Toronto has an actual castle — a 98-room Gothic Revival fantasy of turrets, secret passageways, hand-carved oak panelling, and 800-foot underground tunnels — and most visitors don’t realize it until they round the bend on Spadina Avenue and see Casa Loma looming on its hilltop. Built between 1911 and 1914 for Sir Henry Pellatt at a then-staggering cost of $3.5 million, Casa Loma was North America’s largest private home for years before financial ruin forced Pellatt to abandon it in 1923. Today it’s one of Toronto’s most visited and most photographed attractions, with year-round programming that ranges from self-guided audio tours to immersive seasonal experiences. This complete guide covers tickets, hours, the must-see rooms, transit, family tips, and the answers to every question first-time visitors ask. For broader context, see our complete guide to Toronto attractions.

For up-to-date official information, see the official Casa Loma website.

Casa Loma Quick Facts

Casa Loma sits at 1 Austin Terrace in midtown Toronto, atop a glacial escarpment that gives it the highest residential elevation in the central city. Translated from Spanish, “Casa Loma” means “House on the Hill.” The castle was designed by celebrated Toronto architect E.J. Lennox, who also designed Old City Hall and the King Edward Hotel, and built in just three years between 1911 and 1914 by an army of 300 craftsmen using imported European materials.

The castle features 98 rooms across three main floors plus a basement, two soaring towers (Norman Tower and Scottish Tower), 5,500 square metres of gardens, an 800-foot underground tunnel connecting the main house to the stables, and Pellatt’s private elevator. Casa Loma is a designated heritage property of the City of Toronto and is operated as a public attraction by Liberty Entertainment Group on behalf of the city.

Casa Loma Hours & Tickets in 2026

Casa Loma is open 365 days a year, including most major holidays, with timed-entry tickets that you choose when booking online.

Hours of Operation

Casa Loma’s standard hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with last entry at 4 p.m. The Estate Gardens are open seasonally from May to October, weather permitting, with extended evening hours during summer events. Holiday programming and special events can extend the regular hours significantly — the “Christmas at the Castle” experience runs evenings throughout December, and the “Legends of Horror” haunted experience runs evenings through October.

Ticket Prices

As of early 2026, adult general admission (ages 18–64) costs approximately $45 plus tax (around $52 all-in), with seniors (65+) at approximately $40, youth (14–17) at approximately $35, children (4–13) at approximately $30, and children 3 and under entering free. All admission tickets include the complimentary self-guided audio tour, full access to the castle’s public rooms, the underground tunnel, the towers (in good weather), and the gardens during the open season.

Casa Loma uses timed-entry ticketing — you choose your arrival window when booking, but once you’re inside you can stay until closing. Booking online in advance is meaningfully cheaper than walk-up rates, and weekends and holidays often sell out, so plan ahead.

Toronto CityPASS

The Toronto CityPASS bundles Casa Loma with the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, the ROM, and either the Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Centre for roughly 38% off individual admission. The CityPASS is valid for nine consecutive days, with mobile delivery, and pays for itself if you visit two or more of the bundled attractions.

Guided Tours & Special Experiences

Beyond standard admission, Casa Loma offers several premium experiences:

Guided Castle Walking Tour: A 90-minute small-group tour led by a Casa Loma historian who shares stories the audio guide doesn’t cover. Worth booking for visitors who want deeper context. Tickets sold separately on top of admission.

Escape Series: Casa Loma operates one of the most ambitious escape-room experiences in Canada, with multi-room mysteries set in the actual castle that combine theatrical performance with puzzle-solving. Perfect for date nights or group activities. Tickets are separate from general admission and start around $40 per person.

Dinner & Concert Events: Through the summer, the castle’s Glass Pavilion hosts evening concerts and dinner events; in December, the Christmas at the Castle programming includes themed dining experiences in the historic dining rooms.

How to Get to Casa Loma

Casa Loma sits in midtown Toronto, slightly removed from the downtown core but easily reached by transit.

By Subway

Take the Yonge-University (Line 1) subway to Dupont Station and walk north two blocks on Spadina Avenue. From Spadina, climb the Baldwin Steps — a 110-step public staircase up the escarpment — or take the gentler walking route around the side. The walk from Dupont to the castle entrance is about 10 minutes total.

By Streetcar

The 512 St. Clair streetcar stops at St. Clair and Spadina, a 10-minute walk south along Spadina to the castle. The 506 Carlton streetcar stops several blocks south but requires a longer walk uphill.

By Car

Casa Loma has a paid on-site parking lot accessed from Walmer Road, with rates around $15–$25 for a full visit. Street parking on the surrounding residential streets is severely limited and time-restricted — not recommended.

By Bike or Walk

Bike Share Toronto stations are at Dupont Station and along St. Clair Avenue. The walk from the Annex neighbourhood, Yorkville, or the Royal Ontario Museum is pleasant in good weather and takes 20–30 minutes.

What to See at Casa Loma

The standard self-guided audio tour covers more than 30 rooms across three floors, plus the underground tunnel, the stables, the gardens (in season), and the two towers. Most visitors spend 2 to 3 hours; serious fans of architecture or history can easily make it half a day. These are the must-see highlights.

The Great Hall

You enter Casa Loma through the Great Hall — a 20-metre vaulted oak-and-stone room that’s easily the most photographed interior in the castle. The original 1914 chandeliers, the soaring carved ceiling, and the massive fireplace deliver the “I’m in a real castle” moment that defines the visit. Light streams in through stained-glass windows and across the marble floor; bring a wide-angle lens.

Sir Henry’s Study & the Secret Passages

Sir Henry Pellatt’s private study has been preserved as it was during his residency, with original furniture, hand-tooled leather wall panels, and a working fireplace. Beside the fireplace is one of Casa Loma’s most famous features — a hidden door that opens into a secret passage. The passageway is occasionally opened for visitors to walk through; otherwise it’s viewable through a glass panel. The drama of the secret door is reliably the highlight of the tour for kids.

Lady Pellatt’s Suite

Mary Pellatt’s private suite occupies a quieter wing of the second floor and includes her bedroom, dressing room, and private sitting room. The rooms are decorated in Edwardian luxury — hand-painted ceilings, silk-upholstered furniture, custom-built closets sized for ball gowns, and a marble en-suite bathroom that was state-of-the-art in 1914.

The Conservatory

One of the most beautiful rooms in the castle, the Conservatory is a domed greenhouse with an Italian marble floor, a stained-glass dome, and ornate iron arches. The original cost just for the bronze entrance doors was $10,000 in 1914 dollars — the equivalent of about a quarter-million today. The Conservatory is a popular event space for weddings.

The Norman Tower & Scottish Tower

Casa Loma has two towers, both accessible to visitors when weather permits. The Norman Tower is the taller of the two, with a steeper climb up narrow stone stairs to a small open battlement that offers some of the best public skyline views in midtown Toronto. The Scottish Tower is shorter and more accessible. Both towers can be closed during inclement weather for safety reasons.

The Underground Tunnel

An 800-foot underground tunnel connects the main castle to the stables and carriage room across the property. The tunnel was built in 1911 and is now home to a permanent exhibit on Casa Loma’s wartime use as a top-secret radar laboratory during World War II — the castle’s vacant rooms and isolation made it ideal for the covert development of ASDIC (sonar) technology. The tunnel exhibit takes about 15 minutes to walk through and features artifacts, diagrams, and oral histories.

The Stables & Carriage Room

At the end of the tunnel, the stables open onto Mahogany Stalls (each horse had its own engraved nameplate and oak-panelled stall) and the Carriage Room. Today the carriage room hosts vintage car displays and rotating exhibits.

The Estate Gardens

From May through October, the 5,500-square-metre Estate Gardens are open and well worth the extra time. Walking paths, fountains, sculpture, and hundreds of varieties of seasonal flowers fill the south-facing slope. The Glass Pavilion at the base of the gardens is an event space that hosts summer concerts; on regular days, it’s a popular photo location.

Casa Loma History: How a Castle Ended Up in Toronto

The story of Casa Loma is as compelling as the building itself. Sir Henry Pellatt was a Toronto financier and industrialist who made a fortune in electricity infrastructure — bringing the first hydroelectric power to Toronto from Niagara Falls in 1907 — and dreamed of building a Canadian castle to match the great country houses of England.

Construction began in 1911 and finished in 1914 at a cost of $3.5 million (the equivalent of nearly $90 million in today’s dollars). Pellatt and his wife Mary moved in and lived there for less than a decade. The combination of World War I (which collapsed the value of Pellatt’s industrial holdings), rising property taxes (over $12,000 per year in 1920 dollars), and bad investments forced Pellatt into financial ruin. He abandoned Casa Loma in 1923; the castle’s contents were auctioned off, and the City of Toronto seized the property for unpaid taxes.

Casa Loma sat largely vacant from 1923 until 1937, when the Kiwanis Club of Toronto signed a long-term operating agreement with the city to run it as a public attraction. During World War II, the castle’s vacant rooms were quietly used by the Canadian government for top-secret research into anti-submarine sonar technology — a program known officially as ASDIC and now described in the underground-tunnel exhibit.

The castle has been operated as a public attraction continuously since 1937, with multiple major restoration projects over the decades. In 2014, Casa Loma celebrated its 100th anniversary and underwent a major refresh under Liberty Entertainment Group, which now runs the castle, its restaurants, and its event programming.

Best Time to Visit Casa Loma

Best Time of Day

Visit at opening (9:30 a.m.) or after 3 p.m. for the smallest crowds. Mid-day weekends and school holidays bring the largest crowds, especially at the Great Hall and Sir Henry’s Study where photo lines can stretch significantly.

Best Day of the Week

Tuesday through Thursday are consistently the quietest days. Weekends bring local visitors and tour groups; Mondays in summer can be busy with school groups.

Best Time of Year

Late spring (May) through early autumn (mid-October) is the only time the gardens are open, making this the best window for first-time visitors. Summer brings the most visitors but also the most events and longest hours.

For something different, consider visiting during the seasonal experience programs — the “Christmas at the Castle” program in December (with the castle decorated in millions of lights and themed rooms) or the “Legends of Horror” haunted experience in October. Both are paid upgrades on top of standard admission, and both transform the castle into an entirely different attraction.

Casa Loma with Kids: Family Tips

Casa Loma is one of Toronto’s most kid-friendly attractions, especially for children 5 and up who have a general interest in castles, knights, secret passages, or history. The hidden-door secret passage in Sir Henry’s Study, the underground tunnel, and the towers (when open) are reliable kid-pleasers.

Practical family logistics: most public rooms and corridors are stroller-accessible, but the towers require navigating narrow stone stairs and are not stroller-friendly. The audio tour offers a separate kids’ track narrated for younger visitors. Most kids will be engaged for 90 minutes to two hours; pack snacks for after the visit.

For more family-friendly Toronto planning, see our complete guide to Toronto with kids.

Casa Loma for Dates & Romantic Visits

Casa Loma is one of Toronto’s top date destinations — the combination of dramatic architecture, low ambient lighting in many rooms, and the secret passages and towers makes for one of the city’s most cinematic afternoons. The Conservatory is a particular favourite of couples; the Estate Gardens in summer are unbeatable for an afternoon stroll.

For special-occasion dates, look at the seasonal evening programming — Casa Loma’s Christmas at the Castle and Legends of Horror events both turn the castle into a full evening experience with themed dining options. The on-site BlueBlood Steakhouse, located in the castle itself, serves what may be the most atmospheric steak dinner in Toronto. For more romantic Toronto inspiration, see our guide to romantic things to do in Toronto.

Where to Eat at Casa Loma

On-Site Dining

BlueBlood Steakhouse: Located inside Casa Loma in the historic Library and adjacent rooms, BlueBlood is a fine-dining steakhouse known for its prime cuts, extensive wine list, and one of the most theatrical dining settings in the city. Reservations strongly recommended; popular with date-night couples and special occasions.

Liberty Caffe: The casual on-site cafe serves espresso, sandwiches, salads, and pastries during regular admission hours. Convenient for a mid-tour break.

Nearby Restaurants

Casa Loma sits between the Annex, Yorkville, and Forest Hill neighbourhoods, surrounded by some of Toronto’s most interesting dining streets. Five minutes south on Bloor Street, the Bloor-Yorkville restaurant scene opens up dramatically — from Joso’s Adriatic seafood and Sotto Sotto Italian to the casual Pizzeria Libretto and the Coffee Mill’s old-school Hungarian pastries. Ten minutes east on St. Clair Avenue West, the Wychwood and Hillcrest neighbourhoods offer a quieter, more residential restaurant scene with excellent independent cafes.

Photography at Casa Loma

Personal photography is permitted throughout the castle without flash, tripods, or selfie sticks. The dim ambient lighting in many rooms creates challenging photo conditions but rewards visitors who use their phone’s night mode and slow down for stable handheld shots.

Best Photo Spots

The Great Hall’s vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows are the iconic Casa Loma shot. Sir Henry’s Study with the secret-passage door is a fan favourite. The Conservatory’s domed glass ceiling and marble floor offer one of the castle’s most beautiful interior compositions. The two towers offer the only Toronto skyline shots from a castle ledge. The Estate Gardens (May–October) give you the dramatic exterior shot that defines Casa Loma’s social-media presence.

Wedding & Professional Photography

Casa Loma is one of Canada’s most popular wedding venues, and professional photography for weddings or events requires a paid permit through the castle’s events team. Engagement photo shoots and similar professional sessions also require advance booking.

Accessibility at Casa Loma

Casa Loma’s heritage status creates real accessibility constraints. The main floor public rooms are wheelchair accessible via a side-entrance ramp and an elevator, but the towers, certain second-floor rooms, and the underground tunnel are reached only by stairs. Visitors who use mobility devices can experience approximately 60% of the standard tour. Service animals are welcome throughout. Accessible washrooms are available on the main floor.

The Casa Loma team is generally responsive to accessibility questions sent in advance — contact the visitor services team via casaloma.ca for specific information about your visit.

Casa Loma Special Events & Seasonal Programming

Legends of Horror (October)

Each October, Casa Loma transforms into one of Toronto’s most ambitious haunted attractions, with the underground tunnel, basement, and lower-floor rooms turned into a 90-minute walk-through horror experience. Live actors, immersive sets, and theatrical effects make this far more elaborate than a typical haunted house. Tickets sell out weeks in advance; not appropriate for younger children.

Christmas at the Castle (November–January)

From late November through early January, Casa Loma decorates every public room in dramatic seasonal style — massive trees, hand-set lights, themed rooms (Nutcracker, Polar Express, A Christmas Carol), and outdoor light installations. Day visits include the decorations as part of standard admission; evening events include themed dining and live performances at separate cost.

Summer Concerts at the Glass Pavilion

Throughout July and August, the Glass Pavilion at the base of the Estate Gardens hosts evening live music with food and beverage service. Tickets vary by performer; check casaloma.ca for the current summer lineup.

Escape Series

Year-round, Casa Loma operates one of the most ambitious escape-room programs in Canada with multi-room mysteries set throughout the castle. Each experience runs approximately 60 to 90 minutes and accommodates groups of 4 to 10 people. Several different storylines run on rotation; check the website for current bookings.

What to See Near Casa Loma

Spadina Museum

The historic Austin family estate sits directly south of Casa Loma, an easy three-minute walk away. The Spadina Museum preserves a 1920s-era Toronto family home with original furniture and gardens, offering a quieter, more domestic counterpoint to Casa Loma’s grand scale. Combined visits work well; admission is separate.

The Annex Neighbourhood

South of Dupont Avenue, The Annex is one of Toronto’s great walking neighbourhoods — tree-lined streets of Victorian houses, indie bookshops, the Bloor Street strip of cafes and brunch spots, and the University of Toronto’s northern edge. Pair Casa Loma with an Annex coffee crawl for a complete morning.

Royal Ontario Museum

A 15-minute walk south from Casa Loma to the ROM makes for a complete cultural day. See our complete guide to the Royal Ontario Museum.

Yorkville Shopping

Toronto’s most upscale shopping district is a 12-minute walk south of Casa Loma, with Mink Mile luxury boutiques on Bloor Street and independent designers on Cumberland and Yorkville Avenue.

Frequently Asked Questions About Casa Loma

How much does Casa Loma cost?

Adult admission is approximately $45–$52 all-in (price varies seasonally). Children 3 and under are free. The Toronto CityPASS bundles Casa Loma with four other attractions for roughly 38% off individual admission.

How long does a Casa Loma visit take?

Plan around 2 to 3 hours for a complete visit including all the main rooms, the underground tunnel, the stables, and (in season) the gardens. History buffs and architecture fans can easily make it a half-day; visitors with younger kids should plan 90 minutes to two hours.

Is Casa Loma worth visiting?

Yes — particularly for first-time Toronto visitors. The combination of authentic historical architecture, the surprising story behind the castle, the multiple immersive experiences (towers, tunnel, secret passages), and the seasonal programming makes Casa Loma one of the most consistently rewarding paid attractions in the city.

Can you stay overnight at Casa Loma?

No — Casa Loma is a museum and event venue but not a hotel. The castle does host occasional overnight events for charity and corporate clients but is not generally available for individual overnight bookings.

Can you get married at Casa Loma?

Yes — Casa Loma is one of Toronto’s most popular wedding venues, with multiple indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception spaces. Wedding inquiries are handled through Liberty Entertainment Group’s events team; expect to plan 12 months in advance for popular dates.

When is Casa Loma least crowded?

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in November and January through early March are the quietest stretches. Avoid March break, summer school holidays, and the Christmas school break for the lightest crowds.

Is the audio tour included?

Yes — the standard self-guided audio tour (in English plus several other languages) is included with general admission. Devices are loaned at the front desk; a kids’ track is also available.

Are pets allowed at Casa Loma?

Service animals are welcome throughout. Other pets are not permitted inside the castle but are allowed in some outdoor areas during specific events — check casaloma.ca for current policies.

Can you take wedding photos at Casa Loma without booking the venue?

No — professional or wedding photography requires a paid permit through the castle’s events team. Casual personal photography is fine.

Plan Your Casa Loma Visit

Casa Loma is the kind of attraction that visitors leave talking about. The combination of an honest-to-goodness castle in the middle of a major North American city, a financial-ruin backstory worthy of a novel, secret passages, towers, an underground tunnel, and ambitious seasonal programming makes it one of Toronto’s most rewarding cultural experiences. For first-time visitors, book online for the best price, target weekday mornings or late afternoons, and budget at least 2 hours. For locals, the seasonal programs — Christmas at the Castle, Legends of Horror, and the summer concert series — turn Casa Loma into a year-round destination.

For more attractions to add to your itinerary, see our complete guides to Toronto attractions and things to do in Toronto.