Yorkville occupies a few blocks just north of Bloor Street west of Yonge, and is now Toronto's most expensive and internationally recognisable shopping district. The streets are lined with luxury boutiques, high-end restaurants, and art galleries. During the Toronto International Film Festival each September, the neighbourhood becomes the city's social epicentre as studios set up events in the hotels and restaurants.
The area's history is more interesting than its current incarnation might suggest. In the 1960s, Yorkville was Toronto's bohemian neighbourhood — cheap rents attracted folk musicians, coffeehouses, and counterculture figures. Joni Mitchell played early gigs here; Neil Young spent time here before leaving for California. The city eventually demolished many of the Victorian houses and redeveloped the neighbourhood upward.
A few small streets — Hazelton Avenue and Yorkville Avenue itself — retain some Victorian character and are worth walking. The Manulife Centre and the Hazelton Hotel anchor the luxury retail strip. The ROM and the AGO are both within walking distance to the west.