Berliner Filmfestspiele The Berlinale is the only top German film festival, and is attended by Hollywood stars and German starlets alike. Until 1999, the film festival took place all around the Zoo-Palast cinema; today the traditional festival draws thousands of cinema fans to the area around Potsdamer Platz. Filmhaus Potsdamer Platz 2nd and 3rd week … Read more

Sherlock Holmes The famous but fictitious detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle first appeared in 1891. He still gets regular fan mail sent to his equally fictitious address of 221b Baker Street . Sherlock Holmes, London’s famous detective Charles Dickens The great Victorian novelist and social campaigner (1812–70) lived in Doughty Street for two years … Read more

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Hampton Court The finest piece of Tudor architecture in Britain, Hampton Court was begun by Henry VIII’s ally Cardinal Wolsey in 1514 and later given to the king. It was enlarged first by Henry and then by William and Mary, who employed Christopher Wren as architect. Its many rooms include a … Read more

Jardin des Tuileries A stroll through the beautiful Tuileries Gardens is one of the must-dos of Paris. Before the Revolution this was a prime spot for the aristocracy to show off their latest fashions. The gardens are now part of the Musée du Louvre . Jardin des Tuileries The Left Bank A very Parisian walk, … Read more

Café de Flore A hang-out for artists and intellectuals since the 1920s, its regulars have included Salvador Dali and Albert Camus. During World War II Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir “more or less set up house in the Flore”. Although its prices have skyrocketed, its Art Deco decor hasn’t changed and it’s still a … Read more

Café Carlyle Chic and classy Café Carlyle is New York at its best and is well worth the steep cover charge; Eartha Kitt was a regular, and Woody Allen is often part of Monday night jam sessions. Bemelmans Bar features pianists like Barbara Carroll, and a cheaper tab. Carlyle Hotel, 35 East 76th St at … Read more

Carriage Ride through Central Park The horse-drawn hansom cabs lined up at the edge of Central Park are romance personified. The driver, appropriately attired in fancy dress and top hat, will help you up as you nestle in for a 20-minute trot past park landmarks . Carriage rides through Central Park Dinner at the River … Read more

Contact the Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau for information on festivals and events (1 888 733 2678; www.bostonusa.com) Fourth of July Given Boston’s indispensable role in securing independence for the original 13 colonies, Independence Day adopts a certain poignancy here. With beer-fueled barbecues and a fireworks display on the Charles River banks, Boston throws the … Read more

Newbury Street Try as it might, Back Bay’s most famous street cannot escape comparisons to Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive. True, both offer stupendous people-watching, sophisticated shopping, chic dining, and prestigious galleries. Yet with its 19th-century charm and convenient subway stops, Newbury Street outclasses its built-yesterday Left Coast counterpart by far.  Filene’s Basement Discount fashion outlets … Read more

Colborne Lane This modern, post-industrial restaurant is a mecca for lovers of molecular gastronomy, and Claudio Aprile is Toronto’s most proficient and enigmatic culinary maestro. His tasting menu, bursting with delicious surprises, is a must. Both Food & Wine Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler voted Colborne Lane as one of the most exciting new restaurants … Read more

Verveine The decor is soothing (soft lighting and linens), the food high-end comfort: smoked salmon with truffled scrambled eggs, poached eggs on croissant . Verveine Lakeview Lunch Slide into a booth – part of the old-style diner decor – and choose from a menu that focuses on eggs and burger classics. Good milkshakes. 1132 Dundas … Read more

Mercat de La Boqueria Barcelona’s most famous food market is conveniently located on La Rambla. Freshness reigns supreme and shoppers are spoiled for choice, with hundreds of stalls selling everything from vine-ripened tomatoes to haunches of beef and moist wedges of Manchego cheese. The city’s seaside status is in full evidence at the fish stalls. … Read more

Tibidabo The mountain of Tibidabo is the best vantage point for a bird’s-eye view of Barcelona. Thrill-seekers opt for a spin on the Tibidabo fairground attraction called La Atalaya, a rickety basket attached to an ancient crane-like contraption which gives a 360-degree view of Barcelona, the sea and the Pyrenees. A less giddy option is … Read more

The Herbfarm Dining at this Eastside restaurant requires time, money, and an appreciation of the culinary arts. Chef Jerry Traunfeld’s kitchen often uses ingredients from the restaurant’s gardens and farm. Creative menus include a nine-course dinner of Northwest foods, served with five or six matched wines (non alcoholic options are also available). Reserve well in … Read more

Pacific Place Part of a $500 million development plan, this is the crown jewel of Seattle’s retail shopping centers. Stores include Tiffany & Co., Coach, Ann Taylor, Helly Hansen, Cartier, Pottery Barn, L’Occitane, Aveda, and Williams-Sonoma. The top level has an 11-screen AMC Theatre complex and several fine gourmet restaurants. There is also a skybridge … Read more

Nightlife Unless otherwise specified, an admission fee is charged for all concerts, clubs, and discos. A huge nightlife complex – Kunstpark Nord in Fröttmaning –is due to be completed near Allianz Arena in 2009. The Atomic Café With its bright orange 1960s decor, the Atomic has been a popular club for years. You’ll find a … Read more

Munich no longer has a closing time for bars; many stay open until 3am or later. Several museums feature attractive cafés, including the Glyptothek, the Kunsthalle (Hypo Kulturstiftung), and the Lenbachhaus. Schumann’s Munich’s top bar since 1982, now in a new location on the Hofgarten. Most tables are reserved for regulars, so be sure to … Read more

Unless otherwise stated, all attractions have Disabled Access. Chicago Children’s Museum The engrossing, imaginative exhibits here emphasize doing – be it digging up a dinosaur bone or designing a water channel. A central, three-story rope tunnel immediately snares the attention of older visitors, though there are age-appropriate attractions for infants to pre-teens. If this place … Read more

State Street A slew of chain stores line this legendary street , but it’s the two old-time department stores that make it unique. The former Marshall Field’s, now Macy’s, here since 1907, has merchandise to satisfy every wealthy woman’s needs. At Filene’s Basement the prices are lower, but the variety is still extensive . State … Read more

Tea being poured in a Beijing restaurant Check the local press for details of cooking classes Beijing duck The best-known dish in north Chinese cuisine. The duck, a local Beijing variety, is dried and brushed with a sweet marinade before being roasted over fragrant wood chips. It is carved by the chef and eaten wrapped … Read more