Modern, exciting and neat, Singapore is a wonderful city as good as the most famous western metropolis, where futurist and stunning architecture coexists with colourful colonial buildings and elegant Victorian façades. A unique city, a world apart from other chaotic Asian metropolis, definitely well worth a visit!
Walking around, it’s easy to move from business quarters full of managers hurrying up to their offices to the much more intimate and relaxed atmosphere of the Indian and Chinese quarters, where you can wander around enjoying the sweet smells and colours coming from the many street stalls. SINGAPORE HIGHLIGHTS:
· Old Times is the old quarter, commissioned by Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, who in 1819 bought Sultan Johore’s land and built a business English style city. All buildings here are in Victorian and Palladian style. Not to be missed The Raffles Hotel, the most ancient hotel in Singapore, whose nice patio and garden can be visited by tourists as well some the smart boutiques and souvenir shops. A nice place where to breath the old Victorian atmosphere, maybe tasting a good English tea at the garden bar.
Marina Bay Sands, an ultra modern complex made of three stunning skyscrapers hosting a luxury hotel, a mall, a congress center, theaters, museums and restaurants; on the top there’s a ship shaped platform anchored at the three skyscrapers hanging at 340 m height, called Skypark, with a stunning swimming pool ,gardens and a panoramic terrace from which you can enjoy the most breath taking views on Singapore’s bay; to reach the top you can use the elevator right in from of the complex reception.
From the panoramic terrace it’s also possible to enter a free zone of the swimming pool (which otherwise is for hotel’s guests only ) to get a glance of this incredible pool overlooking Singapore skyline at this dizzy height!
Chinatown, with its nice and neat pastel colour houses, this is the ethnic heart of the city, full of small restaurants and many shops where to bargain for many goods, from cameras to jewlery. Arab Street is famous for batik shops, straw bags and goldsmith.
Little India is a colourful and characteristic quarter where the smell of spices mixes with that of incense coming from the many temples; the main market is Zhujiao Centre.
Orchard Road is Singapore’s Fifth Avenue on the nth degree, an amazing shopping street with smart designer boutiques and malls. Singapore is considered Asia’s culinary capital and especially here on Orchard Road there are hundreds of restaurants serving any kind of cuisine, from asian to european to american. Sentosa Island, connected to Singapore with a bridge and a dizzy cable car, is worth a visit for the many attractions for children and adults as the Underwater World Sentosa, which recreates Malaysia and Austrialia undersea environment; on the island there are many hotels and luxury SPA for a relaxing escape.Urban Trasport
Singapore has an excellent transport net but it’s nice to discover the city on foot moving from one quarter to another to see how atmosphere changes from formal business blocks to relaxed chinese quarters up to the amazing and sparkling Orchard Road.
Climate
Singapore has the perfect weather with an average annual temperature between 25 – 27°; the European summer corresponds to their rain period but , even though rain showers are pretty heavy, they usually last not more than half an hour! It’s always the right moment to visit Singapore!
