Some language experts disagree about how “beautiful lake” or “large body of water” – exactly Ontario – might be translated. The term seems to have been invented by the Iroquois, who settled early in the Great Lakes region.

Either way, a fitting name. Ontario occupies a large part of four of North America’s five Great Lakes, as well as the icy Hudson Bay to the north, where polar bears live. In total, Canada’s second largest province has about 250,000 lakes, which contain a considerable portion of the Earth’s freshwater reserves.

Another record: Ontario – the combined size of Germany, Italy and France – is three-quarters covered by forest, from lush deciduous forest to taiga. That is why there are five national parks, which in normal times attract more than ten million visitors a year.

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The difference in temperature is extreme: the best bathing season lasts over 30 degrees on the sandy beach of Lake Ontario in summer, minus 40 degrees measured in sub-polar winter.

Of the approximately 14 million residents in Lake Ontario’s cities, including Toronto as Canada’s largest city, nearly two in five Canadians live in Ontario. Canada’s capital Ottawa is also located in Ontario – on the border with Quebec. Not to mention a huge piece of water: Niagara Falls is also partially in Ontario.

Adrenaline rush at CN Tower in Toronto

You’re protected with belts and hooks, but you can still get pretty uncomfortable touring this city. Because one walks up a staircase only one and a half meters wide at a height of 356 meters and sees Toronto.

The “Edge Walk” is the name of this hectic adventure on the CN Tower, which according to organizers is the world’s tallest freehand tour on a building. Circular route: 150 m. Duration: 30 minutes. Cost: A lot of courage and the equivalent of 150 euros.

Wreck signal for diving and snorkeling

The hull of the “sweepstakes” shimmers just a few meters below the surface of the water like behind a green sheet of frosted glass. Before the two-masted schooner ran aground near Cove Island in Lake Huron in 1885 and was taken to Big Tub Harbor for repairs, where it sank, it sent coal across the Great Lakes.

The nearly 35-meter-long wreck isn’t the only thing that makes divers and snorkelers laugh at Fathom Five Marine Park. There are 27 ships, some sunk at the site in rich waters on the island, some replanted there. The rubble is sometimes only three meters deep, but sometimes more than 40 meters deep.

Fathom Five has been Canada’s first marine reserve since 1987. It is located at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, which separates Lake Huron from Georgian Bay. Not only because of the wrecks, but also because of the rocks and underwater caves, it is one of the best freshwater diving areas in the world. If you don’t get wet but still want to see the wreck, book a trip in a glass-bottom boat from Tobermory.

The area is rich in islands, the coast is rugged, there are three lighthouses, so there is much to see above the water. For example, Flowerpot Island, whose beaches are adorned with flower-pot-like rocks. Parts of the park are also Dark Sky Preserve – thanks to the pitch black sky, you can see the stars especially well here.

longest ice rink in the world

Connects over 202 kms Rideau Canal Ottawa with Lake Ontario since 1832. It was built by the British as a military supply route, anticipating an attack by the United States on their colony in Upper Canada at the time.

Today it is a World Heritage Site and is only used for tourism, even in winter since 1971: at that time, resourceful citizens in Ottawa cleared the snow with shovels and brooms – making it the longest ice rink in the world It was time of birth. A 7.8 km ice machine is being prepared.

One island, one lake and two world records

2766 square kilometres: Mantoulin Island in Lake Huron covers an area three times the size of Berlin – the world’s largest island that is not located in the sea. Another record: Lake Manitou, almost as large as Mueritz, is the largest lake in the world on an inland island.

Most of the wine in Canada comes from Ontario

Canada, at least not so much in the frosty South, is a wine region. Ontario, particularly on the Great Lakes, has a moderate microclimate, with 80 percent of Canada’s vines growing on more than 6,000 hectares.

The largest wine-growing region in the country is divided into three regions: Prince Edward County, Lake Erie North Shore and the famous waterfalls on the Niagara Peninsula. Typical wines are Chardonnay, Riesling and Eiswin – its grapes are harvested and pressed at temperatures below 8 °C.

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“That’s where I learned most of what I know”

Neil Young, one of the best-known Canadian musicians and singer-songwriters, in his song “Born in Ontario”, which he released with his band Crazy Horse in 2012 on the album “Psychedelic Pill”. Young was born in Toronto in 1945 and spent his early childhood in rural southern Ontario.

Young’s career began in the sixties. Since then, “Godfather of Grunge”, which skillfully moves between the genres of rock, folk and country, has recorded over 60 albums.

Bizarre, Record Breaking, Exclusive: You can find more of our regional geography series here.