Central Canada’s cosmopolitan cities have it all: history, culture and multi-ethnic flair. In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, bask in the flash of bright lights as luminous stars walk the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival. Toronto’s celebrity chefs have earned their share of international accolades as well, serving such creative fare as seared bluefin tuna and lemon mascarpone mousse. In Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, see the changing of the guard, and outdoor theater on spectacular Parliament Hill. Skate outdoors on the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Montréal is Canada’s French-speaking center. European influences flavor the food, the fashion and the city’s architecture. In summer, dance in the streets at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Experience a sense of old-world romance on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the cobblestoned streets of Québec City. Laugh at the procession of colorful, 100-lb “Giants” during Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France. Watch ice sculpting and visit the gleaming ice palace at Carnavale de Québec, the largest winter carnival in the world.
Watch a nightly fireworks show reflected in the spray of Ontario’s spectacular, 187-ft Niagara Falls. Go on a tour of the lush Niagara wine-producing region; stop at boutique wineries at Niagara-on-the-Lake, home of the Shaw Festival. In spring, head to Québec where the tapping of the maple trees leads to toe-tapping sugar bush parties and lavish Québécois feasts. Along the St. Lawrence River, follow the Lighthouse Trail to see 43 of these beautifully preserved historic sentinels and keep looking for the next surprise.
