Chicago

Crobar

With its well deserved prize for renovation design this club is rated number one for style: a combination of fashion and music, but mainly decoration and architecture, it is the work of entrepreneur Callin Fortis, the founder of Bigtime Design. Since it has no equal in terms of design, all it needs to do to remain in fashion is program the right music –mainly hip hop and house– in the style represented by the club: voluptuousness and fun in the service of the most exalted form of hedonism.

The upstairs area has two balconies from where you can watch the dancing multitude as well as VIP rooms with glass walls for those who prefer to be even more exclusive. So many people go to this club that it won’t be easy to find yourself a place on the dance floor.

1543 N. Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL, 60607. Phone: 312/266-1900. www.crobar.com

B.L.U.E.S

Lovers of the blues will really enjoy this club decorated in a traditional style with paintings of blues stars on the walls. This popular Chicago nightspot always leaves the public speechless when the guitars are strummed, the bass brings in the melody, the drums pound out the rhythm and the gravelly, heart-wrenching voice begins to sing its sad story proudly and sweetly. The musicians are always close to the audience and there is no paraphernalia in this small, sincere and informal club.

2519 N. Halsted St, Chicago, IL, 60614. Phone: 773/528-1012. www.chicagobluesbar.com

Tryst

If you want to get away from the discotheques and lounges and find somewhere different in an area dominated by formal and impenetrable atmospheres then this is the bar for you. It features spontaneous chairs and simple tables that will help you to relax while enjoying dinner, drinks or both in a colorful and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere that is neither elegant nor pretentious. The menu offers small dishes that include apple raviolis, chicken salad, crab cakes, meat and vegetable shish kebabs and crunchy chicken drumsticks with cocktail sauce. As far as the drinks are concerned, the specialties are the martinis although there are many options to choose from.

3485 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL. Phone: 773/755-3980. www.trystchicago.com

Alinea

With its pleasant and peaceful atmosphere this is reputedly the best restaurant in Chicago. What is beyond doubt is that the restaurant offers a true delight for the palate and the eyes, not only due to its dishes but also because of its elegant setting. This innovative restaurant specializes in eclecticism and experimentation and the surprises are constant. Although the menu changes regularly, the following gives you an idea of what you can expect here: cod with chamomile, shellfish and celery; lobster with popcorn, butter and curry; lamb with lemon, fennel and coffee; potatoes with bitter truffles and butter, date plum cake, rum and carrot … truly exclusive.

1723 N. Halsted St, Chicago, IL. Phone: 312/867-0110. www.alinea-restaurant.com

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

You need to arrive here hungry and thirsty because the restaurant offers huge portions of nutritious food, beer and cocktails. It specializes in steaks but the menu also offers seafood such as shrimp, lobster and fish and everything comes with good service and in a refined, pleasant and at times fun atmosphere. The decoration includes photos of celebrities hung on the walls and is executed in an Art Deco style which makes it particularly relaxing and aesthetically pleasing for a romantic dinner.

1028 N. Rush St, Bellevue Place, Chicago, IL, 60611. Phone: 312/266-8999.  www.gibsonssteakhouse.com

Mia Francesca

Chef Scott Harris opened this Italian restaurant on North Clark Street in 1992 without imagining that in a short time success would allow him to open various branches throughout the city. The restaurant offers simple, rustic cooking in a sophisticated and contemporary atmosphere that perfectly suits the area where it is located and all at reasonable prices. The menu offers pastas and pizzas as well as chicken, veal and seafood dishes prepared to the special house recipes. It is definitely worth a visit whatever your motivation may be and also offers products related to Italian cooking for sale to the public.

3311 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60657. Phone: 773/281-3310. www.miafrancesca.com

Park Hyatt Chicago

This is the hotel for those who prefer luxury and intimacy. It was named one of the best 20 hotels in the world by Institutional Investor and the eye catching decoration in the lobby includes works of art that would grace any museum, such as the Piazza del Duomo Milan by German painter Gerhard Richter. It can be found in an enviable location on North Michigan Avenue and some of the rooms offer a view of Lake Michigan as well as DVD players, wireless Internet, King Size beds and glass desks.

The hotel restaurant, NoMI, is one of the top ten according to Forbes magazine and is one of the best hotel restaurants in the world according to Gourmet. The lounge is also first class and Wine Spectator has praised its excellent wine list and the French cuisine. The terrace is an excellent option for when the weather is good as it offers a panoramic view.

800 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611. Phone: 800/233-1234; 312/335-1234. www.parkchicago.hyatt.com

Hotel Monaco

This four-star boutique hotel in the center of Chicago provides an atmosphere that stimulates all the senses through its combination of decoration, textures, sounds, colors and flavors: it offers an eclectic style between entertainment and elegance. The decoration in the lobby is very relaxing and pleasant while each floor offers a unique style and personality while sharing an excellent taste for decoration. This hotel offers an alternative to the sobriety of the majority of hotels in the city and the rooms are equipped with desks, ergonomic chairs and queen size sofa beds while the walls are decorated with green stripes and intense red tones.

225 N. Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL, 60601. Phone: 800/397-7661; 312/960-8500. www.monaco-chicago.com

City Suites Hotel

This hotel offers both business travelers and vacationers a functional, comfortable and sober option and is decorated in a style with touches of Art Deco that creates a pleasant atmosphere. Most of the rooms are suites and include beds and sofas that lend them a comfortable and homely atmosphere. The hotel enjoys a privileged location in an area of restaurants, blues bars, nightclubs and stores for all types of shoppers: this is an entertainment area offering an exclusive style different to that characterizing the major tourist spots and is for those who prefer to experience the life of the city up close.

933 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL, 60657. Phones: 800/248-9108; 773/404-3400. www.cityinns.com

Art Institute of Chicago

Navy Pier

Although it was initially used for more serious purposes, the pier was the training center for navy pilots during World War II, today it is the most popular and carnivalesque center of attractions in Chicago. Here you can enjoy the city’s best views, take a ferry ride, organize a picnic, take a bicycle ride, visit the amusement park, take a walk, watch movies, attend jazz concerts, go to restaurants and museums and lots more. For over 10 years Navy Pier has served as the principal entertainment center for kids and adults and also offers the best way to see Lake Michigan. Among its principal attractions are the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, with its collection of 150 stained glass windows dating from 1870 to today, which is located on the ground floor of the Festival Hall and features works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, among others;  the Chicago Children’s Museum, an interactive learning museum that offers a fun way to learn about science and art and which also offers shows; the Amusement Park with its carrousels, huge Ferris Wheel and miniature golf course; and you can also take a walk in the Crystal Gardens and enjoy the palm trees and fountains. In addition there are dozens of boat trips on the lake available as well as other activities. You could definitely spend the whole day here without getting bored for even a minute.

600 E. Grand Ave, Lake Michigan, Chicago, IL. Phone: 312/595-PIER. www.navypier.com

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

A visit to the building that served as the home and office of prestigious architect Frank Lloyd Wright between 1889 and 1909 offers an important insight into the ideological birthplace of the first 20 years of the career of this revolutionary artist. In his study he designed 125 structures of modern American architecture including the astounding Robie House in Hyde Park, one of the most celebrated buildings in the country. A walk through Oak Park, the suburb where the house is located, is a must for anyone interested in seeing this open air museum featuring the largest concentration of buildings in the Prairie and Victorian styles.

951 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL. Phone: 708/848-1976. www.wrightplus.org

Millennium Park

This monument of the urban landscape was inaugurated in 2005 and has already established itself as an icon of the city. It is located very close to Lake Michigan and contains a number of interesting works of design, such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion by architect Frank Gehry, an ultramodern venue for open air concerts with a capacity for 11,000 people, The Crown Fountain by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa with its structure similar to a monolith but executed in glass that projects many faces of the inhabitants of the city between the streams of water; the Cloud Gate, a gigantic structure in polished steel in the form of a drop of water that offers a distorted reflection of Lurie Garden thanks to its convex shape; and there is also a natural space featuring the native vegetation of the state of Illinois that provides a contrast between the architecture and the landscape.

Between N. Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, and E. Randolph St. and E. Monroe Dr., Chicago, IL, 60602. Phone: 312/742-1168. www.millenniumpark.org

Lincoln Park Zoo

This zoo located in the north of Chicago is a true wildlife sanctuary where you can hear the roar of a lion or see a gorilla in the trees and feel as if you were really on the savannah or in a tropical jungle. This immense space surrounded by city buildings offers exquisite gardens and paths for walks or if you prefer you can lie down on the grass and take a rest, but be sure to check there are no crocodiles around. African fauna dominates and the animals are housed as if they were in their natural habitats; strutting around the zoo are rhinoceroses, giraffes, elephants, gorillas and hippopotamuses and there is also aquatic wildlife such as reptiles and sea lions. Entrance is free 365 days of the year and the zoo also offers stores and cafeterias.

2200 N. Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL. Phone: 312/742-2000. www.lpzoo.com