You'll experience Toronto's mix of cultures in its myriad attractions, which range from the alternately staid and innovative architecture of its abundant bank buildings to the sensual overload of its ethnic markets. High-tone temples of art satisfy the most devoted culture lovers -- the Royal Ontario Museum, for example, is one of the best museums in North America -- while fun spots such as the CN Tower, Eaton Centre, and Harbourfront Centre keep the seriously frivolous occupied.
The boundaries of what Torontonians consider downtown, where you'll find most of the sights in this chapter, are subject to debate, but everyone agrees on the southern cutoff: Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands. (Unless you're peering out from the top of one of the city's many high-rises, you'll have to take that fact on faith: until the early 1970s the city pretty much ignored and obscured its lakeshore.) The other coordinates of the rectangle that comprise the city core are Bathurst Street to the west, Parliament Street to the east, and Eglinton Avenue to the north. Beyond these borders -- to the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest -- are numerous sights that make excellent morning, afternoon, or full-day excursions on their own. An ideal way to get a sense of the city's layout is from one of the observation decks at the CN Tower on a clear day; it's especially lovely at sunset.
Most city streets are organized on a grid system: with some exceptions, street numbers start at zero from the lake and increase as you go north. On the east-west axis, Yonge Street (pronounced "young"), Toronto's main thoroughfare, is the dividing line: you can expect higher numbers the farther away you get from Yonge.
A tip: traffic is dense and parking expensive within the city core. If you have a car with you, leave it at the hotel and save it for excursions, either to outlying attractions or to towns like Stratford. In the city, use the excellent Toronto Transit System (TTC) at $2 a ride, or $7 for an all-day pass; or take taxis to reach your destination.
