in depth

In DepthIt's not New York. It's not London. And, though Toronto has been compared to those great world cities, Ontario's capital and largest city is distinctly, well, Toronto.

Once described by Fortune magazine as the “world's newest great city,” Toronto lives up to its billing. For a true Toronto experience, take an exhilarating ride in a glass-windowed elevator to the top of the CN Tower. It won't take you long—58 seconds to be exact. Once your ears have stopped popping from the fast ascent, enjoy panoramic views from an observation deck where, on a clear day, you can see not just Toronto but also Niagara Falls. And you'll definitely want to stop by The Royal Ontario Museum—“the ROM” was called “Canada's single greatest cultural asset” even before the addition of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. Named for the Canadian investor and philanthropist and designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, “the crystal” is a bold design—five prism-shaped appendages that seem to jut out at all angles from the front of the existing staid, brick museum.

You can even find a castle here. Casa Loma, financier Sir Henry Pellatt's dream home, was expensive even by today's standards. Built 1911-14 at a cost of $3.5 million, his re-creation of a medieval castle combines elements of Norman, Gothic and Romanesque styles. The 98-room mansion, perched on a hill overlooking Toronto, was built by Scottish stonemasons and is complete with suits of armor, secret passageways, 22 fireplaces and stately towers.

Like New York and London, Toronto is very walkable, and its neighborhoods are a good place to start. The commonly accepted translation of Toronto is “meeting place,” and even though that interpretation has been debunked, there's no denying the phrase certainly fits. Multicultural is a term often used to describe Toronto, and the city is, indeed, a “meeting place” of cultures and nationalities, one of the world's most ethnically diverse.

In fact, statistics show that more than half of the city's residents were born outside of Toronto, and there is not just one, but three Chinatowns, two Little Italys, and a Greektown as well as Polish, Portuguese, Indian and Korean enclaves.

Toronto's standing in the entertainment industry frequently comes as a surprise. Not many people are aware that it is often known as “Hollywood North,” ranking only behind the California city and New York as a film production center. And, though it was once characterized as a prim and proper place (one of Toronto's nicknames is “Toronto the Good”), it is now well-known for its comedic productions and the funny people it has spawned. Toronto's best-known comedy vehicle, “SCTV” introduced millions to John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short.

Like most cities with a bit of history, Toronto has had to deal with the delicate balancing act of preserving its heritage while still moving forward into the future. A walk through downtown proves the city has been successful. The architectural styles of newer commercial buildings are bold and striking, many bearing the distinctive signature of respected designers such as Daniel Libeskind, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and I.M. Pei.