What began as a coordinated Thursday-night event has evolved into a year-round, self-guided art experience that celebrates Downtown LA’s creative community every day. Galleries, studios, and cultural spaces follow their own schedules now, so you can put together your own “art walk” whenever you’re in the neighborhood.

Built in the mid-18th century for the Qing emperors as a retreat from the heat of the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is a vast imperial garden centred on Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, both man-made. The lake was modelled on Hangzhou’s West Lake, with islands, bridges, and long covered walkways. Scattered around are pavilions, temples, and a recreated riverside street designed to look like a traditional market town. Later restored under Empress Dowager Cixi, it became her favoured residence. Today, it’s worth visiting not just for the palaces themselves, but for the long lakeside walks, shaded courtyards, and the sense of space that feels very different from central Beijing.

The Old Town is a vibrant quarter based on its own historic identity. It has a mix of building design dating to the 12th century, Victorian architecture, and contemporary design. The Old Town is clearly bordered on three sides by one of the longest surviving stretches of medieval town walls in the country.

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) has inherited its sad name from the condemned prisoners crossing it on their way to the execution. The covered bridge connects the prison to the interrogation room in the Doge's Palace and crosses Rio di Palazzo. If you happen to pass under it at sunset, at the time the bells of St Mark's Campanile ring, remember to kiss your loved one: as the legend goes, your love will be eternal.