Frankfurt Stadel Museum
Half-timbered houses from the 16th century line the city’s central Romerberg square, while Gothic tombstones await you at the Kaiserdom cathedral, along with avant-garde art at the Schirn Kunsthalle. On the banks of the Main, the German Film Museum has an impressive line-up. Finish the day with a glass of refreshing Apfelwein at a traditional stube in the Sachsenhausen district. Schirn Kunsthalle is Frankfurt’s leading venue for innovative temporary exhibitions in the historic city center. After browsing, mingle with Frankfurt’s arty set at its lively cafe. There are 700 years of European art to admire at Frankfurt’s riverside Stadel Museum. Works by Monet, Von Durer, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Matisse, Bacon, Palermo, Van Goqh and Picasso fill this grand building.
Set on the Main embankment, the German Film Museum (Deutsches Filmmuseum) explores the history of filmmaking, with temporary exhibition space being dedicated to filmmakers old and new. There are also screenings from the museum’s extensive archive. With its meticulously reconstructed Patrician house fronts, complete with ornate step gables, Romerberg square is the picturesque heart of the old town.
Frankfurt’s shopping promenade, the Zeil, is lined with high-street fashion outlets and department stores. There are chi-chi jewelery shops on upmarket Goethestrasse and more offbeat fashion on Bergerstrasse. Quirky secondhand shops hide in the narrow streets of old-fashioned Sachsenhausen. For exotic goods, browse the covered Kleinmarkthalle market.
Dinner is served with a view at skyscraper restaurants like Main Tower in Frankfurt’s financial district. Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse, locally known as Fressgass, is the city’s culinary mile. For hearty local meat dishes and typical German fare try taverns like Adolf Wagner in Sachsenhausen.
Ancient and Modern Mexican
Historical sites sit side-by-side modern marvels in this constantly changing megalopolis. The center boasts diverse architectural styles from Aztec to baroque, while the sprawling wooded Bosque de Chapultepec is home to several museums. City retreats alternate with hip neighborhoods housing some of the country’s leading contemporary art galleries. Once the Aztec city’s breadbasket, Xochimilco is filled with canals that make up the Floating Gardens at weekends, local families hire trajinera boats and meander through the waterways while enjoying a picnic. There are always plenty of vendors in small canoes selling food, drinks and souvenirs. Serenading musicians also float by follow the signs to Los Embarcaderos (piers) in Madero.
The Metropolitan Cathedral in the Centro Histórico oozes breathtaking, Hispanic, baroque flamboyance, while the Dolores Olmedo Patino Museum boasts 127 paintings by Spanish-Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and 25 works by Frida Kahlo, as well as collections of pre-Colombian, colonial-era folk art and artefacts.
Mexican flavors abound at restaurants like Café de Tacuba and Hostería Santo Domingo. Taco and tortilla stands are everywhere and generally excellent. Cantinas, like La Nueva Opera Bar, provide a traditional Mexican dining experience. Polanco is home to some of the finest alta cocina mexicana and nueva mexicana establishments.
The Centro Histórico offers everything from antique jewelery in the Nacional Monte de Piedad (National Pawn Shop) to sweets in Dulcería de Celaya, while bargain hunters flock to the historic flea market La Lagunilla. Pick up typical Mexican souvenirs in Almeda and contemporary art in the Zona Rosa. High-end fashion and malls are found in upscale Polanco while Condesa’s relaxed vibe makes it a popular choice for art galleries.
Lively Peruvian Dance and Music in Lima
Lima is a goldmine of fascinating cultural experiences. The National Museum in San Borja, and the ruins of Pachacamac both give an insight into Peru’s rich, pre-Hispanic past. The city’s historic center is the best place to take in colonial architecture, from the Plaza Mayor to the museum of the Convent of San Francisco. If you’re looking for a great place to relax, Miraflores’ Park of Love is just the spot. Peruvian cuisine is diverse, you can choose from Miraflores’ ranqe of restaurants, San Isidro’s meat and seafood, or sample market food in Barranco. A real highlight of any trip to Lima, though, is dinner at Restaurant Huaca Pucllana, located within the ruins of an archaeological compound. Dine with a breathtaking view of adobe pyramids which are illuminated by night. Don’t miss out on the classic, lemon-marinated, seafood dish ceviche.
Once a pre-Inca site for the worship of the god of creation, Pachacamac in Lurin is now an intriguing archaeological excavation. Lima Art Museum in the city center shows a broader-than-usual picture of Peruvian culture by adding modern art to its vast collection of historical paintings. The handicraft markets in Miraflores and Pueblo Libre are full out of colorful, indigenous merchandise. Jewelery addicts will be thrilled by the well-crafted silver at sophisticated ilaria, while Larcomar in Miraflores, or Jockey Plaza in Santiago de Surco, are best for clothes shopping.
Arty Barranco comes alive at night with lively Peruvian dance and music shows. Some of Peru’s most famous criollo singers perform at De Rompe y Raja, while fans of jazz or electro might prefer La Noche. For all-night clubbing with Lima’s in-crowd, Aura in Miraflores is the place to be.
