Singapore is a city that I really love with its “garden city” feel, varied architecture, and a certain appreciable calm.

It had been years since I had stopped in Singapore, and it was a real pleasure to rediscover this city. Given the brevity of my stay, I wouldn’t have time to indulge in an exhaustive tour, but rather a simple stroll with no real destination, just to immerse myself in the local atmosphere. A stroll that was, of course, by no means exhaustive.

You will find a summary of the articles on these holidays in Singapore and Bali at the bottom of the page.

China Town

I’ll start by heading to Chinatown, taking advantage of Singapore’s excellent metro system: everything here is neat and tidy.

This is one of the city’s most iconic historic neighborhoods. Located in the heart of downtown, it bears witness to the first waves of Chinese immigration in the 19th century, at a time when Singapore was still a thriving British colony. The neighborhood has gradually evolved, but still retains many elements of its original heritage.

Narrow streets lined with colorful shophouses coexist with ancient temples, traditional shops, lively markets, and modern restaurants.

Notable sites include the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha, a recent building constructed in accordance with Tang architectural traditions, which houses a sacred relic, and the older Hindu temple of Sri Mariamman, which reflects the religious diversity of the neighborhood.

Chinatown is also a lively place to shop and dine. The Chinatown Complex covered market, for example, offers a wide range of fresh produce and a famous hawker center known for its local cuisine at affordable prices. One of the food court stalls has even been awarded a Michelin star, illustrating the blend of popular culture and gastronomic recognition.

Over time, the neighborhood underwent extensive renovation, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, to preserve its tourist appeal while adapting to Singapore’s growing urbanization. Today, Chinatown is a place of remembrance, a tourist attraction, and a vibrant neighborhood.

The historic center

Singapore’s historic center developed around the Singapore River, which was long the economic heart of the city. At the mouth of this river lies a small, unassuming island steeped in symbolism: today known as Raffles Place Park, it was historically known as the Mouth Island, or “Pulau Ujong” in ancient reviews.

This island, located just opposite the current Raffles Place district, has long played a strategic role. It was in this area that Sir Stamford Raffles is said to have landed in 1819 to establish a British trading post. This place therefore symbolically marks the starting point of modern Singapore. In the immediate vicinity are several iconic buildings from the colonial era: the Asian Civilisations Museum, the Empress Place Building, and the Victoria Concert Hall, all located within an area bordering the river.

The island itself has never been densely built up, but it is an integral part of the historic landscape: it marks the junction between the two banks of the original city, the northern bank, which is administrative and colonial, and the southern bank, which is more commercial and populated by immigrants. Today, the area is integrated into the urban and pedestrian fabric, crossed by jetways and surrounded by green spaces, forming a small haven of calm amid the towers of the financial district.

Marina Bay

Marina Bay is one of Singapore’s newest and most iconic neighborhoods, designed as a showcase for the city-state’s urban and architectural development. Located at the mouth of the Singapore River, this vast artificial bay was created as part of an ambitious coastal development project that began in the 1970s with land reclamation operations aimed at extending the city center towards the sea.

The district was designed as a modern extension of the historic center, with a strong desire to symbolize the country’s economic success and futuristic vision. Today, Marina Bay is home to some of Singapore’s most recognizable buildings. The Marina Bay Sands, a hotel complex with three towers topped by a ship-shaped platform, dominates the landscape. It houses a luxury hotel, a casino, a shopping mall, a museum, and a panoramic terrace offering spectacular views of the city.

Gardens by the bay

Gardens by the Bay is one of Singapore’s most ambitious landscaping projects, located south of Marina Bay on land reclaimed from the sea. Opened in 2012, the park embodies the city-state’s desire to reconcile urbanization, nature, and innovation. It covers more than 100 hectares and is divided into several themed areas that are open to the public.

The Supertree Grove is undoubtedly the most eye-catching feature: metal structures covered in vegetation, 25 to 50 meters high, which serve as supports for climbing plants, ventilation devices for greenhouses, and solar energy collectors. A suspended walkway between several of them, the OCBC Skyway, allows visitors to overlook the gardens and view Marina Bay from above.

The complex is designed to be a contemporary botanical garden, a tourist attraction, a place for locals to relax, and a showcase for Singapore’s technological capabilities in sustainable development.

Two huge climate-controlled greenhouses form the heart of the site: the Flower Dome, which houses Mediterranean and semi-arid plants from around the world, and the Cloud Forest, a recreated tropical rainforest ecosystem with a 35-meter-high indoor waterfall.

During my visit, I had the chance to see a rather unique exhibition: Impressions of Monet.

In the Flower Dome, horticulturists from Gardens by the Bay have recreated Monet’s famous gardens in Giverny. Visitors could stroll among flower beds reminiscent of the Clos Normand and the Water Garden, with its iconic water lilies and green Japanese bridge.

A replica of Monet’s house also allowed visitors to explore the interior of his home, including elements inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e art.

The garden featured more than 18,000 plants of 40 different species. For the first time, tropical and hardy water lilies were incorporated into a floral display at Gardens by the Bay, paying homage to the famous Water Lilies series.

During the day, Gardens by the Bay is a place to explore plants and take a stroll. At night, the park transforms with the Supertrees light and music show, which draws thousands of visitors every day.

Beyond aesthetics and entertainment, the site is part of a reinvented garden city concept: an urban environment where nature is integrated into the infrastructure, rather than relegated to the outskirts. Gardens by the Bay has thus become a symbol of Singapore’s strategy: a dense, green metropolis that is resilient in the face of climate challenges.

Bottom line

That’s all for this impromptu tour, which I hope will make you want to discover more of this very pleasant city. And maybe I’ll have the opportunity to write a comprehensive guide on my next trip.

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