Seattle
11 things to do and see in Seattle and 1 not to doProgress, technology and culture. These are the added values of Seattle, a city that more than any other, in recent years, has risen to symbol of contemporaneity. From architecture to engineering, passing through cinema and music, it is here that some of the most important artistic and costume trends saw the light at the turn of the XNUMXth and XNUMXst centuries. In short, one city in turmoil, incubator of the most disparate vanguards which, evidently, have found - and still find - a source of inspiration both in the most technologically advanced environments and in the numerous green spaces available to the population. Yes, because in Seattle public green is considered as much as skyscrapers and big brands of the made in USA trade. Below we see together the main attractions of the city. Happy reading.
1 Pike Place Market
At the beginning we mentioned Seattle's ability to combine technological innovation and quality of life. What we have not told you, however, is that the synthesis does not only involve the care of public parks. To interrupt the urban landscape made of skyscrapers and temples of consumerism there is also the Pike Place Market, a food and craft market, generally used as a starting point for a discovery tour of the city. Founded in the early 900s, the market was born precisely from the need to put producers and buyers in communication without the mediation of wholesalers, held responsible for unjustified price increases. In short, the choice of the so-called “zero kilometer” in Seattle is not only rather dated but also resisted, innovating itself, the difficulties of the Second World War and the subsequent affirmation of the large distribution chains. Over the years, fish, cured meats and typical local crafts have been added to the fruit and vegetable stalls, until the appearance in (relatively) more recent times of street artists and restaurant businesses. A must see Starbucks within the market. The store is reputed to be the oldest of those in business of this famous coffee chain founded, among other things, in Seattle. Also worth seeing “Rachel The Pig”, the piggy bank life size that stands in the main gallery of the market. Touching the bronze nose of this sculpture has become a good luck rite, as is the good luck fundraising carried out through the work. The proceeds, in fact, go to social initiatives for the community that lives around the Pike Place Market. For more information on the history, products and activities present, consult the Official site: www.pikeplacemarket.org.
2 Seattle Aquarium
Seattle is an ideal destination for a vacation with the whole family. We have already mentioned the large amount of green areas, so much so that the other name by which it is known is “Emerald City”, but that's not all. A special mention goes undoubtedly to the aquarium, located on pier 59 of the renewed city waterfront. Since 2010 it has been managed by the non-profit company "Seattle Aquarium" which invests the donations received not only, of course, to look after the animals present in the best possible way (sharks, giant octopuses, corals, anemones, jellyfish, starfish, otters and an infinity of birds), but also to promote initiatives aimed at the knowledge, care and enhancement of the marine and terrestrial habitat around the city. In short, a good idea for those who travel with their children, perhaps to do in combination with a ride on the nearby Seattle Great Wheel. More information at place: www.seattleaquarium.org.
3 Seattle Art Museum
A few hundred meters from Pike Place Market, the Seattle Art Museum and another one a must of a visit to the city. Obviously, the SAM does not stand up to the comparison with the MET in New York, but this does not mean that it is a museum space of absolute respect, with best of Northwest School art. In particular, the painter Mark Tobey considered by critics to be the father of another great American artist: Paul Jackson Pollock. And, not surprisingly, Pollock is present in the permanent exhibition of the museum, as well as Andy Wahrol and, before these, with reference to artists born in the nineteenth century, other great painters such as Many e Matisse. It is not over, because the Seattle Art Museum also houses numerous artifacts of native Indians, thus helping not to lose the memory of the first inhabitants of the American continent. The museum also includes theOlympic Sculpture Park, a former industrial area transformed into a large art garden that dialogues positively with the surrounding urban space. More information on the website: www.seattleartmuseum.org.
4 Smith Tower
The elevator ride to the 35th floor terrace of the Smith Tower is another of the things to do in Seattle. The building, 42 floors in all, dates back to 1914 and was the tallest in the city for many years. Although it is no longer, it has kept intact its charm which derives not only from the magnificent view offered, but also from the urban and architectural context in which it is inserted. We are, in fact, in Pioneer Square and Historical District, area full of museums (especially the Klondike), parks (Occidental Park) and historic buildings. In addition to the Smith Tower we are talking about, also the namesake Pioneer Buiding, a building that more than all the others reveals the influence of Richardsonian Romanesque in the city. It is, in fact, a stone building with arches and colonnades according to the dictates of the Romanesque, and at the same time it also betrays the Victorian Renaissance lesson learned from English history. Returning to the Smith Tower, if there is any way it is worth sitting on "Wishing Chair", lucky chair that is said to help find a partner. As often happens, the tourist press has transformed this rumor into an unmissable event to be immortalized with the most classic of selfies. More information at place: www.smithtower.com.
5 Space Needle
"If you see one thing in Seattle, see everything", which translated means “If you see one thing in Seattle, you see everything”. This sentence is enough, one of the many with which the ascent on the Space Needle, to understand the tourist importance of this futuristic structure in the heart of Seattle. After all, the numbers speak for themselves: there are over a million visitors who visit the observatory annually (Observation Desk) 160 meters high to admire the beautiful skyline of the city. The tower was built in 1962 on the occasion ofUniversal Exposition, a circumstance that connects it to the Eiffel Tower in Paris although, obviously, they are two completely different buildings. On the top of the Space Needle there is also a revolving restaurant, in case you want to stop for something to eat in a truly unique setting in the world. For more information see the place: www.spaceneedle.com.
6 MoPOP
From Jimi Hendrix to Pearl Jam, passing through Nirvana, a band that more than any other made the "Seattle sound" starting from the second half of the 80s of the last century. Each of these groups has its place in the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), a stone's throw from the Space Needle. It is a futuristic museum designed by archistar Frank Gehry and financed by the late Paul Allen, cofounder of the IT giant Microsoft. Inside, we said, as well as fragments of history of grunge (alternative rock with punk and heavy metal veins that, a little above, we called "Seattle sound"), there are other surprises: fromexhibition with Marvel superheroes (recommended for children), to the one with the sets and costumes used in some of the most famous science fiction films in the world (Icons of Science fiction). For more information on the history, timetables, temporary exhibitions and how to visit the Museum of Pop Culture, consult the place: www.mopop.org.
PS.: If you are a lover of grunge and rock in general, don't miss the Crocodile, one of the coolest clubs in Seattle where, of course, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Rem have also performed. Even today this place is an unmissable stop for all lovers of the genre.
7 Chihuly Garden and Glass
Located near the Space Needle (Seattle Center), this museum houses some of the works of the glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. It is one of the most beautiful glass art collections in the world, to the point of calmly holding its own against the "capital of glass processing", Venice. And, after all, Chihuly not only trained as a workshop in the lagoon city (at the Venini glassworks) but, in the mid-90s, he exhibited in the city, garnering considerable success with the public and critics. Therefore, visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass is truly a unique experience, one that will never happen again in life. For more information visit the website: www.chihulygardenandglass.com.
8 MOHAI
The computer software you are using (Microsoft); the coffee you are sipping (Starbucks); the plane you recently took (Boeing); the ecommerce site (Amazon) from which you just bought your Christmas gifts; the music that is the background to your days at work, in the car and in your free time (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Foo Fighters etc.): almost all these things have seen the light or their definitive consecration in and around Seattle. Therefore, visit the Museum of History and Industry, where these experiences are told in an absolutely original and engaging way, is an essential step to deepen the genius loci of Seattle. It is not over, because in this museum other important stories of the city are retraced: from the settlements of the first Native Americans, to the EXPO 1962 which suggested the construction of the Space Needle, to the TV series that saw Seattle as the main location. Two in particular: Twin Peaks and Grey's Anatomy. More information on the website: mohai.org.
9 Fremont
Fremont is a neighborhood of old hippies e young hipsters about an hour from Downtown and Seattle Center, the most central areas of the city. It is most famous for the statues scattered along the neighborhood and for a bizarre road sign placed on a traffic island at the intersection with 35th Street. The sign indicates, among others, the direction for the "Center of the Universe": a provocation that well explains the nonconformist spirit that animates the neighborhood. Coming to the statues, the most famous is the Fremont Troll (also called "The Troll", or "Troll Under the Bridge"). It is a stone giant, freely borrowed from Scandinavian folklore, who holds a Volkswagen Beetle with Californian license plate in one hand. Another bizarria: the presence of one bronze statue of Lenin. Arrived in 1993 from the former Czechoslovakia, theoretically she is in Fremont pro tempore, waiting for a buyer to decide to buy, putting an end to a contradiction that has been going on for over 20 years: the protagonist of the Bolshevik revolution making a fine show of himself in one of the most capitalistically advanced cities on the planet. To be seen!
10 Woodland Park Zoo
From what has been written so far it is clear how much Seattle be also one city suitable for children: L 'aquarium Ferris wheel show with Marvel superheroes, un dedicated museum and an infinity of green areas and equipped public parks. Right next to one of these, the Green Lake Park (much appreciated by bikers and runners) there is also the zoo. And what a zoo! Stable in the top 10 in the United States, the Woodland Park Zoo hosts many animals: lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, raccoons, foxes, porcupines, penguins, butterflies, etc. Managing so much variety means leaving nothing to chance and this is the mission of the managers, at the forefront of protecting the environment inside and outside the facility. In short, a highly recommended stop if you are traveling with children in tow, in order to alternate the visit to more challenging points of interest with other lighter attractions, suitable for the whole family. More information on the website: www.zoo.org.
11 Monorail
It often happens that means of transport also end up becoming tourist attractions: in Lisbon, for example, there is tram 28; in Seattle, however, the Monorail. Traveling in mid-air between the buildings and parks of the city is a truly incredible experience. Of course, Seattle residents don't notice it anymore, since the monorail has been in operation since the 1962 Universal Exposition, the same year the Space Needle was inaugurated. After more than half a century, however, they continue to use this means of transport whose The main advantage is to connect Downtown and Seattle Center easily, and above all with great frequency, the neighborhoods where most of the points of interest described up to now are concentrated. More information at: www.seattlemonorail.com.
P: S: If there is time, Seattle is also worth seeing from the waters of its harbor. Several shipping companies carry out the sightseeing tour that combines the historical story of the city with an unusual perspective of the urban landscape. For more information: www.argosycruises.com/argosy-cruises/harbor-cruise.
1 Better (if possible) not to visit Seattle in the winter
Seattle is one of the most popular destinations for a trip to the United States. Good air, efficient transport, little crime and, of course, a lot of things to see. It is therefore difficult to find a weak point. If you really need to find one: better to avoid the winter months. It is not so cold, thanks to the mitigating action of the water, but it rains very frequently. On the other hand, the summer is mild, with temperatures that almost never exceed 25 ° C. Ideal for a vacation to discover the most important city in the State of Washington.
