City guides
Toronto
Toronto is Canada's biggest city, a clean and safe lakeside metropolis where nearly half the people were born abroad and neighbourhoods feel like small countries. For Iranians it is also home to one of the largest Persian communities outside Iran, centred on Yonge Street in North York. Prices are high and winters are cold, but public transport is easy and the city is very family friendly.
Good for
- Visiting family
- Families with children
- Museums
- Food from every country
- Niagara Falls
A good length: 5 days
Spend three days downtown and by the lake, one day on Niagara Falls and keep the rest for North York and family; group sights by area to save travel time.
Best months
May, June, September, October
Per person per day
- Budget
- US$110
- Mid-range
- US$220
- Comfort
- US$450
Per person per day in 2026, sharing a double room: bed, three meals including 13 percent tax and tips, and TTC rides. Staying with family cuts this sharply.
Where to stay and spend time
Downtown core
Good baseAround Union Station: walk to the CN Tower, the aquarium and the lake, and take the UP Express straight to the airport.
For: First-timers, short stays
Watch out: Hotels are expensive, and around Yonge and Dundas there is some aggressive begging at night.
Open in mapYorkville and the Annex
Good baseQuiet, leafy and elegant, next to the Royal Ontario Museum and the university, with two subway lines close by.
For: Older travellers, museum lovers, upscale stays
Watch out: Yorkville shops and restaurants are among the priciest in the city.
Open in mapSt. Lawrence and the Distillery
Stay or visitThe old town of Toronto, with the big St. Lawrence food market and the brick lanes of the Distillery District for walking and shopping.
For: Food lovers, couples
Watch out: East of Sherbourne Street between Queen and Dundas feels uncomfortable alone at night.
Open in mapKensington, Chinatown and Queen West
Worth a visitColourful markets, cheap international food, vintage shops and the Art Gallery of Ontario, all close together.
For: Young travellers, food and shopping
Watch out: Busy and a bit scruffy in places; keep an eye on bags.
Open in mapHarbourfront
Stay or visitA long lakeside promenade with parks, boat tours and the ferries to the Toronto Islands, a short walk from Union Station.
For: Families, walkers
Watch out: Cold, windy and quiet in winter.
Open in mapNorth York: Yonge from Sheppard to Steeles
Stay or visitThe heart of Toronto's Persian community, nicknamed Tehranto: Persian supermarkets, bakeries, kebab houses, exchange offices and Persian-speaking services, on subway Line 1.
For: Iranian families, people visiting relatives
Watch out: About 35 to 45 minutes by subway to downtown sights.
Open in mapThornhill and Richmond Hill
Good baseQuiet suburbs north of Steeles where the Persian shops and restaurants of Yonge Street continue, with large homes and malls.
For: Families staying near relatives
Watch out: Beyond the subway; you will rely on buses, a car or ride apps.
Open in map
Places worth your time
- Views
CN Tower
Downtown core · 1 to 2 hours
The city's symbol, with a glass floor and views over Lake Ontario. Go on a clear day and book a timed ticket online to skip the longest queues.
- With children
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
Downtown core · 2 hours
A large aquarium at the foot of the CN Tower with a moving walkway through a shark tunnel. Children love it; weekday mornings are calmer.
- Museums
Royal Ontario Museum
Yorkville and the Annex · 3 hours
Canada's biggest museum of world cultures and natural history, with dinosaurs that children enjoy. It sits right above Museum subway station.
- Museums
Aga Khan Museum
North York (Don Mills) · 2 hours
A beautiful museum of Islamic arts with many Persian manuscripts, miniatures and ceramics, set in a calm garden. Entry is free on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm; closed on Mondays.
- Museums
Art Gallery of Ontario
Kensington, Chinatown and Queen West · 2 to 3 hours
A large art museum in a striking wood-and-glass building, with Canadian and European paintings. Combine it with Kensington Market next door.
- MarketsFree
St. Lawrence Market
St. Lawrence and the Distillery · 1 to 2 hours
A historic indoor food market with cheese, bakeries, fish and sandwich counters. Saturday morning is the liveliest; Muslim visitors should ask about meat at each counter.
- SightsFree
Distillery District
St. Lawrence and the Distillery · 1 to 2 hours
Restored Victorian brick factories turned into a car-free area of galleries, shops and cafés. Very pretty at the Christmas market in late autumn and winter.
- MarketsFree
Kensington Market
Kensington, Chinatown and Queen West · 1 to 2 hours
A bohemian neighbourhood of small food shops, vintage clothes and street art. Go in the afternoon, when all the small shops are open.
- Parks
Toronto Islands
Harbourfront · Half a day
A 15 minute ferry from the foot of Bay Street takes you to car-free islands with beaches, picnic lawns, a small children's amusement park in summer and the best skyline view.
- Sights
Casa Loma
Yorkville and the Annex · 2 hours
A grand early 20th century castle-style mansion with towers, secret passages and gardens. There are lifts, but the towers have steep stairs.
- ParksFree
High Park
West Toronto · 2 hours
One of the city's largest parks, with a pond, walking trails, a small free animal paddock for children and famous cherry blossoms in spring. Right on subway Line 2.
- SightsFree
Nathan Phillips Square
Downtown core · 30 minutes
The square in front of City Hall with the big TORONTO sign, free events in summer and a free outdoor skating rink in winter.
- With children
Toronto Zoo
Scarborough · Full day
A very large zoo grouped by world regions. It is far east of the centre, so plan a full day and wear comfortable shoes; there is a lot of walking.
- Day trips
Niagara Falls
Day trip from Toronto · Full day
The famous falls are about 2 hours away. GO trains run from Union Station all year, with the most trips at weekends, for about 20 dollars each way (2026); on other hours take the GO train to Burlington and the GO bus on. The boat ride to the foot of the falls runs from spring to autumn.
Getting around
From the airport
UP Express trainabout 28 min
From the station at Terminal 1 (take the free terminal link train from Terminal 3) to Union Station downtown, with stops at Weston and Bloor. Tap a credit card or PRESTO card, or buy a ticket at the machines.
about 12.35 Canadian dollars, less with PRESTO (2026)
TTC bus 900 and subwayabout 60 min
The 900 Airport Express bus runs from Terminals 1 and 3 to Kipling station, where you change to subway Line 2 with no extra fare. Cheapest option, from about 5:30 am to 2 am (from about 8 am on Sundays).
3.30 Canadian dollars by tap or PRESTO (2026)
Taxi or airport limoabout 35 min
Take one from the official taxi line outside arrivals; fares to the city are flat rates by zone. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal. Add a tip of about 15 percent.
about 60 to 75 Canadian dollars to downtown plus tip (2026)
Uber or Lyftabout 35 min
Book in the app and follow the signs to the ride-share pickup area in the car park. Often the easiest choice for North York or with a family.
about 40 to 75 Canadian dollars to downtown (2026)
In the city
TTC subway, streetcar and bus
One fare of 3.30 dollars (2026) gives two hours of travel on all TTC lines. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, a phone wallet or a PRESTO card; always tap the same card. After 47 paid fares in a calendar month, the rest of that month is free. A PRESTO day pass costs 13.50 dollars. The subway runs until about 1:45 am.
GO Transit
Regional trains and buses from Union Station to the suburbs and Niagara Falls. Pay by tapping a card or PRESTO on the platform readers, and tap again when you get off.
Taxis and ride apps
Uber and Lyft work everywhere and show the price first; licensed taxis use the meter and take cards. Expect higher prices in rush hour, bad weather and late at night. Tip about 10 to 15 percent. At Pearson, use only the official taxi line or a ride app.
On foot
Downtown is flat, on a grid and very walkable, with an underground walkway network (PATH) that helps in winter. Distances between neighbourhoods are long, so use the subway. In winter, pavements can be icy: older people need boots with good grip.
Food
Halal food: Very easy. Toronto has a large Muslim population, many halal-certified restaurants of every cuisine and halal meat in big supermarkets. Persian, Turkish, Afghan, Pakistani and Arab restaurants are usually halal, but ask if you are unsure. North York, Scarborough and Mississauga have the most choice.
Persian food and community: Yonge Street in North York, from Sheppard north past Finch to Steeles and on into Thornhill and Richmond Hill, is full of Persian supermarkets, bakeries with fresh barbari and sangak, kebab houses, sweet shops and cafés. There are also a few Persian restaurants downtown.
- Menu prices do not include the 13 percent HST tax; it is added to the bill.
- Tip 15 to 20 percent in sit-down restaurants; counter service and takeaway need little or none.
- Tap water is safe and free; ask for it in restaurants.
- Food courts in malls and the PATH are the cheapest way to eat downtown.
Money and phone
Cash: Cards are used almost everywhere, but cash in Canadian dollars still works in most shops. Bring US dollars or euros and change them at a bank or a currency exchange office; North York has several Persian-run exchange offices on Yonge Street. Bank ATMs accept foreign Visa and Mastercard.
Cards: Iranian cards do not work. A Visa or Mastercard issued outside Iran works for tap payments, transit, Uber and hotels. Many visitors let a relative in Canada book hotels and tickets and repay them in cash. Hotels and car rentals usually need a credit card for the deposit.
SIM and internet: Prepaid SIMs from brands such as Koodo, Lucky, Chatr, Fido and Freedom are sold at carrier stores and malls for about 19 to 40 Canadian dollars per 30 days plus tax (2026). A passport is enough. Travel eSIMs cost about 15 to 45 dollars depending on data.
What travellers say
Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.
- May, June, September and early October are the most comfortable months; July and August are hot and humid, and winter is very cold and snowy.
- Stay downtown or near a subway station; saving on a far hotel usually costs more in time and fares.
- Tap the same card every time on the TTC to get free transfers and fare caps.
- Visitors are not covered by Canadian public health care: buy travel medical insurance, especially for older parents.
- Book the CN Tower and Niagara boat online and go on a clear day.
- Toronto addresses split into East and West at Yonge Street; check which one before you go.
- In winter dress in layers and bring a warm coat, hat, gloves and non-slip boots.
- Allow a full day for Niagara Falls; trying to fit it into half a day is rushed.
For Iranian travellers
- Iranians need a Canadian visitor visa (see our visa page).
- There has been no Iranian embassy or consulate in Canada since 2012, so passports cannot be renewed here. Keep your passport safe and carry a copy on your phone.
- From the airport to North York, a taxi or ride app is simplest; by transit, take the UP Express to Union and then subway Line 1 north.
- Yonge Street in North York has Persian groceries, bakeries, restaurants, exchange offices and Persian-speaking doctors, lawyers and pharmacists.
- Visiting parents should have travel medical insurance for the whole stay; a hospital visit without it can cost thousands of dollars.
- The Aga Khan Museum holds some of the finest Persian manuscripts and miniatures in North America.
- Remember that shelf prices exclude 13 percent tax and that tipping is expected in restaurants and taxis.
Stay safe
- Toronto is one of the safer big cities in North America, but pickpockets work in the Eaton Centre, St. Lawrence Market on busy Saturdays and crowded streetcars.
- Around Yonge and Dundas some people beg aggressively; walk on politely. Moss Park, east of Sherbourne between Queen and Dundas, is best avoided alone at night.
- If a stranger asks to borrow your phone for a quick call, offer to dial for them instead.
- At Pearson airport, ignore unlicensed drivers in the arrivals hall.
- Emergency number: 911 for police, fire and ambulance.
Checked 7 November 2026