Chicago pulses with energy. You can feel it in the rhythm of the bluesman's guitar, in a moving theater performance, in the quiet splendor of the Art Institute. You can see it in the crowds swirling down Michigan Avenue during rush hour and in the color of the New Year festival in Chinatown. You can taste it in the taquerias of the Pilsen neighborhood and the tandooris of Devon Avenue.

Chicago's cultural, intellectual, and commercial vibrancy makes it one of the great cities of the world. It can be an important part of your education. But to begin to take advantage of the city, you have to know a little about it. These pages offer guideposts as you start exploring.