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Chicago

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About Chicago
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Chicago is an overlooked tourist destination, routinely passed over for other great cities such as Los Angeles or New York. This is a shame because the city is one of America’s most vibrant cultural centres, brimming with great museums, world-class concerts and a myriad of diverse neighbourhoods loaded with fantastic eateries and boutiques.

Of course, visitors should explore the lakeside and downtown areas, but it's also important to venture off to the outskirts and quieter spots, like the Italian enclave of Harlem Avenue, or the Balkan suburb of Irving Park, where you can find the best BBQ ribs in town.

For markets, good cafés and Mexican food try Bucktown or retreat to Chicago’s green sanctuaries, such as Lincoln or Jackson Park. Andersonville is packed with Middle Eastern bakeries while Pilsen is the heart of Chicago’s Mexican American community, where you'll also find the riveting National Museum of Mexican Art.

Bookworms will want to make a pilgrimage to Hyde Park for its bookshops, coffee houses and art galleries and in Beverly you’ll find a strong Irish community and fascinating architecture, like stately private homes by architects including the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Travel Tips

Unpack your bag at a five-star hotel in downtown Chicago, like the small boutique James Chicago Hotel or the massive and monumental Park Hyatt. For new and modish surrounds, check into the W Chicago Lakeshore, which is just next to Lakeshore Drive, a great waterfront stretch for casual strolls or even a brisk jog.
Chicago has a vast store of world class museums. With more than 300,000 works of art and picturesque views of Millennium Park, the Art Institute is a good place to start, while history aficionados who want to learn all about Chicago will appreciate the new Chicago History Museum, where regular symposiums and films about the city are open to the public.
People from Chicago take their food seriously, which is why there are hundreds of good restaurants in the city. Try a gourmet burger at Kumas Corner or unctuous tacos at La Lagartija. For a leisurely brunch, try Hearty on North Broadway, and an evening of fine dinning at Blackbird shouldn’t be missed.
Chicago’s Sears department store is an old favourite for shoppers. You'll also find small boutiques like the eco-friendly brand Lara Miller selling jewellery and women’s wear made from recycled fabrics. Vintage lovers will appreciate Jeffrey Millbern’s shop, filled with throwback looks and jewellery from the 1920s.
If you want to take in some of Chicago’s sights in a day, begin with a walk through Humboldt Park or a tour of the Bobby's Bike Hike or the Modern Skyscrapers tour led by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. For the best high-up views of the city go to the top of the Sears Tower or the John Hancock Building.