UltimateCity Guide Singapore
Our favourites
The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina Bay The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina Bay The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay, rising above the gardens The white bandstand among tall trees at the Singapore Botanic Gardens The Merlion spouting water at night, with Marina Bay Sands across the bay

The city guide to Singapore

Best of Singapore

Marina Bay after dark, the Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, three restaurants with three MICHELIN Stars, hawker centres on UNESCO’s heritage list, and the Botanic Gardens, a World Heritage Site.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyPrime neighbourhoods, agents, new developments and how buying worksA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to Singapore

Singapore packs a great deal into a small island: the towers and gardens of Marina Bay, the colonial grandeur of the Civic District and Raffles, the shops of Orchard Road, the temples and mosques of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India, and the beaches of Sentosa. It is one of the world’s great places to eat, from hawker stalls to three MICHELIN Stars. We list only places we have checked against their own websites and official sources.

Long Bar

Since 1915

The Singapore Sling at Raffles

Civic District·Hotel bar

The Long Bar at Raffles, where, in the hotel’s words, the Singapore Sling originated in 1915. Go in the late afternoon, then walk down to the bay as the towers light up.

Plan your visit

Singapore by neighbourhood

From Marina Bay to Bukit Timah: each area has its own guide.

Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum at blue hour, reflected in the bayNeighbourhood guideMarina Bay & the Civic DistrictThe bay, Raffles and the museumsThe curving glass and steel canopy of ION OrchardNeighbourhood guideOrchard, Tanglin & NassimShops, garden hotels and quiet avenuesPalawan Beach and its islet on Sentosa, seen from aboveNeighbourhood guideSentosa & the southern waterfrontBeaches, resorts and marinasPainted shophouses on a Chinatown streetNeighbourhood guideChinatown & Tanjong PagarTemples, hawkers and shophousesThe golden dome of Masjid Sultan at the end of a palm-lined street in Kampong GlamNeighbourhood guideKampong GlamMasjid Sultan and Haji LaneRestored shophouses with coloured shutters in Little IndiaNeighbourhood guideLittle IndiaSerangoon RoadA dining room at COMO Dempsey, with white lanterns, wrought-iron chairs and a chequered floorNeighbourhood guideDempsey HillDining among the treesA path through dense rainforest in Bukit Timah Nature ReserveNeighbourhood guideBukit TimahRainforest and the Botanic Gardens

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go.

The departure hall of Changi Airport, with its patterned ceiling and checked floorBefore you goSingapore essentialsThe SG Arrival Card, money and getting aroundThe Rain Vortex falling through the glass dome of Jewel Changi Airport, among treesGetting aroundGetting aroundChangi, the MRT and ferriesMarina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum at blue hour, reflected in the bayItineraryMarina Bay in a dayThe bay and the Civic DistrictThe glass Crystal Pavilion of the Louis Vuitton Island Maison on the water, with Marina Bay Sands behind, at blue hourLuxury guideLuxury SingaporeThe finest addresses

Beyond Singapore

Sentosa, Pulau Ubin, Johor Bahru, Bintan and Batam.

The suspension bridge and towers on the islet off Palawan Beach, SentosaBeyond SingaporeSentosaBeaches and resortsThe coastal boardwalk at Chek Jawa running out over the seaBeyond SingaporePulau Ubin & Chek JawaBicycles and wetlandsThe Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque in Johor Bahru, lit at nightBeyond SingaporeJohor BahruOver the border by trainThe cable-stayed Barelang Bridge in BatamBeyond SingaporeBintanResorts by the seaThe cable-stayed Barelang Bridge in BatamBeyond SingaporeBatamThe Barelang bridges

In depth: Singapore’s back stories

The grand hotels, the Singapore table, the bars, the sights and buying a home.

The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina BayOrchard RoadChristmas in SingaporeOrchard Road’s lights and festive hotelsThe double staircase in the lobby of The Fullerton HotelThe back storyGrand hotels by the bayBay, Tanglin or Sentosa?The green cast-iron arches under the roof of Lau Pa SatThe back storyThe Singapore tableFrom the hawker stall to three starsThe Long Bar at Raffles, with orange bar stools, a dark wooden bar, palm-leaf fans and a patterned tiled floorThe back storyFrom the Singapore Sling to the rooftopsThe barsThe Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay, rising above the gardensThe back storySeeing Singapore wellGardens, bays and templesThe Helix Bridge lit red at night, with Marina Bay Sands beyondFeatureThe Ultimate Scenic Driving GuideBay, bridge, hills and the seaMarina Bay and the Central Business District at dusk, seen from above the Marina Bay Sands promenadeThe back storyBuying in SingaporeAgents, ABSD and the rulesThe stained-glass dome of the Rotunda at the National Museum of SingaporeFun factsSingapore fun factsThings you might not know

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

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sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the ThamesUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratOur sister guideULTIMATE Property (prime markets worldwide)Prime neighbourhoods, estate agents, new developments and how buying works, market by market across the ULTIMATE network.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its poolSpainULTIMATE ValenciaCalatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about Singapore, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Singapore Botanic Gardens

    This week’s pick

    Singapore Botanic Gardens

    Tanglin·UNESCO World Heritage Site

    The Singapore Botanic Gardens at 7am, before the heat: the bandstand, the National Orchid Garden and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then breakfast at Cluny Court.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum at blue hour, reflected in the bayItineraryOne perfect day: Marina Bay and the Civic DistrictOne day, on footThe white bandstand among tall trees at the Singapore Botanic GardensItineraryOrchard Road and the Botanic GardensOne day, on foot and by taxiPainted shophouses on a Chinatown streetItineraryThe heritage quarters: Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little IndiaOne day, on foot and by MRTPalawan Beach and its islet on Sentosa, seen from aboveItineraryA day on SentosaOne day, by cable car, tram and taxiMarina Bay and the Central Business District at dusk, seen from above the Marina Bay Sands promenadeItineraryA property viewing day: Nassim, Bukit Timah, Sentosa Cove and Marina BayOne day, by car

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1From the hawker stall to three MICHELIN stars: the Singapore table, the back storySingapore · In depth
    2. 2OdetteCivic District · French
    3. 3Les AmisOrchard · French
    See all 20

    Cafés

    1. 1TWG TeaOrchard · Tea salon
    2. 2Raffles CourtyardCivic District · Courtyard café and bar
    3. 3Tiong Bahru BakeryOrchard · Bakery café
    See all 6

    Bars

    1. 1From the Singapore Sling to the rooftops: Singapore’s bars, the back storySingapore · In depth
    2. 2Long BarCivic District · Hotel bar
    3. 3AtlasBugis · Cocktail bar
    See all 9

    Hotels

    1. 1Grand hotels by the bay: where to stay in Singapore, the back storyMarina Bay · In depth
    2. 2Raffles SingaporeCivic District · Grand hotel
    3. 3The Fullerton Hotel SingaporeMarina Bay · Heritage hotel
    See all 16

    Sights

    1. 1Gardens, bays and temples: seeing Singapore well, the back storySingapore · In depth
    2. 2Singapore Botanic GardensTanglin · UNESCO World Heritage Site
    3. 3Gardens by the BayMarina Bay · Gardens
    See all 13

    Museums & Shows

    1. 1National Gallery SingaporeCivic District · Art museum
    2. 2Asian Civilisations MuseumCivic District · Museum
    3. 3Peranakan MuseumCivic District · Museum
    See all 9

    Parks

    1. 1Sungei Buloh Wetland ReserveKranji · Wetland reserve
    2. 2Bukit Timah Nature ReserveBukit Timah · Nature reserve
    3. 3Fort Canning ParkCivic District · Historic park
    See all 7

    Walks

    1. 1The Marina Bay loopMarina Bay · City walk
    2. 2The Civic DistrictCivic District · City walk
    3. 3The Southern RidgesMount Faber · Ridge walk
    See all 8

    Shopping

    1. 1ION OrchardOrchard · Mall
    2. 2Ngee Ann City and TakashimayaOrchard · Mall and department store
    3. 3ParagonOrchard · Mall
    See all 11

    Spas & Health

    1. 1Singapore General HospitalOutram · Public hospital
    2. 2Raffles HospitalBugis · Private hospital
    3. 3Gleneagles HospitalTanglin · Private hospital
    See all 10

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Singapore: the back storySingapore · In depth
    2. 2Knight Frank SingaporeSingapore · Property consultancy
    3. 3Savills SingaporeRaffles Place · Property consultancy
    See all 8

    Developments

    1. 1Changi Airport Terminal 5Changi East · Airport terminal
    2. 2Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS LinkWoodlands · Cross-border rail
    3. 3Mandai Wildlife ReserveMandai · Wildlife parks
    See all 5

    Motoring

    1. 1Hotel cars and chauffeursSingapore · Chauffeur service
    2. 2Rolls-Royce Motor Cars SingaporeLeng Kee · Showroom
    3. 3Porsche Studio SingaporeBugis · Showroom
    See all 5

    Getting Around

    1. 1Singapore Changi AirportChangi · Airport
    2. 2Seletar AirportSeletar · Business aviation airport
    3. 3The MRTSingapore · Metro
    See all 9

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