FAENA HOTEL MIAMI BEACH POOL, PHOTOGRAPHY: TODD EBERLE
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iami has become a year-round destination, not just for a quick escape to the sun, but for culture and world-class service too. And December is its definitive month to shine as the international art and fashion sets descend for Art Basel. The sun-splashed city is, like its sea-hugging luxury condos, on the rise. The cobwebs of laid-back service have been dusted away for a new level of hospitality catering to a clientele that’s not merely here to sip caipirinhas on the beach, and its cultural scene is everburgeoning. World-class institutions like the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and the highly acclaimed Miami City Ballet are shining a new kind of light on the Magic City. The Faena (see Where to stay) is bringing a distinctly South American voice to Miami Beach, but this has always been a city of multiple languages. It has also been a tale of two cities – downtown and beach – and the mainland is evolving as well. Thirteen years ago, when the Four Seasons Hotel Miami opened in the heart of the financial district, it was hardly a leisure traveller’s destination. Skyscrapers and banks defined the area, known as Brickell (for Brickell Avenue), which was a sphere of business suits and ties that all but shuttered come nightfall. Today, mainland Miami is being recognised as the heart of the city. It is also becoming one of the most popular neighbourhoods to live in, giving new buzz to local restaurants and bars. Later this year, the Brickell City Centre shopping and entertainment complex is set to open, adding to the cultural diversity of the Design District and the eclectic arts neighbourhood known as Wynwood, which has property maestro Tony Goldman to thank for its modern development (as does much of the beach itself) and where trendy creatives can enjoy more than 50 galleries. Visit Art Basel, if you fancy. Head to the beach, if you like. Or go downtown to witness the expanding heart of a bustling bayfront city. But don’t forget to go to Miami.
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MIAMI
With its cultural reputation now firmly established, Daniel Cappello finds a destination that offers much more than condos and caipirinhas ©ART BASEL
FAENA HOTEL MIAMI BEACH VERANDA, PHOTOGRAPHY: TODD EBERLE
ARSHT CENTER, PHOTOGRAPHY: PATRICK FARRELL