A Guide to Casa Loma: Things to See and Do

Structures of Significance

I am quite fond of castles, grand churches, and other similar buildings.

These structures are often the most resilient to the passage of time, and there is always so much history within them. Not only can we explore, but we can also, for a moment, walk through history and marvel at the artifacts and stories of ages long past.

The best part, of course, is when we imagine how life and adventures could have been in such distant times.

Casa Loma, completed in 1914, is the home of Sir Henry Pellatt—a Canadian financier and soldier. The estate features massive halls, secret passageways, a gorgeous sprawling backyard, a small museum, a gift shop, a garden, an art gallery, and towers with panoramic views of the city, among others.

Most famously, Station M—a paramilitary and spy training installation—was rumored to have been within the walls of Casa Loma. There will also be information on Camp X (an installation similar to Station M) and Sir William Stephenson (the Canadian spymaster who’s one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond).

As one of the top destinations in Toronto, Casa Loma never fails to intrigue and entertain. This place surprised me more than I thought it would. There is so much within its walls, and you could wander the place for hours (especially the haunted parts during Halloween).

In this photography guide, I’ll show you all the great things to see and do when visiting Casa Loma.

Casa Loma: Important Information
Dimensions	The castle is 180,000 square feet (16723 square meters). The grounds is significantly larger.
Duration	The recommended duration of visit is 2-3 hours.
Best Time	The best time to visit is early in the morning when Casa Loma opens.
Cost	You can buy tickets and check prices via the Casa Loma website.
Parking	If you have a vehicle, then parking is about $15 for the duration of your stay. There is no time limit for how long you can stay.
Special Considerations: During October, Casa Loma becomes a very cool haunted castle.

Casa Loma’s Story

Casa Loma—roughly translating to “house on a hill”–is considered a treasured heritage landmark of Canada. Although once belonging to Pellatt, the city of Toronto currently owns the entire estate. It was basically built so Pellatt could flex how rich he was.

Overall, Casa Loma’s main focus is on historical items, structures, and exhibits.

Casa Loma Exhibits

While Casa Loma features many wonderful things, I will only show photos of some of my favorites. What I show here is, by no means, comprehensive. There’s much more to see and explore. (Click photos to enlarge them).

Sir Henry Pellatt spared no expense to continuously remind everyone that he was a knight.

As previously mentioned, Casa Loma contains a lot of history between its walls. One such history revolves around Station M—a secret manufacturing facility potentially within Casa Loma. There is strong evidence for this, especially when considering the fact that Casa Loma has a rather unusual amount of secret tunnels and passageways.

Numerous types of special operations weapons were created at Station M. One of which is a “lipstick knife.”

This lipstick only comes in one color: blood red.

Another special weapon was named “Gun in Book.” How creative. Side Note: “A Man Called Intrepid” is a book about Sir William Stephenson—a Canadian spymaster whose codename was Intrepid. Intrepid means fearless.

When the librarian has had enough of your shit.

Let’s focus on the description of the “Gun in Book” for a minute.

“Female agents traveling by train were particularly vulnerable as the Gestapo was known to travel the train, checking each passenger’s ID. If a Gestapo agent were to become suspicious and attempt to take custody of an agent, she would reach for this gun hidden inside of a book, shoot the Gestapo agent, and jump from the train.”

Not only was the agent instructed to wreck a Gestapo agent, but she was also advised to jump from the train. There is literally no other instruction for what happens after the train. It’s just:

Shoot.
Jump from the train.

Assuming she was to survive the fall, where would she even go? Would she just say, “Oh, PHEW! I just shot that dude in the face. No one is going to care. Guess I’ll just stroll on home now without any repercussions!”

My instructions would have been more clear:

Shoot face.
Steal weapons.
Shoot more faces.
Take over the train.
Ride the train to safety or ride it straight to hell.

Not only was Station M of significant historical importance, it’s often tied to Camp X—another paramilitary and spy training installation. Camp X and Station M are closely tied to Sir William Stephenson—the spymaster who’s one of the main sources of inspiration for James Bond.

The Towers

The towers—creating a massive and memorable profile of the building—are the defining features of Casa Loma. And each tower focuses on a distinct feature of the estate.

Follow the respective signs to each tower (they are in opposite directions). There will be a series of staircases leading to the top of the tower. However, the spiral staircase is very narrow—only capable of accommodating one person each way—so it may become congested. Also, note that the spiral staircase is the only way up and down. There are no other pathways.

The Scottish tower is mostly enclosed.

More importantly, the Scottish Tower, once fully redesigned, will feature the dragon exhibit.

How to hide your dragon.

The Norman tower, on the other hand, provides an exceptional view of Toronto’s skyline and the entire estate.

Recall that there is only one way up or down the towers—via a series of very narrow stairways. Norman tower does get quite crowded later in the day, so you might have a hard time ascending and descending. To alleviate this problem, I recommend planning your visit earlier in the day.

The Estate Gardens

The Conservatory (originally named “The Palm Room”) exemplifies Pellatt’s love for gardening. The floors, featuring Italian marble, lie below a stained-glass dome and is flanked on both sides by raised flowerbeds.

The entire estate garden is very elaborate, containing a plethora of flower arrangements and a fountain.

There is even an outdoor dining area for all visitors to enjoy. (Click photos to enlarge them).

I recommend relaxing in the estate gardens. In my opinion, it’s the best part of Casa Loma since it is outside with plenty of sunshine and scenery.

—The Haunted Castle and Legends of Horror

In October, Casa Loma becomes a truly unique haunted castle.

As you navigate through the tunnels, halls, and rooms, there will be multiple signs directing you where to go.

To start things off, you will wander through the Tunnel of Terror and explore the Legends of Horror exhibits. While exploring, beware of interactive screens that will occasionally (and quite effortlessly) scare you. It would also be wise to not wander the tunnel alone.

Pro Tip: Wear brown pants.

You’ll see some weird shit along the way. Do not underestimate the Canadians. The displays can be pretty twisted, and it’s a long series of tunnels before you reach any open space.

Not sure all these body parts are fake.

Once you pass through the tunnel, there are multiple and very elaborate Halloween sets (like Frankenstein’s Laboratory). I went during the day, so live actors were not in place yet.

Do note that the various tunnels can be quite confusing, but you will find your way around just fine if you follow the signs. Again, If you’re squeamish, do not wander the tunnels alone—without brown pants.

Casa Loma is a very fun place to visit (especially around Halloween time). The estate has some very interesting history and some very beautiful sights. If you’re ever in the Toronto area, I highly recommend Casa Loma as one of your first attractions. Remember that it is very popular, so arriving early in the day would be ideal.