Walking Tours

Old Town Toronto Self-Guided Audio Walk: St Lawrence Market, the Flatiron and the Distillery District

Walk Toronto's Old Town east from St James Cathedral to the cobbled lanes of the Distillery District.
See St Lawrence Market and Hall, the Flatiron Building, Toronto's First Post Office and the Stone Distillery.
Learn how a great fire, a colonial bank and a whisky fortune shaped the town of York in brick and stone.
Stand by the site of Ontario's first parliament, burned by American troops in 1813.
11 stops over 3.2 km, about 110 minutes, with English audio you start whenever you like.

Self-guided audio tour in English
11 stops, 3.2 km, 110 minutes
St Lawrence Market, Flatiron, First Post Office, Stone Distillery
GPS map with walking directions
Phone browser access, no app needed
Lifetime access, flexible start and replays

Live guide
Fixed start time
Museum and monument tickets
Food and drinks
Tips or gratuities

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Toronto began as the town of York, ten blocks laid out in 1793, and its oldest streets still show who paid for what: stone for the bank and the grand hall, brick for the school and the gasworks.
Start at St James Cathedral, rebuilt after the fire of 1849, then pass the Flatiron Building and its dog fountain, the St Lawrence Market wrapped around an old city hall, and the stone front of St Lawrence Hall. Walk on past a colonial bank and a post office of 1833, the site of Ontario's first parliament, and a brewer's free school, into the Distillery District's limestone distillery and Victorian brick warehouses.
Eleven stops, about 3 km and 1 hour 50 minutes, in English and at your own pace. The Distillery is private property with its own rules, and its Winter Village is ticketed at set times from 12 November 2026.

What to bring

Ticket code: Enter your ticket code on the Roamer redemption page from your confirmation before you set off.

Phone and earphones: Bring a charged smartphone and earphones to listen to the self-guided audio.

Data or Wi-Fi: Use mobile data or open the tour on Wi-Fi before you start if you will be offline.

Footwear: Wear flat shoes with good grip for the Distillery District's uneven cobblestones.

What's not allowed

Drones: Do not bring drones to the Distillery District, as they are prohibited.

Professional shoots: Wedding, engagement and professional photo shoots are not allowed without a paid permit.

Accessibility

Cobblestones: The Distillery District's cobblestones are uneven, so take extra care with strollers and wheelchairs.

Road crossings: Expect crossings at traffic lights and one zebra crossing, and allow extra time if you move slowly.

Construction zone: Around Front, Berkeley and Parliament Streets, narrowed sidewalks may affect those with mobility needs.

Additional information

Tour access: The audio tour opens in your phone browser, so you do not need to download an app.

Best time to start: Start Tuesday to Friday around 10 a.m. to catch the cathedral, market and Distillery at good times.

Avoid Mondays: Avoid Mondays if you want to go inside St Lawrence Market, as it is closed then.

St James Cathedral hours: Visit St James Cathedral Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or attend Sunday services.

St Lawrence Market hours: Use the South Market Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Farmers' market: Catch the Saturday farmers' market at the North Market from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free entry.

First Post Office hours: Visit Toronto's First Post Office Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and weekends within posted hours.

Distillery District hours: Plan your walk within the Distillery District's general hours, as shops and restaurants set their own times.

Photography rules: Take casual photos freely, but arrange and pay for a permit if you plan a professional shoot.

Dogs: Bring dogs on a leash if you wish to walk them through the Distillery District.

Winter Village timing: From 12 Nov 2026, reach the Distillery before 4 p.m. on ticketed Winter Village days.

Winter Village tickets: Know that the Distillery Winter Village needs tickets during selected late afternoon and evening periods.

Ticketed stops in winter: During the Winter Village dates, remember that stops 9 to 11 sit inside a ticketed area at certain times.

Winter Village dates: Note that the Distillery Winter Village 2026 runs from 12 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, except Christmas Day.

Children at Winter Village: Children 9 and under can enter the Winter Village without a ticket.

Washrooms: Use the two public washroom facilities available in the Distillery District.

Construction notice: Expect hoarding, narrowed sidewalks and changed crossings near stops 6 and 7 in autumn 2026.

Alternate listening spot: If Parliament Square Park's path is closed, listen to stop 7 from the Berkeley Street sidewalk at the park entrance.

Viewing only stops: Expect to see several heritage buildings such as Enoch Turner Schoolhouse only from outside on this walk.

Street safety: Cross busy streets like King and Jarvis only at the provided traffic lights and crossings.