Walking Tours, Chicago

Walking Tours, Chicago

Chicago is the heart of America’s Midwest, with a distinctly soaring skyline of skyscrapers that is instantly recognized the world over. Take a walking tour of Chicago to explore the architecture and multicultural identity of this Windy City.

The architectural sophistication of Chicago can largely be attributed to the aftermath of the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871, from the ashes of which rose the world’s first skyscraper and several historic buildings.

The downtown Loop is Chicago’s central business, political and cultural district, with landmarks such as the soaring Sears Tower or Willis Tower, the Art Deco Chicago Board of Trade Building, Trump International, the Standard Oil Building now known as Aon Centre, Field Building, the post-modern 311 South Wacker Drive and Harold Washington Library, Franklin Center, Inland Steel Building, and the neo-classical City Hall. Along the Chicago River, the Art Deco Civic Opera Building is home to the world famous Lyric Opera of Chicago and one of the largest theaters in the United States. The area also has outdoor sculptures by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Marc Chagall. The Art Deco and Art Moderne buildings give a glimpse of Chicago of the Roaring ‘20s Jazz and subdued ‘30s.

Other buildings of notable architecture in Chicago include John Hancock Centre, the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower, and Wrigley Building on the Magnificent Mile, as well as the classicist Baha’i temple in the far north.

The Pedway that runs arounds downtown Chicago is a great way to explore the city in inclement weather.

There are pub crawls themed around Chicago’s Prohibition Era and the development of its entertainment industry, from jazz and clubs to theatre and comedy.

Of course, you can sample some of Chicago’s beloved deep dish pizza as well as other local favorites on a food tour.