Guelph is a university city of about 144,000 people in southwestern Ontario, on the Speed River about an hour’s drive west of Toronto. Its downtown is small enough to cover on foot in an afternoon. The twin towers of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate look down from Catholic Hill at the end of Macdonell Street.
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What’s in this video
The walk at the top of the page runs about 20 minutes and was filmed on a sunny fall day. It starts on the Heffernan Street bridge over the Speed River, with the County of Wellington building in view. It passes St. George’s Anglican Church, opened in 1873 and known for its green copper spire. Then it turns down Douglas Street past Red Brick Cafe and Buon Gusto.
Around the corner, the walk goes through Old Quebec Street Shoppes. This covered shopping street was once part of Quebec Street. An Eaton Centre was built over it in the early 1980s, and what was left reopened as Old Quebec Street in 2003. It is covered by a glass roof, so it works on a rainy day.
The walk then heads west on Macdonell Street, the downtown restaurant strip, past La Reina at 10 Wyndham Street North on the corner. It crosses Norfolk Street and climbs the steps of Catholic Hill to the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate at 28 Norfolk Street. It goes inside the Basilica and ends with the view back down Macdonell Street toward downtown.
The Basilica was built of local limestone between 1876 and 1888 to a Gothic Revival design by architect Joseph Connolly. Its twin towers, finished in 1926, rise over 200 feet. It is a National Historic Site, and Pope Francis made it a minor basilica in 2014. Inside are rib-vaulted ceilings, tall stained glass windows and painted saints around the altar. Guelph’s zoning sets protected view areas to keep sight lines to the church clear, which is why it can be seen from so much of downtown.
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How to get to Guelph from Toronto
Most visitors drive. From Toronto, take Highway 401 west and exit north toward Guelph. Allow about an hour from downtown Toronto, more in rush hour. Toronto Pearson (YYZ) is the main airport. Region of Waterloo International (YKF) is closer but much smaller.
Guelph Central Station is downtown, a short walk from Macdonell Street. GO Transit trains on the Kitchener line run between Guelph and Toronto Union Station, and VIA Rail trains on the Toronto to London line also stop here. Guelph Transit buses leave from the same station. Check current train schedules before you go, since weekend service changes.
Best time to visit Guelph
Fall is the season for this walk. The maples along the Speed River and around St. George’s turn red and gold. Leaves in southern Ontario often peak in early to mid October, though the timing shifts each year.
Summer brings patios on Macdonell Street. The Guelph Farmers’ Market runs year-round on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2 Gordon Street, a few blocks from Macdonell Street.
What a Guelph trip costs
Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Ontario charges 13% HST on most restaurant, shop and hotel purchases. It is added at the till, so menu and shelf prices usually show the amount before tax.
At table-service restaurants, a tip of 15 to 20% of the pre-tax bill is the norm. Card terminals often suggest tip amounts, and some calculate them on the total after tax. Check which figure the terminal uses before you tap. Entry to the Basilica and Old Quebec Street Shoppes is free.
As an example, we ate at La Reina on the day of this walk. Five plates came to about $90, tip included.
Getting around Guelph
Downtown Guelph is compact, and every stop in the video is within walking distance of the others. The steps up Catholic Hill are the only real climb. Macdonell, Wyndham and Douglas streets hold most of the restaurants and cafes.
Where to stay in Guelph
Most people visit Guelph as a day trip from Toronto, Kitchener or Waterloo. Staying downtown puts the river, the Basilica and the restaurants within walking distance. Two small hotels are on Macdonell Street near the train station: the Western Hotel & Executive Suites and the Royal Inn and Suites. Stay over if you want golden hour at the Basilica and a Saturday morning at the market. Otherwise a day trip covers the walk.
For another small-town walk in the area, see the Paris, Ontario guide or the Stratford walk.
Quick tips for Guelph
- The Basilica’s front doors were open on the day of this walk. Its website does not list visiting hours, so call the parish office if you want to be sure.
- It is a working church. Keep quiet inside and avoid Mass times.
- Wear shoes with grip for the Catholic Hill steps, especially on wet leaves.
- Come on a Saturday morning to add the farmers’ market on Gordon Street.
- Stay for golden hour, when the Basilica’s twin towers turn to silhouettes against the evening sky.
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Hotels in Guelph, compared in one place.
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