As recently as 1995 Chicago’s Navy Pier was a drab slab of concrete projecting into Lake Michigan, formerly used as a military and freight terminal. But a huge effort to funnel locals and tourists onto the Pier has seen the installation of a variety of attractions on the waterfront – for kids as well as … Read more
The most distinctive symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) was much maligned by critics when it rose on the city’s skyline in 1889 as part of the Universal Exhibition, but its graceful symmetry soon made it the star attraction. At 312 m (1,023 ft) high, it was the world’s tallest building until it … Read more
With more than six million visitors, over five million litres of beer, 200,000 pairs of pork sausages, and 100 spit-roasted oxen – Munich’s Oktoberfest is the largest folk fair in the world. At the foot of the Bavaria statue, a huge field, the Theresienwiese (Wiesn for short), is transformed into a fairground with beer tents … Read more
From Machu Picchu to New Zealand’s boiling mug pools, some of the world’s most amazing sights are best seen on foot… Fancy stepping off the beaten track? If you’re up for a real adventure, there’s a whole host of fantastic trekking opportunities all over the world. All you need is your passport and some careful … Read more
Located in the heart of the city, this former residence of Bavarian kings and home of the Wittelsbach dynasty until 1918 was gradually transformed from a moated castle (1385) into an extensive complex with seven courtyards. Highlights include the largest secular Renaissance building (the Antiquarium), interiors from the 17th century and the Rococo period, and … Read more
Affiliated with Tate Britain, London’s most exciting new gallery is housed within the old Bankside power station, on a prime riverside site opposite the City. Large enough for huge installations, its 88 galleries provide a light, airy space in which to display Tate’s collection of international modern art. This includes works by Dalí, Picasso, Matisse, … Read more
Founded in 1935, the SFMOMA is the only museum in the western US devoted to collecting and exhibiting the full scope of modern and contemporary art, and second only to New York’s MOMA. The landmark museum moved to its wonderful Post-Modernist setting in the burgeoning South of Market neighborhood (see The Rise of South of … Read more
This is the main drag that slices across Capitol Hill, one of Seattle’s edgier communities just up the hill from downtown. Block after block of hip stores and a wide variety of cafés and restaurants attract a thriving gay culture and gritty youth population. On warm nights, Broadway is about as urban as Seattle gets … Read more
An amazing feat of engineering, this giant observation wheel is the second highest in the world, and offers fascinating views over the whole of London. Towering over the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament, it was built to celebrate the Millennium year, and has proved enormously popular. Its 32 enclosed capsules each hold 25 people … Read more
Inspired by Notre Dame in Paris, the third largest Episcopal cathedral in the US stands on the site of Charles Crocker’s Nob Hill mansion, which was destroyed in the 1906 disaster. Work began on it in 1910 but was not finally completed until 1964. It is constructed of steel and concrete, despite its Gothic look, … Read more
Once known as Chinatown, this district was renamed when community leaders recognized that inhabitants from all over Asia had made that term obsolete. One of Seattle’s most historical districts, the ID is a striking example of how Asian cultures thrive and assimilate into Western society. Each ethnicity claims a particular quadrant, even while co-existing in … Read more
After years of decline, the Kurfürstendamm, or Ku’damm for short, has once again become a fashionable hot spot. Breathtaking architecture, elegant boutiques and a lively scene with street artists around Breitscheidplatz have made this shopping boulevard Berlin’s most attractive and – at 3.8 km (2.5 miles) – also its longest avenue for strolling. Tourist information … Read more
This glorious Gothic building is the focus of public spiritual life for the city and the nation. The structure – the sixth largest cathedral in the world – was completed in 1990, with a 10-story-high nave and a central tower 676 ft (206 m) above sea level, the highest point in the District of Columbia. … Read more
Incorporating one of the most important medieval art collections in the world, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) is housed in the majestic Palau Nacional, built in 1929. The high point of the museum is the Romanesque art section, consisting of the painted interiors of churches from the Pyrenees dating from the 11th and … Read more
The Pergamonmuseum is one of the most important museums of ancient art and architecture in the world. The museum was built in 1909–30 by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffmann to house Berlin’s collection of antiquities as well as vast temples and palace rooms in their original size. These works of art, excavated by German archaeologists … Read more
Capitoline Hill was ancient Rome’s religious heart, and is now home to a magnificent museum. A gently stepped grade, the Cordonata leads you up the hill and provides an unforgettably theatrical experience, just as Michelangelo planned it in the 16th century. At the top you notice the outstretched hand of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, as he … Read more
Walking the pedestrian-only cobblestone streets past the best preserved Victorian industrial architecture in North America, you’ll feel as if you’ve stumbled into another century. The 44 buildings of this 13-acre (5-ha) site were, until the mid-1900s, part of Gooderham and Worts, once the world’s largest distillery. The distillery evolved from a grist mill founded here … Read more
Although only a few miles from urban Hong Kong, the remote, pristine beaches on the eastern edge of the rugged Sai Kung Peninsula seem like another country. There is no rail link and few roads, so you will have to make an early start, taking a bus to Sai Kung town, another bus to Pak … Read more
Over its 130 year-plus history, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) has collected some 350,000 pieces from an array of cultures and civilizations, ranging from ancient Egyptian tomb treasures to stylish modern artworks. The museum is currently undergoing major expansion with the addition of a new American Wing, and more. Be sure to request a … Read more
Hong Kong’s newest museum, on the outskirts of Sha Tin in the New Territories, is by far its best (although the revamped History Museum in Kowloon is also worth a visit). Opened in 2000, the Heritage Museum covers the culture, arts and natural history of Hong Kong and the New Territories. Exciting audio-visual exhibits and … Read more