In Two Days

After you've taken in Toronto's best-known landmarks by following the tour 'In One Day', it's time to get to know the city's heart a little better. When I was growing up here in the 1970s and '80s, city planners were busy ripping down old buildings and slapping up shiny new ones, but fortunately some of the city's historic gems were preserved. In the past 5 years, Toronto has embarked on some pretty ambitious projects with the goal of restoring and expanding upon what's already there -- and the results are wonderful, as you'll see for yourself. Start: Bay Station.

1. Yorkville

To me, this is the funniest neighborhood in Toronto. Today, it's filled with chic boutiques and elegant galleries; back in the 1960s, it was home to the city's hippies; a century before that, it was a cemetery. Progress?

2. Royal Ontario Museum

This excellent museum embarked upon a Daniel Libeskind-designed renovation a few years ago. Ambitiously titled Renaissance ROM, it was intended to expand the viewing area, largely through the addition of six crystal galleries that jut out over Bloor Street West. At press time, the ROM is busily moving several of its permanent collections into the crystal. The other renovated sections (which were opened in 2006 and 2007) are spectacular.

3. Take a Break

The Rotunda of the Royal Ontario Museum was, until the Renaissance ROM renovation began, the grand entrance to the museum. Now it's been transformed into the Rotunda Café, and its original 1933 splendor has been restored. While you stop here for a sandwich or light snack, check out the inlaid animal motifs and the glorious stained-glass windows.

4. George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art

Face-lifts are a common preoccupation among Toronto museums. Just across the street from the ROM, the Gardiner revealed its new visage in 2006. I normally wouldn't recommend seeing one museum right after the other, but the ROM and the Gardiner are so different that it's manageable (plus you've just had a snack, right?).

5. Victoria College

This historic college is federated with the University of Toronto but maintains its own digs just east of the rest of the campus. It has a pretty college quad, bordered by imposing Romanesque architecture (there's some blocky 1960s stuff, too, but try to ignore that).

6. Queen's Park & the Ontario Legislature

This sweeping midtown park is also home to Ontario's legislative building. It's possible to do a tour on most days, though I'm partial to sitting on one of the many benches, admiring the building's pink-stone facade and the flower gardens in front.

7. Allan Gardens

This was Toronto's first civic park, and the Edwardian Palm House conservatory is still a glamorous relic of the past. But it was only recently, when the University of Toronto's old greenhouses were relocated here and reborn as a conservatory for children, that Allan Gardens became a fun place to hang out again.

8. Cabbagetown

I simply love this neighborhood. You can't walk these residential streets without getting a powerful sense of Toronto's history. Once considered a slum, Cabbagetown is now filled with beautifully restored Victorian and Queen Anne-style houses. Even the first housing project in Canada, Spruce Court (at the intersection of Sumach and Spruce), looks like a charming collection of cottages.

9. Riverdale Farm

For a lot of people, this farm is almost a sacred space. Whenever you visit, you'll find kids here, many of whom live in inner-city apartment blocks. But at Riverdale, you'll find them learning about farm life, playing with lambs, and cuddling bunnies. Sound bucolic? It is quite possibly the most serene spot in Toronto (well, if you can ignore those bleating goats).

10. Necropolis

This Victorian cemetery is not only picturesque, but also filled with monuments to famous people who played key roles in Toronto's history. And the Gothic Revival chapel, tiny though it is, is considered one of the most perfect examples of this style anywhere.

11. Take a Break

If you go to an event in Toronto and discover that Daniel et Daniel is catering it, you know that you're in excellent hands. At the shop, in addition to the divine pastries and chocolates, you can order salads and prepared meals for takeout. 248 Carlton St. tel. 416/968-9275.

12. Distillery District

This is the perfect place to finish your tour. Once the home of the largest distillery in Canada, today it's a multifaceted complex that has something for everyone. The red-brick architecture is a Victorian wonder, but the art galleries, restaurants, and boutiques are all completely modern. You might want to stay well into the evening: Performing-arts troupes are based here, and if you're visiting in clement weather, there's probably an open-air art fair or festival going on.