New York: where it all begins …
The main event that shatters the life of the young protagonist, Theo Decker, occurs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art while viewing a captivating yet haunting painting of a goldfinch. You won’t find the titular 17th-century painting, Carel Fabritius’ The Goldfinch, here. In real life it hangs in the Mauritshuis in The Hague – but you will find canvases by his master, Rembrandt, along with more modern works by the likes of Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and David Hockney. You should also check out the elegant Frick Collection, which is also a must-see for art lovers in the city – not least because in late 2013, The Goldfinch was exhibited at the Frick for a few months.
Theo is initially taken in by the affluent Barbour family, who live in an elegant high-rise apartment on prestigious Park Avenue. Try Upper East Side institution, French bistro Le Veau d’Or – or sample the cuisine somewhere equally refined, such as La Grenouille, or power-lunch favourite 21 Club. For sheer class, you can’t go wrong with cocktails at the Rainbow Room, whose Bar SixtyFive, at the top of the Rockefeller Center, is definitely the kind of place one would sip a Manhattan.
Photograph: Lauren Naefe/Stocksy United
Park Avenue and Manhattan Art and Antiques Center
Fancy yourself as an antique collector? While the film’s antique shop, Hobart and Blackwell, doesn’t actually exist, you’ll find the fabulous Manhattan Art and Antiques Center on 2nd and 56th. It’s a treasure trove of artefacts – from furniture (Hobie’s speciality) to porcelain, silver, fine art and more – spread over three floors. Furnish Green, on Broadway, is where to find mid-century modern pieces, art deco table lamps, and quirkier items such as classic comics.
Las Vegas: Theo’s wilderness home
Vegas Strip and the Bellaggio fountains
Without giving too much away, our young protagonist finds himself in the outskirts of Sin City, living with his father (Larry) and his father’s girlfriend (Xandra). There may not be much to do in the suburbs, but head to the Vegas Strip, where you can visit the Bellagio, one of Las Vegas’ most popular hotel casinos. Tourists flock to the impressive, daily fountain displays, but other draws include the magnificent collection of glass sculptures in the lobby by artist Dale Chihuly. If you want to try your luck at the tables, you can head over to the MGM Grand where you’ll also find 20 in-house bars and restaurants, including fine dining at Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill. Theo and his new friend Boris clearly prefer steak – they steal one from a local supermarket. If steak is also your thing, make a beeline for somewhere classic such as the Golden Steer, one of the oldest restaurants in town, which serves up prime rib and filet mignon. Or treat yourself to melt-in-the-mouth Kobe beef at SW Steakhouse in the Wynn hotel. In search of a little culture in between the casinos? Centaur Art Galleries displays a range of works by artists as diverse as Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali and Norman Rockwell.
Amsterdam: the art theft’s endgame
We won’t spoil how Theo Decker comes to be in a hotel in Amsterdam, but if the sight of the city’s signature canals appeals to you, there are several elegant waterside establishments worth checking into when you visit. Try the Pulitzer; its bar was voted the best hotel bar in the city in 2019, with cocktails inspired by Ernest Hemingway. Or visit the Dylan, a stylish enclave in the hip, independent shopping area, the Nine Streets. The restaurant at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam is even named after the Pulitzer prize-winning book that the movie is based on; the Goldfinch Brasserie serves elegant fare, including oysters and beef tartare.
Chasers of The Goldfinch should be sure to visit some of the city’s magnificent museums and immerse themselves in the dramatic paintings adored by the film’s characters. The Rijksmuseum is possibly the greatest, where you’ll find Vermeer’s Milkmaid and Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. The Van Gogh Museum is home to Sunflowers, The Yellow House and several self-portraits. And, of course, you can visit the Mauritshuis in The Hague to see the title painting at the centre of the story.
The Goldfinch at the Mauritshuis, the Pulitzer bar, the Herengracht canal, and the Van Gogh Museum
Based on the Pulitzer prize-winning novel, The Goldfinch is released nationwide on 27 September
