St. Lawrence & Downtown East

Finish: King subway station.

Time: 2 to 3 hours.

Best Time: Saturday, when the St. Lawrence Market is in full swing.

Worst Time: Sunday, when it's closed.

At one time, this area was at the center of city life. Today it's a little off-center, and yet it has some historic and modern architectural treasures, and a wealth of history in and around the St. Lawrence Market.

Begin at:

1. Union Station

Check out the interior of this classical revival beauty, which opened in 1927 as a temple to and for the railroad. The shimmering ceiling, faced with vitrified Guastavino tile, soars 27m (88 ft.) above the 79m-long (260-ft.) hall.

Across the street, at York and Front streets, stands the:

2. Fairmont Royal York

The venerable railroad hotel is a longtime gathering place for Torontonians. It's the home of the famous Imperial Room cabaret and nightclub, which used to be one of Eartha Kitt's favorite venues. The hotel was once the tallest building in Toronto and the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth. Check out the lobby, with its coffered ceiling and opulent furnishings.

As you leave the hotel, turn left and walk east on Front Street. At the corner of Bay and Front streets, look up at the stunning:

3. Royal Bank Plaza

The two triangular gold-sheathed towers rise 41 floors and 26 floors. A 40m-high (130-ft.) atrium joins them, and 150 pounds of gold enhances the mirrored glass. Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden designed the project, which was built between 1973 and 1977.

Cross Bay Street and continue east on Front Street. On the south side of the street is the impressive sweep of One Front Street, the main post office building (okay, not an exciting-sounding sight, but an attractive one).

On the north side of the street is the city's latest financial palace and most impressive architectural triumph, Bell Canada Enterprises':

4. BCE Place

Go inside to view the soaring galleria. Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, with Bregman & Hamann, designed it in 1993. The twin office towers connect through a huge glass-covered galleria five stories high, spanning the block between Bay and Yonge streets. Designed by artist-architect Santiago Calatrava with Bregman & Hamann, it links the old Midland Bank building to the twin towers.

Take a Break

For an unusual dining experience, stop in at BCE Place's Movenpick Marché (tel. 416/366-8986), which turns diners into hunter-gatherers. Rather than waiting for table service, you forage for salads, pastas, and meat dishes at various counters. If you can't bear the thought of chasing down your grub, head across the courtyard to Acqua (tel. 416/368-7171) for Italianate dishes. The downstairs food court offers a variety of fast food and casual dining choices. If you prefer a deli sandwich, head for Shopsy's, 33 Yonge St. (tel. 416/365-3333).

Back out on Front Street, turn left and continue to the northwest corner of Yonge and Front, stopping to admire the:

5. Bank of Montreal

The suitably ornate building (1885-86) held the most powerful Canadian bank of the 19th century, a force behind the colonial and federal governments. Inside, the banking hall rises to a beamed coffered ceiling with domed skylights of stained glass. It now houses the Stanley Cup and other hockey trophies, plus the Hockey Hall of Fame, another example of the city's genius for architectural adaptation. The exterior, embellished with carvings, porthole windows, and a balustrade, is a sight.

From here, you can look ahead along Front Street and see the weird mural by Derek M. Besant that adorns the famous and highly photogenic:

6. Flatiron or Gooderham Building (1892)

It was built as the headquarters of George Gooderham, who had expanded his distilling business into railroads, insurance, and philanthropy. At one time his liquor business was the biggest in the British Empire, and he was also president of the Bank of Toronto. The five-story building occupies a triangular site, and the western tip (and the windows) is beautifully curved and topped with a semicircular tower. The design is by David Roberts.

At the southwest corner of Yonge and Front streets, you can stop in at:

7. The Hummingbird Centre

It sits across Scott Street from the St. Lawrence Centre. The former is home to the National Ballet of Canada and, at the moment, to the Canadian Opera Company (plans for a new opera house are tentative).

Continue east along Front Street to the:

8. Beardmore Building

It's at 35-39 Front St. E. This and the many other cast-iron buildings that line the street were the heart of the late-19th-century warehouse district, close to the lakefront and railheads. Now they hold stores like Frida Crafts, which sells imports from Guatemala, India, and Bangladesh, as well as jewelry, bags, candles, and other knickknacks; and Mountain Equipment Co-op, stocked with durable outdoor adventure goods. At no. 41-43, note the Perkins Building, and at no. 45-49, look for the building with a totally cast-iron facade. The Nicholas Hoare bookstore, one of the coziest in the city, is at no. 45.

Continue browsing as you pass Church Street. Wonderful & Whites, 83 Front St., features delicate pieces -- Victorian linens, lace, pillows, china, and glass. Some of the pieces even have beautiful, colorful patterns. Next door, Ra offers an array of Indian and other decorative accents -- bedspreads and pillows, along with apparel and jewelry.

Now cross Market Street to the:

9. St. Lawrence Market

The old market building on the right. holds this great market hall, which was constructed around the city's second city hall (1844-45). The elegant pedimented facade that you see as you stand in the center of the hall was originally the center block of the city hall. Today, the market abounds with vendors selling fresh eggs, Mennonite sausage, seafood, meats, cheeses, and baked goods. From Thursday to Saturday, in the north building across the street, a farmers' market starts at 5am.

Take a Break

The most fun place to stop is at one of the stands offering fresh produce in the market itself. Other choices include Le Papillon, 16 Church St. (tel. 416/363-0838), which features a raft of savory dessert crepes, and HotHouse Cafe, 35 Church St. (tel. 416/366-7800).

Exit the market where you came in. Cross Wellington Street and cut through Market Lane Park and the shops at Market Square, past the north market building. Turn right onto King Street to:

10. St. Lawrence Hall

This was the focal point of the community in the mid-19th century. This hall was the site of grand city occasions, political rallies, balls, and entertainment. Frederick Douglass delivered an antislavery lecture; Jenny Lind and Adelina Patti sang in 1851 and 1860, respectively; General Tom Thumb appeared in 1862; and George Brown campaigned for Confederation. William Thomas designed the elegant Palladian-style building, which boasts a domed cupola.

Cross King Street and enter the 19th-century garden. It has a cast-iron drinking fountain for people, horses, and dogs, and flowerbeds filled with seasonal blooms.

If you like, rest on a bench while you admire the handsome proportions of St. Lawrence Hall and listen to the chimes of:

11. St. James Cathedral

Adjacent to the garden on the north side of King Street, this is one of my favorite places in Toronto. The beautiful building and its surrounding park make a serene setting to rest and gather one's thoughts -- at least for now. A condo developer is hoping to build on the grounds of the park that surrounds St. James. Now there goes the neighborhood. Enjoy this beautiful oasis while you still can.

York's first church was built here from 1803 to 1807. Originally a frame building, it was enlarged in 1818 and 1819, and replaced in 1831. The second church burned in 1839. The first cathedral replaced it, only to be destroyed in the great fire of 1849. The present building was begun in 1850 and finished in 1874. It boasts the tallest steeple in Canada. Inside, at the northern end of the east aisle, there's a Tiffany window in memory of William Jarvis, one of Toronto's founding fathers.

St. James' first incumbent was the Rev. George O'Kill Stuart; his successor, John Strachan (pronounced Strawn), later became the first bishop of Toronto. Strachan wielded tremendous temporal as well as spiritual power. For 50 years, until his death in 1867, he was an indomitable spirit. He threatened the Americans with the vengeance of the British Navy after they occupied York (Toronto), defied the British prelates by keeping King's College open over their objections that the charter was too liberal, and dismissed Thomas Jefferson as "a mischief maker." He revered British institutions and abhorred anything Yankee.

From here, you can view one of the early retail buildings that was built when King Street was the main commercial street. Nos. 129-35 were originally an Army and Navy Store; cast iron, plate glass, and arched windows allowed the shopper to see what was available in the store. Also note nos. 111 and 125. The Toronto Sculpture Garden, 115 King St. (tel. 416/485-9658), is a quiet corner for contemplation.

Winding Down

From St. James, the venerable Le Royal Meridien King Edward, 37 King St. E. (tel. 416/863-9700), is only a block away. You can stop for afternoon tea in the lobby lounge, or light fare or lunch in the Café Victoria. Both La Maquette, 111 King St. E. (tel. 416/366-8191), and Biagio, 157 King St. E. (tel. 416/366-4040), have appealing courtyards.

From St. James, go south on Church Street for 1 block and turn right into Colbourne Street. From Colbourne, turn left down Leader Lane to Wellington, where you can enjoy a fine view of the mural on the Flatiron Building and of the rhythmic flow of mansard rooflines along the south side of Front Street.

Turn right and proceed to Yonge Street, then turn right and walk to King Street to catch the subway to your next destination.