Kuala Lumpur in a day: what to see

The Petronas Towers open the day well: the twin towers connected by a bridge on the forty-first floor can be visited to the observation platform, bookable in advance due to high demand.

At their feet stretches the KLCC Park, an urban park with a dancing fountain that lights up with the towers' lights in the evening.

Moving toward the historic centre you reach Merdeka Square, the square where in 1957 Malaysia's independence was proclaimed, surrounded by colonial buildings in Moorish style.

For lunch, the Central Market, the ancient covered market transformed into a craft centre and street food hub, offers a first taste of Malaysian cuisine before heading to Chinatown.

The Batu Caves are the limestone cave complex transformed into a Hindu shrine, preceded by a staircase of 272 coloured steps overseen by a gilded statue over forty metres tall.

In the centre, Petaling Street is instead the heart of the city's Chinatown, among stalls, red signs and Chinese temples hidden between buildings.

With evening, Jalan Alor, the city's most well-known street food street, remains the most direct way to close the day among outdoor tables and barbecue fumes.

Petronas Towers, Merdeka Square, and Central Market are enough to show Kuala Lumpur's dual colonial and contemporary nature, while the afternoon choice between Batu Caves and Petaling Street adds its sacred or commercial side.

The KL Tower, with its alternative observation deck, and a trip to Cameron Highlands remain chapters for a second visit. Seeing the Petronas Towers light up above the city's rooftops at sunset captures Kuala Lumpur in a single glance.