Chicago, USA

Hello, I am glad to greet you, I am Yael Yancelson and today we are going to one of my favorite cities in the United States. We fly with the power of imagination to Chicago, so breathe, close your eyes and let yourself be guided, we begin.

Modern, attractive, and with an emblematic skyline, the Windy City, or Second City, as it is still called, on the shores of Lake Michigan in Illinois, is a truly spectacular destination.

On this trip we will walk through large parks, we will climb the roofs of skyscrapers, will walk to feel the city, and discover emblematic neighborhoods, museums, as well as shopping areas, restaurants, renowned theaters, and large sports stadiums and events as great as the famous lollapalooza music festival

If you want some amazing views of the city, our first stop is the Willis Tower Skydeck. We went up to the 103rd floor of the building and its four glass observation decks allowed us to see Chicago from a different perspective. With this glass floor, you feel between nerves and vertigo. Do you dare?

Now we go to the MILLENNIUM PARK in the central area of ​​the Loop, near Lake Michigan (between Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive, and Randolph and Monroe streets) that was created on the occasion of the new millennium. This is one of the most popular places to spend time outside. Turn around and look at its innovative architecture and art, such as the Cloud Gate, popularly known as “La Judía or the bean”, which is undoubtedly one of the most photographed sculptures in Chicago.

Millennium Park, along with Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum Campus, is part of Grant Park, one of the city’s largest green spaces, known as “Chicago’s front yard.” Currently, Millennium Park is considered one of the largest projects in Chicago. It is not a simple park, it also has an outstanding architectural and artistic offer: from its public art exhibitions or the exhibitions of the Boeing Galleries, to the open-air concerts of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or the performances of the Harris Theater. We can even go skating, contemplate some fantastic gardens or simply walk and rest on the lawn.

Probably the most well-known building in Millennium Park is this pavilion designed by Frank Gehry and dedicated to the famous Pritzker family, who contributed a good amount of money to the construction of Millennium Park. It is an architecturally innovative setting that hosts the city’s largest outdoor concerts and festivals, including the Grant Park Music Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, and the Chicago Jazz Festival. It also hosts classical music concerts. How about we have a picnic right here, while we enjoy a good concert. Is free!

The truth is that I am not passionate about natural history, but the Field Museum is a must, which has a neoclassical style and houses the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the world. It has also positioned itself as one of the most important museums for its fossils, Egyptian mummies, and precious stones.

Located on the 94th floor, 360 Chicago, it is one of the tallest buildings on Michigan Avenue, 300 meters high, and it looks good as it offers one of the best views in the city. On a clear day, visitors can glimpse up to four different states. It takes less than 40 seconds to climb and its main attraction is the glass Tilt capsule, which tilts forward for a unique and impressive view of the streets. The experience is very fun!

Do you like to walk? I think Chicago is a good city to do it. Spaces like The Riverwalk will enchant you. We walk along this pleasant pedestrian promenade that runs along part of the Chicago River bank and is full of spaces where we can stop at a bar, restaurant, or terrace near the water, or if you like it is a good place to get on a water taxi and take the architectural tour from the river.

Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, and Rene Magritte. They are some of the artists whose works can be seen at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The center has one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the United States. It houses pieces from styles such as surrealism, conceptual art, pop art, and minimalism.

Located between the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Oak Street, the Magnificent Mile is part of the Near North Side neighborhood in the city’s central district. In the Near North Side, you will also find neighborhoods such as Old Town, with its charming Victorian houses, Streeterville, River North, and the luxurious Gold Coast. In 1909, the Plan of Chicago proposed to turn Michigan Avenue into a great commercial boulevard inspired by the Champs Elysées in Paris, and, definitely, today, the Mag Mile has become an important commercial area and a fashionable place among Chicagoans and tourists. To get to know Chicago, it is essential to get lost along this great avenue.

Did you know that the Gothic-style water tower was built between 1867 and 1869 to hide a 42-meter standpipe? This iconic castle-shaped Chicago landmark is not only known for being the second oldest water tower in the United States but also because it was one of the only buildings to survive the Great Fire. It even became a symbol of hope when the city began to be rebuilt. Currently, the tower houses the public contemporary art gallery City Gallery.

A pioneer building in the development of the business district north of Michigan Avenue is the Wrigley Building, we are told that at an architectural level it is based on the Giralda Tower of Seville Cathedral, while the ornaments are an adaptation of the French Renaissance style. It is curious that the land is triangular in shape, there are walkways to connect its two sections, and it was built as the headquarters of the successful chewing gum company that bears its name.

Another amazing place to walk, run, bike, segway or jog is the 606 which is an old industrial rail line converted into an original park and elevated trail that reaches 2.7 miles in the distance.

In a central and picturesque neighborhood north of the Loop, with a young atmosphere and full of green spaces facing Lake Michigan, it smells delicious, so we have to go to the V. Haut-Chocolat chocolate boutique and one of the considered best restaurants in the world, Alinea. Chef Grant Achatz’s restaurant with modern American food, tasting menus, and highly creative dishes. The award-winning chef uses the plate as a canvas and, playing with various crockery and accessories made of different materials, recreates pieces of modern art to present food, cooking live on various materials, and painting recipes that could well be exhibited in a museum. This chef is impressive, look at the transparent sugar balloons, a true spectacle for all the senses, really eating here has been an extremely fun experience, if you are interested in knowing more about this chef, I highly recommend you watch the Chef’s Table Netflix series on the Chicago episode and you will see how interesting his artistic work is.

And about food, if you like to cook, I think it’s time to prepare our ingredients to go to the kitchen and make a very typical Chicago-style stuffed pizza, click on the button or if you prefer, keep traveling.