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| Magical Madeira |
| The hotel’s Vine Spa was tiny but elegant with a small wet spa area and good massage therapists. The hotel’s USP as its achingly cool L-shaped rooftop infinity pool, 360º Sky bar and Uva restaurant at the foot of the majestic Funchal Castle. |
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| New York's Top 10 : Performing Arts Venues |
| Lincoln Center’s most elegant performance venue shows off glorious oversize murals by Marc Chagall inside great arched windows. The interior boasts exquisite starburst chandeliers that are raised to the ceiling before each performance. |
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| Paris Top 10 : Historic Buildings |
| Louis XIV turned his father’s old hunting lodge into the largest palace in Europe and moved his court here in 1678. It was the royal residence for more than a century until Louis XVI and his queen Marie-Antoinette fled during the Revolution . |
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| London's Top 10 : Churches |
| Known for its royal connections, St Martin’s is the only church to have a royal box. There has been a church on the site since the 13th century, but the handsome present building was designed by James Gibbs in 1726. Coffee shop in the crypt. |
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| Berlin's Top 10 : Kneipen (Pubs & Bars) |
| The “Lützow-Bar”, as this sleek and impressive location is simply called, is a veritable Berlin classic and boasts the city’s longest bar counter. The interior is truly astounding and the well-dressed bar staff with their white dinner jackets, as well as the outstanding cocktails they mix, make this a must for any visitor. |
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| Berlin's Top 10 : Famous Berliners |
| In 1914, the physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955) became the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his Theory of Relativity, first developed in 1905. |
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| San Francisco's Top 10 : Stores and Shopping Centers - Top 10 Shopping Areas |
| 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. |
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| San Francisco's Top 10 : Parks and Gardens |
| 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. |
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| East Coast Travel Gets Greener |
| In 1991, a group of civic planners from New York City, Boston, and Washington DC came together with a concept for a hard-surface trail system connecting their three cities. |
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| Rome's Top 10 : Museums and Galleries |
| Occupying papal palaces dating from the 13th century onwards, these galleries include the Graeco-Roman antiquities, the Etruscan Museum, four Raphael Rooms, the Collection of Modern Religious Art, the Sistine Chapel and the Picture Gallery . |
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| Rome's Top 10 : Ancient Sights - Top 10 Roman Emperors |
| Originally worshippers approached this temple to all the gods by a steep staircase, but the street level has risen since the 2nd century. The present temple was built by Hadrian, after the 1st-century BC temple burned down . |
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| Hong Kong's Top 10 : Transports of Delight - Top 10 Sights from the Escalator |
| The series of escalators in the steep Mid-Levels district of northwest Hong Kong Island is designed for commuters, but most appreciated by sightseers who can rest their legs and enjoy the fascinating sights. Take a stately (and free) ascent past busy street scenes, traditional shops and apartment windows. . |
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| Hong Kong's Top 10 : Markets |
| The Western Market (in the northwest of Hong Kong Island) is situated in a gorgeous old Edwardian building, but the pickings are slim. Best bet is the excellent selection of antique and second-hand watches on the ground floor. Also a good range of fabric shops, although bargains are scarce. In a former life it housed a meat and vegetable market. |
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| Madrid’s Top 10 : Top 10 Spanish Theme Shops - Top 10 Markets |
| The Royal Palace marks a decisive break with the austere tastes of Spain’s Habsburg rulers. Felipe V had been brought up at Versailles where the International Baroque style was in vogue. Architect Filippo Juvara died two years into the project, but his successor, Gian Battista Sacchetti retained the Baroque spirit . |
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| Madrid’s Top 10 : Architectural Sights - Top 10 Places to See Azulejos Tiles |
| The Royal Palace marks a decisive break with the austere tastes of Spain’s Habsburg rulers. Felipe V had been brought up at Versailles where the International Baroque style was in vogue. Architect Filippo Juvara died two years into the project, but his successor, Gian Battista Sacchetti retained the Baroque spirit . |
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| Beijing's Top 10 : Beijing Opera - Top 10 Beijing Opera Venues |
| Beijing Opera is a form of “total theater” with singing, speech, mime, and acrobatics that combine graceful gymnastics and movements from the martial arts. Training is notoriously hard. Costumes are designed to make the jumps seem more spectacular by billowing out as they spin. |
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| Chicago's Top 10 : Bars & Clubs |
| In the beautiful Sofitel Hotel, a fashionable, over-30, mixed crowd fills this lobby lounge after work, lingering until the wee hours. Black-clad servers dispense martinis with scrumptious flavors such as chocolate and raspberry. |
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| Chicago's Top 10 : Ethnic Eats |
| Superior Chinese dim sum, served with a panoramic view of downtown Chicago, garner out-the-door lines for this Chinatown gem. Dishes emerging from the kitchen are quickly snatched by waiting diners, leading many to ask for a table near it. |
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| Munich's Top 10 : Opera, Concerts & Theatre |
| In 1951, the Neues Residenztheater opened its doors next to the Opera House. Stark on the outside, the interior is lavish and monumental thanks to refurbishment in 1988–91. Artistic director Dieter Dorn presents a wide range of dramatic works. The Theater im Haus der Kunst is also part of the Bayerische Schauspielhaus. |
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| Seattle's Top 10 : Children's Attractions - Top 10 Hotels with Swimming Pools |
| 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. |
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| Barcelona's Top 10 : Museums |
| Discover Catalonia’s rich Romanesque and Gothic heritage at this impressive museum, housed in the 1929 Palau Nacional. Striking medieval frescoes – many culled from ancient Pyrenean churches – are the highlight. |
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| Toronto's Top 10 : Greenspaces |
| Also known as Tommy Thompson Park – after Toronto’s first commissioner of parks and the official who peppered them with welcoming “Please Walk on the Grass” signs – this secluded nature reserve is a man-made peninsula extending 3 miles (5 km) into Lake Ontario. |
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| Toronto's Top 10 : Neighborhoods |
| A charming enclave east of Woodbine Ave full of fun for the outdoor enthusiast, including those who consider shopping a sport. Browse the eclectic shops or relax in one of the many cozy restaurants or pubs . Just south of the Queen Street East strip, a popular boardwalk stretches alongside a sandy beach to Ashbridges Bay. |
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| Boston's Top 10 : Spots for Seafood |
| Boston celebrity chef Jasper White literally wrote the book on lobster, but he’s just as adept with wood-grilled fresh fish and delicate fried shellfish. Fabulous raw bar and colorful summer fish-shack atmosphere match well with the extensive beer list. |
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| Boston's Top 10 : Restaurants |
| One of the country’s most lauded young chefs, award-winning Ken Oringer is dedicated to innovation and experimentation. With an ever-changing menu he always looks for new flavor sensations. |
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| New York's Top 10 : New York Skyscrapers |
| Cesar Pelli’s Postmodern complex, comprising four tall towers around a glorious palm-filled Winter Garden, gave the city an elegant business center when it was completed in 1985. In addition, there are public spaces for concerts and special events and an outdoor plaza on the water complete with boat marina and Statue of Liberty views . |
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| Paris Top 10 : Places of Worship |
| The city’s Grand Mosque was built during the 1920s as a tribute to North African Muslims who gave military support to France during World War I. It features beautiful Moorish architecture, executed by craftsmen brought over from North Africa, and a peaceful interior courtyard . |
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| Paris Top 10 : Parks and Gardens - Top 10 Fountains |
| Parisians love this centrally located park, set around the Palais du Luxembourg. The sweeping terrace is a great place for people-watching, while locals sunbathe around the Octagonal Lake or sail toy boats in the water. |
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| London's Top 10 : St Paul's Cathedral (part 1) |
| 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. |
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| Berlin's Top 10 : Art Galleries |
| Few schools have exercised as much influence on 20th-century architecture and design as the Bauhaus, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius. On show in the museum are furniture, sketches, everyday objects and paintings. |
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| Berlin's Top 10 : Museums |
| The Jewish Museum, housed in a spectacular building designed by Daniel Libeskind, documents the German–Jewish relationship through the centuries. There are special exhibitions on the influence of Berlin Jews on the town’s cultural life, and on the life of the Enlightenment philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. |
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| San Francisco's Top 10 : Churches |
| North Beach’s landmark “Italian Church” was once dubbed the “Marzipan Church” for the frothy stucco decoration on its soaring pinnacles. Inside, there is a sculpted reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper . |
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