Old Town Toronto History Walking Tour

This Tour Guys original 90-minute walk from the War Memorial in front of Old City Hall to the St Lawrence Market will cover some of the dark history of the city. Murders, hangings, duels to the death, disease epidemics, and other horrible events led to much of the progress and advances we enjoy today. Your tour guide will connect the dots and share some of the best stories Toronto has to offer.

Please note that the meeting point is by the War Memorial on the steps in front of Toronto’s Old City Hall (a big brown building with a clock tower) and the address given is not an actual address but will put a pin on the location of the meeting point in Google Maps or other mapping software. Please also note that this is on Queen Street West in Toronto, not in Brampton.

Be sure to tip your guide at the end of the tour. By charging only a booking fee, we leave it up to our guests to pay the guide what they feel the tour is worth. The average tip is $10 per person, some pay much more.

Our meeting point for this tour. Old City Hall was built to reflect both the needs of the city for a larger administration building but also Toronto’s aspirations as a growing Victorian metropolis in the late 19th century. Learn about the architect and his conflict with city councillors and how he had the last word. We won’t be entering this building as it is an active courthouse and requires security screening, but the exterior is stunning and Instagram-worthy!

Completed in 1847 (it’s 20 years older than Canada!) this church was built to serve the poor residents of St John’s Ward, a slum that the city of Toronto grew around, and was later demolished piece by piece over the next century. Here you will learn about the church and its unique beginnings, and how the city grew up around it. If the church is open to the public, a peek inside may be possible.

The “Times Square” of Toronto, this is the commercial heart of the city with giant LED screens and billboards galore. This is also a hotspot for buskers, believers peddling their faith, and all manner of hawkers, gawkers, and walkers moving between shops. The modern lights and sounds leave little trace of the old Toronto to be seen, which is why we don’t linger long here, but move through the square to our next stop.

The home of our first mayor – and some believe he haunts it! This is one of the oldest standing houses in the area and although it has seen many different uses, it’s best remembered (and preserved today) as the former residence of William Lyon Mackenzie, a newspaperman turned mayor in 1834, turned rebel and wanted for treason just 3 years later. His story is a doozy, and you’ll hear it here.

Toronto’s history museums are open to the public most days and guests are encouraged to return to spend an hour or two here on their own if they wish to see inside the house and learn more about Mackenzie!

The bulk of this tour takes place in Old Town Toronto and your guide has a number of stories and sites to share with you. Toronto’s history as a small military town established to support a nearby fort (Fort York – in the west end of downtown) and growth into a bustling city will be explained over the course of your time here.

Learn about the centre of spiritual life for the rich and powerful in Toronto 100+ years ago at this Anglican cathedral. The fifth to stand here, the present building was completed in 1853, after a massive fire wiped out the centre of Toronto in 1849 in our first “Great Fire”. It was the church of the first British colonists and stood as a symbol of power for the ruling class through much of the city’s history.

If the church is open to the public we will take a peek inside!

National Geographic Traveller Magazine declared this the “best market in the world” several years ago and it’s a must-visit for everyone exploring Old Town Toronto. Closed on Mondays (and civic holidays) this is a place you should schedule some time to visit more thoroughly after your guide gives you an overview of its history and significance to not only the early Town of York, but the modern Toronto that town became. Not only a popular tourist attraction, the St Lawrence Market draws locals in search of specialty and locally-produced items like gourmet mustards, Ontario wines and cheeses, and the famous peameal bacon sandwich.

if you worked up an appetite on this tour, and the market is open, you should do your stomach a favour and take your guide’s advice on what to seek out here!

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• This tour leaves on time. If you are late, the guide cannot wait.

• Old Town Toronto History Walking Tour
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• English-speaking Tour Guide

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Please be advised..

• This Tour is Provided by Tour Guys.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at America/Toronto.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• This Tour is Rated 4.5 Stars based on 95 valid reviews on VIATOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 10 Travelers is accepted for booking.