Chicago: from a steely skyline to the heart of the Blues

In this pre-Covid video, we head to the Windy City, otherwise known as Chicago… the foremost urban centre of the US state of Illinois, and the heart of the American mid-west.

Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 and today is an international hub for finance, culture, commerce, sports, industry, education, technology, telecoms and transportation.

Visitors will be bowled over by its magnificent urban skyline, adorned with one of the world’s finest assemblages of modern architecture, ranging from Mies van der Rohe’s masterpieces on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, to the 110-storey Willis Tower (previously known as the Sears Tower).

The city is also justifiably proud of the wonderful Millennium Park and the extraordinary treasures of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as several other excellent museums.

Possibly Chicago’s strongest suit, however, is live music, given its phenomenal array of jazz and blues clubs and healthy rock scene, having originated such bands as Smashing Pumpkins and Wilco during the Nineties and R&B stars R. Kelly, Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco in recent years.

When it comes to food, almost everything is less expensive than in other US cities, and dining here is an endless discovery – ranging from local favourites like deep-dish pizza, to global highlights like Vietnamese pho, Mexican carnitas, Polish pierogi and Macanese fat rice.

Sports fans should try to catch a game of the City’s namesake football team – the Chicago Bears, while festival-goers can look forward to the post-Covid resumption of the Chicago Blues Fest and Lollapalooza.

Should you find yourself in Chicago, consider the following for your itinerary:

• Art Institute of Chicago
• Wrigley Field
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Field Museum of Natural History
• Millennium Park
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Navy Pier
• Stony Island Arts Bank
• National Museum of Mexican Art
• Willis Tower

View the original video here.

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