Seattle

United States·North America

Currency

USD

Language

English

Timezone

Los Angeles

Continent

North America

Our guide

Discover Seattle

Seattle sits between a sound and a lake, under a volcano visible on clear days. The Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair, remains the city's emblem and its platform rotates. Pike Place Market has run since 1907 and never became a set: the fishmongers still work there, and the first Starbucks is opposite. MoPOP: Museum of Pop Culture occupies a crumpled-metal Frank Gehry building, and Rem Koolhaas's Seattle Central Library is among the most remarkable contemporary buildings in the country.

When to go

June to September: the dry season, and it is superb, with long days and Mount Rainier on the horizon. The rest of the year, rainy Seattle earns its reputation — not by quantity but by persistence: a grey drizzle from November to May. Locals do not carry umbrellas, they put a hood up.

Getting around

The Link light rail joins the airport to downtown and the north of the city. The centre walks, but Seattle is built on steep hills and the gradients surprise. Ferries leave the waterfront for the Puget Sound islands and are daily transport as much as excursions. The 1962 monorail still links downtown to the Space Needle.

Where to eat

Pacific salmon and seafood dominate, served plainly. Coffee is a local religion: the city invented the global chain and now spends its time distinguishing itself from it, with a dense scene of independent roasters. Teriyaki became, through Japanese immigration, a properly Seattle street food. Only two halal addresses are listed.

Good to know

The US dollar is the currency, tax is added at the register and a tip of 18 to 20 % is expected. Washington State levies no income tax and makes up for it with a high sales tax. The rain is fine and continuous: a hooded waterproof serves better than an umbrella. And Mount Rainier shows itself about one day in three — when it does, locals say the mountain is out.

Smart Planning