An old steelmaking city, with a huge passion for sport, Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania is often the epitome of blue collar America. But nobody expects Pittsburgh to be beautiful, and that’s the first major surprise it springs. There are others to come too, in the form of some world class museums and unforgettable architectural pipedreams. The most underrated city in the US? Quite possibly.
The Cathedral of Learning’s Nationality Rooms
The Cathedral of Learning is both utterly ludicrous and instantly adorable. A chunky 42 story Gothic behemoth that towers over everything and looks totally out of place, it’s the University of Pittsburgh’s main building. Inside are 29 ‘Nationality Rooms’ which are styled on different countries, meaning lectures can be inside a Ghanaian village courtyard one day, and an Indian monastery the next.
You can tag the Cathedral of Learning on to a visit to the nearby Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Strip District food tours
The Strip District is full of long-standing old favourites, and ‘Burgh Bits and Bites visits the best specialists on its Strip District food tour. Local history is thrown in between Polish delicacies, imported European meats, more-ish Italian pastries and gorgeous cinnamon bread. See burghfoodtour.com
The Duquesne Incline
Pittsburgh gets its good looks from the river confluence it is built around. Dozens of yellow painted bridges connect things up, and the heart of the city is a triangle jutting into the water. The best views are from the top of the Duquesne Incline, a cable railway that heads part of the way up Mt Washington to a truly splendid perch.
The Warhol Museum
Andy Warhol is arguably Pittsburgh’s most famous son, and the Andy Warhol Museum is about as good as a museum devoted to a single artist is possible to be. Over 8,000 Warhol works are inside, including classics such as the Campbell’s soup cans and Jackie Kennedy screen prints, spread over six floors. But it gets truly fascinating when exploring Warhol’s life, a whirlwind of modelling, magazines, TV shows and Studio 54 strutting. There’s also his private collection of suicide photographs, and a section exploring his pre-fame life as a skilled painter and illustrator. See Warhol.org.
Exploring Pittsburgh
You can explore Pittsburgh with a hop-on, hop-off bus pass. Pittsburgh experiences include bike tours full of stories, guided whiskey-themed walks and craft beer sampling on a multi-brewery tour.
For Pittsburgh hotels with great reviews, try the Italian villa-style Priory Hotel or the often good value Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown.
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