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Downtown East - Toronto Hotels .com

In this immensely walkable city, the eastern section of Toronto's downtown offers some of the city's most picturesque walking areas, which are filled with restaurants and arts and cultural experiences. Head over to quaint Cabbagetown for a self-guided tour through North America's largest concentration of carefully refurbished Victorian architecture (including several bed and breakfast establishments). Cabbagetown is also home to several dance theater companies, such as the Toronto Dance Theatre and the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre; and it even hosts its own small film festival, separate from Toronto's famous International Film Festival.

South of Cabbagetown and to the east of the Financial District you will find the historic Distillery District. Sporting Victorian buildings overlooking cobblestone streets, this pedestrian-only zone has a distinctly European feel to it, with street-side cafes and pubs abounding, as well as unique shopping, art galleries, and artists' lofts that give this National Historic Site a lively and exciting vibe. This well-preserved area was named a "top pick" for travelers by National Geographic.

For more shopping, head over to the St. Lawrence Market, housed in a nineteenth-century building, which boasts a lively Saturday Farmer's Market, which dates to the 1800s, as well as a popular Sunday antique market.

Just north of The Distillery is The Village, also known as Church and Wellesley, which is Toronto's LGBT community. The Village is home to Pride Week, Canada's largest gay pride festival, which takes place during the last weekend of June. The area also boasts many restaurants and shops, as well as the charming Victorian architecture that also characterizes the surrounding areas. It is within walking distance from University of Toronto and just east of Cabbagetown.