10 great walks in our favorite cities

10 GREAT WALKS
IN OUR FAVORITE CITIES
THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO EXPLORE A CITY than wandering its streets and alleys, from
terracotta-hued palaces, picturesque squares, and baroque architectural showstoppers in Rome,
to the modern glass towers, 19th-century limestone man­sions, and secret, pocket-size parks of
Manhattan. We’ve gathered 10 fabulous walks in our favorite cities in the United States and
Europe, so put on your comfy shoes and hit the streets.
400 meters
W. Wacker Drive
S. Water Street
Lake Street
Clark St.
James R. Thompson Center
END
CLARK
River
Chicago
Union
Station
The Great Fire of 1871 could have
been the death of Chicago, but instead
it proved to be a grand rebirth, as
renowned architects rebuilt the city’s
skyline. Today it’s Chicago’s most aweinspiring attribute. Start with the Willis
Tower, a 1,454-foot giant that was the
world’s tallest building when completed
in 1973. Next, head to South LaSalle
St. and the Rookery Building. This
12-story stunner, completed in 1888
ADAMS
L
Jackson Blvd.
JACKSON
Monadnock
Building
L
L
LIBRARY
Van Buren Street
LASALLE
224 S. Michigan
Ave.
Auditorium Theatre
LaSalle St.
Station
Harrison St.
in 1889 that still hosts performances.
Double back to Jackson and Dearborn
to see the geometric, 4.6-acre Federal
Center, completed in the early 1970s
by Mies van der Rohe. Don’t miss the
graceful slopes of Chase Tower, built
in 1969 as the First National Bank
of Chicago Building. The Sullivan
Center, at State and Madison streets,
has elaborate cast-iron ornamentation
over its entryway and a vertical, threepart “Chicago Window.” The Reliance
Building (now the Hotel Burnham) on
Van Buren
Station
Columbus Drive
2 to 4 hours, depending on stops
Adams Street
Congress
Plaza
Congress Pkwy.
100E
TIMING:
Chicago
Board of Trade
Millennium
Park
MONROE
Michigan Ave.
100 W. Randolph St.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Expwy.
500W
END:
by Daniel Burnham and John Welborn
Root, is the oldest standing high-rise
in town. On Jackson, check out the
45-story Art Deco Chicago Board
of Trade, designed by Holabird
and Root in 1930. Also on Jackson
Blvd. is Burnham and Root’s 17-story
Monadnock Building. Built in 1891,
it’s the last and tallest skyscraper built
with masonry load-bearing walls. The
nearby 224 S. Michigan Ave. was
also built by Burnham in 1904. On
Congress Parkway see Louis Sullivan
and Dankmar Adler’s Auditorium
Theatre, a grand theater completed
Sullivan Center
(Carson Pirie Scott)
L
S. Wacker Drive
CHICAGO
DOWNTOWN SKYLINE
L MADISON
Madison Street
L Monroe Street
Federal
Center
Rookery
Adams St.
QUINCY L
STA RT
Quincy St.
Randolph St.
Station
Washington Blvd.
Dearborn Street
Canal Street
image caption
Willis Tower
RANDOLPH
WASHINGTON
State Street
LaSalle St.
Chase Tower
Lake Street
Macy’s
FPO map
L
Reliance
Building/
[walking
tour]
Hotel Burnham
Monroe St.
Wacker Dr. and Adams St.
L
WASHINGTON
Wells Street
Madison Street
Franklin Street
Citicorp
Center
Washington Blvd. L
STATE
Randolph Street
Richard J. Daley Center
FPO image
START:
L
Columbus Drive
0
Wabash Ave.
1/4 mile
Dearborn Street
0
L
HARRISON
State St. is the first-ever glass-and-steel
skyscraper. On the northeast corner
of State and Washington is Macy’s,
designed by Burnham in 1907 and most
famous for the multistory atriums inside,
one domed with a Tiffany mosaic.
Finally, walk west on Randolph St. to
reach the 648-foot Richard J. Daley
Center at Clark St.. Across Randolph
is Helmut Jahn’s dome-shape James R.
Thompson Center.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN AMERICA / 3
St
Ph
An
ilip
Fir
dr
ew
St
t
ee
ee
Str
Str
st
.
t
Se
co
ph
Morris House
Italianate Mansion
Robinson
House
Six
th
Str
ee
t
lis
e
Str
ee
Brevard House
t
Musson
House
Se
co
Co
um
Carroll House
nd
Str
Commander’s Palace
t
ton
Av
en
A walk through the Garden District,
just a 20-minute street­car ride from
the French Quarter, provides a unique
look at life in New Orleans, past and
present. Start at The Rink, a small
shopping complex, and walk east
on Prytania to see Colonel Short’s
Villa (1448 Fourth St.) with its ornate
cornstalk fence. The Briggs-Staub
House (2605 Prytania St.) is one of the
few Gothic Revival houses in the city.
ue
45 minutes (without stops inside)
t
ee
ing
TIMING:
Payne House
t
et
sh
1416-1498 Washington Ave.
The Lonsdale House (2521 Prytania
St.) was a Catholic chapel for more
than 70 years. The Maddox House
(2507 Prytania St.) is an example of
the five-bay Greek Revival expansion.
The Women’s Guild of the New
Orleans Opera Association House
(2504 Prytania St.) has a distinctive
octagonal turret. The Bradish-Johnson
House (2343 Prytania St.) is regal,
while the relatively modest raised TobyWestfeldt House (2340 Prytania St.),
is an example of a Creole colonial
home. Morris House (1331 First St.)
and the Carroll House (1315 First
m
ee
tre
t
Wa
ee
END:
Washington Ave. and Prytania St.
100m
Ca
tr
pS
hS
Str
START:
0
ee
Str
tn
t
ird
es
ee
urt
nth
Ch
Str
ut
Fo
ve
END
Th
Se
500ft
t
e
Colonel
Short’s Villa
0
e
Str
Women’s Guild of the New Orleans
Opera Association House
et
Nolan House
NEW ORLEANS
GARDEN DISTRICT HOUSES
nu
Pry
ia
tan
START
Lafayette
Cemetery No.1
ve
Briggs-Staub House
image caption
nA
t
ue
Maddox House
Lonsdale House
The Rink
so
ee
en
FPO map
[walking tour]
Toby-Westfeldt House
Bradish-Johnson
House
e
Str
Av
ar
v
u
en
ilip
ton
Ch
A
les
ue
Ph
ing
St
a
en
ni
t
ck
et
sh
S
h
tC
rle
v
sA
yta
ee
ee
t
tre
Pr
tr
aS
Ja
ee
hS
eie
t
Str
Str
urt
nd
ee
ine
t
ird
ee
se
Str
Jo
nd
Th
Fo
Wa
FPO image
ro
Ca
tr
tS
St.) are decorated with “iron lace,”
exemplifying the romantic Italianate
style. Brevard House (1239 First St.)
has an ornate cast-iron gate that
extends the length of the block. A block
farther on the right is the Payne House
(1134 First St.), where Confederate
president Jefferson Davis died.
Actor John Goodman lives in the
Italianate Mansion at 2425 Coliseum
St.. The white-columned Robinson
House (1413 Third St.) was the first
Ma
ga
z
S
ine
tre
et
Co
ns
ta
e
nc
Str
ee
t
house in New Orleans with indoor
plumbing. Check out the intricate
ironwork at Musson House (1415 Third
St.). The white-columned Nolan House,
at 2707 Coliseum is where the film The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button was
set. The Commander’s Palace (1403
Washington Ave.), is a great stop for
lunch. End the tour with a visit to the
white-walled Lafayette Cemetery
No. 1, arguably the most beautiful
cemetery in New Orleans.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN AMERICA / 4
E. 60th St.
CENTRAL PARK
N,Q,R
Central Park South
A,B,C,D,1
F
W. 57th St.
W. 50th St.
N,Q,R
W. 49th St.
W. 47th St.
Grand
Central
Terminal
W. 45th St.
B,D,F,M
W. 42nd St.
E. 43rd St.
4,5,6,7,S
E. 42nd St.
Bryant Park
First Ave.
Second Ave.
Third Ave.
Lexington Ave.
1/4 mi
Park Ave.
0
E. 40th St.
Madison Ave.
0
E. 41st St.
STA RT
Fifth Ave.
Sixth Ave.
Midtown is a mind-boggling patch­
work of styles that coalesce into one
of the world’s great urban landscapes.
Begin with a taste of early 20th-century
neoclassicism at the New York Public
Library, and walk along East 42nd
St. to the Beaux-Arts Grand Central
Terminal, two brilliantly designed
public spaces as beautiful as they
are functional. Art Deco is perhaps
Midtown’s most distinctive style, with
y
1½ to 2 hours
dwa
TIMING:
B ro a
W. 38th St.
Seventh Ave.
W. 39th St.
E. 44th St.
Chrysler
Building
7
New York
Public Library
W. 40th St.
Eighth Ave.
45 Rockefeller Plaza
N,Q,R,S
1,2,3,7
W. 41st St.
W. 37th St.
END:
E. 47th St.
E. 45th St.
W. 43rd St.
the Chrysler Building considered one
of the great masterpieces. Double
back and head north on Park Ave. to
check out such Jazz Age landmarks
as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Just
past that is the Byzantine dome of
St. Bartholomew’s Church and two
blocks north of that is the bronze-andglass Seagram Building, designed
by modernist innovator Mies van
der Rohe. Pop into the flagship Louis
Vuitton—Moët Hennessy Tower, an
arched glass skyscraper that’s both
conspicuous and elegant. The Trump
Tower’s ostentatious atrium flaunts
E. 48th St.
E. 46th St.
A,C,E
5th Ave. at 42nd St.
E. 49th St.
Waldorf
Astoria
Hotel
W. 44th St.
START:
E. 51st St.
W. 46th St.
image caption
NEW YORK
MIDTOWN ARCHITECTURE
E. 52nd St.
6
E. 50th St.
Radio City
Music Hall
B,D,F,M
E. 53rd St.
St. Bartholomew’s Church
Rockefeller
Center
END
W. 48th St.
E. 55th St.
E. 54th St.
E,M
Seagram
Building
E. 56th St.
First Ave.
1
Second Ave.
C,E
E,M
Third Ave.
W. 51st St.
FPO map
[walking tour]
Lexington Ave.
W. 52nd St.
Trump
Tower
Park Ave.
W. 55th St.
Avenue of the Americas
W. 53rd St.
Nos. Nos.
13-15 9-11
Madison Ave.
W. 56th St.
B,D,E
E. 58th St.
E. 57th St.
Fifth Ave.
dway
FPO image
Seventh Ave.
B ro a
Eighth Ave.
W. 54th St.
E. 59th St.
Louis Vuitton–
Moët Hennessy Tower
W. 58th St.
N,Q,R
N,Q,R,4,5,6
1/4 km
unbridled luxury, with expensive
boutiques and brass accents.
with oriel windows, heavy carvings,
and sweeping, paired staircases.
When you reach 54th St., turn right.
The two remaining 19th-century
mansions at Nos. 9–11 and Nos.
13–15 West 54th St. are in sharp
contrast to Midtown architecture.
Nos. 9–11 are inspired by Colonial
American architecture; note the small
iron balconies, splayed lintels, and
paneled keystones. Nos. 13–15 are a
grand, Renaissance-inspired structure
Finally, head south on 6th Ave.
for a landmark piece of Art Deco
architecture, Radio City Music Hall,
with its distinctive pink-and-blue neon
sign. Loop around through Rockefeller
Center, and finish by taking in the
plaza there with its stark lines and the
crowning statue of Prometheus.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN AMERICA / 5
a Beaux-Arts building modeled after a
Roman bath; it dominates the northwest
corner of Capitol Hill and is easily
accessible on the Metro Red Line.
Next door, the Smithsonian National
Postal Museum will delight philatelists.
w a re
Dela
na
lS
t re
et
1/2 mi
0
0
1/2 km
C Street
D Street
Following Delaware Ave. south, you V
i rg i n
i a Av
enu
come right up to the massive U.S.
e
has so many books, recordings, maps,
Capitol, which sits majestically at the
manuscripts, and photographs that it
east end of the Mall. Tours leave from
actually takes three buildings to get the
the Capitol Visitor Center, which is
job done. Inside the Jefferson Building,
located underneath the building. In
you can view the Great Hall, peek
front of the Capitol, on the south side,
into the Main Reading Room, and
is the United States Botanic Garden,
wander through changing exhibitions
the oldest botanic garden in North
related to the library’s holdings. Follow
America. Walk east on Independence
Pennsylvania Ave. south between 2nd
Ave., then north on 1st St., where the
and 6th streets. Take a break with the
Jefferson Building of the Library of
locals at any of the cozy restaurants,
Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court
sit side by side. The Library of Congress bars, and coffee shops that line this
2nd Avenue
8th Street
7th Street
chu
set
ts A
Capitol
South
Pe n
e
ve n
ue
Independence Avenue
nsy
l va
nia
No
Av e
nu
e
Seward
Square
rth
Eastern
Market
Ca
8th Street
7th Street
6th Street
Street
uthw
1st St
Ca
ssa
nu
E Capitol Street
est Drive
Independence Avenue
U.S. Botanic
Garden
Ma
ue
ry
Av e
Constitution Avenue
Jefferson
Building of the
Library of Congress A
nue
So
Stanton
Park
5th Street
Av e
ve n
Ma
d
lan
3rd Street
United
States
Capitol
A
and
D Street
A Street
2nd Street
nd
ryla
ryl
U.S.
Supreme
Court
e
1st Street
3rd Street
Washington, D.C., is a walking city,
especially around the Mall, where
America’s most famous monuments
are clustered. Start at Union Station,
Ma
nue
1 hour if you skip the Capitol Tour
enu
Reflecting
Pool
Ma
Av e n
ue
a Av
y Av e
TIMING:
A
S Capitol Street
va n i
na
ue
c
3rd Street
1st Street
3rd Street
nsyl
a
isi
n
ve
ssa
E Street
FPO map husetts Ave
nu
e
[walking
tour]
C Street
D Street
Jerse
Eastern Market
Ma
New
END:
STA RT
Constitution Avenue
e s t D r i ve
rthw
No
image caption
Union Station
nue
Pe n
START:
y Av e
2nd Street
Jerse
u
Lo
WASHINGTON, D.C.
CAPITOL HILL MONUMENTS
N Capitol Street
New
FPO image
F Street
5th Street
Union
Station
6th Street
UNION STATION
F Street
E Stree t
G Street
4th Street
Smithsonian
National
ve n
Postal
ue
Museum
3rd Street
ts A
2nd Street
set
1st Street
chu
t.
ssa
1st S
Ma
ina
ro l
Av e
.
END
block. The Eastern Market on the
corner of 7th and C streets is the
perfect ending for this walk; it’s the
city’s oldest market and a community
fixture since 1873. Grab your picnic
supplies here or a handmade keepsake
from a local artist. The market is open
from Tuesday to Sunday and really
buzzes on weekends.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN AMERICA / 6
y St re et
et
et
G re en St re
B atte ry St
FPO map
[walking tour]
et
U n io n St re
re et
M o n tg o m er
Ke ar ny St re
1398 Grant Ave.
.
END
et
So no m a
n ue
re et
G re en St re
Va re nn es
G ra n t Ave
et
U n io n St re
Ja sp er
Sto ck to n St
Washington
Square
s
Sa n so m e St
Po w el l St .
Fl ib er t Step
Vallejo Stairs
Va lle jo St .
et
Ro m olo
Va lle jo St re
Caffe Trieste
1010 Montgomery St.
B ro ad w ay
Beat Museum
Language of Birds
City Lights Bookstore
B ro ad w ay
START
Pa ci fi c Ave
Vesuvio
Pa ci fi c Ave
SAN FRANCISCO
NORTH BEACH BEATNIK WALK
START:
END:
261 Columbus Ave.
Corner of Grant Ave. and Green St.
45 minutes, depending on how
long you linger
TIMING:
Home to American bohemia and
birthplace of the Beat Movement,
North Beach still crackles with the
energy of the revolutionary artists
who electrified a generation here
in the sixties. Start at City Lights,
the era’s epicenter of progressive
thought and the country’s most daring
publisher. Outside, neighboring Jack
Ja
et
ck so n St re
lu
m
Ja ck so n St
bu
sA
ve
nu
eet
in g to n S tr
It firmly places the Beat Generation
in history; their rejection of the status
quo was an artistic reaction against
1950s Cold War conformism. They
were deeply influential in the antiestablishment counterculture of the ‘60s
as well. Head around the corner to
No. 1010 Montgomery; this is where
Allen Ginsberg wrote Howl.
Continue up Montgomery, turn left,
and walk up the Vallejo stairs and
Portsmouth
Square
re et
e
0
Wa sh
Kerouac Alley is inlaid with the words
of Kerouac, Maya Angelou, and
Confucius. At Vesuvio, an art-splashed
saloon, order a drink and soak up
the neighborhood’s vibe. Walk up to
Broadway and take in the public art
on the corner: Language of Birds is a
flock of illuminated books that appear
to have just taken flight. Notice the
words and phrases embedded in the
plaza floor that could have just fallen
from the pages. The Beat Museum
on Broadway is a quirky collection of
photos, books, music, and artifacts.
n ue
Co
Jo h n S t.
n ue
0
100 M
250 ft
onward to the venerable Caffe
Trieste, a favorite perch of Kerouac,
Ginsberg, and Charles Bukowski.
Head north up Grant to No. 1398,
where the Co-Existence Bagel Shop
(now long closed) served as the
living room of the Beat Generation
in the days when cops arrested kids
for wearing sandals. End the walk
by browsing Grant Ave.’s excellent
boutiques, and pick up some edgy
couture or vintage botanical prints.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN AMERICA / 7
ir
év
Elz
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vign
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Jardin des
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R. Lacépède
Place
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0
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400 ft
400 m
i ta l
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R . C lo t i l
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R.
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R. d
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Ru e Ro ll
in
Hôp
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n
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Dau
Bou
le va
south from Lutetia (the Roman name
for Paris) to Italy. The upper half is
dotted with restaurants and bars that
cater to tourists and students; the
lower half is a lively morning market
Tuesday through Sunday. If the sun’s
shining, finish the walk by visiting the
Gallo-Roman Arènes de Lutèce, a
Roman amphitheater that was almost
completely destroyed by barbarians
in AD 280.
rd d
Ru e M o n g e
R.
Hen
M
l ly
S u a rd
de ulev
Bo
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R . Li n n e
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R.
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Ju
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de Lutèce
ie
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R . M o u ff
R.
l’Est
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Bd.
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Morland
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R. Mo
Place de
l'Estrapade R . d
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R . D e s c a r te s
Panthéon
Q. d
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Eglise St-Etienne
Cardinal
du-Mont
Lemoine
R . C lo
Qu
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R. de Co nd é
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dic
R. Cu
Saint-Paul
R
La Sorbonne
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Ru
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Mo
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l e va r d S
a i n t -G e r m a i n
R.
de
Experience the counterculture and
creativity of the Left Bank, along with
stunning achitecture, 2nd-century
Gallo-Roman ruins, and the city’s
oldest street. Start at the Pont Neuf
for excellent views off the western
tip of the Ile de la Cité, and then
explore the island’s magnificent
architectural heritage, including the
Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, and
Notre-Dame. There’s much to see at
É co l
o
MaubertMutualité
Bo u
s
VE
ce
R.
1½ hours
sas
TIMING:
des
ell
Quartier
Latin
this awe-inspiring cathedral, like the
Place
Ernest
rose window above the main portal,No
Denis
t re
Dam
which dates from the 13th century.
e d ereconstructed ruins of 2nd-century
s Ch
amp
s
Gallo-Roman
steam baths. At the
The three windows below it contain
summit of the hill above the Sorbonne
some of France’s finest examples of
university is the imposing Panthéon,
12th-century stained-glass artistry. The
a monument to (and mausoleum of)
brave can climb the spiral staircase
French heroes. Don’t miss the exquisite
to the towers for a gargoyle’s-eye
Eglise St-Etienne-du-Mont next door,
view of the city. Detour through
where the relics of the city’s patron
neighboring Ile St-Louis and explore
Saint Geneviève are displayed.
the boutiques, cafés, and restaurants
Follow the Rue Descartes to the Rue
before heading into the medieval
Mouffetard, a winding cobblestone
labyrinth of the Quartier Latin. Its
street that is one of the city’s oldest
most valuable treasures are preserved
and was once a Roman road leading
in the Musée de Cluny, including the
’A s
49 rue Monge
Rue Auguste Comte
n te
ier
Q
ed
END:
Pont Neuf
u f f lo
N
la C E
orse
os
Ru
START:
R. So
Da
R.
Musée de Cluny
Ru e
R. d
u Ro
i
Ru e
de R de Sici
i v o l i le
Ru e
Fr. M i ro n
Bou
R. S
rbo
ain
FPO map
n
t Lo
uis
en
[walking
tour] Ile St-Louis l’lle
b
Cluny-laSorbonne
ain
ine
a c in e
u
SEI
sR
RI
Prin
R. R
n
dec
pido
Hôtel de Ville
ria
de
u
u r le
PARIS
STROLL THE LEFT BANK
Place
André
Honnorat
6e
Mé
to
Cité
Po m
i c to
rs
nsie
image caption
R.
F le u
Mo
on
Jardin du
Luxembourg
Germ
de
ie
ux
c.
l’É
ice
R.
R . d e To u rn
R . S t- S u lp
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ia
de
R. Saint-
Ve r
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an
rg e s
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R.
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e la
oli
Ma Quai
rc h d e
éN
euf
Q. S
t-M
i c h e Cathédrale
l
Notre-Dame
R. S
Qu
t-Sé
ai
ve r i
de
n
Mo
n te
SaintMichel
s Arts
Geo
oge
Conciergerie
Ile de la
Cité
Sainte-Chapelle
R . S t - A n d ré d e
omé
Bou
l’Horl
rie
nc C
Saint-Germaindes-Prés
ud
sO
in
Quai de
de
rma
én
d e l ’A
FPO image
t-Ge
Gu
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Sain
R.
a
ég
Vo i e
ai
R. Vi scon ti
Co Pont Neuf
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i
STA RT
R. d
Riv
Châtelet
Qu
e
za r i n
R. Ma
in e
R. de Se
Ru e de s
B ea ux A rt s
de
Bou
Quai
e
laq u ais
hin
i Ma
aup
Qua
de
R. d
Ru e
BEST WALKING TOURS IN EUROPE / 8
b
es
af t
ll
Gua
ad
full day of exploring
This regal runaround packs more into
a day than most cities can offer in a
week. Hit Westminster Abbey early to
avoid the crowds, then cut through
St. James’s Park to catch the
Changing of the Guard at 11:30 am
at Buckingham Palace. (If the palace
doors are open, enjoy a peek at royal
life.) Take a quick detour to the Tudor
delights of St. James’s Palace, old
st
Ca
le
Storey ’s Gate
STA RT
St. James’s
Park
ay
e
F ra n c e
Ln
.
dw
St.
Pe t t y
Vi c
ia
to r
Str
ee
t
Westminster
Abbey
We stm inster Br.
Houses
of Parliament
WEST M I N ST ER
National Gallery. At the southern point
of the square is a statue of Charles I on
a horse. Charles II had it placed here
in 1667, near the spot where his father
was executed in 1649.
After lunch, choose from the canvases
of the National Gallery (there
are more than 2,300 works, from
Michelangelo, Leonardo, Turner,
Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, and
more). Or check out who’s who at
the National Portrait Gallery. If your
energy is starting to flag, head over to
the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields for
a little brass rubbing; it’s a fun way to
create your own keepsake. Finish with
a stately stroll down Whitehall—past
Downing St., Horse Guards Parade,
and Banqueting House—to the Houses
of Parliament, where you have the
option of pre-booking a tour or trying
to get in to see a debate.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN EUROPE / 9
t
TIMING: A
of Parliament
haunt of Charles I, before a promenade d
down the Mall past the Regency glory
of Carlton House Terrace and through
Admiralty Arch to Trafalgar Square.
This is the official center of London,
dominated by the 170-foot Nelson’s
Column and its enormous bronze
lions. The lampposts on the south side,
heading down Whitehall, are topped
with ships—they all face Portsmouth,
home of the British navy. Check out
the statue of George Washington, a
gift from the state of Virginia in 1921,
on the lawn at the north side by the
Gat
Parliament
Square
Westminster
Sou
END: Houses
Abbey
am
.
en
START: Westminster
sen
a ce
gh
EN D
rg e St .
St
Pa l
kin
B ro a
B
uc
e Wa l k
G re at G e o
St .
S t . M a rg a r e t
Buckingham
Palace
Gardens
ll Pl
Pa r l i a m e n t S t r e e t
Do w ni ng St .
Buckingham
Palace
LONDON
WESTMINSTER’S ROYAL HERITAGE
te h a
nd
Banqueting
House
Downing
Street
Ki ng Ch ar le s
B i rd c a g
Whi
berla
R IV E R
rd s R o
e
Embankment
hum
a
H o r s e g u rd s A v e .
St. James's
Park
Con stitutio n Hill
B re s
Nort
rse
Th
ll
Ma
Pl.
Ho
Green
Park
oy
TH AM ES
t
Th
a
eM
St. James's
Palace
image caption
v
Sa
kment
Co
ee
illy
d
Trafalgar Square
re
FPO
map Admiralty Arch
ua
Sq
all
lM
[walking
tour]
Pa l
Carlton
House Terrace
an
Emban
t
e
n.
Charing Cross
ll
Str
gS
arl
et
te h a
es
Kin
t
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nL
St. Martin–
In–the–Fields
Whi
Jam
ST. J AM ES’ S
e
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Vi c t o r i a
St
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t re
df
St.
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k
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or
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St.
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my
et
t re
National Gallery
d.
ym
Re
et
St.
H
Str
ss R
Ha
et
y
y
dill
M
C ro
et
re
t re
Pic
d
ca
c
National Portrait
Gallery
St
rS
Pi
ill
ca
ring
t re
r le
ve
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on St
d
ca
Cha
dS
Piccadilly Circus
Pic
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Curz
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ert
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ow
St.
use
we
Be
Leicester
Square
ta
lli
St
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FPO image
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.
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dB
be
ff
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ns Ln
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sho
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e St
tt i
Vic . Va ldi na
Piazza
Parlamento
Vi a d
d.C
Vi a
Via d.Roto nda
t e f. d . C a c c o
.S
Via Caetani
V. d. Tempio
V. d
.
c ito
Piazza
Venezia
Vi a
d
u na
0
ri
Po r
t i co
d’O
elf
ini
200 M
500 ft
via
been inspired by a tabee’s
stinger. Follow
the crowds to Piazza Navona, Rome’s
most celebrated 17th-century example
of Baroque exuberance, with Bernini’s
Fountain of the Four Rivers dead center.
Either grab a caffè table and watch
the world go by here, in front of 17thcentury Sant’Agnese in Agone, or
head on to the enchanting Piazza della
Pace, where Santa Maria della Pace
sits on a tiny piazzina; the scene is one
of Rome’s most attractive streetscapes.
t
BEST WALKING TOURS IN EUROPE / 10
o
la
nu
A re
Vi a d e i F
.D
V. d
0
V
P ro i a d .
g re
sso
ri
na
tt i
Pe
Vi a
G HET T O
N
h e O s c u re
Vi a
ne
ro
he
sc
Ma
V.d
.
Via di Torre Argent ina
lo
Vi a d
. Gal
i
es
rn
Fa
ei
V.
d
V. Monterone
V. d.T. Val le
e cc
S o ra
G. V
Ce
rri
ga
V i a d . Pa r i o
ne
V. d
Vi c
. Pa
Can . d
ce
ce .
lli
V. d .T. Pa ce
hio
Via d. Fili ppi ni
La r
ell
Vi a d t t o
e
A rc h
From Piazza della Rotonda take Via
Giustiniani to San Luigi dei Francesi
to see Caravaggio’s moving cycle of
paintings depicting the life of Saint
Matthew. These include the three
most famous canvases, The Calling
of Saint Matthew, The Inspiration of
Saint Matthew, and The Martyrdom
of Saint Matthew. Next, head to the
Baroque Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza.
Be sure to look up at the lantern of
Sant’Ivo: a swirling spiral shape like
whipped cream that is said to have
chi
li
pec
.
Vi a S l l o
e
M a rc
Sta . An na
P le b is
Il Gesù
Vi a d e l le B o tte g
i
Piazza d.
Monte di V.
deg
Pietá
li S
o
el ri
. d va to
V
t. d
er
ei ons
C Va l l a
ti
AREA
SACRA
V
ia d .
s ta l l i
nar
le I I
Vi a I V
Vi a A
Lg
bo
to
V. S
STA RT
a tta
ve
iub
V. d .
r b ie r i
Piazza
Fontana
di Trevi
e
t
t
.M u ra
Vi a d
e tt i
ingh
Vi a M
i lta
.Um
d
a
Vi
ei
Vi a d i
Sabin
ella G
ol
e
iG
Via B a
Piazza
Grazioli
v C el sa
was added later, sometime during the
Baroque period. Outside is another
remarkable sculpture, the Elephant
and Obelisk by Bernini, father of the
Baroque. The Egyptian obelisk sitting
atop the elephant was discovered
during nearby excavations in the
mid-1600s and the final work was
unveiled in 1667. Straight ahead lies
the Pantheon, one of the wonders
of the ancient Roman world. The
building’s dome remains the world’s
largest unreinforced concrete dome,
and the oculus, at its apex, is the only
source of light besides the entrance.
de
o
ol
Pa
S. la
di ego
a.R
re
Vi c
P
.d.
n
ro
a
ve
a
Vi
a
di
in
Vi
V. M . te d . Fa r i n a
al
e
Te
Piazza
Farnese
i
ia
b
Te
um
es
Campo de’
Fiori
h ia va r
iul
ei
rn
Via del Sudario
v d e’ C
G
V.
Fi
Fa
ari
nue
P ig n a
e sù
e
td
The Navona and Campo districts
are the Rome of your dreams, full of
terracotta-hued palaces, picturesque
squares, and one architectural
showstopper after another. Begin at the
super-opulent Il Gesù, the church that
introduced the Baroque style to 17thcentury Rome. Head toward Piazza
della Minerva and Santa Maria sopra
Minerva, home to Michelangelo’s
marble Risen Christ statue. The lioncloth
Lg
Around 1½ hours
ina
ell
Ema
a
V. d e ll
Via dei Cos tari
o ns
i M
TIMING:
lla
pp
orio
Piazza della
Minerva
Via d e l G
d
V.
Santa Maria della Pace
de
C o r s o Vi t t
v ita
M a r ia
hi
END:
Il Gesù
t.
.Ca
a
V. C a r
e
Vi a d
cc
START:
Ca
n
V. i
V.
d
Via di
Pie tra
i to n
Pantheon
Church of Santa Maria
sopra Minerva
Piazza
St.Eustachio
o
to
te r
Sant’ Ivo alla
Sapienza
v M e lo n e
Ve
grin
C A MP O
r ra
Lg
Sant’ Agnese
in Agone
rso
hi
image caption
Pe l l e
el Co
nc
ri
Vi a d
Ba
r ta
Piazza
Navona
le n a
Vi a
Ca
V. di Tor Mellina
Piazza
Pietra
V. Aqu iro
i
stin
FPO map
V. d e i Pa
[walking tour] V. Seminario
V.d .
Sa lva to re
ia
io
i co
Via de Pozzo
d.Co rnacchie
Vi a
Gi us tin ia ni
e cc h
ch
Santa Maria
della Pace
ce
Cor so del Rin asc ime nto
G.V
ec
Vi a d e l
ROME
HISTORIC CHURCHES & PIAZZAS
lF
el
Va
c
V.d. Sta . M.d . Ani ma
Vi a d
de
San Luigi
dei Francesi
na V
Vi a
END
di
Madda
i co
FPO image
Vi a
dano
Piazza
Colonna
Piazza di
Montecitorio
Via del Copp elle
o
V. D o g
.
Vi a d a
Ve t r i n
an
Gior
V. d. U.d.Vica rio
Via
Piazza
Piazza
S.Salvatore Lancellotti
in Lauro
N AV O N A
Via dei Coronari
P
V.
V. M
.
dati
i Sol
V. d e rd e l l i
na
a
a
V. Z
L g t . To r d i N o n
e l Tr
d.C
Via de ll’O rso
re f e
Via Po
P
Vi a
rzio
ri
o
anz
.
V. S ta
V
.B
ia M
zio
l
Via d e llo
C a n ce
e ve re
Fiume T
ar
.Ma
L
l lo
te
Po n e r t o
b
Um
L g t . C a s te
M
gt.
Vi
a
The Eixample district is packed with
Barcelona’s best architectural examples
of the Catalan Art Nouveau. Starting
in the Plaça de Catalunya, walk up
Passeig de Gràcia until you reach the
corner of Consell de Cent. Here is the
Manzana de la Discòrdia (the Block
of Discord), where the three great
figures of Barcelona’s late-19th-century
mbla
La Ra
Sant
P e re
BA R R I
GÒT I C
l
de
re r
C. de Padilla
C. de Lepant
Av
in
d
gu
Marina
a
M
id
er
bes
ia
na
Glòries
C. d’Avila
e Ri
C. de Pamlona
C. d
Plaça de
les Glòties
Catalanes
C. d’Alaba
C. de Sardenya
C. de Nàpols
C. de Sicilia
C.
C. de Marina
Monumental
C. d’Ali Bei
Arc de Triomf
C. del Dos de Maig
C. de Cartagena
Plaça de
Gaudí
Tetuán
Parc de l’Estacio
del Nord
to the undulating stone façade and
twisted iron balconies. Do take time
to see the roof, the Gaudí museum,
and the early-20th-century apartment.
Just around the corner, on Avinguda
Diagonal, is Puig i Cadafalch’s Palau
Baró de Quadras; it’s just two minutes
from the architect’s Nordic castle
fantasy, the Casa de les Punxes. From
here it’s only a 10-minute stroll to
Passeig de Sant Joan and yet another
Puig i Cadafalch masterpiece, Casa
C. del Rosseló
C. de Lepant
a de
Hospital
S A GR A D A
de Sant Pau
FA M Í LI A C. de Còrsega
ats
amor
els Fn
d
.
C
da
Dia
C. del Consell de Cent
gon
al
C. de Marina
Ro n d
C. de la Indústria
Gran Via de les Corts
C. de Sardenya
C. d’Ausiás Marc
Urquinaona
ngu
C. de la Diputació
C. de Sicllia
START
Plaça De
Catalunya
Av i
C. del consell de Cent
C. de Nàpols
C. de Casp
i ta t
Catalunya
C. de Roger
Plaça de
Tetuán
Passeig de Saint Joan
i ve rs
de Flor
Passeig de Saint Joan
Passeig de Saint Joan
C. de Ballèn
C. del Bruc
C. de Roger
C. de la Diputació
C. de d’Aragó
END
Temple Expiatori
de la
Sagrada Família
C. de València
C. de Roger de Flor
C. de
C. de Balmes
Passeig
de Gràcia
Girona
Car
TIMING: All day with a tour of Temple Expiatori
de la Sagrada Família
a Un
lai
Hospital de Sant Pau
Moderniste movement—Lluis Domènech
i Montaner, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and
Antoni Gaudí—went head to head with
three radically different buildings: Casa
Lleó Morera, Casa Amatller, and Casa
Batlló. The Casa Montaner i Simó—
Fundació Tàpies, with its wire sculpture
Núvol i cadira (Cloud and Chair) by
Antoni Tàpies, is just west, around the
corner on Carrer d’Aragó. Swing by
Casa Domènech i Estapà on Carrer de
Valencia for a more conservative take
on the Art Nouveau movement. Gaudí’s
Casa Milà was controversial thanks
C. de Valènci de Llúria
Passeig de Gràcia
Catalunya
RAVAL
C. de Mallorca
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes
Pe
END:
Plaça de Catalunya
Manzana De
La Discòrdia
de
START:
E I X A MPLE
C.
BARCELONA
EIXAMPLE’S ART NOUVEAU
C. d’Aragó
Ro n d
Plaça de la
Casa Macaya
Sagrada
C. de Mallorca Família
Casa Montaner
I Simó–fundació Tàpies
Universitat
Plaça de la
Universitat
Verdaguer
Passeig de Saint Joan
Passeig de Saint Joan
C. de València
image caption
Pass eig de Gràc ia
Casa Domènech
I Estapà
Casa Milà
500 m
Hospital De
Sant Pau
C. de Sant Antoni Maria Clare
Sagrada
i a gCasa De Les Punxes
ona
Família
Verdaguer
l
Carrer de Provença
C. de Ballèn
C. de Provença
aD
Diagonal
Pau Claris
C. d’Aribau
C. de Rosselió
500 ft
0
C. de Sa nt Llu is
C. de Te ro l
C. de Ra m on y
Joanic
Ca jal
Tra ve ss e
ra d e G rà
c ia
C. de Gràc ia
C. de Girona
C. de Còrsega
c
FPO map
C. de Còrsega
Palau Baró
De Quadras A
[walking tour]
vin
C. del Rosseló
g u d C. del Rosseló
Pass eig de Gràc ia
Rambla de Catalunya
C. d’Enric
FPO image
C. de Cristófer
Gràc ia
C. de Balmes
C. de Tuset
Tra ve ss era de
C. Sa nt M ar
0
C. de l’O r
C . M oza rt
C. Fs co
C. Ma rti nez deGi ne r
la Ro sa Co nó
C . d e l To
rre n t d e
l’ O ll a
C. d’Ar iba u
Alfons X
C. de la Forj a
C . de M ar ià
C ub i
C. de Tánger
C. de Sancho de Avila
S A N T MA RT I
Macaya. By this time you’re only three
blocks from Gaudí’s Temple Expiatori
de la Sagrada Família (set aside half
the day for this masterpiece). Finish off
the tour with a stroll over to Domènech
i Montaner’s Hospital de Sant Pau,
another Moderniste monument and a
World Heritage Site. Tours are offered
in English daily.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN EUROPE / 11
e
ra
st
de
er
ro
ald
Gr
eif
Kn
ip
sw
e
ss
Str
.
le e
r Al
ra s s
aue
To r s
t
se
nzl
ra s
P re
Inv
ali
st
den
Volkspark
Friedrichshain
2
b
Lands
Keep walking along Bethaniendamm
and you’ll come to a colorful
ramshackle wooden structure. This
ue
rP
lat
z
FRIEDR ICHSHAIN
chnri
Hei
Wa
lde
ma
rtst
r.
se
ha niend am
vegetable
plot S
ch
le s
isc END
he
St
ra
ss
e
Ada
lbe
rstr
.
East Side
Gallery
.
str
A cobblestone path traces the course
of the former border between East and
West Berlin and illuminates the effects
the Wall had on the city: it cut through
streets, neighborhoods, and even
buildings. Start at Potsdamer Platz,
the heart of New Berlin, where the
two halves of the formerly divided city
have grown together and where a tiny
stretch of the Berlin Wall still stands.
Walk south along Stresemanstrasse
ala
en
Half a day
Str
hl
TIMING:
ra s
t r.
t r.
ns
Mühlenstrasse
r.
Gitschiner Strasse
Park am
Gleisdreieck
KR
EUZBERG
KREUZBERG
is where a Turkish immigrant named
Osman Kalin planted vegetables in
the shadow of the Wall. Little did he
know that this piece of land actually
belonged to East Berlin but the Wall
had missed it. His family still grows
onions and cabbages on the plot.
Even the most bizarre circumstances
were normal in Cold War Berlin—and
some of these oddities have survived
the change of times. End the walk
by crossing the Spree River at the
Schilling Bridge. Turn right to walk
ass
str
t ra
sse
ier
ans
nn
Urb
Pa
.5 km
e
.5 mi
0
0
from Potsdamer Platz, and then head
east along Niederkirchnerstrasse two
blocks to the Checkpoint Charlie
Museum. Continue east to the modest
column engraved “He only wanted
freedom,” in German, at Zimmerstrasse
15, commemorating Peter Fechter, an
18-year-old who was shot and killed
while trying to escape to the West.
Next wander to Engelbecken Pond and
take in the views.
tst
Engelbecken
Pond
Bet
s t r.
r.
an
END:
Potsdamer Platz
nst
elms
em
START:
ark
Mü
ian
n st
es
Wi l h
Str
BERLIN
CITY CENTER BERLIN WALL TRAIL
5
lzm
S t r.
t r.
ast
n te
image caption
Ho
ne-
ns
Seb
r Stras se
Leipziger Le ipz ige
r.
Krau se ns tr.
Ko
st
Platz
mm
ob
Sc hü tze ns tr.
k
an Ja
da
Zim me rst r.
Nie de rki rch ne rst r.
Ko ch str.
e
t
l
Checkpoint
Zimmerstr. 15
A
Charlie Walldeckpark
column
O ra
Museum
nie
le e
5
An
START
1
ne
Potsdamer
Platz
r Al
Hei
POTSDAMER
PLATZ
Ma rkg rafe nst r.
Ch ar lo tte ns tr.
Fr ie dr ic hs tr.
Tiergarten
tz
FPO map 1
MITTE
[walking
tour]
Sc
Str. de s 17 . Ju ni
pla
m
Lu ise ns tra ss e
FPO image
ß
h lo
e rg e
parallel to the river. Fast-forward on
Mühlenstrasse to the famous East Side
Gallery, where artists from all over the
world decorated the 4,000-some-foot
remaining stretch of wall with colorful
murals. Unfortunately, a section was
demolished to construct a riverside
condo, and the future of this iconic
piece of the wall remains unclear.
BEST WALKING TOURS IN EUROPE / 12
Copyright © 2016 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House LLC
PHOTO CREDITS
Cover, Massimo Colombo/iStockphoto.
Washington D.C., idesignimages/iStockphoto.
Barcelona, Ingenui/iStockphoto.
Intro, Alberto Marangoni/iStockphoto.
San Francisco, nito/Shutterstock.
Berlin, Halie Cousineau/Fodor’s Travel.
Chicago, Andrey Bayda/Shutterstock.
Paris, S-F/Shutterstock.
Back cover, kapitaen/iStockphoto.
New Orleans, Ggoodrow/Dreamstime.com.
London, Ronnybas/Dreamstime.com.
New York City, Marc Venema/iStockphoto.
Rome, Ross Brinkerhoff/Fodor’s Travel.