By Stephanie Oh, Markets Media Life Correspondent

Summer is here, and there is nothing more important than planning the upcoming weekend. In choosing the right destination, budget and transportation might stress you a bit. Luckily, we’ve found a magical spot in Uptown Manhattan hidden behind the Fort Tryon Park that will provide you a local yet exotic getaway from the city to the medieval world – the Cloisters.

The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan. It is a secret and a quiet museum where you no longer hear the sound of bustling crowds or drowning sirens of the city. Bypass the park and follow the path that winds through the stone archways, and you will find the museum gloriously facing in front of you. Although it looks like it survived multiple centuries throughout the history, it was built in 1938 by Charles Collens by combining different parts from five cloistered abbeys in Europe.

At the heart of the museum, you will find a peaceful haven embellished with fragrant flowers, minty herbs, and savory citrus trees. Most of the botanical specimens you will encounter were used during the medieval period, making the garden as a recreation of the art of an antique monastery that existed centuries ago.

The museum is a passage that transfers you into the Medieval with magnificent embroideries of Unicorn Tapestries and fascinating collections of art. Make sure to bring your camera, comfortable shoes, and artsy spirit to be lost in this natural paradise of art.

The Cloisters
99 Margaret Corbin Drive
Fort Tryon Park, NY 10040
Tickets range from $12-$25 (suggested).
The museum is open 7 days a week from 10AM to 5:15PM.