Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the most surreal city in the world — a glittering neon oasis in the middle of the Mojave Desert that has no business being in this landscape and works precisely because of it. The famous Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) is a 6.8 km long hallucination of mega-casinos, replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, fountains dancing to Sinatra's music, and an energy that never stops 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Strip
The main casino resorts from south to north:
- Luxor — The black pyramid with the world's strongest beam of light at the top.
- MGM Grand — The largest hotel in the USA (6,852 rooms!).
- Bellagio — The legendary fountains dance every 15–30 minutes to music (free). Inside: a gallery with paintings by Picasso, Monet, and van Gogh, and the famous poker room.
- Caesars Palace — Roman opulence casino with the Forum Shops, one of the highest-grossing shopping malls in the USA.
- The Venetian / The Palazzo — Replica of Venice including St. Mark's Square and gondola rides on the indoor canal ($29 per person).
- Wynn / Encore — The most luxurious resorts on the Strip. The Wynn garden is a work of art.
Shows & Entertainment
Las Vegas is worth a visit even without gambling — the shows are world-class:
- Cirque du Soleil — Six different shows in Vegas, from "O" (water acrobatics at Bellagio, the best show in town) to "Love" (Beatles tribute at Mirage). From $70.
- Residencies — Top artists like Adele, Usher, and Garth Brooks have permanent shows in Vegas. Tickets from $100, often sold out months in advance.
- MSG Sphere — The largest spherical structure in the world with the highest-resolution LED facade. Inside, an immersive audio-video experience like no other.
Off the Strip
The Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Vegas is the original — where Las Vegas began in 1905. A huge LED canopy spans the street, classic casinos like the Golden Nugget (with a shark aquarium in the pool!) offer cheaper tables and a more relaxed atmosphere. The Arts District (18b) south of Downtown has developed into a gallery mile. And the Neon Museum ("Neon Boneyard") displays retired casino signs from the golden decades — particularly impressive on the evening tour with lighting ($28).
💡 Tipp
Hotels on the Strip are often ridiculously cheap during the week (Mon–Thu) — $40–80 for 5-star properties that cost $300+ on weekends. Avoid holidays and convention weeks (CES in January!). The breakfast buffet at Wynn ($55) is the best in town — and one meal is enough until evening.
