Travel expert Tara Darby recommends Casa Loma as a tourist attraction for visitors to Toronto, Canada.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJq6NxZYKDo Casa Loma is a castle that was built by Sir Henry Pallatt in the early 1900s with architect E.J. Lennox. Pallat based the idea of Casa Loma on the castles he had seen during his travels through Europe.http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/  Darby says Casa Loma includes decorated suites, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, a greenhouse and five acres of estate gardens.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJq6NxZYKDo  

Inside Casa Loma the Great Hall’s ceiling is 60 feet high and has a hammer-beam roof.  A 40-foot-high leaded glass window includes 738 individual panes.  Gargoyles are designed into the supporting columns.http://www.casaloma.org/Media/Kit/PressDisplay.asp?Display=Press&PressReleaseID=20  

Some special events mentioned by Darby that are held throughout the year are an annual Renaissance festival and Sunday brunches every month.  She says the official website for Casa Loma contains information on all the special events held there.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJq6NxZYKDo 

Sir Henry Pallat began the construction of Casa Loma in Toronto in 1911.  It took almost six years to complete the residence.  Pallat moved into the castle in 1913 while construction was still ongoing.   Casa Loma cost about $3.5 million dollars to build.  Three hundred workers helped complete the estate, finishing  the main house  after the outbuildings.http://www.casaloma.org/Media/Kit/PressDisplay.asp?Display=Press&PressReleaseID=20

Today, Casa Loma is a tourist attraction and hospitality venue.  It is owned by the city of Toronto and it is cared for by the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma.  License fees and taxes from the castle contribute almost one million dollars a year to the city.  Other profits support some of the Kiwanis Club’s charities..%20%20http://www.casaloma.org/History/history6.asp 

Casa Loma is open almost every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The exceptions are December 24th and 25th.  On these days, Casa Loma closes at 1:00 p.m.  On days with a closing time of 5:00 p.m., the last admission is taken at 4:00 p.m..%20%20http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/  

Casa Loma can be reached by using either route 401 or the Queen Elizabeth Way as well as the Toronto Transit Commission subway (TTC).http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/Directions/  Parking is available on the grounds with a per hour charge of three dollars.  The maximum charge for the day is nine dollars. Admission tickets can be purchased on the property grounds.  Tickets can also be acquired as part of the Toronto CityPASS.  The Toronto CityPass offers five attraction admissions combined in a discount ticket booklet.http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/