Timeless Destinations: Charleston, Santiago & Mexico City

The Soirée guide to three of the world’s most mesmerizing cities — all easily accessible from Little Rock.

CHARLESTON | Southern Charmer

The Lowdown

Founded in 1670, Charleston is an all-time classic and a true jewel of the American South. Nestled around a large natural harbor, the city invites a refreshing Atlantic breeze to cool those steamy South Carolina nights. With its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and burgeoning foodie scene, this is the place to come for civilized decadence. A walk through the city’s French Quarter should be at the top of everyone’s list, while its handsome pastel antebellum houses are an architecture lover’s delight. This is a walker’s city, packed with sights but manageable given its small size. Its equally charming little sister, Beaufort, is also worth a visit and only an hour’s drive south.

Sights

Tucked in Charleston’s downtown area, the French Quarter is the place to appreciate the city’s architecture, art galleries and award-winning restaurants. Check out the Pink House tavern on Chalmers Street, one of the city’s oldest buildings, standing since 1712. Get your shopping in and make sure to include a tailored seersucker suit.

Grab some sandwiches at the gourmet Caviar & Bananas deli (excellent gluten-free options available) and have a lunchtime picnic in Waterfront Park, where the famous Pineapple Fountain, immortalized in numerous paintings of the city, is located. If you have kids, take swimsuits so that they can join the local children taking a dip in its generous basin. Afterward, stroll along Battery Promenade for fantastic views of the ocean and harbor.

Get your historical fix with a visit to the beautiful but haunting Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, a short drive from the city center. The superbly preserved planter’s house and curated museum are a treat, and several guided tours of the grounds are available. The gardens are a horticultural gem.

Eats

A long lunch at Slightly North of Broad is highly recommended. Trendy and buzzing with an Art Deco feel, it features knowledgeable employees navigating you through an enticing menu of contemporary Southern fare, including a divine butternut squash bisque and Carolina trout served with miso butter. Be sure to cast your eye over the outstanding cocktail list.

Book a table and dine with the in crowd at über-trendy The Grocery, and enjoy your butcher’s cut in a cool industrial-style setting. The confit duck leg is delectibly moist, and the Wagyu beef melts in the mouth.

Famed for award-winning shrimp and grits, Eli’s Table is a sure bet for brunch. There is no better way to get a true taste of the South in style, and the breakfast menu is served until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, so what better way to recover after a night on the town?

Sleep

The Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel has all the glitz and glamour that one would expect during a stay in Charleston, without breaking the bank. It’s a handsome building with a stylish décor and rooftop pool and gym. The convenient location right in the heart of the city makes walking to all of the top spots easy. Hotel bicycles are also available and a great way tour the town.

If you make it down to the picturesque nearby town of Beaufort, the Rhett House Inn is a picture-perfect vision of a classic Southern bed and breakfast. Winner of numerous accolades and awards, and a favorite of Barbra Streisand’s, this hotel has nothing imperfect about it. From lounging in the hammock on the beautifully preserved porch to the complimentary afternoon tea and cakes and divine traditional breakfasts made by the jovial chef Beverly, it offers a holiday in and of itself.

SANTIAGO | Chile’s Beating Heart

The Lowdown

Chile’s capital is a treat for all of the senses. Set in a fertile, vineyard-rich valley with the mighty Mapocho River cutting through it, the city is flanked by the snow-capped Andes on one side and the Chilean Coastal Range and the Pacific beyond on the other, offering something for every type of visitor. Its climate, akin to that of the Mediterranean, makes it a gastronomic destination, as attested by the proliferation of Chilean wines now available worldwide. Santiago was founded as long ago as 1541, and is rich in history and architecture. Its central location in Chile also makes it the perfect launch pad from which to explore the surrounding Central Valleys, the arid Atacama regions of the north, majestic Patagonia or the famous Moai heads of Easter Island.

Sights

Start any trip to Santiago with a visit to the historic Plaza de Armas, the center of the city and its main square. It is a leafy place, popular with tourists and locals alike, and is the location of the grand neoclassical Catedral Metropolitana and its many crypts, among other architectural gems such as the beautiful old post office. From here, wander down one of several arteries that radiate out from the plaza into the city’s center for shopping, local cuisine or simply people-watching.

Join a list of famous visitors, including Charles Darwin, and get a bird’s eye view of the city from atop Cerro Santa Lucia, a vertiginous city park with beautiful fountains and staircases leading up to a hilltop fort that offers panoramic views of the city below. After a morning of taking in the bustling city, visitors find the park a peaceful retreat and a great place to have lunch with a to-go meal from Nuria, a popular lunch spot with locals and a short walk from the park’s entrance.

Get your souvenir shopping done at the upscale Patio Bellavista in the artistic Barrio Bellavista neighborhood, and relax after with a drink at one of several trendy bars there. While in the area, take an audio-guided tour of quirky La Chascona, one of three homes of the famous local poet Pablo Neruda. Alternatively, for more traditional arts and crafts made by local artisans, take the city metro to Los Dominicos Handicraft Village in the city’s east. Once here, Antilucan Café is nice for a spot of tea.

Eats

For truly authentic home-style Chilean food, eat at the informal Vive La Vida and start with the pollo de coñac, a rich chicken stew, or the salmon ceviche, and follow on with pastel de choclo, a baked corn and meat pie that is hearty and beautifully spiced. Wash it all down with bottle of local Austral beer.

Barrio Lastarria is Santiago’s trendy neighborhood and is buzzing with upscale restaurants, such as the popular Peruvian Tambo, but our top choice for coffee and dessert is La Manzana Confitada, a chic little patisserie that serves a beautiful selection of cakes. The passion fruit yogurt cake is outstanding.

The Aubrey Piano Lounge, located in the same-named hotel, is where Santiago’s glitterati go to dine. Quietly romantic, this is a great place for light eats and cocktails in a beautifully restored property.

Sleep

The Aubrey oozes charm and has been voted by National Geographic as one of Chile’s best hotels. A beautifully restored 1927 house built in the old mission style, and former home of the Chilean prime minister, this is Santiago’s first true boutique hotel and, with only 15 rooms, one of its most exclusive. Its medieval stone water arches, manicured gardens and inviting pool make this a real oasis in the city. Highly recommended.

MEXICO CITY | Unabashedly Latin American

The Lowdown

The first major metropolis one encounters south of the border, Mexico City is a force to be reckoned with. Founded in 1325 as Tenochtitlan, it has certainly stood the test of time. Despite a turbulent history, both distant and recent, the city has worked hard to shed its negative image. And the word is out: It’s one of Latin America’s hippest cities, and tourists are flocking from all over the globe. Here ultra-modern skyscrapers sit alongside historic architecture — both colonial-era and truly ancient. Grand parks help you cool down in the hot summer, museums and art galleries abound, and a world-class metro system makes this sprawling behemoth much more easily accessible. From rich cultural festivals to celebrated cuisine far beyond the clichéd tacos and burritos, this is a city where life is lived to the fullest.

Sights

Mexico City’s center can be explored through a series of walking tours, and its bustling cultural epicenter of Plaza de la Constitución (the closest metro station is Zócalo) is a great place to start. Architectural gems like the Catedral Metropolitano, Casa de los Azulejos and the Palacio de Bellas Artes are all must-sees. The ancient ruins of the Aztec Templo Mayor near the cathedral are also worth a visit.

Stroll through the popular Bosque de Chapultepec, the largest city park in the western hemisphere, where visitors can find a picturesque lake and two of the city’s many excellent museums: the Museum of Modern Art and the finely curated National Museum of Anthropology.

If you can bear the crowds that can often line up well out onto the sidewalk, the most popular churros in the city — and some would argue the best in the world — can be found at Churrería El Moro. The café is always crowded, but order a large portion and a cup of thick “Spanish chocolate” to go and enjoy them in nearby Alameda central park – perfect for a spot of people-watching.

No trip to Mexico City is complete without a day trip to the breathtaking pyramids at the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán, standing since about 100 B.C. It is about 30 miles north of the city and best accessed with a hired tour.

Eats

For a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine done to an exceptionally high standard, reserve a table at Chapulín at the InterContinental Presidente hotel. Start with the house guacamole — the best you’ll ever taste — sprinkled with crunchy fried grasshoppers (chapulin in Spanish, hence the restaurant’s name), a local delicacy, and follow with a regional specialty like the goat stew cooked in a spicy mole, or something more familiar like suckling pork tacos. Complement your dinner with a cucaracha (cockroach — this time not literally), a Kahlua and tequila cocktail theatrically set alight and poured at your table.

Swanky Fifty Mils, located in the Four Seasons Hotel, is as trendy as they come, with bearded hipsters serving you inventive cocktails in a stylish speakeasy setting. Dishes are simple but very well prepared bar food (they do a mean burger and tasty tortas). Our top cocktail choice is the Penicillin — whiskey, honey, lemon juice and fresh ginger.

For something a bit more intrepid, get your street food fix by roaming the two streets of Calle de Regina and Calle Lopez. This is where Mexicans come for their tacos, and you won’t find more authentic chorizo or seafood empanadas anywhere in town.

Sleep

In the upscale neighborhood of Polanco, the InterContinental Presidente hotel towers above the Bosque de Chapultepec park and offers incredible views of the city. Chic, modern rooms with plush furnishings make this a most elegant stay, and breakfast on the executive floor is worth the extra price for the panoramic views alone. It also benefits from having both Chapulín and Pied de Cochon restaurants within it, as well as several great restaurants and bars in the immediate vicinity.

The Four Seasons Hotel is a true oasis of calm from Mexico City’s frenetic bustle and a top choice for the discerning traveler. Elegant rooms overlook a lush central courtyard, in which an outstanding al fresco breakfast is served, a top quality on-site patisserie offers daily freshly-baked fare and there is even a bespoke gentleman’s barbershop. Top marks all round.