toronto skyline

This is what Toronto looks like from more than 50km away

Thanks to the geography of the areas surrounding Toronto, ours is a city that boasts striking views from over 50 kilometres away in multiple directions.

The iconic CN Tower-anchored skyline can be viewed from various points across Lake Ontario but also the Niagara Escarpment to the northwest.

It's tough to pick a favourite angle, though it's worth noting that the view from Grimsby offers a rather remarkable example of the Earth's curvature, where the bottom half of the Rogers Centre sits out of view (if you climb up the escarpment, it mostly comes back).

caledon toronto

Toronto from from Caledon by Iain Bell.

Naturally the type of lens you use to capture the distant skyline determines the perspective it's shown in.

Toronto skyline grimbsy

Toronto from Grimbsy (closer view) by Stephen Hutchinson.

Telephoto lenses visually compress space, so with a little foreground and a central object that's far away, you can create the illusion that Toronto is much closer than it really is.

mount nemoThe skyline in the distance from Mount Nemo. Photo by Alex Meoko.

But really the key to all of these photos, whether zoomed in or out, is the CN Tower.

toronto grimbsy

Toronto from Grimbsy by ethervizion.

Naturally it's the most recognizable structure in any skyline photo of Toronto, but when you are shooting from more than 50 kilometres away, the unmistakable shape of it never fails to pull the photo together by proving a focal point.

caledon toronto

Toronto from Caledon by John Church.

In the absence of this landmark, we'd hardly know what we were looking at.

Lead photo by

Derek Flack from Vineland


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Toronto just got a new waterfront park that's been years in the making

Here's why swarms of giant birds are being seen in Ontario skies right now

A parasitic fungus is turning Ontario creepy crawlies into suicidal zombies

Three different Ontario LRT lines are now in major trouble

Shocking hit-and-run video shows Ontario driver try to flee in totalled truck

Canada now has universal pharmacare here's how it will affect you

Alleged drunk driver crashes then tries to flee through Ontario police station

Northern Lights took over Ontario skies in rare show and the photos are out of this world