Chariots are out... bikes are in

3,400 years of culture is undoubtedly a good reason for visiting, especially as many of the most spectacular temples of the classical era are still standing, such as the resplendent Parthenon (…just waiting for the British Museum to give back those Marbles!). However there’s much more to Athens than Doric-columned delights: today’s shining temples come in the form of stadia left over from the 2004 Olympics Games, such as the Spiros Louis Stadium with its roof by Santiago Calatrava. If you’re non-plussed by architecture however there’s the Greek cuisine and nightlife to indulge in and plenty of pleasant parks to ramble in. For many of course Athens is also the gateway to the diverse and beautiful archipelagoes that constitute the Greek islands.

Best of the Beaten Track

Once you’re in Athens, you can’t escape it… there are pieces of history almost everywhere. From the famous Temple of Hephaestus in the central district of Thission to the archeological finds inside some of the city’s busiest metro stations. The best way to enjoy most of the city’s sites is by foot. Forget the hop on-hop off city tour buses, grab a city map and head to Syntagma square. From there you can visit the National Garden (where famously King Alexander I was bit by a monkey, and subsequently died of Sepsis) and the Zappeion next to the Parliament. After you can either walk down the Ermou Street straight to Monastiraki with the Ancient Agora and Thission, or choose to turn left and get lost in one of the most beautiful areas of Athens, Plaka. Whichever one you choose, there will be plenty to see.

Patching up the Parthenon

Some of the sights you’ll pass are the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, under the rock of Acropolis, the Stoa of Attalos, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the new Acropolis Museum and the Roman Agora. Of course, you simply cannot ignore the Acropolis and its most recognised monument, the Parthenon.

If you still have energy left after that, or you’re up for another walk the following day, there are plenty of places left to visit, such as Lycabettus Hill with its entrance on the corner of Ploutarchou and Aristippou streets, or a stroll in the rather chichi district of Kolonaki.

Hipster’s Guide

My first suggestion would be the Pedion tou Areos, a big park perfect for an evening walk. For those that prefer a fresh sea breeze, you can take the tram until the Batis station and head right to Faliro and the Flisvos marina.

...not to be confused with the Techno Police

The areas of Metaxourgeio and Kerameikos boast a number of art galleries such as the Municipal Gallery of Athens, with 3000 paintings by 19th and 20th century Greek artists, and both the Athens House of Photography and Technopolis, a former gasworks turned mixed use cultural centre, which host rotating exhibitions throughout the year.

Tourists usually stay away from the area of Exarchia and it’s not for everyone. I wouldn’t suggest it if you’re travelling with your family. But if you’re not, and you’re willing to look for them, it’s a place with lots of artistic and cheap cafes, bars and shops.

To really get under the skin of the city why not sign up for the Meet A Local scheme… register at least 72 hours before you arrive and get your own free tour guide!

Experience and Events

Something interesting you can experience in Athens is a bike ride with the locals. If you’re up for it, cyclists gather in Thission, traditionally on balmy Friday nights during summer (around 9pm), before setting off on a big ride throughout the city.

Five drachma or I walk

On the weekends, head to Monastiraki. The flea marketon Sunday is lovely and with some digging, you can certainly find something interesting amongst the handmade jewellery, analogue cameras and dusty musical instruments. The key is getting there early though, because the crowd is impossible later on the day.

As you’d expect Athens has a busy events schedule, some more famous to tourists such as the Rock Wave Festival (July), others less so like the Nyxtes Premieras Film Festival (Sept), and some much less. Before visiting, I suggest you browse online to see which events sound interesting to you.

Pillow Talk

Starting on the luxury end of the scale, I can’t not mention the Grande Bretagne, a 5-star place to stay right in the centre of the city, in Syntagma. Next there is the new A for Athens hotel in Monastiraki. It is incredibly close to the metro station and has a roof bar (also visited by non-residents) with a beautiful view of the whole city. If you’re travelling on a budget though, the Central Athens and the Athos Hotels are two very good alternatives. Both with a lovely view, located near the area of Plaka, just minutes away from Syntagma square and the metro station.

Fork Out

The price is academic at Gazi College

Drop In

Athens is famous for its vibrant nightlife and Greeks are known to sleep late… Locals prefer the areas of Gazi, Psirri and Monastiraki. In Psirri and Monastiraki you can find bars small or large playing from ethnic and rock to jazz and pop. There are also some gig spaces you can visit. Six dogs and Bios are probably the most well-known. You realise Gazi has a huge diversity of bars almost the second you leave the metro station: there are a loads of drinking dens and clubs in every street around Gazi square to satisfy every taste. A great starting point for a bar crawl is Socialista in Triptolemou street.

Getting There

Athens International airport Eleftherioz Venizelos is serviced by all major airlines. The best-known greek ones are Olympic and Aegean airlines. Easyjet are one of the cheapest to fly to Greece and they go from London, Manchester and Edinburgh in the UK, plus from Berlin, Paris and Rome.

More Juice

Many websites can keep you up to date with Athens’ nightlife and everyday events but most don’t have an English language site as well. Breathtakingathens however is a site where you can read some of the city’s news. Matt Barrett’s Athens Survival Guide is a highly detailed resource for tourists, and those folks at In Your Pocket are online too. Pictures paint a thousand words (as we know) and you may want to whet your appetite for Athens by checking out this huge photostream of the city, uploaded by locals on a daily basis.

Hard Copy

Lonely Planet, Rough Guide and Time Out have all decent city guides for Athens (the latter being the best). Also, free press magazines of the city such as LIFO and Athens Voice can be found around Syntagma in stands inside and out of coffee houses, and include things to do, places to go and events. Literature-wise, Homer‘s Iliad may not be a page turner in the modern sense, but the account of Achilles’ argument with Agamemnon at the tail-end of the Trojan War is packed with juicy battles and noble deeds. Meanwhile Thucydides‘ History of the Peloponnesian War is considered the first serious history book (ie. no flying snakes as with Herodotus) and you won’t get a better insight into classical Greece than this work by an Athenian general. For something more modern John Fowles’ cult classic The Magus is a must, especially if you’re heading on to the islands.

Soundtrack to the City

Pulp – Common People
Better than Ezra – Road trip to Athens
Pat McGee – Girl from Athens
Young Statues – Athens
Blur – Boys and Girls
Helena Paparizou – Mambo

The largest city in the Caribbean, with 2.1 million inhabitants, it’s no exaggeration to say Cuba’s capital makes for a unique visit – but to understand Havana you first have to understand its history. Founded in the 16th century by the Spanish, Havana’s position as ‘Key to the New World’ saw it rapidly grow from a small trading outpost into a flourishing and fashionable city of commerce and leisure. By the 1930s, swelled by American tourists escaping prohibition, it had become the Las Vegas of the Latin world, full of luxury hotels, swinging nightclubs and casinos – and seedy characters. Much of Havana’s legacy today is grounded in those cocktail-fuelled days of hedonistic abandon.

Walking the streets

Whilst the grandeur of Havana’s halcyon days still lingers on in the dilapidated colonial buildings and creaking American muscle cars (now more likely to be powered by Lada engines), today’s Cuba is a direct result of Guavara’s and Castro’s (highly romanticised) 1959 revolution, and their subsequent Communist policies, which restricted foreign trade and isolated the country from the rest of the world.

With Castro finally stepping down from power in 2008, change is in the air, but for now Havana remains in stasis, crippled by the US trade embargo still in place since 1961. That means a severe scarcity of everyday goods/items (don’t come to Cuba for the shopping or the fine-dining…) and a distinct lack of customer service (…a filthy Capitalist invention!), but you will discover a resourceful and romantic spirit refreshingly at odds with an increasingly uniform and globalised world. You might say that Havana is one of the few destinations around that continues to be itself rather than pander to what the traveller wants it to be.

Best of the Beaten Track

The Capitolio Nacional is Havana’s most famous landmark – this grandiose neoclassical building, whose dome reaches 92m off the ground, was based on Washington DC’s Capitol Building. Despite housing the Cuban Academy of Sciences and Technology, you can still head inside for a token fee and take in the ‘Hall of Lost Steps’ and the iconic Republica statue. Around the corner from el Capitolio is one of the most favoured cigar factories in the city: Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas. You can do a tour to watch the cigar making process from start to finish, then buy some from the musty, wood-panelled shop. (Note that the vicinity around the factory is a hotspot for scammers trying to sell you knock-off cigars “for a good price”. If a helpful local offers to walk you to the cigar factory, you’re more likely to end up in someone’s house faced with a holdall full of counterfeit Montecristos and Cohibas).

Plaza San Francisco in the sun

Havana is also known for its squares – Plaza Vieja, Plaza San Francisco de Asis, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral. They’re all within walking distance of each other and have points of interests worth checking out, from cathedrals to historical monuments. The vast Revolutionary Square is a taxi journey away from the Old Town in the Vedado distict and the current location of the Cuban government. There are various monuments to key revolutionaries here, including a large mural of Che Guevara.

Havana seems to have a museum about absolutely everything and you can’t possibly visit them all. The Revolutionary Museum, however, is a must. Housed in the former Presidential Palace, the interior was decorated by Tiffany’s and the last president to reside here was Batista. The building today could do with some TLC along with the rest of the city, but the walls pock-marked with bullet holes serve as a close reminder of battles from the past. The museum is filled with Revolutionary accessories, blood-stained uniforms and posters and flyers used before and after 1959. Visitors also have access to the plaza outside filled with bullet-riddled vehicles used during the Revolution, including the SAU-100 tank driven by Fidel Castro at the Bay of Pigs. Alongside this is the yacht that carried Castro and more than 80 revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba in 1956: it’s kept in a glass case and guarded by the military 24 hours a day.

Last but not least, the Malecon is an 8km long stretch of road with the sea on one side and a charming but seriously dilapidated row of buildings on the other. The Malecon is where Cubans go in their leisure time – to simply walk, ponder or meet up with friends or lovers for a chat or a date on the Malecon sea wall. It’s a window into Cuban life at its most simple and beautiful.

Hipster’s Guide

As a city with a museum for all and sundry, there are a couple of quirkier stops to be made. Museo de Naipes on Plaza Vieja is the playing card museum with a collection of 2,000 designs of playing cards. It’s definitely niche, but not as much as the Havana Pharmacy Museum. The miniscule ‘museum’ is set up as a display of an old Cuban pharmacy, which in reality is not much different to the working pharmacy (for Cubans only) that’s still in operation in the same building. Meanwhile the Museo del Automovil is filled with huge old American cars in much better condition than the ones you’ll find negotiating the roads.

Castro's tank

Bookworms and those looking for a slice of Cuban history in the form of the written word must pay a visit to the second hand book market that takes place in Plaza de Armas every day except Sundays. It’s filled with books relating to the revolution, including a number in cartoon form. Arty types might enjoy another speciality opportunity in the city – a class on the art and skill of engraving at the Taller Experimental de Grafica.

Sport fans can also explore Havana’s quirky side. The Gimnasio de Boxeo Rafael Trejo is a boxing gym where visitors can go to watch fights on Friday evenings. It’s certainly one way to get an insight into a side of Cuban life (check out this article in the Independent). There’s also the Estadio Latinoamericano – the city’s baseball stadium that seats almost 60,000 people. Believe it or not, baseball is Cuba’s national sport (Fidel Castro has even been pictured wearing a baseball hat and swinging a bat on the pitch) and this stadium gets packed out for games. While it’s not exactly a sport, the Circo Trompoloco – a circus with a focus on Soviet techniques – is an entertaining night out.

Foodies can have some fun in El Barrio Chino – Havana’s China Town. The irony is of course that there are no Chinese people running any of the restaurants. In the least, the Cuban interpretation of Chinese food makes for a talking point over dinner. Locals rate the ‘Three Chinese’ as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Havana. For afters, a visit to El Gato Tuerto – ‘the one eyed cat’ – is apt to finish up an alternative evening in the city. Found in a house off the Malecon, the property has turtles in the swimming pool out front, while the ground floor is a nightclub. Have a sneaky peak at the locals taking it in turns to sing renditions of Latin ballads by the karaoke machine, or join in if you’ve drunk enough mojitos.

Experience and Events

Havana’s annual events calendar kicks off from 1st January when Cubans not only celebrate the New Year but the triumph of the Revolution and a party atmosphere prevails on the streets. The Festival Internacional de Jazz happens every February and consistently draws in a number of big names. The Hemingway International Marlin Fishing Tournament was set up by Ernest Hemingway himself in 1951, and gained further notoriety when Fidel Castro won in 1960. August is when both the Havana Carnival and the Havana Hip Hop Carnival take place. The former involves music, parades and dancing along the Malecon (think the Notting Hill Carnival with more rhythm and less police presence), while the Hip Hop Carnival sees some of the country’s many young dancers performing. The Havana ‘Marabana’ marathon attracts up to 3,000 runners each year, and the year culminates in the internationally famous Festival del Nuevo Cine Latino-Americano – the Latin American Film Festival.

Poster at the Revolutionary Museum

For those who want to get an idea of some of Havana’s local creativity and life first hand, a stroll through the Old Town will reveal art gallery upon art gallery, so stop at any that take your fancy (if they’re open). The Fototeca de Cuba art gallery on Plaza Vieja is a photo gallery for local and international artists and the photo archive for the City Historian’s Office; it’s well worth a visit.

If you get the dancing bug while in Havana, and it’s hard not to, there are a number of dance classes on offer across the city. The Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba is a good option, with all kinds of classes suitable for different levels. Lastly, the travel agency San Cristobal Agencia de Viajes can do a tour of social projects going on in the city for those who want to get a firmer handle on how the city ticks.

Pillow Talk

Hotel Nacional, an art deco hotel built in 1930, is famous for being the site of shoot-outs between troops during several of Cuba’s changes of governments. The hotel also unwittingly hosted the largest ever get-together of the North American Mafia in 1946, who said they were there for a Frank Sinatra concert. It was once home to one of the most famous casinos in Cuba (gambling is now banned in Cuba), but still has a worthwhile cabaret and an intriguing selection of photos of past guests on the wall. Also at the high end Hotel Inglaterra is an old classic of a hotel, dating back to 1856. It was Jose Marti’s favourite hotel and El Louvre, the hotel’s al fresco rooftop bar, makes for a great pit stop even if you don’t stay the night. Hotel Habana Libre (formerly the Hilton) is worth a mention as Fidel Castro resided in a comfortable suite on the 24th floor for a few months following the success of the Revolution. It must certainly have beaten Cuba’s jungle and inhospitable mountains. Over in Miramar you’ll find the Hotel Melia Habana

If you don’t have cash to flash, there are plenty of budget and medium range accommodation options in central Havana. Residencia Academica Convento de Santa Clara is one of the few hostel accommodation types in the city and is housed in an old convent. It’s basic but serves a purpose. Most low priced accommodation options come in the form of casas and people renting out rooms. Just one example is Juan y Margarita (casas are often simply called the name of the owners) on Obispo. They rent out a two bedroom apartment with a sitting room and a balcony that helps you get a feeling for Cuban life going on below.

Fork Out

A Cuban spread

The restaurant that locals unanimously agree is the best place in town is Los Nardos. It’s a drab-looking, semi-private restaurant where you often have to queue, but seems to be worth it. It serves up Cuban food and seafood such as lobster for cheap prices. For fine dining (which is hard to truly find in Cuba), your best option is La Torre, found on the top floor of the modernist structure of Edificio Focsa. It has a French focus and impeccable service (also hard to find in Cuba), although prices are expensive even by European standards. La Imprenta on Mercaderes is more of a realistic, middle of the row option, located in an old printing works. Café Lamparillanearby is totally buzzing with pavement seating and serves cheap, satisfying food. Over in the suburb of Miramar, Paladar Mi Jardin is found in the tranquil setting of a family garden and the Mexican food on offer is really tasty.

Drop In

Founded by George Michael

As the ultimate city of music, every bar, restaurant or café you sit in will have a local band playing. That’s just Havana for you. With some renowned cabarets peppered in for good measure, every night is a night out in Havana. First stop has to be La Floridita, an old American hangout and widely known as being Ernest Hemingway’s favourite drinking spot. Prices reflect this institution’s claim to fame, but you still need to try it for the kudos. Make it a Papa Hemingway Special, which is basically a daiquiri made with
grapefruit juice. A few doors down is Monserrate Bar, replete with saloon-style doors and a great selection of bands. The prices are more reasonable and the place gets more and more vibrant as the day goes on. Bar dos Hermanos is on the way from the old town towards the docks and is another lively option; this one was the poet Lorca’s favourite. Jazz fans will get their fix from the JazzCafé on the top floor of the Galerias de Paseo nightclub, which overlooks the Malecon. Those who want more of a nightclub atmosphere should head over to La Casa de la Musica in Central Havana or in Miramar. It’s one of the most popular venues for live music in Havana and regularly has top live salsa bands. There are lots of cabaret options in Havana, but you might as well go to the most famous one. Club Tropicana, of course. The outdoor cabaret is a spectacle of scantily clad and exceptionally talented performers and you won’t regret going – Tropicana is one of the few places in the world that lives up to its name. Men are handed a cigar on entry and tickets also include a quarter of a bottle of the famous Havana Club rum and a glass of something sparkly per person.

Getting There

Virgin Atlantic flies from London Gatwick to Havana twice a week and from other cities across Europe at a similar frequency. Cubana Airlines also runs a number of international and domestic services. Package deals with specialist travel agencies such as The Holiday Place can offer more wallet friendly packages that include both accommodation and flights, but do your research on the hotels they offer before you go.

More Juice

Information on Cuba in general is hard to come by, both online and in print, and you should go knowing that you will have to work out a lot for yourself when you get there. Lonely Planet, Frommers and Virtual Tourist have some decent tips, as does this Insider’s Guide in the Guardian.

Hard Copy

Speaking about guide books, the sixth edition of the Lonely Planet to
Cuba (published in October 2011) helps get you started and there’s an extensive section on Havana, including some handy maps. For some fiction pack Graham Greene’s lauded Our Man in Havana.

Silver Screen

Apart from a film version of Our Man in Havana, take your pick from Revolutionary films such as Cuba with Sean Connery, Havana starring Robert Redford, or more recently Che with Benicio del Toro. For something more concerned with the plight of Habaneros today, try the Spanish/Cuban effort Habana Blues.

The Windy City is neither as big nor glamorous as New York and it doesn’t have the Hollywood appeal of Los Angeles. Yet millions flock to Chicago every year to admire its original architecture (steel skyscrapers were pioneered here), and to visit its numerous cultural institutions and historical sites. There are over 7,000 restaurants and nearly 2000 bars to visit by night, and on sunny days visitors can take advantage of 26 miles of lakefront, complete with bike paths and bathing beaches.

Chicago reflections

Chicago is often referred to as “the city of neighborhoods”. On the one hand, it’s a busy, diverse metropolis (population of 2.7 million), on the other, a place where you can feel a part of a community. Block parties, neighborhood spots, walkable shopping “main streets” all contribute to a local atmosphere.

Sport traditions and passions are very strong in the city – even if Chicagoans are used to not seeing their teams win very often. Baseball fans are divided into those that root for the Cubs or the White Sox (the annual Crosstown Classic draws big crowds to the ballparks), but the city’s NFL fans unite to cheer on “Da Bears” and it might be worth brushing up on their star players if you want to make friends.

Since its incorporation as a city in 1837, Chicago has had to overcome a lot of difficulties – the Great Fire of 1871, gangster wars during the Prohibition era, and political corruption – but it has always rebuilt itself and continues to innovate and grow, which is what has made it the US’s third biggest city.

Best of the Beaten Track

The Willis Tower (commonly referred to by its former name, the Sears Tower) is the tallest skyscraper in the United States and offers 360-degree views of Chicago from the 103rd floor Skydeck. A recent addition, the Ledge – all-glass balconies extending four feet out – allows visitors to look down to the street 1,353 feet (412 m) below. Another place for city views is the Observatory on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center, featuring an open-air skywalk and a cafe. For drinks and the view, go two floors up to the Signature Lounge (no cover charge).

Big city lights

Steps from the Hancock is the Water Tower, noted as one of the few buildings that survived the Great Chicago Fire. Across the street, the Water Tower Water Works building houses the Lookingglass Theatre, recipient of the 2011 Regional Tony Award.

The Art Institute of Chicago Museum in Grant Park is the second largest fine art museum in the country. It has one of the world’s largest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, including over 30 paintings by Claude Monet. The American collection features Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, one of the best-known American paintings.

The neighboring 24.5-acre Millennium Park replaced an area previously occupied by rail tracks and parking lots. Featuring unusual architecture and public art, an outdoor cafe (or skating rink in winter) and botanical gardens, it’s a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon. Check out the mirror-surfaced Cloud Gate (known as “the Bean”), the Crown Fountain, which projects video images, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, an outdoor concert venue hosting free events in the summer.

To learn about Chicago’s architecture, take a tour with the Chicago Architecture Foundation (their Michigan Ave. store is a good alternative to run-of-the-mill souvenir shops). The 90-min river cruise is well-worth booking.

Hipster’s Guide

Wicker Park and Bucktown are two adjoining neighborhoods where artsy and alternative spots are found alongside more trendy places. Many local businesses line Milwaukee, Damen and Ashland avenues, including book shops (Myopic Books is one of the city’s oldest used book sellers and stays open late) and record stores (Dusty Groove carries a large jazz selection).

The sketching is on the wall

Logan Square north of Bucktown has several independent coffee shops, such as Cafe Mustache and the hip New Wave Coffee. Wolfbait & B-girls is a boutique showcasing work of local designers and artisans (and a place where you can find unique Chicago souvenirs, including T-shirts and button pins). Farther northwest in Portage Park is the Portage Theater,one of the oldest movie venues in the city. Events hosted there include the Chicago Silent Film Festival and parts of the Chicago Polish Film Festival.

Pilsen on the south side is a largely Mexican neighborhood that in recent years has seen an influx of artists (events include the 2nd Fridays Gallery Night). Check out the National Museum of Mexican Art and intricate murals throughout the neighborhood, many of which are around 16th and Carpenter streets.

Experience & Events

Chicago is renowned for its blues traditions, and there is no shortage of clubs to visit. You can catch a live set at Buddy Guy’s Legends in South Loop (Buddy Guy being one of the pioneers of the city’s blues scene) or the intimate B.L.U.E.S. In Lincoln Park, featuring mostly local artists. Rosa’s Lounge on the northwest side offers both traditional and modern sounds. There is also a large jazz scene, with venues scattered around town. The Green Mill, a former Al Capone hangout, has shows 7 days a week and also runs a weekly Poetry Slam.

Rounders is big in America

The city has a highly-regarded theatre scene and a large variety of performance venues. In addition to large-scale productions in the downtown Theatre District, a number of smaller places around the city stage both classic and new, often innovative, plays. Examples include The Gift Theatre in Jefferson Park, A Red Orchid Theatre in Old Town (both operating out of cosy storefront spaces) and Chopin Theatrein Wicker Park, which features American and European productions.

A great way to experience the city’s diversity is through street festivals – as many as several hundred take place in the summer and fall, showcasing a variety of ethnic cuisines, local music acts and artists.

Pillow Talk

Following its completion in 2009, the Trump Tower Chicago became the second tallest skyscraper in the city. The hotel’s Michelin-rated restaurant, Sixteen (named for its location on the 16th floor), and adjoining terrace offer some of the best views of the city. (From $395/night). The elegant Palmer House downtown dates back to 1871 and features a two-story lobby with an intricate ceiling mural. Afternoon Tea is served daily and the Lobby Bar stays open until midnight or later. (Rates vary by date: $99-$349/night). Raffaello is a modern boutique hotel located off of Michigan Avenue, near the John Hancock Center. Among the amenities: a rooftop terrace and a spa with the option of in-room treatments. (From $135/night). Longman & Eagle’s six minimalist guest rooms in Logan Square occupy the second floor of the namesake bar/restaurant. An affordable alternative to downtown accommodation. (From $75/night).

Fork Out

A Chicago-style hot dog

Chicago’s restaurant scene reflects the city’s diverse population. Mexican fare is available throughout the city, with some of the best in the Pilsen area on the near south side (Nuevo Leon Restaurant is popular with local families) and on the northwest side. Sol De Mexico in Belmont-Cragin is worth the hike for their truly authentic dishes and a well-stacked tequila bar, and the casual Cemitas Puebla in Humboldt Park – for their Poblano-style sandwiches. The northwest side is also home to numerous Polish restaurants. Red Apple in Avondale and Norwood Park has a budget-friendly buffet 7 days a week. For Indian and Pakistani food, check out the Devon & Western area on the far north side, and for Asian – Chinatown on the near south side and Korean Town on the far north side. To try traditional Chicago-style hot dogs, head to Hot Doug’s in Avondale and Superdawg Drive-In on the far north side. The long-standing Exchequer Restaurant & Pubin the Loop is a cozy spot to try Chicago’s deep dish pizza.

Drop In

Jazzy nights at the Green Mill

Chicago’s nightlife scene is varied and ranges from dive-bars, bohemian places and casual neighborhood hangouts to upscale lounges and hip clubs. There are several areas with a high concentration of spots. Downtown and its vicinity has a number of party options, including bars overlooking the city. Vertigo Sky Lounge is an elegant space with a glass-enclosed terrace. Rush & Division Streets used to be a singles bar zone and nowadays largely attracts visitors and those who favour college-like parties. In Wicker Park, Piece makes small batches of micro brews (and pizza). At Double-Door, you can see live shows, ranging from indie rock and punk to hip hop and metal. Lemming’s in Bucktown is a neighborhood tavern, frequented by a mostly 30+ crowd. Further up Milwaukee Avenue, in Logan Square, you will find Revolution Brewing, serving their own craft beer, and the recently-opened Telegraph Wine Bar, focused on specialty wines. Whistler is a laid-back cocktail bar with a back patio, live music (they have their own record label) and an art gallery. Clark St. in Wrigleyville is a popular area for post-collegiate crowds and Cubs fans (to watch the White Sox play, take the Red Line to Bridgeporton the south side).

Getting There

With two major airports, O’Hare and Midway, and secondary ones in Gary, Indiana and Rockford, Illinois, Chicago is easily accessible by air and serviced by numerous major domestic and international airlines. CTA train service (“the El” – short for “elevated”) connects the two city airports with downtown (“the Loop”). Transport takes about 40 min. from O’Hare on the 24-hr Blue Line and 30 min. from Midway on the Orange Line ($2.25 for a single-ride ticket). Taxi service downtown from O’Hare is approximately $40, and $30 from Midway.

More Juice

Explore Chicago is the official city tourism site, featuring an overview of the neighbourhoods, event finder, trip planner, and other practical information. Centerstage and Metromix feature event listings, restaurant and bar reviews, and daily deals. For more alternative listings, check out the Chicago Reader. Some specialized online resources include Theatre in Chicago and Chicago Blues Guide. LTHForum is a community of Chicagoland foodies who participate in a culinary chat and publish an annual list of Great Neighborhood Restaurants.

Hard Copy

Frommer’s guide books, Chicago Magazine and Time Out Chicago are worth picking up. The Devil in the White City is a book based on real characters and events associated with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Upton Sinclair’s powerful novel The Jungle portrays Chicago immigrant life, poverty, and corruption in the meat-packing industry at the beginning of the 20th century.

Silver Screen

Movies about or filmed in Chicago include the cult musical comedy Blues Brothers (1980), crime drama Public Enemies (2009) with Johnny Depp portraying the notorious Depression-era bank robber, John Dillinger, and The Dark Knight (2008) of the Batman series, shot primarily in Chicago. TV’s Chicago Code was a crime drama series about a group of Chicago Police officers, filmed on location in multiple neighbourhoods. Of course it would be impossible to mention movies set in Chicago without paying tribute to Ferris Bueller and his Day Off… a whirlwind tour of the city in the company of one of film’s most loved characters.

Soundtrack to the City

Junior Wells – You Don’t Love Me, Baby
The Blues Brothers – Sweet Home Chicago
Frank Sinatra – My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)
Tortoise – On Noble
The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight
Kanye West – Homecoming

Long in the shadows of hipper, more well-known destinations in Poland such as Krakow, Wroclaw and Warsaw, Lublin has traditionally languished, economically and politically, out of the limelight, happy to be a big fish in the small pond of eastern Poland. In recent years however, Lublin has seen an upturn in fortunes, as European Union money has flooded into its coffers, infrastructure has improved and the architecture has been spruced up.

Painting the town orange

Best of the Beaten Track

You’ll no doubt head through one of Lublin’s main historical ‘gates’ – Krakowska or Grodzka – on arrival, and into the cobbled alleyways of its old town. These winding streets are full of life in summer, and you can soak up the history in and around the Rynek (market square). At the Rynek’s centre is the 1781 neo-classical Old Town Hall, beneath which can be found the fascinating Lublin Underground Trail, which tells the story of the city with the aid of scale models and photos including the story of the fire of Lublin in 1719. Visit the 16th-century cathedral nearby to see the ‘whispering room’; an acoustic vestry famous for its ability to project whispers. The Castle should be on anyone’s hitlist, not so much for its exterior beauty (it was rebuilt as a prison in the 1820’s) as for its interior, especially the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, which contains a beautiful set of frescoes, perhaps the finest examples of medieval wall paintings in Poland. Next on your itinerary should be a tour of Lublin’s Jewish sights, starting with the old Jewish district around ul. Lubartowska. Here you’ll find the only synagogue in town, and nearby the ‘Yeshiva’ – the school of sages of Lublin, or rabbi school, where rabbis were trained and dispatched all across Europe to teach before the war.

A lonely walk at Majdanek Death Camp

Finally Majdanek stands as a stark and austere monument to man’s inhumanity to man. Unlike the other well-known Nazi-run concentration camps which were mostly hidden away from public view in remote locations, Majdanek was situated on the edge of a major city, and visitors today can read accounts of the horrors that took place in full view of the local populace – around 80,000 to 100,000 died in just over two years of operation. You will not find the crowds here that you do in, say Auschwitz (indeed you may walk around for half a day with only a few crows for company, particularly out of season).

Hipster’s Guide

Lublin is a great city for cycling in and around and hiring a bike (cheap at around 30zł/8 Euro a day) will certainly open up some interesting options off the beaten track. First up, the skansen, 5km out in the west of the city. Over an undulating terrain of 25 hectares, this reconstruction of middle-ages rural Poland is a delight, and you can while away several hours here, exploring old wooden buildings, windmills, manor houses and even an orthodox church. Bring a picnic, have a campfire in the woods and watch locals sing folk songs on balmy summer evenings. Next door the pretty botanical gardens are worth a look too. Afterwards head to the south of the city through the forest (Las Stary Gaj) to the lake (Zalew Zemborzycki). Popular with fishermen, sailors, swimmers, cyclists, walkers and anyone who fancies a break from the city, this is a great place to chill out in the summer and unwind. Bring a book.

Nearby Kazimierz Dolny is a Polska highlight

Further afield, Kozłówka makes a pleasant day-trip; famous for the Zamoyski Museum housed in a sumptuous late-Baroque palace, the main reason to come here is to see the Socialist-realist art gallery, a great place to see that most politicized and discredited (yet still oddly fascinating) of styles, depicting various ‘glorious’ scenes of delirious workers interspersed with portraits of their infallible leaders (mainly from years 1949-56). Also nearby (90 mins by bus) is the stunning Kazimierz Dolny, probably the best-preserved medieval village in Poland, surrounded by picturesque hills and situated by the Wisła river.

Experiences and Events

Most of your time spent in Lublin will involve strolling around and enjoying the many cafes and bars around the old town, but for a town of its relative international obscurity, Lublin has a lively cultural life and only narrowly missed out on being awarded European Capital of Culture for 2016 to Wroclaw. Famed throughout Poland for its theatre tradition, don’t leave the city without checking out a performance – the main venue being Teatr im Osterwy.

The Danish influence

Pillow Talk

Lublin is not blessed with a wide variety of accommodation and it certainly lacks on the budget front, but Hostel Lublin tries to make amends for this with cheap and clean dorms, a common room with internet, free breakfast and friendly English-speaking staff. A bargain at 40zl (10 Euro) a night. Moving up the scale, Hotel Waksman, just inside Grodzka Gate in the old town, is a retro hotel which offers comfort and style in spades with faux antiques, historic portraits and some rooms with great views of the castle with rooms in the 200-250zl range. If you really feel like splashing out, check in at Grand Hotel Lublianka, a century-old pile which boasts a Turkish bath and sauna for all guests, one of the best restaurants in town and floor-to-ceiling charm from 300-500zl per night.

Fork Out

The number of good bars and restaurants in Lublin has proliferated in the last five years, so much so that you’ll find it hard to make a choice where to go in and around the Rynek. 16 Stołow (16 Tables) does a fine job of pretending to be in a much bigger city, and its refined and elegant surrounds are matched by an eclectic European menu including everything from English style fish and chips with mushy peas to roasted fillet of duck with orange sauce. A great place to try Polish cuisine is Old Pub. Less of a pub than a regal dining experience, this place serves up ‘staropolska’ (old Polish) cuisine in sumptuous surrounds, and it won’t cost you a king’s ransom. Nearby, Magia sprawls over several rooms and out into a summer garden, each area beautifully decorated. Fresh and tasty ingredients are used to create an imaginative European-influenced menu. To complete the Jewish-tour experience, try Mandragora, one of the finest kosher restaurants in Poland, whose menu includes all manner of mouth-watering Jewish specialities. For cheap and tasty eats, Zadora serves up bumper-sized pancakes for less than 5 Euro (15zl).

Drop In

The cute colours of Caxmafe

Getting There

At the moment, Lublin does not have an international airport, but this situation is set to change, with a new airport slated to be open in time for the Euro 2012 Championships next year. Until then, the closest airport is Warsaw, 3 hours away by train. Lublin is well connected to all the major cities in Poland by frequent trains and buses, and is a regional transport hub for Lubelskie. Krakow is 5 hours distant, and Lviv in Ukraine (another Euro 2012 city) about the same.

More Juice

Online information about Lublin is pretty scant, at least in English. www.tnn.pl is a site which shows a moving gallery of the Lublin Jewry and ghetto 1940-41, before the concentration camps wiped them out. Apart from that, Lonely Planet’s website and a chapter on eastern Poland is your best bet for reliable online info.

Hard Copy

Both Rough Guides and Lonely Planet do solid travel guides on Poland, but if you are looking for some more poetic travel reading, then Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated gives a great insight into the fate of east European Jews, and most interestingly, the history of ‘shtetls’, Jewish communities that existed in the Polish/Ukranian borderlands for some four hundred years until WW2. Bruno Shultz, another Jewish writer, wrote beautiful dream-like novellas and short stories, and was born in Drohobycz, in present-day Ukraine but then Poland. His collection The Street of Crocodiles & Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the best choice. Although not set in this region, Joseph Konrad’s Under Western Eyes, is the writer’s most eastern-European novel; often thought of as English, he was born Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski to Polish parents in Russian-dominated Ukraine, 100km from Lublin. Finally The Magician of Lublin is an immensely readable account of a talented performer corrupted by his dreams of the big time. Isaac Bashevis Singer wields the pen.

Soundtrack to the City

Myslovitz – Sprzedawcy Marżen
Riverside – After
Hobo Codes – When I Want To
Don’t Ask Smingus – Laying Down Lies
New Century Classics – Children of an Uncertain Future

The City of Angels

People relish in passing judgement on Los Angeles; maybe they think they’ve seen it all on the screen. “It’s superficial, everyone is plastic, and besides – there is too much traffic”. That’s like avoiding London because “it’s always raining,” or missing out on Tokyo because “it’s crowded.” As Mark Twain so succinctly put it, “all generalizations are false, including this one.”

Drop your preconceptions about Los Angeles and explore a sprawling heap of dozens of mini cities coexisting (or struggling to coexist) in a oddly charming bazaar of cultural and physical diversity. It’s a city with an eclectic history, bearing the relics and scars to prove it, that has amounted to something of a dysfunctional United Nations after party. Beautiful beaches, great weather, lots going on, and a place for every kind of person to enjoy it all. Sunset Boulevard alone sets corporate skyscrapers next to artsy villages, with cultural marketplaces just a few miles from upscale shopping. An unlikely collection of people lay claim to Los Angeles, and she tries to find a place for them all. Maybe Los Angeles herself is quite the opposite of superficial.

Okay, fine – there is too much traffic.

Best of the Beaten Path

Like any big city, there are plenty of touristy attractions in Los Angeles to spend/waste your time and money on. Hollywood Boulevard is cheesy, but you’re going to feel slightly foolish telling your friends about LA and admitting you didn’t see the stars on the sidewalk or take a picture in front of the Hollywood Sign. So do it. Then head up north on Cahuenga Boulevard and hike into the hills to check out the Hollywood Reservoir; it’s a bit of a walk (or short drive) but it’s a surprisingly deserted spot with a beautiful lake and view of the Hollywood Sign (no swimming, sorry).

Even the lakes are artificial

Assuming it’s a nice day, trek up to the Griffith Observatory in the hills of Los Feliz. The observatory & museum are newly restored and the views are the best in the city. If you’ve got a car, head across town to another great hillside spot, The Getty Villa in Malibu. Possibly the most beautiful public space in Los Angeles, The Getty Villa is gorgeous both architecturally and botanically. Enjoy some delicious food and wine overlooking the Pacific Ocean and finally understand why people come to LA and never leave.

You should also see the more historic district of downtown and visit LA’s oldest street, Olvera Street (or Placita Olvera). Although its history is somewhat skewed, it’s a surprisingly authentic Mexican alleyway-turned-marketplace crammed with cheap souvenirs and tasty food. Los Angeles was once part of Mexico after all, but even us Angelinos often fail to fully embrace the beautiful culture that remains. Then you can easily head across the street to Union Station, a handsome trace of downtown’s 20th century “glory days.”

Of course Los Angeles is known for its uniquely gorgeous stretch of beaches, each with its own discernible identity. Starting with the stunning scenery in Malibu, snake down Pacific Coast Highway to check out 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and maybe even ride the Ferris wheel on the pier (if you’ve got a date… or you’re just into that). Definitely head further south to to experience the boardwalk/art gallery/freak show/marketplace that is Venice Beach. If cities were bars, Venice Beach would be a strange, but fun karaoke bar where everyone is dangerously out of key but it doesn’t really matter because everybody is singing along.

Hipster’s Guide

Looking out over Santa Monica shore

Los Angeles has its fair share of hipster havens – you’ll notice the moustaches and bike messengers – but nonetheless these areas offer some of the most genuine and welcoming places to hang out. Where Sunset Boulevard cuts through Silver Lake / Echo Park there are loads of artsy cafes, bars, restaurants, unique shops, and an awesome specialty spice & tea store – Spice Station. It’s definitely worth spending an afternoon walking around this part of Sunset, and ending up at the lake in Echo Park; bring a blanket to sit on and steal some of the Angelinos’ sunshine. 1642 Temple is a quaint little jazz bar close to the park with fantastic live music on Wednesday nights.

On the other side of town, The Museum of Jurassic Technology is a dusty oddity of Los Angeles that pulls rave reviews from its random collection of visitors. The museum recreates the early 20th century with an eccentric display of antiquated mechanical machines, unlikely creatures and strange magical exhibits.

On an upswing from a pretty bleak period, Downtown LA has turned into an increasingly hip spot over the last decade. An interesting manifestation of this is The Downtown LA Art Walk, a free monthly event that’s pretty trendy but nonetheless a great time. Food trucks, art galleries, live music, and lots of energetic young people… Can’t go wrong.

Experience & Events

You wouldn’t think that right in the heart of Hollywood you could find an open-air marketplace with some California’s freshest, most delicious fruits, vegetables, and unique ethnic foods. Hollywood Farmers Market takes place every Sunday, drawing dozens of local farmers and thousands of city residents into a commune of healthy abundance and live music.

If you build it they will come

If you’re in town during the spring or summer, catch America’s past time at one of her oldest ballparks: Dodger Stadium. Baseball itself might bore you, but that’s not the point. There’s nothing like that stadium with those palm trees under the setting sun on a clear, warm LA summer night. Have a beer at The Short Stop before the game, and go see for yourself.

Pillow Talk

If you want to be in the heart of downtown, Hilton Checkers is a boutique location with real character and history in a great location. It’s moderately priced and the service is excellent. The Standard Downtown is a bit more chic and famous for its swanky rooftop pool. More centrally located, The Roosevelt Hotel is ensconced in the historic core of Hollywood and will seduce you with its romantic charm. If you’re looking for a cheaper room, the Orbit Hostel in Hollywood is highly regarded as well. Of course, you might want to be right on the beach, in which case you should look into Venice Beach Hostel, which will set you right in the hectic mix of it all.

Fork Out

From street food to upscale dining, Los Angeles’ cultural diversity almost forces you to vary your diet – which is no bad thing in these parts. Although it sounds strange, Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles is a firm hometown favorite. If you’re a health nut it might not be for you, but if you’re willing to get your fingers greased up and your stomach overly full, stop by Roscoe’s in Hollywood. Down the street on Hollywood Blvd, Musso & Frank is a classic spots where you can brush shoulders with the ghosts of Charlie Chaplin and Ernest Hemingway. If you’re downtown for lunch stop into Bottega Louie for a classy European feel and get some of their bakery goods to take home with you. Finally, stop by family-owned Papa Cristo’s Greek Restaurant & Market on Pico – it won’t disappoint.

Drop In

In the mix at 7Grand

Whether you’re into glamorous Hollywood nightclubs or prohibition era speakeasies, Los Angeles is known for it’s top shelf nightlife scene. Get your night started early though, no alcohol is served after 2:00am. Hollywood is a hotbed of nightlife, and you can hit a handful of places in one night by going to Cahuenga and Hollywood Blvds. You’ll find a number of spots like Piano Bar, Velvet Margarita, Burgundy Room, and Dillon’s Irish Pub ($3 Beers!) all within walking distance of each other; see which you like best. Downtown has made a resurgence and is home to some classy, (faux) antiquated watering holes like 7Grand, The Edison, The Must, and The Varnish. If you’re fueled by the ocean air on the west side – and you feel like partying – check out Busby’s West or Q’s, otherwise head down to Main Street in Santa Monica for more of a variety of spots in walking distance to each other.

Getting There

LAX is one of the biggest airports in the world – you shouldn’t have trouble finding it. If you’re coming from San Francisco you can take the Greyhound or drive. Los Angeles is a very, very large city; if you have the means to rent a car, do it. If not, don’t be afraid to brave the (underrated) public transport, but it will take you a while to get from place to place.

More Juice

Check out the main sites like LA.com, Timeout, Goldstar.com and Hidden Los Angeles. You’ll find some cool stuff and often times discounts on events, restaurants, hotels and more. For a funnier, but still well-informed take on LA check out LostAngeles.

Hard Copy

If you want to see some unique, hidden areas of Los Angeles and even get a little exercise, pick up Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles. Charles Fleming walks you through some largely unseen areas from the ocean to downtown Los Angeles with interesting anecdotes and historical references. On the fiction end, Raymond Chandler’s old LA noir crime novels are hard to beat; The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely being two of his classics.

Silver Screen

The home of Hollywood, the list of great films set in Los Angeles is as long as it is diverse. For some classic LA film noir, watch Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard or LA Confidential. For cult classics White Men Can’t Jump, Point Break and Swingers, apart from being hugely entertaining, showcase some extreme facets of LA life, whilst recent hit 500 Days of Summer shows a softer side of the city.

Soundtrack to the City

Between The Curves – Fight From Above (Cool music video!)
Live and Die in LA – Tupac
Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles
All I Need Is The Girl – Frank Sinatra
Greatest Hits – Sublime
Free Fallin – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I Love L.A. – Randy Newman

…and if you’re so taken with LA that you need to pack your bags check here for moving companies Los Angeles.