A warm welcome The Viceroy embraces Mayan mythology and culture wholeheartedly. On arrival, resident shaman, Jose Coali blesses you with Copal, a type of incense made from the resin extracted from the Bursera Bipinnata tree, which he burns and what’s around you. Viceroy’s menu takes inspiration from Mayan cuisine with dishes such as Yellowfin Tuna … Read more

For safety reasons, Seattle parks close by 10pm or 11pm, and it’s best not to visit them after dark. Greenlake The well-worn paths in this lake’s  sylvan setting take visitors around a placid lake in a quiet neighborhood north of downtown. Mirror-smooth or gently rippling with the wind, Greenlake’s mesmerizing surface lets minds wander freely. … Read more

Using the word “grunge” to describe Seattle’s music will mark you as an unhip outsider or a journalist looking for verbal shortcuts. The drinking age for all alcoholic beverages in Washington is 21, so have your ID handy when seeking entrance to taverns or bars. The Showbox This elegant 1900s Art Deco room with state-of-the-art … Read more

Viktualienmarkt For a special experience, be sure to visit the Viktualienmarkt, founded in 1807. Formerly a farmers’ market, it has evolved into a shopping destination for gourmets. From Monday to Saturday, you will find daily offerings of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, and flowers, as well as exotic spices and other speciality foods. … Read more

Geiselgasteig & Bavaria Filmstadt Second only to Berlin’s film industry, Geiselgasteig has been a centre for film since 1910. Major productions have been shot here well into the modern era, including Petersen’s Das Boot, and films by Bergman and Fassbinder. Today, Bavaria Filmstadt presents screenings and live shows on the back lot. Geiselgasteig, Bavariafilmplatz 7 … Read more

Chicago Blues Festival The raucous weekend-long Blues Festival kicks off summer in Chicago. An estimated 750,000 listeners converge on Grant Park for the world’s largest free blues event. The main stage line-up spans traditional bluesmen like Honey Boy Edwards, jazz interpreters such as Mose Allison, and blues-inflected popsters like Bonnie Raitt. Smaller side stages offer … Read more

NOTE Pilsen Named after a city in the former Czech Republic, whose immigrants settled here in the mid-1800s, this neighborhood now claims the Midwest’s largest Mexican community. It’s anchored by the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum  and animated by street vendors, mariachi music, and Mexican restaurants. Vibrant outdoor murals and mosaics portray Mexican culture and … Read more

Tea sets You’ll never look at a cup the same way again. For a start, Chinese tea cups are often three-piece affairs with a saucer to prevent burned fingers and a lid to keep the leaves out of your mouth. They are sized from mug to thimble, and the colors and patterning can be exquisite, … Read more

Hong Qiao Market Hong Qiao is best known for pearls (hence its alternative name, the “Pearl Market”), with a huge range available, freshwater and seawater, up on the third floor. The floors below are a tight compress of clothing, shoes, electronics, and more, while in the basement is a pungent, but fascinating market for fish, … Read more

New Year’s Eve To be among the crowds on the Puerta del Sol on the most exciting night of the year is an unforgettable experience. On the stroke of midnight join the revellers in observing the custom of swallowing grapes, one after each chime. Bags of grapes and bottles of sparkling wine are sold from … Read more

Centro Cultural Conde Duque For most of the year this cultural centre hosts temporary art exhibitions. During the annual Summer Arts Festival, however, opera, plays and concerts are also on the programme, many of the events staged outdoors. Calle del Conde Duque 11 Centro Cultural Conde Duque Cine Doré This beautiful 1920s cinema is now … Read more

The Peak Circuit Taking about an hour to complete at a gentle pace, this loop around Victoria Peak, formed by Harlech and Lugard Roads, offers jaw-dropping city panoramas to the north, boundless sea views to the south, and glimpses of millionaire homes among the greenery en route . View from the Peak Quiet road at … Read more

T’ang Court The Langham Hotel completed its US$35 million upgrade in 2003, and the food at T’ang Court continues to astonish. Peerless creativity and an insistence on wok chi (wok cooking at the highest achievable temperature) are the keys to T’ang Court’s greatness. 1/F, Langham Hotel, 8 Peking Road, Kowloon 2375 1133ext. 2250 The Verandah … Read more

Caravaggio’s Deposition Caravaggio strove to outdo Michelangelo’s Pietà by making his Mary old and tired. Rather than a slender slip of a Christ, Caravaggio’s muscular Jesus is so heavy (emphasized by a diagonal composition) that Nicodemus struggles with his legs and John’s grasp opens Christ’s wound. Raphael’s Transfiguration Raphael’s towering masterpiece and his final work … Read more

Villa Farnesina A little gem of gracious living, decorated by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, including Raphael. The loggias are now glassed in to protect the precious frescoes, but they were originally open, embodying the ideal of blending indoor and outdoor spaces – a concept borrowed from ancient Roman villa designers . … Read more

National Air and Space Museum Kids’ dreams are founded on and inspired by these ravishing soaring devices and spectacular rockets, while their parents and grandparents can reminisce over the early days of aviation and see how far we’ve come. End the visit by treating children to a scoop of the freeze-dried ice cream. National Air … Read more

Embassy Row Since the 19th century, Embassy Row, the string of great mansions heading west from Dupont Circle up Massachusetts Avenue, has been a hotbed of gathering and suppressing information. Today, 46 embassies and chanceries here help shape foreign policy by allowing issues to be discussed without the glare of public announcement. Churchill statue, Embassy … Read more

49-Mile Drive This all-in-one driving tour is marked with blue-and-white seagull markers, and winds its way through the most picturesque parts of the city. It can be challenging to follow, keeping an eye out for the markers and the traffic at the same time, but you can get a map of the route from the … Read more

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Dining Room More perfect food than this, in a more quietly refined setting, or with more elegantly considerate service is hard to imagine. When you want to give yourself a treat, make a reservation here and prepare to be pampered with the very best food and wines . Ritz-Carlton Hotel Dining Room … Read more

Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) Whatever you are looking for, you will find it here, in Europe’s largest temple of consumption. On eight floors, the venerable KaDeWe (department store of the West) offers more than three million products. On its gourmet floor, West Berlin’s former “shop window”, you can choose from 1,800 cheeses, 1,400 breads and … Read more