Philadelphia is a surprisingly grand city, with monuments, cathedrals, boulevards and fountains to rival any world capital. And nowhere is that more apparent than from the vantage point of Sister Cities Park.

You’ll find this shady green space in the shadow of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, across the street from the majestic Logan Square fountain, at the foot of the grand flag-flanked Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It’s the perfect place to pause and take it all in!

Look for AMOR, Robert Indiana’s companion sculpture to the iconic LOVE statue. It stood above the art museum steps to welcome Pope Francis to Philadelphia and more recently found a home in Sister Cities.

In summer find a shallow wading pool where kids float toy boats. There’s a small discovery garden for kids to explore, though they seem to prefer running through the Sister Cities Fountain, with its 10 little geysers to represent Philadelphia and its 9 sister cities around the world.

This is a popular spot for urban families. In season, you’ll find small-scale live music outside. And in the cooler months, you can duck into the Logan Square Cafe for a coffee or light lunch. The visitor center here is handy for tourists.

But I prefer to watch the people and take in the grand museum facades from my shady perch outside on a blanket. This is one of my happy places, where I can feel at once awed and embraced by this city of mine in all its magnificent beauty.