New York - the Bucket List (part 2 of 4)

There are things that you have to do at least once in your life, whether you are a visitor or New York native. Here’s my list. If you’re confused as to why there are some obvious gaps (read Central Park) they’ll be included in my do-over-and-over-again as part of a New Yorker lifestyle column next week.

1. Empire State Building

I wasn’t that excited to go up this beautiful building, but went pretty willingly because my husband was so keen on it. Thank goodness. The whole visit was a pleasure – from the organized, swift moving queues to friendly guides, affordable gift shop and of course, the amazing views. Try to visit early in the morning or late at night on a week day for the best views and shortest queuing times.

Insider tip: although the building has 102 floors, the main viewing observatory is on the 86^th. Don’t bother to pay extra to go right to the top: it’s enclosed by scratched glass and the views are no better than outside on the main deck.

2. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

It feels terribly clichéd and touristy to visit them, but these attractions are a huge part of American history, offer great views of Manhattan from afar and provide fantastic photographic opportunities. Catch the inexpensive ferry from Battery Park on the southernmost tip of Manhattan. If you would like to go up to the statue’s crown, an appointment needs to be made in advance, but like us, most visitors are content with looking up at her (she’s weirdly small in real life). As one of the most important gateways to America, Ellis Island Immigration Museum is fascinating and nostalgic, filled with original artefacts and interesting information.

3. Ground Zero site and museum

Ground Zero is not hard to find. A massive construction site filled with cranes and workers, all looking like ants scurrying around in hard hats. However, locating the museum is a little more complicated. Only temporary while the official monument and memorial centre is built, the museum is housed in a narrow unassuming business centre to the south of the site. A must-see to learn about the attacks and the people involved and pay tribute to the lives lost. The information and artefacts that have been collected are incredible and visitors walk around seemingly in a trance, often fighting back tears.

4. Brooklyn Bridge

Linking the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world, built in 1883. Used by cars, pedestrians and cyclists, it makes for a gorgeous 3.6km walk (across and back) on a sunny day. Its history includes jumpers, a shooting, a terrorist plot designed to blow it up and even remnants of a Cold War bunker, discovered in 2006. When walking along the pedestrian path, obey the rules and beware of cyclists

5. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over 2 000 000 works of art are housed in this grandiose building backing onto Central Park. Once inside visit the areas that interest you most, and be prepared to get lost – the interior is a maze of hallways and galleries. Highlight tours are offered for those who want a good summary of the collection and to cut out the wandering-aimlessly-while-lost feeling.

6. The Rockefeller Centre

You are sure to have seen this on TV, as it consists of Radio City Music Hall, Winter Ice Rink and Christmas Tree, shopping malls and is home to shows such as 30 Rock which we had the privilege to see being shot live – Tracey Jordan just an arm’s length away!

7. Times Square

Noisy, busy, full of Midwestern tourists and exploitative gimmicks, this is a place that’s largely left to visitors. Although some people love going there on New Year’s Eve, I would give it a very wide berth on the busiest night of the year. You still have to see it, though. Watch out for pickpockets (and more recent car-contained bombs) and ignore the exorbitant tourist prices – there are better places to shop. Great place for discount theatre tickets!

Madrid Magic - City of Surprises

As a European destination, Madrid is often passed over for cities with more international cache – Paris, Amsterdam – even its own counterpart – Barcelona. Yet, as a favorite hangout of Ernest Hemingway, this is a city of living, eating, partying and shopping. Madrid contains all the things one might want from a European city – history, architecture, museums and galleries, beautiful parks, pavement cafés, great restaurants and a bouncing party scene, all with incredible Spanish flavor and style.madrid5

Here are a few highlights:

1. Palacio Real

Situated in the center of the city, this previous royal residence (now used for state ceremonies) is an architectural and artistic wonder, built between 1738 and 1764. Start off by admiring the symmetrical façade, equally beautiful when lit up at night or glowing in the morning sunshine. Must-sees inside include the Hall of Columns which is still used for functions, and the pharmacy (an antique collector’s dream, lined with ancient glass bottles and mortars and pestles. Informative placards educate visitors on the scarier aspects of 1800s medicine). Cross the interior courtyard – while imagining you live there – and enter the amoury. As someone who has always been far more interested in dashing knights than amour, it was amazing to see the contraptions that have been worn through the ages!

2. Parque del Retiro

Madrid’s Central Park – bigger than most suburbs and used by all for pet-walking, bike riding, yoga classes and boat rides on the lake – not only serves Madrileños with recreational facilities, but also contains architectural marvels such as the Palacio de Cristal. Visitors can enter the park through any of the eighteen elaborately designed gates and most of them eventually make their way through the mazes of paths and roads to Estanque, the boating lake. Built in 1631 and overlooked by a towering monument to Alfonso XII, there are rowboats for hire and plenty of spectators who while away their time buying ice creams and watching some of the 6000 fish to be found in the lake. Don’t miss the beautifully designed rose garden which flowers at impossible times of the year and boasts more than 4000 roses.

3. Plaza Mayor

Madrid’s most famous square was designed to hold 50000 people. Most of the buildings now house government offices. The floor of the square is surrounded by restaurants, bars, tourist information kiosks and shops. In the center you’ll find the horse-seated statue of Felipe III. The square, although always humming with people and music, is a lot more staid than it used to be – it was previously used as a bullring, open-air theater and an execution ground.

4. El Escorial

A day trip from Madrid, El Escorial is stately and unique – one part palace, one part monastery and one part mausoleum. Built by Felipe II to house the remains of his father, he instructed his architects to design it with “simplicity in construction, severity in the whole, nobility without arrogance, majesty without ostentation”. One of the complex’s most beautiful aspects is the library which is held in esteem for its possession of important holy writings dating between the fifth and 18th centuries, housed under intricately painted vaulted ceilings inspired by Michelangelo. El Escorial has been deemed one of the modern wonders of the world and has been declared a Monument of Worldwide Interest by UNESCO.

5. Art Galleries

Madrid is renown for its three biggest art galleries – Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen Bornemisza and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The Prado is housed in a large, low building situated along a leafy avenue. Among its claim to fame is its collection of Goya, Velazquez and Rubens masterpieces.

Not far up the avenue the smaller Museo Thyssen Bornemisza can be found, which houses paintings by Van Gough, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, Rembrandt and Dali. For visitors who become footsore, the charming garden café is the perfect place to refresh.

The last of the three main galleries (there are plenty more!) is the Arte Reina Sofia which boasts Picasso’s Guernica. Not only is the finished canvas displayed – an adjoining room also contains the artist’s rough sketches of the design and other Picasso works.

6. Dining

Madrid being the city of eating out, bars and restaurants are abundant, well-priced and always full of interesting people. Almost without exception, the bars serve delicious tapas and the restaurants boast adjoining bars. Aside from great wines and European beers, the drink of choice is Anis, preferably from Chinchon. This clear spirit made from aniseed has a madrid4liquorice taste and can be likened to Sambuca. Those in a celebratory mood should try Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. After tapas, the most delicious and Spanish of Madrid food is paella – made with rice, vegetables, seafood and other meats, and usually served straight from the pan. Restaurant or bar recommendations are fruitless – there is so much to choose from. Walk down a street in any busy area and wander into places that catch your eye. Most have menus posted outside so you can see whether the food appeals, and whether their prices are inside your budget.

As a city, Madrid certainly has a unique body clock. Expect lunch to end anywhere before five pm, and supper only to start at 11pm. Although there is early business traffic, the streets only wake up after 10am when people of all kinds congregate in coffee shops for a traditional breakfast – chocolate con churros – fried pastry dipped in thick chocolate or black coffee.