxe) $600, Executive ($650), Premier ($695), Premier View ($745).