Seattle in a day: what to see

The Pike Place Market opens the dancing: the covered market open since 1907, among the oldest still active in the United States, is famous for fishmongers tossing fish between the stalls and the first Starbucks ever opened.

Heading down to the harbor you reach Seattle's waterfront, from which ferries depart for the islands of Puget Sound and from which on clear days you can see Mount Rainier volcano on the horizon.

Continuing to Pioneer Square, the city's oldest neighborhood, you walk among brick buildings from the nineteenth century built after the great fire that razed the original Seattle.

For lunch, one of the food stalls at Pike Place Market remains the choice most consistent with the soul of the city, between fresh seafood and historic bakeries.

The Space Needle is the tower built for the 1962 Expo, with its panoramic platform and partially transparent floor overlooking the city and surrounding mountains.

At its feet, the Chihuly Garden and Glass is the museum dedicated to the sculptures of blown glass by artist Dale Chihuly.

As evening falls, heading back to the center, the restaurants around Pike Place or Pioneer Square become the point of reference for dinner, among the city's growing gastronomic scene.

Pike Place Market, the waterfront, and Pioneer Square are enough to restore Seattle's historical soul, while an afternoon choice between the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden completes the picture with the panoramic or artistic side.

The Fremont neighborhood, with its famous troll under the bridge, and a trip to Puget Sound islands remain chapters for a second journey. Watching Space Needle stand out against the snow-capped Mount Rainier is perhaps the clearest memory of Seattle.