Must-sees include churches sitting on nearly every corner, City Hall, and a building that is now a Fleet Bank, formerly a grand old railroad stop called Union Station. Air travelers can fly into the Albany International Airport on several major airlines. Lombardo's is an Albany favorite for pasta and veal. Miss Albany Diner offers egg creams and Belgian waffles piled with whipped cream. More than 6,000 rooms are available in Albany and surrounding suburbs.
Chains provide lower proces, while bed and breakfasts and inns are a little pricier.
Those with more affection for the modern can visit the South Mall, outside the Capitol. The Capitol, unique in that it is not dome-topped, is in the heart of the city. Completed in 1897, a number of peaked red roofs sit atop instead. Inside, the feature that gets visitors talking is the western staircase better known by another name, says Dorothy Woodard, operator of an old-fashioned elevator in the building. The 119-foot high structure is surrounded by stone arches and pillars.