Filming locations in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the cradle of American independence, but for set-jetters it is the underdog's town, the city Rocky runs through. The boxing classic turned two ordinary corners of Philly into pilgrimage sites, and the best part is that both are free and out in the open, woven into a city that is otherwise compact and easy to walk.

The headline spot needs no introduction. The broad steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art are where Rocky's training run ends in triumph, arms thrown up over the city, and they are open at all hours for you to make the same climb. At the base, just to the right, the bronze Rocky statue waits for a photo, and from the top the view back down the parkway frames City Hall.

The other half of the story is the old neighbourhood. The 9th Street Italian Market, with its awnings and stalls, features in Rocky's street-level training montage, and it is still a working market, busiest in the morning and closed on Mondays. Grab a cheesesteak from a corner counter and browse the cheese and spice shops that are local institutions, in the historic Italian quarter of South Philly.

The two spots sit a short ride apart, with the cradle-of-independence old town and its markets in between, so a single day stitches them together comfortably. Climb the museum steps early before the crowds and the heat, then work your way down to the market for lunch. The museum itself is a ticketed visit if you want to go inside afterwards.