Denver: The City of Surprises

Wild west or metro chic? Gateway or destination city? Mainly masculine or something for the ladies?

“Denver is full of surprises,” said my Colorado friends. “really?” i replied skeptically, and then quickly discovered five things I hadn’t expected.

Although the ‘Mile High City’ is indeed located a mile above sea level – note the plaque on the steps of the gold-domed State Capitol – it’s not up in the mountains but on a wide plain.
You don’t need a rental car to get around town. Denver is a very walkable city, there’s a free shuttle bus along downtown’s shop- and cafe-lined 16th Street Mall, and Denver International Airport is linked by train with the Union Station transport hub.
The city is more than a great staging point for the outdoor activities of Rocky Mountain National Park and various ski resorts; you also can get your thrills in town via 850 miles of paved bike trails, kayaking down the man-made South Platte River rapids and fishing, swimming, boating and horseback riding in its state parks.
Denver’s not just about its masculine Gold Rush and cowboy heritage. The popular Molly Brown House Museum is named after the ‘unsinkable’ lady mining magnate who was the heroine of the Titanic disaster and of both a Broadway musical and a Hollywood film. And then there’s all that retail therapy in the massive Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
The same city that is home to cattle shows and rodeos is also a cultural hub – the Denver Performing Arts Complex is one of the largest in America; other attractions include the outstanding and architecturally-stunning Denver Art Museum and seven arts districts.

The Rocky Mountains serve as a Denver backdrop

Pleased with my discoveries, I treated myself to a congratulatory cocktail in one of the numerous metro-chic bars – a brewery tour will have to wait till another time.

Getting to Denver

United Airlines has launched a daily, non-stop, seasonal service from London Heathrow to Denver International Airport. Operating until October 27, the flights link up with extensive connections throughout Colorado and the rest of the USA.

Where to Stay in Denver

There’s a wealth of options but for its 19th-century grandeur and four-star amenities, stay where the Beatles stayed – at downtown’s opulent Brown Palace and Spa.