Free tour

Downtown Tour—Public Art and Architecture

No ratings yet

Toronto

Duration: 2 hours

Languages: English

Guru: Jennifer

Registered on 22 April 2024

OFF-BEAT & OFF THE BEATEN PATH. My name is Jennifer (she/her) and I am passionate about history, art, culture, urban living and community. Born, raised, and educated in Toronto, I offer an insider’s perspective on what makes Toronto unique. I love travel and have visited several places in Canada and the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Bahamas, England, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and most recently Thailand. Connecting with new people has broadened my understanding of the world and my appreciation of different cultures, and I’m excited to share my experiences with you! In addition to leading tours, I am a performing and literary artist—an animated storyteller with a flair for enlivening experiences—who has organized multidisciplinary arts events in the city over the last decade. I have worked as an English language instructor and can adapt my tours to match your language proficiency level. *CANCELLATION MAY OCCUR due to extreme weather conditions. If your tour is cancelled, you will receive a message two hours prior to the start time.

Free reservation and cancellation

Pay-what-you-want tour, no set price, reservation and cancellation are free

Tour description

Come with me downtown where I’ll introduce you to some of my favourite buildings and public art installations.

Be dazzled by an array of whimsical sculptures, light installations, murals and landscape architecture. Hear a cautionary tale about the time city council denied an architect’s request.

See work that inspired a music video by Canada’s most famous rapper.

Starting from the Toronto Sign in Nathan Phillips Square, outside the retro-futurist City Hall, we’ll weave through the financial district, stopping at various picture-perfect locations to talk about the artists and architects, their work, and the city’s Percent for Public Art program.

The tour will end at the whimsical Berczy Park Dog Fountain in the St. Lawrence Market area just in time for lunch from a local vendor.

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N1, Canada

I will meet you by the Toronto Sign in Nathan Phillips Square. I'll be the short person wearing a ball cap and backpack looking out for you.

Outside visit

Nathan Phillips Square

Toronto Sign

Outside visit

Old City Hall

Outside visit

Dreaming by Jaume Plensa

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).