Philadelphia · City Break
Birthplace of a nation, capital of cheesesteaks
Three ways to take on Philly — the founding-fathers trail, art and food along the Parkway, and the neighbourhoods worth lingering in. Mix, match and we'll tailor the rest.
Lonely Planet, 2024
Named one of the best cities in the world to visit — for its arts and culture, award-winning dining and bustling neighbourhoods.
MICHELIN Guide
Philly now has a MICHELIN Red Guide — from Zahav and Vetri to neighbourhood favourites quietly redefining American dining.
Tax-Free Shopping
Pennsylvania charges no sales tax on clothing or shoes — pack a half-empty suitcase for Walnut Street and the Premium Outlets.
Itinerary One
The first-timer's day — Independence to South Street
A mile of cobblestones, four centuries of history, and the best cheesesteak lunch of the trip.
Morning
- Coffee at Elixr in Rittenhouse, then walk to Independence National Historical Park.
- Tour Independence Hall — where the Declaration and Constitution were signed.
- See the Liberty Bell, then duck into the National Constitution Center next door.
- Wander Elfreth's Alley — the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in America.
Afternoon
- Lunch at Reading Terminal Market — DiNic's roast pork or a classic Philly cheesesteak.
- Cross to Christ Church and Benjamin Franklin's grave at the burial ground.
- Stroll the Magic Gardens on South Street — Isaiah Zagar's mosaic masterpiece.
- Coffee and pastry at Federal Donuts before heading back.
Evening
- Sunset cocktails at Assembly Rooftop Lounge, overlooking City Hall.
- Dinner at Zahav — James Beard-winning modern Israeli, book well ahead.
- Catch a show at the Kimmel Center or jazz at Chris' Jazz Café.
- Nightcap at Hop Sing Laundromat, the city's most theatrical speakeasy.
Itinerary Two
Art, the Parkway and the Italian Market
Two days of museums, mosaics and the great cheesesteak debate — Philly at its most delicious.
Day 1 — Art & The Parkway
- Breakfast at Sabrina's Café in Fairmount.
- Run the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art — selfie with the statue.
- Inside: Duchamp, Van Gogh, Cézanne and the largest Rodin collection outside Paris.
- Walk the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the Barnes Foundation — Renoir, Matisse, Picasso.
- Dinner at Vernick Food & Drink in Rittenhouse.
Day 2 — Cheesesteaks & Italian Market
- Breakfast pastries at Termini Bros in the Italian Market.
- Walk 9th Street — produce stalls, spice shops and family delis a century old.
- The great cheesesteak debate: Pat's vs Geno's vs Jim's vs Angelo's. Pick two.
- Beer flight at Yards or Love City Brewing in Northern Liberties.
- Dinner at Vetri Cucina — multi-course Italian tasting, a Philly institution.
Where to Stay
- The Rittenhouse · The Logan · Hotel Monaco · The Notary Hotel · Four Seasons at Comcast Center (Philly's tallest views).
Itinerary Three
Philadelphia by neighbourhood
Six pockets of the city worth a half-day each — pick the ones that fit your trip.
Rittenhouse Square
Philly's most refined address — a leafy Center City square, boutique shopping on Walnut Street and the city's best restaurant row.
Old City
Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, cobblestones, galleries and First Friday art walks — the historic heart with a creative streak.
Fairmount & Parkway Museums District
Philly's Champs-Élysées — the Benjamin Franklin Parkway runs from City Hall to the Art Museum, lined with the Barnes, the Rodin and the Franklin Institute.
Northern Liberties & Fishtown
Philly's coolest postcodes — Frankford Avenue's record shops, natural-wine bars, craft breweries and Suraya for Lebanese.
Washington Square West, Midtown Village & the Gayborhood
Antiques on Pine Street, indie boutiques on 13th Street and some of the city's most exciting small-plates dining.
South Philadelphia & the Italian Market
9th Street's century-old stalls, family bakeries, the Magic Gardens — and the cheesesteak corners that started it all.
Convention Center District & Chinatown
Reading Terminal Market, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Chinatown's Friendship Gate and dim sum within a block.
West Philadelphia & University City
Penn and Drexel campuses, the Penn Museum's Egyptian collection, and the gardens at Bartram's.
Ready to go to Philly?
Tell us which itinerary you're drawn to (or all three) — we'll build the hotels, transfers and reservations around you.