Hi Jobfamily,

Casa Loma's is Canada's most famous castle... the other (albeit technically American) is found in the 1000 Islands near Gananoque, Ontario.

Casa Loma is in the heart of Toronto, surrounded by a residential district. But when built this area was considered the Toronto countryside.

The castle is beautifully maintained, and furnished. The gardens are particularly stunning in the summertime. Both the exterior and interior of the castle has been used in many Hollywood & Canadian films. As well the castle is often rented out for weddings & receptions.

The guided tours are excellent. And tell the story of how the castle came to be, how the family made their fortune... and lost it. And what role the family played in the history and culture of Toronto.

Rooms that many people particularly enjoy are: The grand hall, the library, the solarium, the office - with it's secrets, the master bedrooms, the wine cellar and the swimming pool. The tunnel to the outbuildings and stables are also a must. If you are a lover of history or architecture... you will have a good visit.

You can find REVIEWS for Casa Loma on the Toronto Things To Do listing (see the clickable link at the left of this page).

Cheers!

Wine-4-2

Hi jobfamily;

The Toronto Islands are definitely worth a visit.

I’m not knocking Casa Loma. The gardens in the summer are spectacular, but the building itself does not compare to European buildings / castles. For someone coming from the UK, Casa Loma can be a let down. By UK standards, it’s not even close to a Stately Home. It more closely resembles a smaller national trust property, or a larger home.

Best Regards

Hello jobfamily.

It definitely is not like a castle in Europe, but it is still a lovely place to visit while you are in Toronto. Casa Loma, is part of the history of Toronto, and I can't imagine Toronto without it.

So in my opinion I think Casa Loma is worth a visit. Especially if you tour it from one end to the other. You really get the feel of how this family lived, until they sadly had to leave. The history and story behind it's building is very interesting. If you do decide to visit it, I would highly recommend a little research beforehand. It will be even more enjoyable to know it's history, when you are touring it.

Hi;

For more information on Casa Loma, read over the traveler article here on TA.

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g155019-d186168/Toron…

Best Regards

If you are going to Casa Loma here is a link to a printable coupon for $2 off adult admission or $1 off child/senior admission:

www.attractionsontario.ca/index.cfm…

Have a great stay in Toronto!

Being an ardent Casa Loma fan, and a born 'n' bred Torontonian, I always think this is one of Toronto's lovely little spots. If you have kids with you, they will LOVE the underground tunnel between the main buildling and the stables, or the ability to climb waaaay up to the turrets. If you're comparing it to Buckingham, we're all lost! But if you're looking at it as a sweet small attraction in a gorgeous residential area of Toronto, with an interesting history by one of the founders of the Hydroelectric system in Canada who had a desperate desire to be Important, then you'll enjoy it. Right next door is another historic home, Spadina House, nice to just see as some beautiful examples of historic homes from the period.

Island Park is beautiful, if you get there before the leaves all fall (about now is good). It is getting a little cool out, so if you're going over to the island, make sure you have at least a windbreaker; it is the harbour, you do have to get there on a boat, it does get chilly out on the lake in the fall.

We are a family of four, our kids were 7 and 11 at the time we visit Casa Loma...They have so much fun. We spend almost 1/2 a day there..then drive down to Chinatown for late lunch.

We are from the UK and love Casa Loma,the history is so interesting, and we love the local area around the castle. There is also a much smaller house, just over the road from it that you can have a tour around. Very different, but also well worth it.

Toronto island is a must. We hired bikes and had a great time.

I live in the neighbourhood of Casa Loma so would recommend not only a visit to the casa but a walk around the neighbourhood too. If you walk north up Spadina you will pass a beautiful ravine and big park, then when you pass St Clair Avenue, you will be in Forest Hill Village, where you can have coffee, lunch or do a bit of off-the-beaten-track shopping and walk through yet another ravine nearby, if you're so inclined. Only a 10-15 minute walk, but very pretty. And close to public transit.