Casa Loma
City Of Toronto Heritage Property · Toronto, Ontario
Casa Loma is a Gothic Revival mansion on a hill above midtown Toronto, built from 1911 to 1914 for the financier Sir Henry Pellatt, who spent a fortune on it and lost the house to unpaid taxes a few years after moving in. It has about 100 rooms, towers, battlements, tunnels under the grounds, a grand great hall and terraced gardens, and it is the closest Toronto comes to a storybook castle. It suits families, architecture fans, film fans and visitors with a few spare hours who want something different from a museum. It is run as a paid attraction, so expect a ticket, an audio guide and gift shop queues, and confirm current prices before you go. The house hosts events at Halloween and Christmas, which draw big crowds. The walk up the steep hill from Dupont station is a real climb, and parking nearby is expensive. Some rooms feel thin on furniture, so go for the architecture, the towers and the views more than the contents. Allow two to three hours.
1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1X8, Canada
Casa Loma is open most days of the year for daytime visits, commonly from mid-morning to late afternoon, with last admission an hour or so before closing, and extended hours for evening events. Rooms or the whole house can close for private events, filming and holidays, so check the official calendar before you travel. The gardens are seasonal, commonly open from spring to early autumn, and are closed or snowed over in winter. Halloween and Christmas events run on their own schedules and often need separate tickets. Weekday mornings are the quietest, while weekends and school holidays are busy from late morning. Confirm all hours and last-entry times.