Green Door This Berlin classic never goes out of style. A young urban crowd enjoys some of the best drinks and cocktails money can buy in Germany, mingling at the minimalist retro-style bar and along the curved, green walls. At weekends, the place is packed to bursting. There’s an outdoor bell, but the door policy … Read more
Unless otherwise stated, bars and clubs are open daily, have a cover charge after 9/10pm, and have DA. La Pomme Rouge La Pomme boasts two salons: Paradis (paradise) features elegant couches, fireplaces, and a Victorian sideboard; Enfer (hell) has fabric-covered walls, dozens of pillows, and the design decadence of an opium den. In the curtained … Read more
St Paul’s Monuments Crypt Floorplan Tomb of Christopher Wren St Paul’s architect, Sir Christopher Wren (1632–1723), has a plain tomb in the OBE chapel. Its inscription reads, “Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice – Reader, if you seek a monument, look around you”. Wellington’s Tomb Britain’s great military leader and prime minister, Arthur Wellesly, 1st Duke … Read more
Marlene Dietrich The famous filmstar (1901–92), born in Schöneberg, began her career in Berlin in the 1920s. Her breakthrough came with the film The Blue Angel (1931). She lies buried in the Friedenau cemetery in Steglitz. Her personal possessions are exhibited in the Filmmuseum Berlin in the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz. Albert Einstein In … Read more
Unless stated, all restaurants accept credit cards, recommend reservations, and are open for lunch and dinner. Arun’s Distinct from other Thai restaurants in the city, Arun’s serves a gourmet version of the spice-and-vegetable driven Asian fare with high quality ingredients and careful presentation. Multi-course fixed-price menus change nightly, and dietary restrictions can be taken into … Read more
This is the great masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt the City’s churches after the Great Fire of 1666. Completed in 1708, it was England’s first purpose-built Protestant cathedral, and has many similarities with St Peter’s in Rome, notably in its enormous ornate dome. It has the largest swinging bell in Europe, Great Paul, … Read more
Gumps Founded in 1861 by German immigrants, this homegrown department store is an institution. It has the largest collection in the US of fine china and crystal, selling famous names such as Baccarat and Lalique. The store is also celebrated for its Oriental treasures, rare works of art, and its window displays. 135 Post St … Read more
Tickets for many theatre and music performances are available from München Ticket. Visit www.muenchenticket.de Up-to-date performance programmes are posted on all advertising pillars and are also found in daily newspapers. Pasinger Fabrik Theatre Much Noise About Nothing is the name of the largest stage of this alternative cultural centre, located next to the U-Bahn station … Read more
Neue Nationalgalerie: www.smb.museum Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s best art museum, the Gemäldegalerie focuses on European art of the 13th to 19th centuries, such as Caravaggio’s Cupid Victorious, and works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens . Neue Nationalgalerie The National Gallery’s collection includes modern German art and classics of the 20th century. It often holds spectacular temporary exhibitions. … Read more
San Francisco’s parks should be avoided at night. Golden Gate Park One of the largest city parks in the US is also one of the most diverse, and all of it brought forth from what was once scrub and dunes. The park also features first-rate cultural attractions such as the de Young Museum. Shakespeare Garden, … Read more
Tickets for performances at the state theatres can be booked online at www.staatstheater-tickets.bayern.de Most theatres close at the start of the summer holidays (end of July). The new season usually begins at the end of September. Bayerische Staatsoper Built in 1811, the neo-Classical national theatre was reconstructed (1823–5) after a fire. It grew into one … Read more
Ägyptisches Museum: www.smb.museum Museum für Naturkunde: www.museum.hu-berlin.de Pergamonmuseum Berlin’s most impressive museum is a vast treasure trove of antiquities . Ägyptisches Museum The star exhibit in the Egyptian Museum, part of the Neues Museum, is the beautiful bust of Nefertiti, wife of Akhenaton. The long-necked limestone bust, discovered in 1912, probably served as a model. … Read more
Lincoln Memorial This memorial touches the hearts of all African-Americans because of Lincoln’s steadfastness in ending slavery in the US. It was here that Martin Luther King, Jr. made his “I Have a Dream” speech . Lincoln Memorial Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church This church was important in sheltering runaway slaves before the Civil War, … Read more
Children’s Museum In the heart of Seattle Center, this museum contains imaginative galleries and hands-on studio spaces that endlessly stimulate children’s imaginations. The walk-through Global Village reveals lifestyles of Japan and Ghana, and a wonderful stage invites young performers to dress up and act out scripts provided by the museum. 305 Harrison St 260 441 … Read more
Transamerica Pyramid Hated by many at first, the Pyramid is now loved as an icon of the city. Recalling pyramids of ancient cultures, to some it is a symbol of the mysticism that has always played a part in the San Francisco mentality. At 853 ft (260 m), it is the tallest building in the … Read more
Molson Amphitheatre With its lakeside setting in Ontario Place, this is a great place to take in a summer concert. There’s seating for 9,000 under the copper canopy, plus space for 7,000 on the grass. Top performers often mean sold-out shows. 909 Lake Shore Blvd W 416 260 5600 Molson Amphitheatre Roy Thomson Hall The … Read more
Swimming Cherry Beach in the east and Hanlan’s Point are two of Toronto’s best beaches. While the city has improved water quality, beaches are often posted with no-swimming signs, often after heavy rains. More reliable are the public pools. Beaches hotline 416 392 7161 Beach and pool info www.toronto.ca Young swimmers at a public pool … Read more
Beer selection Unless otherwise specified, locally-brewed beers listed here are available citywide La Grande Dame Bar Bearing the nickname of the orange-labeled Veuve Clicquot champagne house, this bar is the first branded venue the Reims producer has launched in the US. Views of the Liberty Hotel grand rotunda overhead are magnificent. Multiple vintages of Veuve … Read more
L’Aroma Café The beautiful people take their espresso at L’Aroma, where the Italian style of the coffees, sandwiches, luncheon salads, and pastries are more evocative of Milan than Rome. As a bonus, tea-lovers can order from a choice of 20 loose-leaf varieties . Caffè Vittoria The jukebox at the largest of North End’s Italian cafés … Read more
We discover sports and spas on the Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic. I’d heard that Madeira was a great walking holiday if you were of a certain age, so I’d always earmarked it for my retirement years. How wrong I’ve been! In fact, the Portuguese island is one of the most youthful, … Read more