Kensington Market & Chinatown
Toronto, Canada
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
Skip the generic, tourist-trap sights and join this Toronto tour to see two of the city's coolest communities. Hit Chinatown to see where China and Canada collide, then visit the Kensington Market area for graffiti, vintage shops, coffee houses, comic book stores, and everything else decidedly hip.
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Highlights
- Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of Toronto’s legendary Chinatown
- Explore the unique, bohemian atmosphere of Kensington Market – one of Toronto’s most famous and eclectic neighbourhoods
- Check out locally-owned and operated eateries, shops, and produce markets and make sure you keep a tally of all the places you’re going to want to come back to later (trust us)
- Stop for a coffee or tea in one of the local cafes and sample one of the many international foods available in the neighbourhood at a local shop
- Walk the hidden lanes and alleys to discover amazing graffiti art
Local Impact: How you taking this tour will benefit the local community:
- All the stores and foodie spots we visit are 100% owned and run by locals from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, ensuring that local people benefit from tourism to their city. So any inclusions on the tour and additional purchases you make will directly benefit the local community.
- You will pick up some responsible travel tips that will help you to be a greener traveller while you’re in the city.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 3 hours
- Meeting point:
Meet at the SW corner of McCaul St and Dundas St West beside the Art Gallery of Ontario.
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 10.00 AM
- Ending point:
Dragon City Shopping Centre (SW corner of Spadina Ave. and Dundas St. West)
Language: English
Inclusions: Coffee or tea at a local cafe, a snack at a local food vendor, local English-speaking guide.
Exclusions: Additional snacks and beverages, souvenirs, tips & gratuities for your guide.
Ask any local and they’ll tell you – one of the best things to do in Toronto is to explore two of the city’s most colourful and multicultural neighbourhoods – Chinatown and Kensington Market. On this Toronto walking tour you'll have the chance to get up close and personal with both of these local favourites, experiencing the rich history, vibrant cultures, and iconic uniqueness both Chinatown and Kensington Market are known for.
The streets around Chinatown and Kensington Market are often crowded, but always friendly. With a reputation for local and international delicacies, unique vendors, and specialty shops, there really is nowhere else like this in Toronto. Distinctively different, yet undeniably and inherently similar, these two neighbourhoods sit right next to each other, offering both a wonderful juxtaposition, and interesting compliment to one another – perfect for exploring together on this unique tour of Toronto.
In Kensington Market, over a coffee or tea at a local cafe, you’ll learn how the neighbourhood has evolved from a working-class Jewish market into a working-class bohemian market. Several waves of immigrant settlement over the past century have splashed colours, sounds, and flavours from the four corners of the earth throughout Kensington Market, and yet there is not a McDonald's or Starbucks to be seen. Large multinational corporations are decidedly unwelcome, and unlikely to migrate their way in anytime soon. One of the many highlights of this tour is a visit to a local food vendor to awaken your taste buds to Kensington Market’s international flavour.
Aside from its aversion to corporations, the neighbourhood is known for its festivals (Pedestrian Sunday is a favourite), vintage shops, cafes, bakeries, hole-in-the-wall bars, and the many, many bare brick walls that have long been covered with graffiti murals (often at the request of the buildings’ owners). These murals are nearly all stunning, and have become one of the iconic features of the neighbourhood. Your local guide will be happy to elaborate on any element of the neighbourhood you find particularly interesting on this Kensington Market tour in Toronto – we all love this area a lot!
As we said, right next door to Kensington Market is Chinatown, one of Canada's largest Chinese communities, and one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. One of the busiest areas in the city, there’s always something happening, and always tales to tell. On this part of your Toronto tour, your guide will enlighten you with some favourite local stories and intriguing history surrounding Toronto’s Chinatown. Along the way, you’ll also likely get restaurant recommendations, which can really come in handy for after your Toronto Chinatown tour – trust us, there are a lot of places to eat around here.
By the time your Toronto tour is over, we can pretty much guarantee that you’ll want to hang around Chinatown and pop back into Kensington Market on your own for a while to pick up some vintage or one-of-a-kind souvenirs and gifts, and to devour a truly delicious meal at any of the dozens of tasty spots nearby.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Coffee or tea at a local cafe, a snack at a local food vendor, local English-speaking guide.
Exclusions: Additional snacks and beverages, souvenirs, tips & gratuities for your guide.
Dress standard: Summers can be hot and humid, spring/autumn can be cool, and winters downright frigid with snow. Dress according to weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Your Trip: This trip is offered on a "join-in" basis. Maximum group size is 12
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: This tour finishes with plenty of time to travel to the “Beer Makes History Better” tour's starting point if you wish to do both in one day.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Local contact
Office phone number:
Email address: info@torontourbanadventures.com
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