Toronto’s Multicultural Heart – Kensington & Chinatown Walk

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover two of Toronto's most colorful and multicultural neighborhoods on this small-group walking tour of Kensington Market and Chinatown. On this 3-hour tour, immerse yourself in both local and international culture as you wander the often bustling streets lined with unique vendors and specialty stores. Learn from your guide about the history of these areas and discover the best places to shop and eat.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

This is a child-friendly tour. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6.

Tour involves a good amount of walking; comfortable shoes are recommended

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of Chinatown

Sample a local snack from a street vendor or market stall

Stop for a coffee or tea at a neighborhood café

Walk through Toronto’s Kensington Market and Chinatown with a local guide

Discover hidden laneways filled with vibrant street art

Explore Kensington Market’s bohemian vibe and indie shops

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Gratuities

Additional snacks and beverages

What To Expect

Kensington Market

In Kensington Market, over a coffee or tea at a local cafe, you’ll learn how the neighbourhood has evolved from a working-class Jewish market into a working-class bohemian market. Several waves of immigrant settlement over the past century have splashed colours, sounds, and flavours from the four corners of the earth throughout Kensington Market, and yet there is not a McDonald's or Starbucks to be seen. Large multinational corporations are decidedly unwelcome, and unlikely to migrate their way in anytime soon. One of the many highlights of this tour is a visit to a local food vendor to awaken your taste buds to Kensington Market’s international flavour. Aside from its aversion to corporations, the neighbourhood is known for its festivals (Pedestrian Sunday is a favourite), vintage shops, cafes, bakeries, hole-in-the-wall bars, and the many, many bare brick walls that have long been covered with graffiti murals (often at the request of the buildings’ owners). These murals are nearly all stunning, and have become one of the iconic features of the neighbourhood. Your local guide will be happy to elaborate on any element of the neighbourhood you find particularly interesting on this Kensington Market tour in Toronto – we all love this area a lot!

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Chinatown

As we said, right next door to Kensington Market is Chinatown, one of Canada's largest Chinese communities, and one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. One of the busiest areas in the city, there’s always something happening, and always tales to tell. On this part of your Toronto tour, your guide will enlighten you with some favourite local stories and intriguing history surrounding Toronto’s Chinatown. Along the way, you’ll also likely get restaurant recommendations, which can really come in handy for after your Toronto Chinatown tour – trust us, there are a lot of places to eat around here.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Small Group Tour

Private Tour

Departure at 10 AM

Reviews

4.77

150 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

131

Very informative and...
Stacey F,
Oct 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Very informative and interesting tour of 2 vibrant neighborhoods. Enjoyed walking and seeing local businesses
Good tour of an eclectic neighborhood
Richard K,
Sep 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Kieran was a good guide who told interesting stories of the area. I enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.
Visit to a different part of the big city
rkellee,
Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Wonderful introduction to Kensington and Chinatown. Jackie, our guide, shared stories about the history of the areas and personal experiences. It was truly an insider’s look at the communities and not to be missed.
A neighborhood to discover
Denis F,
Aug 31, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
First of all, I would like to highlight the exceptional work of our guide, Robert; he was very friendly and knowledgeable. This tour aims to introduce you to the different cultural communities that have helped build these vibrant neighborhoods. Through anecdotes and meetings with local merchants, you will understand that it is possible to preserve your identity in a big city like Toronto. You will also discover new restaurants and shops away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Guide didn’t show up....
Chris H,
Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00
Guide didn’t show up. After 45 minutes we called Viator who immigrated issued a refund. We walked the expected tour route ourselves afterwards. Would have liked it to have been guided.
OK
745maudem,
Aug 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Tour was MEH. Sights and locations were interesting however I just felt like it was a lot of walking and not a lot of information. Expected much more from our guide, felt like I could have done the self-guided option and learn more that way.
Sips, Stories, & Surprises around every corner!
Jackie W,
Jul 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Our tour guide Kieran really brought this experience to life. He had a lot of interesting and knowledgeable information to share and was very well-spoken in his way of storytelling. It was really refreshing that he showed interest in our backgrounds and experience within the city (as it was far from our first time in Toronto) to be able to connect, relate, and share information. He was engaging and helpful, humorous and witty, and overall connected with us beyond what we expected going into it. The coffee shop trip being included was a plus. We missed him as soon as our tour was over! Thanks again Kieran!
A good way to learn about...
Jacob H,
Jul 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
A good way to learn about the history of Toronto! I'm glad I took a tour of this area as it helped showcase the highlights.
Kensington Market & Chinatown tour
ariannav752,
May 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had an amazing tour with Joann. I was the only one and she still ran the tour. A real knowledgeable guide. She pointed out many landmarks that I've passed often and didn't know much about. As it was just me, she was great at customising the tour. There were two stops at great local businesses for food and drink which were included. Interesting tour and great value.
AMAZING MUST-DO TOUR !!!!
M1215YQ,
May 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our group of 4 loved this tour! We did a city tour afterward and it felt so boring in comparison. This one was fun, interesting, unique, and full of cool stories. If you're visiting Kensington/Chinatown, you have to do this - without it, you'd miss the deep history and meaning behind what you're seeing. You would miss out on a lot.. Kieran gave us a deeper appreciation for the area - the beautiful art (!!) , the history, and the stories behind the buildings and people. Kieran was a FANTASTIC guide - friendly, funny, welcoming, and a great speaker & storyteller. He shared so many meaningful stories and fun facts. We loved it! Made the tour so interesting and fun! One thing to note: the tour says 3 hours, but if your group is small, it might be shorter. That didn’t bother us at all - we care more about quality than the exact length. It still felt full and complete. The pace was great too. I liked that it wasn’t rushed and had a good balance of walking, listening, and a little resting. I also loved the coffee shop Kieran took us to—it was quirky, fun, and sparked some conversation and laughs… (but I won't give away the details!) This tour is more for people who enjoy something unique, fun..... especially if you appreciate diverse cultures, local history, and understanding how a neighborhood came to be the way it is. It’s not your average city tour, and that’s what makes it so special and fun. Overall, a beautiful, memorable experience!