Distance: 1 km
A historic riverside ramble that takes in art, architecture and good ol’ Raffles, Singapore’s cultural enclave is positively pedestrian-friendly. Start with a gander through the city’s rich history and end with sunset views of the iconic MBS. Cheers to Sunday, lah.
A. National Gallery
Showstopper architectural union of the Neoclassical former Supreme Court and City Hall, connected via a vast, elegant atrium and sleek modern skywalks. Once you’ve been wowed by the exterior, eyes peeled for the prize inside: the gallery is home to the largest stash of modern Southeast Asian art in the world.
1 St Andrew’s Rd, Civic District, +65 6271 7000, 10am-7pm daily, nationalgallery.sg
B. National Kitchen by Violet Oon
Sing’s national culinary treasure and Peranakan petal, Violet, takes up residence in the Nat Gall. Swish, nostalgic dark wood n’ mirrored decor, ceiling fans and pretty repro tiling backdrop a menu drawing on childhood faves and tantalising hybrids of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian recipes. Oon-some.
National Gallery Singapore, City Hall Wing, 1 St. Andrew’s Road, #02–01, Civic District, +65 9834 9935, lunch and dinner daily, violetoon.com
C. Asian Civilisation Museum
This little cutie gives a glimpse into Singaporean and Southeast Asian history and culture and has a fab stash of antique jewellery, fabrics and masks. Give yourself two hours.
1 Empress Place, +65 6332 7798, 10am-7pm Sat-Thu, 10am-9pm Fri, acm.org.sg
D. Fullerton Building
Imposing ex-colonial GPO, now traddy heritage hotel, freshly crowned with National Monument status. Have a gander at the Palladion archi and vast colonnaded lobby before popping into resto-terrace Town for a G&T by the river. Cin cin!
1 Fullerton Square, +65 6733 8388, fullertonhotel.com
E. Saint Pierre
This longtime fine-dine darling has moved to new heritage digs with wow watery views, and my, hasn’t it settled in well. Warm, chic, understated decor and a refreshingly unstuffy vibe perfectly suit Emmanuel Stroobant’s super bon gastro plates, blending French techniques with Japanese ingreds and strong veggie focus. Merveilleux!
Tip: Arrive before 7pm to catch the jaw-dropper sunset reflected in Marina Bay Sands.
#02-02B One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road, +65 6438 0887, 6pm-8pm Tue, 11.30am-1.30pm Wed-Sat, saintpierre.com.sg
ManulifeMOVE has no association with any of the landmarks, dining venues, galleries or retailers included within this walking guide, selected by LUXE, and disclaims any liability as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.
Photo Credit: Saint Pierre
