Boasting one of the most recognizable skylines in the world, Toronto offers plenty of things to see and do for avid travelers looking to delve into the city’s arts scene and sophisticated dining landscape. If you need a quick getaway or staycation in Canada’s most metropolitan city, here are our recommendations to get a taste of Toronto in two days.
Day One
Check in to one of the newly redesigned guest rooms or suites at Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. The first major update since its opening in 2012, the multimillion-dollar redesign emphasizes elevated comfort with a natural aesthetic, where you can settle in with tranquility juxtaposed with the hustle and bustle of the urban streets of downtown Toronto.
Dig into the mini-bar featuring local specialties like artisanal SOMA chocolate (find the original location in the Distillery District), maple sap sparkling water or a DIY Manhattan cocktail kit. If you’re hankering for a bite, have a light lunch at the hotel’s Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Café Boulud Toronto. New executive chef William Kresky brings seasonal, local Canadian flavors with classic Boulud sensibilities.
Once refreshed and ready to explore, make your way down to see the city’s iconic sights. One of the must-see Toronto attractions is the CN Tower, where the viewing platform takes you 1,136 feet above the streets for impressive and dizzying views below. Next door, you can also visit Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada to stroll through the Dangerous Lagoon, North America’s largest underwater viewing tunnel, immersing yourself among sharks and other incredible ocean creatures.
More nearby fun includes a stop at the Hockey Hall of Fame to celebrate the nation’s favorite pastime and Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. The latter is an outdoor, Shibuya-style pedestrian crossing and Toronto’s version of Times Square that is found next to the Toronto Eaton Centre, the city’s largest shopping mall.
After seeing some sights, head to one of the city’s newest and buzziest spaces, Waterworks Food Hall, for a light snack or drink. The former water treatment facility opened in July 2024 as an upscale food hall inspired by those of London, Copenhagen or Madrid. Here, you can sample more than a dozen specialty food stands, from Japanese ramen and deli sandwiches to Venezuelan arepas and celebrity chef Susur Lee’s famous 19-ingredient Singapore Slaw salad.
While there, stop at the art-deco-meets-Gatsby cocktail bar, Civil Works, for narrative-driven, specially crafted drinks. From Nick Kennedy and David Huynh, the team behind the acclaimed Civil Liberties, this spot ushers in a new level of creativity and cocktail geekery through drinks that are paired with waters from around the world.
If the ambiance and theater of the space charm you, enjoy the rest of your evening here. However, if you’re looking for more entertainment, check out the Toronto International Film Festival Lightbox, showcasing film festival-caliber movies all year, or head to the stage to catch a play or musical at Mirvish’s Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Day Two
Take the morning to unwind at the Five-Star Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto,where you can indulge in experiences like a deep tissue massage highlighted by a calming blend of peppermint, eucalyptus and rosemary to help release tight muscles or the Omorovicza luxury skincare brand’s Golden Body Scrub, which decreases inflammation and improves circulation. Use the indoor relaxation pool, hot tub or steam room for as long as necessary to feel all your tension melt away.
Following a deeply relaxing morning, make the seven-minute walk for a late lunch on the tucked-away courtyard patio of Alobar Yorkville, chef Patrick Kriss’ equally upscale yet more accessible sibling of one of the city’s best fine dining establishments, Alo Restaurant. Here, choose from an à la carte menu of seafood and steak classics or snag a spot at the cocktail bar for a delightful libation complete with an excellent perch for people-watching.
For the rest of the afternoon, explore the upscale Yorkville neighborhood, boasting the finest shopping the city has to offer. Brands like Balenciaga, Ferragamo, Prada and Louis Vuitton have their Canadian flagship stores on this stretch of Bloor Street. Stroll through the upscale Holt Renfrew luxury department store or shop for artisanal olive oils or pick up made-to-order cannoli at Eataly Toronto. For something quieter, drop by the Royal Ontario Museum for art, world culture and natural history — yes, there are plenty of dinosaur bones inside — or venture to the Art Gallery of Ontario to catch the latest exhibits.
Round off your two days in Toronto with an unforgettable night out just a few minutes from the Four Seasons. At Osteria Giulia, hyper-regional Italian dishes like focaccia di recco (a stuffed wafer-thin flatbread from the Liguria region of Italy that’s stretched and baked in handmade copper pans) and made-from-scratch trofie al pestoGenovese are elevated to delicious heights.
Or, if you’re craving umami flavors, go to Sushi Masaki Saito for a high-end omakase meal that is equal parts gastronomic theater as it is delicious. If you’re tight on time, the more casual little sister MSSM sushi just a short distance away will also hit the spot.
