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Boston Globe

Off-season charm: A cozy getaway to Niagara and Toronto

Advertisement With Canadian currency running about 30 percent cheaper than the US dollar, this is also an ideal time to combine shopping, strolling, and saunas in bustling Toronto with ice wines, quiet dinners, and the majesty of the roaring water in Niagara Falls. The long weekend proved to be one of the most romantic of our nearly 30 years of marriage. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Weather can be a wild card, as we discovered, but a few drops of rain (or even snow) hardly feel out of place on the shores of Lake Ontario. And when it's chilly, what better to do with a loved one than lean in just a bit closer for warmth? A wall mural in Toronto's Little Portugal neighborhood. Alex Pulaski Icy falls and ice wine The history of lighting the falls at night dates to the 1860s, honoring a visit from British royalty. Since then, a simple string of 200 lights has been replaced by an elaborate system of 21 low-voltage xenon lamps. They emit the equivalent of 8 billion candles, and seeing the falls for the first time at night draped in reds and blues and greens is a sight. We walked and took it all in — first the majestic Horseshoe Falls that command the eye, than the less imposing (but still grand) American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Then it was dinner with falls views through a panoramic wall of windows at Advertisement The Horseshoe Falls is by far the biggest component of Niagara Falls. Alex Pulaski The first day dawned blustery, and we strolled the paved walkway to visit the falls again. They seem impossibly close, with ice clinging to surfaces sprayed by the water. We had the place almost to ourselves — only about two dozen people had gathered at the Table Rock viewpoint for Horseshoe Falls. Just a half-hour from Niagara Falls, perched on the edge of Lake Ontario, awaits Niagara-on-the-Lake. The quaint city's shops and cafes along tree-lined Queen Street date to the 19th century. We sampled ice wines, a regional specialty made from grapes frozen on the vine, resulting in a super-sweet, often fruity wine. The elegant, Michelin-recommended On our last morning, we took to the air with Afternoon tea at the Shangri-La Toronto's Lobby Lounge. Alex Pulaski A city teeming with choices Canada's largest city is also its most diverse, with more than 250 ethnicities and 180 languages. It is often hailed as the world's most diverse city, and we soon explored its ethnic neighborhoods, from the multiple Chinatowns to Little Italy to Little Portugal. Advertisement The city offers a delightful blend of modern skyscrapers, staid brick buildings, and Victorian houses redecorated by muralists and graffiti artists. Change is ceaseless – witness the cranes dotting the skyline and the blurring neighborhood edges. You can find Portuguese delis in Little Portugal, but they are flanked by Indian, Egyptian, Mexican, Thai, or Argentine eateries. Or French tacos, whatever those are. There's so much to do and see that one recalls that first experience at a dizzying buffet, trying to squeeze as much in as possible, just wishing for more time (and beltline). Choices abound: Zip to the top of iconic Spend a couple of hours exploring historic Sample some of the best meals you could dream of, from a traditional One of the best views of the city revealed itself during a guided outing with Toronto's Kensington Market neighborhood is packed with vintage shops and whimsically painted buildings. Alex Pulaski In such a bustling city, it can be hard to slow down. But at the stylish That relaxation took various shapes, from a slow breakfast in the hotel to a couples massage at the Miraj Hammam Spa. As I look back, the scene I can't shake is an afternoon tea we experienced there. Cold outside, warm inside. A piano playing. A fire burning. The redolent scent of tea arriving, and afterward a tower of desserts so beautifully made that it seemed sinful to eat them. So we waited, taking photos and willing the moment to stretch just a bit longer. A sweet memory, waiting to be unpacked later.