I recently visited the Courtauld Gallery within hours of landing at Heathrow after flying to London from Vancouver. After three years away from Europe, I was itching to see great art, and the Courtauld Gallery turned out to be the perfect place to ease my way back into artsy traveling.
It’s small, it’s centrally located, and its collection is exquisite.
What is the Courtauld Gallery?
The Courtauld Gallery is part of the renowned Courtauld Institute of Art. This research-led higher education institution is the University of London’s largest community of art historians, conservators and curators. The gallery recently reopened after being closed for three years. The new and improved version is little short of spectacular.
The highlights of the Courtauld Gallery are the truly impressive Impressionist collection and the medieval collection.
Impressionist Collection at the Courtauld Gallery
Like the vast majority of visitors, I headed first to the top floor to view the Impressionist collection and the special exhibition of paintings by Edvard Munch (see my review of this exhibition). The room containing the Impressionist collection attracts the most visitors and can get a bit crowded.
I walked into the large room containing a delicious collection of Impressionists and immediately had to sit down to prevent myself from falling down and embarrassing myself. What I really wanted to do is laugh out loud and twirl myself past masterpiece after masterpiece, giddy with the beauty surrounding me.
When, finally, I collected myself, I began pacing slowly and reverently past gorgeous painting after gorgeous painting by all the biggies—Monet, Cézanne, Gauguin, Renoir, and on and on.
Here are just a few of the highlights of the Impressionist collection.
Tall Trees at the Jas de Bouffan by Paul Cézanne
“Tall Trees at the Jas de Bouffan” by Paul Cezanne
Cézanne painted many views of the countryside surrounding Jas de Bouffan, a rural estate outside Aix-en-Provence owned by Cézanne’s father. Having visited the area, I can attest that Cézanne captures the shimmering quality of the light and the particularly vivid shades of green unique to Provence. My favorite Cézannes are his paintings of the Provence landscapes and this one is a keeper for sure!
Young Woman Powdering Herself by Georges Seurat
“Young Woman Powdering Herself” by Georges Seurat
I’ve long been a fan of Georges Seurat who created the “pointillist” style of painting. He followed newly formulated optical theories by placing colors from opposite sides of the color wheel–orange and blue; pink and green–next to each other to create contrast. Seurat died at age 31 but he left behind some stunning works, this one being his only major portrait.
Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh
“Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear” by Vincent van Gogh
I couldn’t believe the Courtauld had this piece! It’s one of my favorite van Goghs. I love how he contrasts the various colors–blue hat, green coat, orange face–and also includes the image of one of the Japanese prints he collected. Van Gogh was heavily influenced by Japanese printmaking. He painted this piece in 1889, a week after leaving hospital following the famous incident when he cut off a portion of his left ear after a heated argument with Paul Gauguin. Even injured, van Gogh was determined to keep painting.
The Haystacks by Paul Gauguin
The Haystacks by Paul Gauguin
And speaking of Gauguin, I was thrilled to see this piece which he painted while he was living in Brittany. Gregg Simpson (husband and painter) is currently working on the Pont Aven Suite, a series inspired by Gauguin’s Brittany paintings, so Gauguin has been a regular topic of a conversation in our house. I love how Gauguin simplifies and flattens forms and colors. This piece has so much movement–the women raking hay above and the man driving the oxen below.
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Edouard Manet
A Bar at the Folies-Bergères by Edouard Manet
Fabulous as all the pieces in the Impressionist collection are, the best of all is my old friend A Bar at the Folies-Bergères by Manet. What a painting!
The young barmaid (the model’s name was Suzon) looks out at the viewer, her expression both bored and vulnerable at the same time. According to the descriptive text next to the piece, “Manet created a complex and absorbing compostion that is considered one of the iconic paintings of modern life.” That is certainly true!
Suzon is every person in the world working in a dead-end job they hate and yet obliged to pretend they enjoy for the sake of the customers.
Medieval Collection at the Courtauld Gallery
After thoroughly exploring the top floor, I began my descent to the other two floors to explore the rest of the Courtauld Gallery’s collection. I was in for a treat as it turned out.
One of my favorite eras for painting is the middle ages, particularly the first half of the 14th century when artists were not worried about perspective and realism. I love the use of gold, the pastel shades of the egg tempera paint the artists used, and the lego-like way in which they depicted medieval buildings.
Well, the Courtauld delivered! To my delight, it houses a lovely medieval collection that includes such notables as Lorenzetti and Duccio—two hometown boys from Siena, my fave Italian city (and one of the settings for The Towers of Tuscany).
As is often the case in art museums, the medieval rooms were pretty much empty so I drifted from painting to painting and admired to my heart’s content.
A highlight is a series of small panels painted by Fra Angelico (1417-1455) that depicts six female saints. Each face is incredibly expressive and compelling. I wonder who Fra Angelico used as models.
Other Highlights of the Courtauld Gallery Collection
After thoroughly exploring and enjoying the large collection of medieval art, I toured the rest of the collection. There’s a fair number of works from the 16th to the 19th centuries, including works by Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Reynolds, and Rubens.
A big selling point of the Courtauld is its compact size and that each piece in the colleciton is stellar. I don’t think I’ve ever visited an art museum where the quality of all the pieces is so uniformly high.
After my visit, I got chatting with the young man in the gift shop. He enthusiastically agreed that the Courtauld’s collection is first-rate and also kindly listened to me rattle on about how I first visited the Courtauld with my mom back in 1970 (likely a good forty years befor he was born!)
Here are two more of my favorites at the Courtauld Gallery.
“Adam and Eve” by Cranach the Elder
“Landscape with the Flight Into Egypt” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Courtauld Gallery Practical Information
The Courtauld Gallery is open Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Book your ticket in advance on the website to avoid line-ups and also to make sure you get in! Check the website also for special exhibitions. The Munch exhibition I saw was definitely worth the extra price.
Conclusion
As my first visit to a world-class art museum in three years, the Courtauld was the perfect choice. It gently eased me back into artsy traveling, doling out artsy hits like small bites of gourmet chocolates—each one more flavorful than the last and yet all equally fabulous.
Have you visited the Courtauld? Which piece was your favorite? Share your experience in the Comments section below.
Here are some more posts about favorite art museums in Europe:
An Artsy Traveler is always on the look-out for those magical moments that make traveling so, well, magical. And if you’re also a storyteller (like me and our guest poster), you can be extra vigilant in your search for those magical moments that lead to or affirm story.
Guest poster, writer, storyteller, performer (and fellow Bowen Islander!) Tina Overbury shares her experience finding magical moments with trees while participating in a writing program in Dartmoor, England (one of my favorite places!).
Myth-Making, Storytelling, & Magical Moments
‘Stories don’t enchant, they break spells’ – Dr. Martin Shaw, Storyteller and Mythologist, West Country School of Myth
I’m fresh back from a week-long summer school program called Tent of the Seven Doors from The West Country School of Myth. Led by storyteller and mythologist Dr. Martin Shaw, the program was located in Dartmoor in the southwest corner of England.
The story room at night, at West Country’s School of Myth Summer School: The Tent of the Seven Doors with Dr. Martin Shaw.
I had just completed a two-week story pilgrimage in Ireland and decided that since I’m so close, I should really hop over to England and tick a story-box I’ve been carrying for a long time.
Who is Dr. Martin Shaw?
I came across Dr. Martin Shaw’s work seven years ago when my writing partner, Meribeth Deen, sent me an article from Emergence Magazine: Mud and Antler Bone. I swear I listened to that interview fifty times. I used to run to it and then stop it mid-stride, catch my breath and slap my head with: What? What did he say…?
OMGGGGGG – There’s a language for what I see in my head? Other people talk like this?
I didn’t understand then that the way my instrument as an artist works is through ‘thinking’ and ‘hearing’ in mythological terms.
What this looks like for my friends is that I have a rather obnoxious habit (to some) of explaining everything in metaphor. This isn’t because I think I’m all that and a bag of chips, or because I’m trying to hide from being clear about anything. It’s because to me, using symbols and imagery that are thick with textured meaning ARE the closest way I know to speak succinctly.
Communicating Truth
How else can you communicate the complexity of the truth? Or so says me! And thankfully I discovered this summer during my travels that a gaggle of other story people say so too.
Let me tell you about three magic moments I had with trees in beautiful, mystical Dartmoor.
To provide a context for the magical moments with trees I experienced while walking on Dartmoor, I first need to go back two years to when I wrote a piece called OMYGOD about the women we burned, the babies we buried and the Gods we have worshiped.
As the name sounds, it was a tough piece to write. I didn’t choose to write it, it chose me, and to top it all off, I decided to perform it as a live storytelling piece. However, due to the pandemic, we filmed it instead. All this to say, I had to memorize the damn thing–all 60 pages and 93 minutes of it.
The ‘women we burned’ part – the story that named six Irish women who were burned at the stake for witchcraft – was proving impossible to memorize. I just couldn’t get the words of those women into my body. I tried everything. I walked, I prayed, I asked… I did everything.
The Magical Power of Dreams
Eventually, I engaged in a dreaming session with a healer friend of mine. In the dream I saw myself as a birthing aid of sorts. I was in a hut smoothing clay like mud across a dying woman’s chest. She was taking her last breaths post-childbirth and I was placing lavender on her throat. Best as I could make sense, I was helping her transition to the other side. Because of this, the clergy and the officials of the town took me, and I was burned alongside a number of other women for witchcraft.
As dreams can do, I was able to step in and out of places in the story. I didn’t watch myself or the other women burn. Instead, I time jumped to the place where they were all ashes and I was on the outside.
I stood in front of the line of pyres in front of me, and I cried and cried and cried, saying over and over again…
’What happened to the ashes of these women? Who collected their ashes? Who laid them to rest?’
Finding the Story in a Tree
And then I stepped wayyyyyy out and started picking up pieces of wood and laying them in a circle, like a sacred line of acknowledgement of their life, and to mark their death.
I see flesh on her – this tree with ravens for limbs. I encountered her while on the medicine walk in Dartmoor National Park.
Magical Moment #2: Exploring the Landscape of Place
The Tent of the Seven Doors program at The West Country School of Myth certainly wasn’t like any other writing class I’d taken. To be fair, it wasn’t a writing class. In fact, I’m not even sure it was a ‘class’, but rather an initiation into the realm of mythical storytelling.
We didn’t learn through cognitive lesson plans with hand-outs or PowerPoints. We didn’t learn through experiences and examples unpacked through journaling or reflections. The truth is, I’m still trying to figure out how we learned, but if I had to guess, I’d have to say that we learned through invitation.
We were invited to step from one world into another.
We were invited through the landscape of place.
We were invited through the imagining that happened with each story.
Each day we would experience a story, and each afternoon or evening we would experience the land.
Connecting with a Lush and Luxuriant Oak
On one such afternoon, I came across this beautiful tree.
An oak tree in Dartmoor
She’s a gorgeous oak and unlike most of the scarred and barren trees of the moor, she is lush and radiant and there is more limb and branch to her than trunk. She has been reaching toward the sun for a very long time.
I spent some time with her and found myself collecting sticks. I was finishing a story that started with a dream a number of months ago. I acknowledged more women, and I collected more ashes. I placed a circle of sticks around her.
Encircling the oak with sticks
And then that dreamscape story of OMYGOD felt complete. I don’t have much more to say about that other than I knew it was done.
But then…
Magical Moment #3: The Cork Tree Walks with Me
Have you ever seen a cork oak tree? Because I sure hadn’t.
There is a HUGE cork oak by the enormous fire pit at the back of the property where we gathered to close our summer school experience. Seeing that tree made me think that I had just stepped into The Shire from The Lord of the Rings. I had to talk myself out of believing it could walk.
You know when you’re walking down the street and a dog starts to follow you and if you look back he’ll keep following so you have to discipline yourself TO NOT LOOK BACK? Well, that was me.
I mean, how was it going to make it into the house with me? Okay, I know this tree can’t actually walk. But jeeeeeeeeeeez… I swear, this tree was magnificent.
It transported me to a place I have only ever made fun of: the land of affirmation people, the ones who only see the world through the lens of sunshine, rainbows and lollipops.
But there it was.
If Snow White was a real person, she would step out of a little apple-red door with the seven dwarfs following behind, singing Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho…
Check this out (you’ll even hear the cows!) :
The Magic of a Cork Tree
And to touch the bark? I mean the cork… I mean the bark. It is light, like the false front of a western town film set, except this isn’t a facade. It’s a whole damn tree and it has to be hundreds of years old.
She was the antithesis and antidote to all the gloom, grief and burning that had been my journey of mythic trees thus far.
I fully expected unicorns and fairies to pour out of its bark like a clown car filled with magic instead of red-shoed men.
Who knew?
Holding the Light and the Dark
As an artist, I’m comfortable in the darker shades of story. I easily walk the bottom of the ocean while holding hands with the harder emotions. I write pieces to look for hope. I write to discover the color that lives in the shadowy blend of things, but this time, I didn’t have to.
This gorgeous cork oak tree did all the heavy lifting for me.
Learning Community
“In troubled times we can create a culture of resistance and delight. The learning community that is the School of Myth believes that myth has something vital to say about the condition of both our lives and the earth. That certain stories we need right now arrived, perfectly on time, about five thousand years ago. Central to this is the notion that culture and wildness have experienced an artificial separation, and that both initiation and myth can create what Shaw calls a Culture of Wildness.” – West Country School of Myth.
Martin also says: ‘When the center is in crisis, it is only from the edge that the genius comes’. I believe him.
So while these days, there IS a lot to be troubled about…for sure, there is also much to be hopeful for.
This is the group of us from the Summer 2022 Tent of the Seven Doors experience at the West Country School of Myth.
Please meet this community of Bards, Storytellers, Eco-Romantics, land-as-church visionaries, fire-dwellers, academics, nurturers and fools.
There is a movement afoot.
And it’s coming from multiple directions.
These are mythic times.
Read about Tina Overbury on the Artsy Traveler Guest Posters page. Here are some other contributions from Tina and other guest posters to help you get the most of your artsy traveling.
How do you know you’re a writing adventurer? That’s what guest poster, writer, storyteller, performer (and fellow Bowen Islander!) Tina Overbury asked after venturing across the Atlantic to Ireland in July of 2022. Her experiences led her to share these three tips in the hopes that you, too, can become a writer adventurer!
Ready to find out? I know that I definitely want to be a writing adventurer!
How Do You Know You’re a Writing Adventurer?
You are drawn to lush landscapes that you swear are whispering your name.
To make room for more books, you roll your t-shirts and the one pair of jeans you packed rather than fold them.
The stories you might miss if you don’t go are already swirling through your head, and you haven’t even booked your flight yet.
The smell of city, forest, farm and pub grub takes you to all the places and unwritten scenes you’ve collected from around the world.
I just came back from a story-pilgrimage to Ireland, and I have a few tools to offer you from my journey.
What’s a Pilgrimage?
“A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life.” – so says Wiki.
That definition just sounds like a regular writing day. To me, the act of communication is more akin to a sacred practice. If you want to be a writing adventurer, throw in some travel to mythically rich places and hell, you might even call it church.
That brings me to TIP #1.
Tip #1: When you Travel, Don’t just Write, Myth-dive
As soon as you step off the plane and place your feet on new soil, you become a writing adventurer! You are entering a multilayered invitation to discover what you don’t know… not what you do know.
Arriving in Ireland
Everyone said to me, ‘Ireland is waiting for you… you will feel you are home… she is magical.’ And on the one hand, they were all totally right. She is undeniably magical.
But on the other, nope – she didn’t feel like home to me at all…not yet, anyway. She felt like a landscape of a zillion mysteries that I hadn’t earned the invitation to hear – yet.
Full disclosure, I work in myth and I have a passion for land-based stories, so for me being a writing adventurer means I spend a lot of time listening, waiting, and following impulses rather than making a list of destinations to check off as a ‘been there, done that.’
Ask Yourself: What’s This Country’s Origin Story?
So truly, and from my heart… the next time you land somewhere new, I invite you to myth-dive. As a writing adventurer, ask:
What is this country’s origin story?
What story does the land hold?
What are its symbols and emblems?
What are its stories?
Because believe me, the stories OF a place want to be heard, seen and known – just as much as you do.
It’s basic attachment theory, really. 😉
Going off the Beaten Track
The writing adventurer isn’t afraid to veer away from the usual tourist sites to find stories.
In our search of Ireland’s origin story, we were all set to visit Newgrange, a Neolithic monument from Boyne Valley, County Meath constructed 5,200 years ago (3,200 BC). It’s older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza.
But the idea of lining up, buying tickets, listening to experts and not being ‘free to roam’ didn’t jive with my adventurer’s heart, never mind my writing adventurer’s heart!
So instead, we went to Grianán of Aileach on the upper reaches of Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle.
Grianán of Aileach overlooks the neighbouring counties of Londonderry, Donegal and Tyrone in northern Ireland
Our visit to Grianán of Aileach
As we approached the monument at dusk, with nothing but our voices echoing back to us from the center, it’s like I could hear those whispers of Ireland’s story, and I cried.
The summit of the Grianán looks over the neighbouring counties of Londonderry, Donegal and Tyrone. While this is a restored site from the original which records its destruction in 1101, a tumulus (ancient burial mound) at the Grianán may date back to the Neolithic age, as evidenced by a covered well that was found near the cashel in the early nineteenth century.
Information about Grianán of Aileach in Northern Ireland
While I’d still like to visit Newgrange one of these days, I’m glad I followed my storyheart to Grianán of Aileach. You don’t hear the secrets of a place through the mouth of a tour guide. You hear it from the land.
TIP #2: Go to the Places that Haunt You
My trip to Ireland was a story-pilgrimage because I was trying to make sense of a story I had come across about the Bon Secour Mother and Baby Homes in Tuam, County Galway. The remains of 796 children were discovered buried in an abandoned septic tank under the ground where the home had stood.
I caught the news story that featured the public apology offered by the Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and it shook me hard enough to write about it. As I watched his statement, I was haunted by one question: Why is it so hard to say I’m sorry?
That question inspired me to write and film an entire performance piece called OMYGOD during the height of the pandemic.
And then something unplanned happened. On the evening prior to the global screening of OMYGOD, the remains of 215 Indigenous children were found outside the Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Canada, only a few hundred kilometers from where I live. The story had come very close to home.
Visit to the Children’s Burial Ground Memorial in Tuam, County Galway
When you write about what haunts you, you’ll find far more meaning beyond the words that actually hit the page.
Saying sorry at the Children’s Burial Ground Memorial in Tuam, County Galway
We found the site, but it wasn’t easy. Google actually has a ‘pin’ dropped where it thinks it is but it’s not in exactly the right spot, and took us to a rather large cemetery. We walked for a while and couldn’t find what we assumed would be a large monument to the 796 children. But no. It wasn’t going to be that easy. Finally, we asked someone and she pointed us in an entirely different direction.
“Outside the graveyard. Down two blocks. Between two rows of houses. Within a blocked-off courtyard and taped-off playground. You’ll find it there.”
And we did.
Tip #3 – Buy The Damn Hat
Okay, so this is a silly one, but it’s legit. Buy the damn hat. It’s the one you think you can’t afford, but you want it just the same. That was me.
I picked up the hat and then put it down.
I walked away from the hat and then I walked back.
The little voice in my head told me it was ‘too much’ for my budget.
But then I saw myself heading back home on the plane without the hat…. And well, this is me and the hat guy at Beflast’s St. George’s Market.
I buy the hat
Do it. Just buy the damn hat!
What Else Should a Writing Adventurer Do?
Well, after you buy the damn hat, here are some more tips!
Bonus Tip #1: Stay in the weird places you have to look for to find. Our favorite AirBNB stay was in County Roscommon with Fiona.
Bonus Tip #2: Wear the shoes that let you keep walking until you don’t feel lost anymore.
The spectacular beaches of Ireland
Bonus Tip #3: Choose to talk to ALL the people, like, all of them (even the Irish Traveller who has just been released from prison and grew up in the circus – not even kidding a little bit).
Bonus Tip #4: Eat the caramel, shortbread crust, custardy gooey dessert thing made by the guy’s mom who owns the coffee stand, and then eat it again because it’s that damn good. (FiFi’s coffee in Donegal is da bomb!).
Fiffi’s Coffee in Donegal – just go!
Bonus Tip #5: Don’t settle for places that feel boring to you. Wait until you find that dark doorway that you can’t pass by – and then go in. It might be the ghosts of three Irish writers calling you in for a spot of whiskey (Go to Garavan’s Whiskey Bar and order the Irish Writer’s Tasting Platter).
Enjoying a whiskey tasting
And I could go on and on… but all I’m really trying to say is:
The impulse that made you want to go on a trip is trying to tell you something, and you can’t hear it if you’re not listening.
So go.
Do the things.
Listen to the story of a place.
Follow the wild impulses you can’t ignore.
And buy the damn hat.
Read about Tina Overbury on the Artsy Traveler Guest Posters page. Here are some other contributions from guest posters to help you get the most of your artsy traveling.
A three-day visit to Venice gives you a flavorful taste of this float-on-water, impossibly beautiful city.
I love Venice and go there as often as I can. In three days, you won’t see everything, but you’ll see a fair bit and, most importantly, you’ll whet your appetite (forgive the pun!) to return.
My suggestions for three days in Venice include plenty of time for slowing down and enjoying yourself. You can’t see everything, so don’t even try. Instead, focus on my suggested artsy highlights and still have plenty of energy left over for wandering.
Venice is probably the most “wanderable” city I’ve ever visited.
Definitely avoid popping into Venice for a day, or worse, an afternoon. It’s better not to visit at all than to end up jostled around Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) with thousands of other sweaty, rushed tourists. You’ll come away with a negative view of Venice, and that would be a terrible shame!
Why I Love Venice
Of all the cities I’ve been to, Venice is my favorite. The first time I visited, I couldn’t stop laughing for the first fifteen minutes of our ride on the vaporetto (water bus) from the train station along the Grand Canal to our hotel. I just couldn’t believe that such a place existed on Earth, that Venice was real.
But Venice is real, and Venice is special.
Quiet side canals glimmer in the luminous Adriatic light, buildings with exotic facades slowly sink into the mud, world-class museums and art galleries abound, peaceful piazzas and bustling piazzas beckon, gondolas glide and water taxis and water busses churn up and down the Grand Canal, and the music of Vivaldi wafts into the night air.
A quiet side canal in Venice
Can you tell that I adore Venice? Unfortunately, in the years before the pandemic, my favorite city was become horribly overcrowded. Massive cruise ships docked within sight of the Grand Canal and the cafés on the Piazza San Marco took rip-offs to a whole new level.
I wonder how things will change now that Venice is again starting to welcome back travelers. I personally hope that more regulations are put in place to handle the flow of visitors. I don’t mind paying a tourist tax to enjoy Venice (cafe rip-offs aside). We’ll see what the future holds!
When to Visit Venice
That said, go to Venice. Just be strategic about how and when you visit. Floods in winter are often a serious problem, and summers can be hot and crowded. I’ve stayed in Venice in both spring and autumn and recommend both seasons. You’ll still encounter crowds, but the weather will be bearable. Just bring lots of mosquito repellant!
A Three-Day Venice Itinerary
Here’s how I suggest you spend your time as an Artsy Traveler with two full days and three nights in Venice.
Day 1 in Venice
Arrival in Venice
Arrive around lunchtime and make your way to your hotel. If you’re driving, park in the Tronchetto Car Park. The rates are fairly reasonable and the car park has a station on the Venice People Mover, an automated tramway that takes you quickly into Venice.
People Mover station near Tronchetto Car Park in Venice
I wouldn’t waste time parking on the mainland. You’ll save a bit of money, but you’ll also waste a fair bit of time getting into Venice itself. Save your energy for sightseeing! Here’s a comprehensive overview of parking options in Venice.
If you’re taking the train, you’ll arrive at the train station and then, depending on where your hotel is located, hop on a vaporetto–the Venice version of a bus.
Getting Around Venice
The two main ways to get around Venice is by riding the vaporetto–a quintessentially Venetian experience–and walking. You could also take water taxis, but they are super expensive. I’ve only taken one once from our place near the Grand Canal back to the Tronchetto Car Park at the end of a week in Venice to attend one of Gregg’s art exhibitions. We had a large box of his paintings in addition to our luggage and did not want to wrangle everything on to and off of the people mover.
A sleek and stylish water taxi may be worth the splurge if you have lots of luggage
Sometimes, saving your legs and your sanity is worth the extra cost of a water taxi. But most of the time, you’ll get everywhere you need to go in Venice either by walking or by taking the vaporetto. Also, even when it’s packed to the gunnels, a ride on the vaporetto is fun!
Buy Tickets in Advance for the Vaporetto
A single ride on a vaporetto costs€7.5 Euros! That’s waterway robbery. Fortunately, you can buy a City Pass from the Venezia Unica website CityPass website that includes public transit and entrance to various Venice sites or you can just buy a transit pass for one, two, three, or seven days.
A vaporetto on the Grand Canal in Venice
I suggest buying the three-day pass and using it on Days 1, 2, and 3. On the morning of Day 4 when you’re making your way back to your car, either walk, depending on where you’re staying, or splash out for a single ticket. We bought a seven-day travel card for €60 each. Since our apartment was close to the Grand Canal, we used the vaporetto several times a day to get around and to travel to Burano and Murano. Buy the Venice Travel Card at the ticket-vending machines located at the largest vaporetto stops or online before you arrive (most convenient).
Areas to Stay in Venice
I suggest you stay in the Dosoduro area across the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco or the area between the Rialto Bridge and the train station. I’ll talk more about hotels later. For now, drop your bags if your room isn’t ready and set out for your first stop.
Activities on Day 1 in Venice
Here’s what you’ll have time to do on your first afternoon and evening in Venice:
Visit the Peggy Guggenheim Museum
Walk to and cross the Rialto Bridge
Visit Piazza San Marco as the sun is setting and the crowds have thinned
Take a traghetto back across the Grand Canal
Dine at a small trattoria near your hotel
Here are the details!
Visit the Peggy Guggenheim Museum
I seriously love this museum. Located right on the Grand Canal and accessed from the Dosoduro district, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum is a must-see for modern art lovers. Peggy Guggenheim was quite the gal in her day. She knew just about every famous modern artist in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s and amassed an amazing collection of their art.
You’ll find works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Miró, Braque, Giacometti, Klee, Magritte, Dali, Pollock, de Chirico, Brancusi, Braque, Duchamp, and Mondrian.
The museum is located in Peggy’s renovated Venetian palazzo. Wander the cool halls to revel in the fabulous collection and then go outside to enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the Grand Canal. On your first day in Venice, this really is the place to come to get your first Venetian hit.
The Rialto Bridge is one of Venice’s most iconic sites and as such it is often heaving with tourists. Avoid crossing it during the day, but definitely cross it at least once or twice during your visit to Venice. Since it’s one of the very few bridges across the Grand Canal, you can’t miss it!
The Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal is often very crowded
Visit Piazza San Marco
Take your time and wait until the sun is setting and the crowds have thinned, and then make your way to Piazza San Marco. Called the drawing room of Europe by Napoleon, the Piazza San Marco lives up to the hype, even when seething with tourists. But it’s better when it’s not too crowded.
Another option is to visit it very early in the morning (see my suggestions for Day 3) or late at night after dinner to really see and appreciate it.
In the evening, you can dance to the music coming from the posh cafés that line both sides of the piazza. Scare away a few pigeons and enjoy. I have occasionally splurged on a cup of coffee at one of the cafés (the prices are truly eye-watering), but the people-watching is worth the price and hey, you’re in Venice.
Piazza San Marco on a rainy evening
Take a Traghetto Back Across the Grand Canal
You have to ride a traghetto at least once while you’re in Venice. These fairly large and plain gondolas ferry people across the Grand Canal from various points. One option is to catch it from the Santa Sofia boat pier not far from Piazza San Marco and go across to the Rialto Fish Market. The ride is fast, cheap, and great fun. It’s not exactly a replacement for a “real” gondola ride, but it’s a great budget option, and at least you can say you rode in a gondola.
On the other hand, I do suggest you splurge on a gondola ride (see Day 3 suggestions).
Dine at a Small Trattoria
Check restaurant reviews and find a small restaurant near where you are staying. Avoid the more touristy restaurants at or near Piazza San Marco. My most memorable meal in Venice was at La Zucca, a small osteria on a side canal on the Dorsoduro side of the Grand Canal. Get reservations in advance (advisable everywhere in Venice) and enjoy!
Day 2 in Venice
On your first of two full days in Venice, use your morning energy for sightseeing (fewer crowds) and then spend the afternoon on Murano. Here’s what I suggest:
Visit the Accademia Gallery
Visit Murano for a glass-blowing demonstration and to shop for glass
Go to a concert of baroque music in the evening
Here are the details!
Activities on Day 2 in Venice
Visit the Accademia Gallery
You’ll find plenty of Renaissance and Baroque biggies in the Accademia in Venice (Gallerie Accademia). Works by such masters as Veronese, Tiepolo, Bellini, and Titian grace the walls of this very walkable and enjoyable museum. It’s not too big and in my experience isn’t usually that crowded.
That said, get tickets in advance to avoid line-ups, just in case. Check the gallery’s website for details.
Take the Vaporetto to Murano
Using your vaporetto pass, hop on the vaporetto for a trip across the lagoon to the lovely island of Murano. It’s quite a long voyage and the lagoon can be choppy. If you can, snag a seat outside to guard against seasickness.
Murano is the glass-blowing island and allegedly the best place to buy the distinctive Venetian blown glass. There are certainly plenty of shops there and the prices did seem to be a bit more reasonable than the prices at the tourist joints in Venice itself.
Enjoy a Glass-blowing Demonstration
Upon arival, head for a glass-blowing demonstration. It’s put on for the tourists, and our hand-scarred guy looked kind of bored as he dutifully blew, rotated, heated, and smashed a variety of glass ornaments. But I enjoyed the demonstration and recommend it to see how glass blowing is done.
Glass blowing is big business on the Venetian island of Murano
Browse the Shops
Make your way down some fairly nondescript streets to the main shopping street bisected with a small, straight canal arched over with several small bridges. On both sides of the canal, shop after shop after shop marched a good three blocks in both directions—each one crammed to the ceiling with glass.
Colorful main drag on the island of Murano
Storefront after storefront twinkles with heaps of glittering, glaring, glinting glass—swoopy vases and finely spun figures, paperweights, pendants, chandeliers, glasses, earrings, pitchers, plates, bowls, beads. Every store advertised that their glass is authentic, made on Murano, not in China like 80% of all the other glass for sale in Venice.
Enjoy Lunch Along the Canal in Murano
After shopping, enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the canalside restaurants in Murano and then hop back on the vaporetto to return to Venice.
After your trip to Murano, either relax in or near your hotel for the afternoon or just keep wandering. Venice is endlessly fascinating. I love strolling alongside the canals, never knowing what’s around the next corner. Sometimes, I find a bustling street, at other times, nothing is moving except a cat stretching on a boat moored in the canal.
Gregg loved our visit to Murano and created several pieces inspired by glass blowing. Here’s my favorite (also featured in our collaboration Pastel & Pen: Travels in Europe):
“Murano” inspired by Murano blown glass by Gregg Simpson
Attend a Concert of Italian Baroque Music
A highlight of a trip to Venice is attending a concert of Italian baroque music. Vivaldi is the hometown boy here and you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a concert featuring his Four Seasons. by Italian baroque
One concert we attended was held in a baroque church with a ceiling painted by Tiepolo.
Look online for concert schedules and purchase tickets in advance if you can. Afterwards, float out into the warm Venetian evening (depending on the time of year!) and find another small trattoria for dinner.
Get Lost in Venice After Dark
And after dinner,keep wandering. Getting lost after dark in Venice is one of Europe’s best travel experiences. In fact, I put getting lost in Venice at the top of my list of must-do activities because first, getting lost is unavoidable (even with GPS on your phone), and second, you’ll never be lost for long.
Some of my fondest Venice memories are of strolling alongside dark canals in the evening (violent crime is very rare in Venice), not knowing if I was going in the right direction and not caring.
Sign pointing to San Marco in Venice
Venice is an island; you can’t fall off. With the world asleep and the crowds long gone, Venice at night is one of the most magical places on Earth. Walk until you come to one of the ubiquitous signs pointing to San Marco or Rialto or Ferrovia (train station) and get your bearings. You could also ask someone for directions, but chances are they’re tourists and also lost.
Day 3 in Venice
Get going bright and early to take in two of the most iconic sites of Venice, again before the crowds start to gather. Here’s an overview of Day 3:
Tour the Duomo and the Doge’s Palace
Wander and get lost some more
Take a gondola ride after dark
Activities on Day 3 in Venice
Tour the Duomo and Doge’s Palace
Both are crowded, and both are must-sees. Get your tickets ahead of time and go early or late. Several times I’ve bypassed long lines of hot and tired tourists waiting to get into the Doge’s Palace. Breeze past them with your pre-purchased ticket.
The sumptuous public rooms of the Doge’s Palace will show you just how powerful Venice was back in the day. A more sobering attraction are the dungeons reached by crossing the Bridge of Sighs, so called because prisoners who crossed it got their last glimpse of the world before being shut away and usually executed. Cheerful stuff.
Bridge of Sighs at night in Venice, Italy.
Leave Piazza San Marco before it gets too crowded and spend the afternoon wandering the back streets. Shop for souvenirs if you haven’t already bought your quota in Murano, relax at a sidewalk cafe in a small piazza, watch the people go by, and enjoy life.
What’s the hurry? You’re in Venice!
Take a Gondola Ride at Dusk
Yes, it’s expensive and kinda touristy but it’s also super romantic and relaxing. You’ll be taken into canals you may not have seen from the street, and if you’re lucky, you’ll hear a few gondoliers break into song. Occasionally, I’ve seen gondola traffic jams. To avoid them (not at all romantic!), go later.
Gondolas bobbing on the Grand Canal in Venice
At the time of writing, a daytime gondola ride costs 80 Euros for 40 minutes. After dark, the price rises to 100 euros, but in my opinion, going at night is the best. Six people fit in a gondola so you could share, depending on who you are with and whether romance is on the cards!
Here’s a selection of artsy sightseeing options in Venice with links to fast- track tickets.
Staying in Venice
Venice deserves at least three nights and preferably more so you can settle in and enjoy being a temporary Venetian. If time allows, rent an apartment and stay for a week.
My most cherished memories of Venice are the ten days we spent there in September 2015 while Gregg had an exhibition of his paintings in a gallery overlooking the Grand Canal.
Poster for exhibition of Gregg Simpson’s work in Venice
Paintings featured in the exhibition by Gregg Simpson
I spent hours just wandering the city, staying well clear of the heaving masses in Piazza San Marco and taking my time getting to know this most extraordinary city. For our apartment stay, we chose a place just off the Grand Canal about a five-minute walk from the train station. The neighborhood was quiet and close to a piazza that every evening spilled over with local Venetians enjoying the air and watching their children play.
If you have the time, rent an apartment in Venice and stay for a week. Live like a local, not that you’ll see many locals these days. Venetians are moving out of the city at an alarming rate. But at least you’ll experience shopping in tiny local grocery stores and get to know your way around a neighborhood.
As mentioned earlier, consider staying in the Dorsoduro district across the Grand Canal from the Piazza San Marco. I recommend you avoid the area immediately adjacent to Piazza San Marco. Hotels there can be expensive, and the tiny streets in the area are wall-to-wall tourists during the day.
Accommodation Suggestions
Here are suggestions for hotels that we have stayed in–one in the Dorsoduro and one near the Rialto Bridge.
Hotel Canaletto: We stayed there a few years ago and loved it. The rooms were small, but that’s par for the course in Venice. The location, just 200 meters from Rialto Bridge, was fantastic as was its situation on a charming side canal.
Hotel Messner is a more modest option, located in the Dorsoduro neighborhood close to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. It was quiet, and the area was peaceful and uncrowded, particularly at night.
For other options in Venice, check the map below. Resist the temptation to stay on the mainland. The savings will be minimal once you take into account train fares and your time. Stay in the middle of Venice and enjoy this unique city.
Include Venice in your trip to Italy if at all possible. With a bit of planning and some strategic dodging, you can easily avoid the crowds and find plenty of peaceful areas to enjoy. Venice is a city for dreaming. Give her time and she’ll reward you.
Looking to travel elsewhere in Italy? Here are some more posts to check out:
When it comes to concerts and performances, Europe is like a chocolate box brimming over with artsy flavors. Venues in every city and town showcase a wide range of musical styles, from classical to traditional to rock. In addition to music concerts, you’ll find plenty of theater and dance performances, along with festivals and special events.
After two years of dark theaters and silent concert halls, Europe is roaring back to life in 2022. While some venues are not completely back to normal, chances are that if you’re traveling to Europe in 2022, you’ll discover opportunities to enjoy live entertainment.
Looking back at all the trips that Gregg and I have taken to Europe, we reminisce most often about the many wonderful performances we’ve enjoyed. Some of our favorite memories are of performances we stumbled across, often as a result of chatting with locals and fellow travelers, noticing posters and flyers, and checking out “What’s On” pages on local websites.
Gregg and I reflected in the ultra-modern façade of the Paris Philharmonie
But while I’m always open to serendipity when it comes to choosing performances and concerts, I also believe in planning ahead. I suggest that as soon as you know the dates of your trip, go online and search for concerts, performances, festivals and other live events that will be on while you’re traveling.
A search for “musicals in London”, “classical concerts in Paris”, or “dance performances, Seville” should yield good results. You can also use generic searches such as “what’s on in Berlin” or “concerts in Vienna” and then narrow down the choices to focus on the music genres that interest you.
In this post, I share some of the memorable concerts and performances we’ve enjoyed, listed by city.
Amsterdam
One of Europe’s most beautiful concert halls is Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, located across from the Museumplein. Prior to the pandemic, free lunchtime concerts were held on Wednesdays in the small concert hall adjacent to the main hall.
When we were in Amsterdam in 2019, we enjoyed a lively performance by two vibraphonists. Check the website to find out when the lunchtime concerts will resume. You’ll join locals and very few other tourists for a marvelous (and free!) musical experience.
The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam
Barcelona
The Ópera y Flamenco performance at the astonishingly exquisite Palau de la Música Catalana is not to be missed. Even if Ópera y Flamenco is not playing when you’re visiting Barcelona, check out the Palau de la Música Catalana website to see what’s on and, if possible, get tickets. A visit to the Palau de la Música will quite simply blow your mind!
The magnificent stained glass at the Palau de la Música Catalana
Built between 1905 and 1908 by the modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you can’t get tickets to a performance, you can still take a tour of the building.
Berlin
If you’re a classical music fan, check out what’s on at the impressive home of the Berlin Philharmonic (Berlin Philharmoniker). The building itself is fabulous with wonderful acoustics and worth touring even if you can’t see a concert there. We enjoyed an awe-inspiring performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring performed by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.
The Berlin Philharmoniker
Check out the concert calendar and buy tickets from the Berlin Philharmoniker website.
Cologne
While we usually book tickets well in advance, we’re always open to attending concerts on the spur of the moment. One such memorable concert was at the Kölner Philharmonie, a magnificent concert hall a stone’s throw from Cologne’s famous cathedral and in the same complex as the wonderful Ludwig Museum.
We had just finished visiting the Romano-Germanic-Museum (a must-see!) and were walking past the Kölner Philharmonie when we noticed a poster for the evening’s concert. The programme appealed to us and so we inquired at the box office about tickets. The very friendly, English-speaking attendant told us that tickets were available and at a price we considered incredibly reasonable, at least compared to what we were accustomed to paying in Vancouver.
Two hours later, we took our seats in one of the most dazzling modern concert halls I’d ever been in. Built in 1986, the Kölner Philharmonie is constructed like an amphitheatre and provides near-perfect acoustics. Even the size and padding of the seats have been selected to ensure constant acoustics regardless of whether the seat is occupied.
Marvelous Leipzig is a must-visit for classical music lovers, particularly if you adore (like I do!) the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Read my post about our visit to the Bach Museum (I still swoon when I think of it!).
While in Leipzig, we attended a wonderful concert at the famed Gewandhaus where the young Clara Wieck (who became Clara Schumann and the inspiration for my second novel, A Woman of Note) debuted as a solo pianist in 1828. Many other famous musicians have played at Gewandhaus and for that reason I was curious to see a performance there.
Gewandhaus concert hall in Leipzig, Germany
The ultra-modern Gewandhaus concert hall is nothing like the venue Clara played in, and is, in fact, the third concert hall to bear the name Gewandhaus, the first being built in 1781, the second in 1884 (designed by famed architect Martin Gropius), and the current hall in 1981.
We snagged tickets to a solo piano concert of music by Mozart and Chopin. What a treat, and, at less than $30CDN per ticket, probably the best value for a concert I’ve ever enjoyed. At the interval, we thought the concert was over. The pianist had played for so long that we couldn’t imagine he’d be able to perform any longer. As we prepared to leave, a local woman came up to us and told us in careful English that it was only the break and that we needed to stay for the second half. Gratefully, we returned to the concert hall to enjoy another ninety minutes of jaw-dropping music performed by the very hard-working pianist.
When you’re visiting Lisbon, make time for a fado performance (or two). We favor the smaller clubs with intimate performances over the more touristy offerings.
Our favorite place for fado in Lisbon is Restaurante Canto do Camões on Travessa da Espera in the Bairro Alto. It’s low-key, with a friendly owner, good food, reasonable prices, and lots of fado. When we were there, singers dropped in, performed a few songs designed to rip our hearts out, collected a few euros from the proprietor, and then left, presumably to go sing in another place. Sadly, Restaurante Canto do Camões is now closed permanently; however, you’ll find other small restaurants that feature fado in the Bairro Alto and the Alfama.
You can also see fado performances in Porto and Coimbra. In Porto, we loved the performance at the Casa da Guitarra, which also included a glass of port. In Coimbra, fado is only sung by men. We saw a troupe of men who sing wearing traditional costumes at À Capella, a 14th-century chapel that includes a bar and tapas with the live fado serenades.
Coimbra is a charming town and a great place to enjoy fado
London
The first thing I do after booking a trip to London is check out what’s playing in the West End and what’s on at the National Theater and the Globe. I’ve enjoyed so many memorable performances in London, starting in the 1970s when I was a student at Reading University, a 40-minute train ride from the bright lights of the West End. In those days, performances in London were so reasonably priced that even a student could afford them! Even now, I find that prices for musicals in the West End are far below what I’ve paid in New York.
London’s busy West End has plenty of great theaters
Go to the London Theatre website, see what’s on and get tickets well in advance. You can also take your chances during your trip and purchase last-minute tickets, often at a reduced rate. However, I don’t recommend doing this for a performance that you really want to see.
But if you are flexible and open to seeing what’s playing, you could well get lucky. On a trip to London in 2018, I got a ticket for Mamma Mia on the day of the performance for just 40 GBP.
Before going to the theater, enjoy an early dinner at one of the many restaurants in the West End advertising pre-theatre menus.
And while planning your entertainment options in London, don’t forget to check out what’s on at venues such as the Albert Hall and the Barbican Centre. Another option is the lunchtime and evening concerts at the achingly lovely St Martin-in-the-Fields near Trafalgar Square.
Saint Martins-in-the-Fields next to Trafalgar Square in London hosts classical music concerts
Paris
We love going to concerts in Paris. Spectacular venues such as the Opéra Bastille, the Paris Philharmonie and Sainte-Chapelle enhance the musical experiences, and the quality of the performances is always first-rate. Here are just a few of the venues to check out, particularly if you are a classical music lover.
Opéra Bastille
Seeing an opera in Paris is definitely a cool experience, and one that we hope to repeat as restrictions continue to lift. One of our most memorable opera experiences was seeing Götterdämmerung at the Opéra Bastille. Talk about mind-exploding!
Opéra Bastille in Paris
The Opéra national de Paris presents operas at two venues—the ultra chic and modern Opéra Bastille and the sumptuously decorated and historic Opéra Garnier. Check the website for the Opéra national de Paris.
Paris Philharmonie
The Philharmonie de Paris is just breathtaking! Located in Parc de la Villette in the northeast of Paris, the Philharmonie is a complex of buildings that also house exhibition spaces and rehearsal rooms. We attended a performance in the symphonic concert hall—a 2,400-seat über-modern venue designed by Jean Nouvel and opened in January 2015. It was a stunning experience.
Interior of the Paris Philharmonie
Check the website for upcoming performances and events.
Piano Concerts at Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
Located just across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral in the 5th arrondissement, the Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is one of the oldest churches in Paris. Concerts featuring either solo piano or duos (e.g., violin and piano or cello and piano) are frequently held there—and they are well worth attending. We’ve been to several. Tickets are reasonably priced, the venue is deliciously ancient and atmospheric, and the quality of the playing is first-rate.
Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is just across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral
Check the website for upcoming concerts and keep an eye out for posters in the area (that’s how we discovered what was on).
Sainte-Chapelle Concerts
Fancy spending an hour or two staring up at sublimely beautiful stained glass supported by impossibly slender columns while listening to sublimely beautiful classical music? Then check out the website for Sainte-Chapelle’s concerts and purchase tickets for a performance. You won’t be disappointed!
Imagine listening to music surrounded by this view!
We’ve enjoyed several concerts at Sainte-Chapelle and have always been transported into ever higher planes of awesomeness. A favorite evening out is to enjoy the performance at 7 pm and then to wander starry-eyed through the cobbled streets of Île de la Cité to Île Saint-Louis and dine at one of the many small bistros in the area. Artsy traveling doesn’t get much better!
Seville
We’re firm fans of flamenco. See my post describing the flamenco performance we enjoyed on our first visit to Seville. In Seville, you can see flamenco at several venues. I recommend two.
A flamenco performance will captivate you!
Flamenco Museum
From the website, purchase the combo ticket that includes the museum and a late afternoon flamenco performance that will leave you breathless.
Los Gallos
Situated in a charming little courtyard in the heart of Seville, Los Gallos is an intimate venue with world-class talent. Sip the Sangria included in the ticket price and prepare to be blasted into the stratosphere.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Every time I visit England, I do my best to squeeze in a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I have been fortunate to see many wondrous performances there, including productions of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet that both starred the incomparable David Tennant.
Main theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon
When I was a student at Reading University, a two-hour drive southeast of Stratford-upon-Avon, I frequently made the trek to see a performance. I was studying for a degree in English Literature so taking in as many Shakespeare productions as possible was almost mandatory.
You can see Shakespeare productions at the Globe in London and the experience is highly recommended. However, I must admit that I prefer the productions at Stratford-upon-Avon. The seating is more comfortable, and the quality is top-notch. I liken seeing a production by the Royal Shakespeare Company as the auditory equivalent of looking at high-quality cut crystal. Every word and gesture is crisp and perfect.
When you go up to Stratford-upon-Avon to slake your Shakespeare yen, you also get the bonus of having time to wander the charming streets of Stratford. Sure, it’s a bit touristy, but so what? I love touring Shakespeare’s birthplace, paying my respects at his grave in the church, and watching the swans glide by on the River Avon.
Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon
In August 2022, I’ll be visiting Stratford-upon-Avon again, this time to catch a performance of Richard III. Although admittedly not my favorite of Shakespeare’s History plays, I know I’ll see a production to remember.
Visit the RSC’s website for details about upcoming productions in Stratford-upon-Avon and London.
Venice
On one visit to Venice, we were strolling through the quiet streets after dark when we noticed a young man dressed in 18th-century garb and carrying a violin case hurry past. We caught up to him and asked if he was a musician. He told us he was on his way to play a concert of 17th- and 18th-century music in a church. Did we like music like that?
Is Vivaldi Venetian?
Yes!
We followed him to the church and half an hour later were sitting beneath a mural painted by Titian and listening to a selection of Venetian classical music favorites. Bliss! The orchestra was clad in 18th-century garb and the performance was obviously aimed at tourists, but that didn’t affect the quality of the musicianship or the depth of our enjoyment.
Hearing Baroque music in Venice just makes sense!
After the concert, we floated out into a warm evening to find ourselves moments later at the edge of the Grand Canal. A barge filled with another group of musicians in period dress slid past, the music wafting through the balmy air like the rustling of silk stockings.
Magical!
In Venice, several venues feature classical music concerts. Check out the Music in Venice website for programs and dates.
Verona
The Arena di Verona, the Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy, periodically presents operas to hundreds of fans who are mostly perched on the edge of very hard, very ancient Roman stone steps. We know because several years ago, we were such fans. To read about an evening that has become synonymous with disaster in our family, check out Meltdown in Verona.
Our experience aside, attending a performance at the Roman arena in Verona could be the magical experience we’d expected. The detailed RM Europa Tickets website contains information about all the opera festivals in Europe in 2022. You’ll find opera festivals in almost all European countries, along with a detailed list of venues and schedules, including the Arena di Verona.
Arena di Verona
Vienna
You can’t walk two feet in Vienna’s Stephansplatz without tripping over a bewigged young person trying to sell you tickets to a performance of Strauss, Mozart, or both. Vienna has several venues featuring tourist-oriented shows designed to showcase the oldie goldies of several of its most famous composers, particularly Johann Strauss.
The last time I visited Vienna, traveling solo, I attended a delightful string quartet concert at the gorgeous Sala Terrena, an intimate and heavily decorated venue in the center of the city. Mozart allegedly lived in the building in which the Sala Terrena is housed when he first came to Vienna as a young man. While you wait for the concert to begin, feast your eyes on the riotous Baroque frescoes and look out especially for the leopard! For more about my experience at the Sala Terrena concert, check out my post on Music in Vienna.
Some of the frescoes at the Sala Terrena in Vienna
On the same trip to Vienna, I took the tram and then a bus out to Schloss Laudon (Water Palace) in the bucolic countryside surrounding Vienna to attend a concert that was part of the five-day Schloss Laudon festival. I discovered the festival while planning my trip to Vienna and was very glad I managed to snag a ticket for a performance that featured an early Beethoven piano trio in the style of Haydn and a marvelous rendition of Tchaikovsky’s piano trio.
Conclusion
With Europe opening up in 2022, performances are coming back to life. Check websites for venues and performance times, find out about current restrictions and requirements, and budget as much money as you can spare for live entertainment. You’ll be making memories that last a lifetime.
And keep a lookout for local folk performances that are often free, with some even encouraging participation. You’ll typically find these advertised in flyers and on posters. Watch a flag-waving demonstration by young people dressed in medieval garb in Siena, dance the Sardana in front of Barcelona Cathedral along with hundreds of locals and tourists, watch a concert featuring ancient instruments in a tiny chapel in Les Baux de Provence, and more! Keep your eyes and ears open; you never know what’s around the next corner.
When it comes to artsy favorites, Spain has more than its fair share of wonderful sights and experiences. From amazing flamenco to mind-bending modern art to soul-expanding palaces and cathedrals, Spain is a treasure that keeps on giving.
Every time I travel to Spain, I discover new layers of a culture that stretch back millennia.
In this post, I share some of my favorite artsy experiences in Spain.
Flamenco–a Definite Artsy Favorite!
My husband Gregg and I are crazy for flamenco and see it every chance we get when we travel in Spain. In fact, Gregg loves it so much that he created a whole series of pastel drawings based on his experiences seeing flamenco in Spain.
Flamenco Abstraction 7 by Gregg Simpson
Flamenco Abstraction 6 by Gregg Simpson
We’ve experienced flamenco in Seville, Cordoba, and Barcelona.
Flamenco in Seville
Seville is the place to go to see a wide
variety of flamenco shows, although we’ve also seen good shows in both
Barcelona (even though it’s not flamenco country) and Cordoba.
When you’re in Seville, start with the Flamenco Museum. Purchase the combo ticket that includes the museum and a late afternoon flamenco show. On your second night in Seville (and seriously, spend at least two nights and preferably three in this most Spanish of cities), attend a flamenco show at Los Gallos.
Flamenco dancers in Seville
The Flamenco Museum exhibits a marvelous collection of flamenco-related objects, films, and paintings and explains the history of flamenco and the meaning of the various terms. Baile is dance, Bailaor is dancer, cantaor is singer, palmas is the rhythmic hand-clapping that accompanies flamenco song and dance, and duende is the soul force that inspires the art of flamenco.
The flamenco dancers and musicians at the Flamenco Museum put on a heart-stomping hour-long concert. Get your tickets in advance. The room was packed!
Options for Seeing Flamenco in Seville
The show at Los Gallos is intimate and incredible. We’ve seen it twice and both times we were completely blown away. For my take on the Los Gallos experience, check out Flamenco, one of the stories included in Pastel & Pen: Travels in Europe that combines my writing with Gregg’s art.
Seeing Flamenco in Barcelona
Catalan Barcelona is not a center for flamenco. However, we saw our first performance of flamenco there at the Palau de la Música. Called Opera y Flamenco, we enjoyed an utterly spellbinding evening of opera arias by a tenor and a soprano, flamenco dancing by a man and woman, and traditional flamenco singing by a woman. A band of about eight that included guitars, piano, cello, violins, and drums blew the roof off.
I was having heart palpitations by the end. Rarely, if ever, have we experienced such an awe-inspiring evening of music. The flamenco dancing was enough to turn even the most hardened non-romantic into a giant goose bump.
The concert we saw may not be playing when you’re in Barcelona but definitely make room in your itinerary to tour the Palau de la Música or take in a concert. The stunningly ornate modernista building will take your breath away. I write more about it in Favorite Concerts & Performances in Europe.
Seeing the Palau de la Música in Barcelona
Historical Art–a Must See for the Artsy Traveler
Historical art in Spain takes in a lot of centuries, going as far back as 30,000 years ago and beyond. Spain has several cave art sites and is world-renowned for its master artists, including Velasquez, El Greco, and Goya, among others.
Cave Art
So far, we’ve visited only one cave art site in Spain—La Pileta near Ronda in southern Spain. The hour-long tour in the dimly lit cave took us past paintings that are at least 30,000 years old. Reservations are required; check the website to book your tour time. The drive up a steep and winding road to the entrance of the cave is half the fun of a visit here.
We learned about the Caves of Pileta (Cueva de la Pileta) from the owner of the beautiful little hotel we stayed at out in the countryside near Ronda (see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks).
We’re big cave art fans and plan to visit the ‘queen’ of the cave art sites –the Cave of Altamira (Cueva de Altamira) in northern Spain near the charming town of Santillana del Mar. Featured are charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of animals and human hands.
Detail of the replica of paintings of the Cave of Altamira
The Cave at Altamira is the premier site for exploring prehistoric art in Spain. Buy tickets in advance from the website.
The Prado
The Prado in Madrid is one of the world’s major art galleries, on a par with the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum. We enjoyed touring the Prado which exhibits many of the biggies, including Bosch’s TheGarden of Earthly Delights, Velasquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s 6th of May, and a whack of Raphaels, Rubenses, Durers, El Grecos, et al.
Shown above is the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, surely one of the coolest paintings ever!
Although large, the Prado not as daunting as the Louvre and certainly not as crowded. You can get fairly close to masterpieces that you’ve seen in art books for years. There’s no doubt that the real thing is, well, the real thing! There’s no comparison to a reproduction.
Put the Prado at the top of your artsy must-see list when you visit Madrid.
Options for Touring Art Museums in Madrid
Modern Art for the Artsy Traveler
Spain is home to several modern art museums, the most famous being the Reina Sofia and the Guggenheim Bilbao. Don’t miss either one if you’re a modern art fan.
Reina Sofia
The Reina Sofia is the major modern art museum in Madrid and houses Picasso’s Guernica along with assorted works by Miró, Dalí, etc. Guernica did not come to Spain until the 1980s after the death of Franco. Now it has pride of place in a room of its own.
The painting is massive and far more powerful in real life than in reproduction. You’ll sense how enraged Picasso felt as he painted it.
The Reina Sofia is a well-designed gallery that
combines a modern area with the arched hallways and barred windows of an old
hospital. In many of the rooms, a film representative of the period is playing.
Most were from the silent era which made following them a lot easier.
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is hands down one of my very favorite modern art museums in Europe. The building itself is fabulous as are the many sculptures surrounding it, including the beloved Puppy. He’s the massive Highland Terrier created by Jeff Koons and made from living flowers that guards the entrance to the museum.
Several of the most famous artists of the 20th century were born in Spain including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. Each has museums dedicated to their art along with pieces in most major collections.
Picasso Museum
For more Picasso, visit the exquisite Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) in the Barri Gòtic, the medieval center of Barcelona. Picasso truly was a master of it all—a painter, printmaker, ceramicist, sculptor, stage designer, and even a poet and playwright. The Museu Picasso includes over 4,000 works artfully displayed.
Miró Foundation
A visit to the Miró Foundation (Fundació Joan Miró) in Barcelona is just plain fun. Located in the Parc de Montjuïc, it’s a subway or bus ride from the Plaça de Catalunya and well worth an afternoon of your time. I write more about it in my post Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona.
Dalí Museum
If you’re driving from southwest France into Spain, consider stopping in Figueres to visit the majorly quirky Dalí Theatre-Museum. If you are a Dalí fan (I confess I am not), the museum is a worthwhile stop. The area also has other Dalí sites including the Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat near the charming little town of Cadaques. Check the website for more information.
Cathedrals Awe the Artsy Traveler
In this very Catholic country, you’ll find lots of
churches and cathedrals, many dripping with gold brought back from the New
World by the conquistadors.
My favorite cathedral, hands down, is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Still unfinished after decades of building, the Sagrada Familia is so incredibly quirky at the same time as being heart-stoppingly stunning. The stained glass floods your senses, blocking out the sounds of fellow travelers. Stop, sit, and let your soul be stirred.
Interior of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Palaces–Artsy Favorites
The must-see palace in Spain is, of course, the Alhambra in Granada, the center of Moorish Spain back in the day. I write about my suggestions for visiting Granada and touring the Alhambra in A Culture Steeped Itinerary to Tour Andalusia Comfortably in 10 DaysCircle Tour of Amazing Andalusia.
Allocate at least two nights in Granada so that you can spend the entire day touring the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palace. The complex is massive and requires stamina to enjoy. Pace yourself and make sure you get reservations well in advance of your visit.
The fabled Alhambra in Granada
In Madrid, the Royal Palace is also definitely worth a visit.
Conclusion
One of the many things I love about traveling in Spain is the variety of interesting sights and regions. At least two weeks is needed to even scratch the surface of Spain. It’s a huge country!
Must-see regions are Catalonia to visit Barcelona, Andalusia to visit Seville, Cordoba, and Granada, Madrid and Toledo in the center, and northern Spain from Santiago de Compostela in the far northwest to Bilbao and Basque country and the Pyrenees in the far west.
Artsy travel experiences abound. Here are more posts to explore:
Following are a few artsy highlights that I’ve enjoyed in
Germany. You’ll find hundreds more.
Bach Museum in Leipzig
If you’re a Bach fan, head for Leipzig to enjoy one of the hippest music museums I’ve ever visited. I could have stayed there all day!
The Bach Museum is located next to the Thomaskirche, the church where Bach is buried. The museum is open 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday so make sure you don’t make Monday your Leipzig day.
Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig Germany
A highlight for me were the many interactive exhibits,
including the Virtual Baroque Orchestra. The instruments are displayed on a
wall with each instrument being played marked by a light signal. Press the
button corresponding to the instrument and its sound will be amplified so that
you are able to hear it more distinctly. The orchestra plays three pieces and I
listened to them all.
Another highlight, particularly if you’re a musician and
have played Bach, is the Listening Studio. Sit on a comfy couch at a listening
station, don the headphones provided and search a database containing every
single one of Bach’s compositions (and trust me, he wrote a lot). I could have stayed
forever.
Other notable music sites in Germany include Beethoven’s birthplace in Bonn and the many sites associated with Wagner in Bayreuth.
Beethoven House in Bonn
I visited Beethoven’s birthplace in Bonn when I was 18 and will never forget going into the small house and hearing Beethoven being played on a piano located in the room where he was born.
The Beethoven-Haus museum has grown since then and is now considered one of the most visited music museums in the world and one of the 100 most popular sights in Germany. The museum is open almost every day of the year from 10 am to 6 pm.
Statue of Beethoven in Bonn, Germany
Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne
The Romano-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum) is simply amazing and one of the best museums we’ve visited in Germany.
Beautifully curated displays present the archaeological
heritage of Cologne from the Palaeolithic period to the early Middle Ages,
including, of course, the centuries when Rome was in charge. You’ll see the
world’s largest collections of Roman glass vessels along with goldwork and goods
showing the lives of Romani and Franks in early medieval Cologne.
Concerts
Go out of your way to attend concerts when you’re in Germany. One of the highlights of our German travels was hearing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in the magnificent Philharmonie Hall in Berlin. This acoustically amazing and super-modern concert hall was almost as exciting as the performance.
In Cologne, catch a performance at the Kölner Philharmonie.
Located close to Cologne Cathedral, the modern concert hall is breathtaking,
with excellent acoustics and comfy seats.
On a folksier note, be on the lookout for concerts featuring
medieval instruments. We attended one in Bacharach in the Rhine Valley.
Costumed performers played wind instruments, drums, zithers, and other medieval
instruments and explained in English and German what they were playing. At the
end of the concert, most of the audience (me included) got up to dance.
Art Museums
Here’s a list of the art museums I’ve visited and recommend.
You’ll find plenty more!
Berlin
Pergamon Museum: As one of the most visited museums in Germany, the Pergamon Museum deserves a spot high on your list of Berlin sites. The big attraction is the incredible collection of massive archaeological structures from ancient Middle East, including the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon, and the Mshatta Façade.
The Pergamon Museum is one of five world-class museums on Museum Island in Berlin. To read about all of them, see Booming Berlin.
Gemäldegalerie:
The modern building houses a first-rate collection of European painting from
the 13th to 18th centuries including masterpieces by Jan van Eyck, Pieter
Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens,
Rembrandt, and Jan Vermeer van Delft.
Munich
There are three “Pinakotheken” museums in the Art District or Kunstareal: the Alte Pinakothek is one of the oldest museums in the world and houses a fine collection of Old Masters.
Nearby is Pinakothek der Moderne which is four museums in one: art, prints and drawings, architecture, and design. When we visited, we saw a wonderful exhibition of paintings by Frank Stella.
The Neue Pinakothek is closed until 2025. Several works from the collection, including paintings by Goya, Manet, van Gogh, and Klimt, are currently on display on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek.
Outside Cologne
A highlight was a visit to the Max Ernst Museum in Brühl, a short distance from Cologne. If you’re not driving, take a tram from Cologne or Bonn. The museum features a marvelous collection of work by one of the 20th century’s foremost surrealists. Max Ernst is one of Gregg’s favorite artists so visiting the museum was a true pilgrimage for him.
If you’re a fan of the work of Max Ernst, be sure to put the museum on your list. The grounds surrounding the museum are beautiful.
Nuremberg: Albrecht Dürer’s House
This charming house where Dürer (1471-1528) lived and worked
for over 20 years is one of the few surviving burgher houses in Nuremberg and
the only surviving artist’s house from the period in northern Europe.
Albrecht Durer’s House, Nuremberg, Germany
Tour the various rooms to see how a wealthy person lived in
the 16th century. Head upstairs to the workshop to enjoy a
demonstration of the printmaking techniques Dürer used to produce his woodcuts,
including one of his most famous—the rhinoceros.
Where to begin when it comes to artsy sightseeing in Italy? In this post I’ve allocated my favorites in seven historical periods: Etruscan, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and 20th Century.
Read about my artsy sightseeing highlights and then follow links to more detailed recommendations. Seriously, you could spend years in Italy and not run out of art to admire.
Etruscan Art – Artsy Sightseeing Options
I’ve grown very fond of Etruscan art. It’s different from Roman art in that it’s less monumental and more personal. The Etruscans pre-date the Romans and were based around Florence and throughout Tuscany as far south as Tarquinia, about 50 kilometers north of Rome. The Etruscans were a fascinating society in which women held much more power than they did in Roman society.
I mention Volterra in the section on Tuscany. The Etruscan Guarnacci Museum is the place to see Etruscan artifacts.
Here are two other great options for enjoying Etruscan art while artsy sightseeing in Italy.
Tarquinia
All around Tarquinia are the ruins of Etruscan tombs, many with fabulous paintings. Visit the Necropolis of Tarquinia to see some of the most famous paintings including the Tomb of the Leopards which dates from 473 BC. The colors are remarkably well preserved.
Tomb of the Leopards in Tarquinia
Visit the museum in Tarquinia to see more Etruscan art. Fascinating.
National
Etruscan Museum in Rome
We loved this place! The Museo Nazionale Etrusco, housed in the lovely Villa Giulia, was virtually empty when we were there, which was a treat after visiting other museums in Rome. We wandered happily through room after room of Etruscan treasures including the famous Sarcophagus of the Spouses from the late 6th century BC.
Although we didn’t find the museum crowded, play it safe – skip the line and buy your tickets online.
I also enjoyed the urns and household goods, even little statues of animals. The Etruscan style is very modern-looking.
Ancient Roman – Artsy Sightseeing Options
In addition to visiting the Roman sites in Rome and Pompeii, you don’t need to go far to find Roman ruins in Italy. Here are a few artsy sightseeing suggestions related to Roman art and architecture.
Hadrian’s
Villa
Hadrian’s Villa is a massive
archeological complex near Tivoli outside Rome. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, the site is a must-see for fans of ancient Rome.
Be prepared to walk–the complex is
vast, containing over 30 buildings and covering 250 acres, making it larger
than the city of Pompeii. Stroll past the remains of fountains, pools, and
gardens surrounding what must have been one heck of a pleasure palace back in
the day.
Hadrian’s Villa in Italy
Hadrian constructed the villa as a retreat from the tough work of emperor-ing during the second and third decades of the 2nd century AD. We first discovered the villa on our family trip to Italy in 1994. Since then, much more of the site has been excavated with more ruins yet to be uncovered.
TIP: A good strategy is to visit Hadrian’s Villa (also called Villa Adriana) and the Renaissance Villa d’Este on a day tour. Here’s an option.
Ostia Antica
Rome’s original seaport is 30 minutes from Rome by train. Ostia is like a mini Pompeii but without all the tourists. If you’re not planning to go south, take an afternoon from your Roman sightseeing to check out the atmospheric ruins at Ostia Antica.
You’ll find a well-preserved Roman theatre, the Baths of Neptune, remains of the military camp, temples to ancient deities, the forum and even Ostia Synagogue, the oldest known synagogue site in Europe.
Baths of Caracalla
This complex of ancient public baths close to Rome is worth a visit. Several towering walls remain along with impressive black and white mosaics. Descend below ground to view the well-preserved tunnels where slaves worked to keep the baths operating and the water hot.
Early Christian and Byzantine Art – Artsy Sightseeing Options
Ravenna’s the place in Italy to see the best Byzantine and early Christian mosaics. I wasn’t prepared for how incredibly new the mosaics looked. Despite dating from 400 to 600 AD, they looked like they were created yesterday.
I was taken with how the figures were depicted. Large eyes stare right at you, flowing robes glint with gold, the figures look like they could step from their perches on the walls high above you and join you for a glass of wine.
Be warned that many of the fabulous mosaics are located high up which means after a day of touring the UNESCO sites, you come away with a stiff neck.
It’s worth it! Artsy sightseeing doesn’t get much better than visiting the mosaics in Ravenna.
Sumptuous mosaic in Ravenna, Italy
Medieval Era – Artsy Sightseeing Options
If you’re an artsy traveler with a love of the medieval, you just need to look out the window in Italy. Okay, that’s not quite true, but if you stay in any hill town, you’ll be surrounded by buildings that date from the 1300s, if not earlier.
These are some of my favorite medieval artworks I seek out when sightseeing in Italy.
Frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Simone Martini in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena
The Maestà altarpiece by Duccio di Buoninsegna in the museum at the Siena Cathedral
“The Annunciation” by Simone Martini in the Uffizi in Florence
Frescoes by Giotto in the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi
Frescoes by Memmo di Filippuccio in the Camera del Podestà in the Palazzo Comunale in San Gimignano showing domestic scenes including a couple taking a bath and getting into bed
And before I leave medieval art, I must put in a plug for San Gimignano 1300. This scale model of what San Gimignano looked like in 1300 is located near the Palazzo Comunale and the Torre Grosso in the center of San Gimignano. The display is free and well worth seeing to give you an idea of how the city of towers looked with 72 towers instead of its current 17.
At San Gimignano 1300 with a copy of The Towers of Tuscany and the museum director
Renaissance Era – Artsy Sightseeing Options
The Renaissance was born in Florence with an explosion of amazing art by artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. You’ll see a fair whack of the best stuff at the Uffizi.
TIP: If you go to the Uffizi, you must buy your tickets ahead of time, preferably a few days or weeks before you arrive, especially if traveling in peak season. Here’s a link to buy your tickets to the Uffizi and skip the line.
Here are some of my favorite Renaissance pieces (it’s just a partial list–I could go on and on!):
Primavera and Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli in the Uffizi in Florence
David statue by Michelangelo at the Academia in Florence
David statue by Donatello at the Bargello museum in Florence
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Masaccio at the Brancacci chapel in Florence
The Medici chapels in Florence
Sistine Chapel frescoes by Michelangelo at the Vatican in Rome
Paintings by Sofonisba Anguissola, one of the few female painters from the period, in Siena and at the Uffizi in Florence.
For more artsy sightseeing in Florence, here are suggested tours and skip-the-line ticket options.
Baroque Era – Artsy Sightseeing Options
Of all the art periods, the Baroque (roughly the 17th century) is my least favorite. I find the style too florid. However, the Baroque style is everywhere in Italy, from churches to museums. You can’t escape it.
Big names in Baroque art include Caravaggio, Tiepolo, Titian, Bernini, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Although Baroque art isn’t my cup of tea, I do love Artemisia’s work.
You can see her masterpiece, Judith Slaying Holofernes, completed in 1610, in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Modern Art in Italy
Italy has produced several noted modern artists including Giacometti, Modigliani, and Futurists such as Severini, Marinetti, and Balla. Following are three places to see wonderful modern art in Italy (and again, there are many more).
Peggy
Guggenheim Museum
Located right smack on the Grand
Canal in the Dorsoduro district of magical Venice between Santa Maria della
Salute and the Gallerie dell’Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum just makes
me smile. I can’t visit it often enough!
The museum houses Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection of 20th- century art including masterpieces of cubism, surrealism and abstract expressionism. Artists in the permanent collection include Picasso, Kandinsky, Miró, Braque, Giacometti, Klee, Magritte, Dali, Pollock, de Chirico, Brancusi, Braque, Duchamp, and Mondrian. It is an embarrassment of 20th-century riches.
If you’re in Venice, take a break from the Renaissance and cross the canal to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Wander the cool halls of her renovated palazzo to view the paintings and sculptures and then descend the steps to the edge of the canal and watch the boats go by.
Also included in Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe is Rome’s National Museum of Modern Art (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna). The museum is conveniently located on the edge of the Villa Borghese so you can see it before or after you visit the Galleria Borghese
The museum features an excellent collection of 20th-century Italian painters including Giorgio de Chirico, Amedeo Modigliani, Antonio Canova, Giacomo Balla, and Giorgio Morandi, along with works by Rodin, Degas, van Gogh, Monet, Duchamp, Man Ray, and Pollock.
Unlike the Vatican and the other Renaissance and Ancient Roman attractions of Rome, the museum is sparsely attended and, therefore, extremely pleasant.
Tarot Garden: Sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle
Located near the coast in the province of Grosseto in Tuscany, the Tarot Garden (Il Giardino dei Tarocchi) is a collection of sculptures created by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle.
If you’re traveling through Italy by car, carve out time to visit this wonderful place. For a great, although long, day trip from Rome, catch the train from Rome Termini to Orbetello Stazione (about 90 minutes) and from there take a taxi or a bus.
For a detailed description of how to get from Rome to Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, check out this post on The Spotted Cloth website.
Pictures of Il Giardino dei Tarocchi don’t do the sculptures justice. If you love quirky, whimsical modern art, you have to go and see the sculptures for yourself. You can walk around them, touch them, even go inside some of them.
Sitting on a sculpture at the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi
Il Giardino dei Tarocchi is far enough off the beaten path to be uncrowded and totally delightful.
The garden is open every afternoon from 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm from April 1 to October 15. In November, December, January and March, the garden is open on the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to 1 pm. If the Saturday falls on a public holiday, the park opens the following Saturday.
Sculpture of lovers in the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi
Quirky foundation in the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi
Check the website for more information and directions.
Art Guides to Italy
Conclusion
Have you visited any of the places described in this post? If so, let other artsy travelers know what you think.
Here are some more posts on Italy to help you plan your next trip–or just to indulge in some armchair travel.
My favorite regions in Italy range from Milan and the Dolomites in the north to Naples in the south. Unless you have several months to spare, you can’t really “do” all of Italy in one trip.
You’ll spend far too much time traveling and far too little time enjoying. Pick one or two regions and spent a week or two in each.
As Rick Steves says, “travel like you plan to return.”
Map of Favorite Regions in Italy
The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Italy that I recommend you explore. I’ve visited all of them except for Sicily (coming soon!).
I’m going to start in the north and move south because we often drive to Italy, so that’s the direction we enter the country from.
Here are the five regions of Italy I suggest you explore:
Northern Italy: Turin, Lake Como, Milan, Dolomites
Venice and Ravenna
Tuscany and Umbria
Rome
Compania: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast
In this post, I give a brief overview of these areas and provide links to more in-depth posts.
Northern Italy
You could spend at least a week traveling through the regions of northern Italy.
Milan Cathedral
From east to west, I recommend Turin, Lake Como, Milan, and the Dolomites. Spend at least a week in the north (not counting Venice which deserves at least three days on its own). You won’t run out of things to do!
Highlights of Northern Italy
Here are some of my favorite artsy highlights (a by no means an exhaustive list) in northern Italy:
Turin: The Egyptian Museum – Museo Egizio is first-rate. It houses one of the oldest collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. Even if you’re only moderately interested in ancient Egypt, put it on your list.
Milan: The Duomo, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, and La Scala just for starters. There’s lots to see in Milan and it has a very different vibe (calmer in my opinion) than Rome.
Italian Lake District: Spend several days exploring the many small towns and the various lakes; gorgeous views, great food, lots of history.
The Dolomites: Drive as far up as you can and then take a chairlift or gondola even higher. The alpine culture is very different from the rest of Italy.
Don’t stint on the time you allocate to visiting Venice. The city is worth at least three days (preferably longer). You could choose to spend a week in the area–three or four nights in Venice, a night in the Veneto to visit Vicenza and Padua, and then head south to spend two nights in glorious Ravenna (more on Ravenna in a minute).
Rialto bridge in stunning Venice
You don’t need a car in Venice and you can reach the other towns in the area by train.
Ravenna is a delightful small city south of Venice, most famous for the mosaics in the eight Christian monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
While many of these sites, particularly the most famous mosaics in the Church of San Vitale, attract the tour busses, the rest of Ravenna is wonderfully non-touristy. Relax in the main square and watch the world go by. Ravenna has a subtle charm that made me want to write a novel set there just so I could go and stay for a good long while.
Piazza del Popolo in the evening, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
While we were in Ravenna, we watched a bride and groom emerge from a church and get into a red Ferrari, stopped into an art opening and drank white wine with the two Italian artists who were exhibiting their paintings, and enjoyed one of the best meals we’ve ever had in Italy at Ristorante Alexander. Check out the website and make a reservation! The food was to die for and the prices very reasonable.
TIP: When dining in Italy, make use of review apps and websites to find good restaurants. Every time we’ve taken the time to search out well-rated restaurants and to make reservations, we’ve been amply rewarded by fabulous meals.
Highlights of Ravenna: Touring the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The mosaics in the early Christian monuments are the big draw in Ravenna, as noted earlier.
TIP: Buy your combination ticket for the six UNESCO sites in central Ravenna at any of these locations: the Basilica San Vitale, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, and the Archbishop’s Chapel.
The sixth site–the Arian Baptistery–is free and worth a visit to view the well-preserved domed mosaic, dating from the early 6th century AD, that shows Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.
At just €9.50 for entrance to all these sites, the Ravenna Mosaics combo ticket has to be one of Europe’s best artsy bargains. In addition to the six sites in central Ravenna, don’t miss the remaining two UNESCO sites. The mausoleum of Theodoric is a short walk from the town center, and the Church of Sant’Apollinare in Classe is an 8-kilometer drive towards the Adriatic coast.
Mosaic in Ravenna featuring the Empress Theodora
Staying in Ravenna
We were driving when we visited Ravenna, and so, as usual, we stayed in a hotel on the outskirts. We then took taxis into the city and from there walked to seven of the eight UNESCO sites in the center of Ravenna. On our last morning in Ravenna, we drove to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe.
Toscana! The very name evokes warmth and good living and beauty while at the same time associated with a deliciously turbulent history.
All those towers and walls and fortifications in towns such as San Gimignano and Siena and Lucca were not built back in the Middle Ages because life was easy. The architecture of Tuscan hill towns screams strife.
The Fortress of Montalcino, a hill town in Tuscany
At the same time, the museums and churches of Tuscany burst at the seams with art–much of it created between 1300 and 1600, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
We’ve been visiting Tuscany for years and plan to return. We’ve only recently “discovered” Umbria and were taken with its less touristy, more authentic atmosphere. While I love Tuscany, it can get overrun with visitors, particularly in Florence.
TIP: I recommend allocating at least a week to exploring Tuscany and another week for Umbria. Spend a few days in Florence to see the highlights and then if you have a car, find a house or an agriturismo property to rent for several days or a week in or near one of the medieval towns in Tuscany. Take day trips to other towns, bearing in mind that driving in Tuscany can be slow going on the twisty, narrow roads.
In a typical week, reserve a few days for just staying put and enjoying bella Toscana.
If you don’t have a car, you can still stay in the country, but choose a place that provides some assistance with transportation. You can join local tours such as wine tours (highly recommended!). Some properties offer cooking classes and painting classes.
After your week in Tuscany, spend a week in Umbria. The areas around Perugia or Assisi are good choices.
You won’t run out of things to see. I guarantee it!
The Eternal City takes hold of your psyche with the weight of its 2,000-plus-year history and the central role it has played in the development of western culture.
Rome will not be denied.
Piazza Navona in Rome in the morning
I’ve visited Rome several times since my first trip there with my parents in 1974. During our most recent trip, Gregg and I spent ten days enjoying the city during Gregg’s exhibition of his paintings at a gallery near the Vatican. We lived like locals in an apartment in the same area and set aside time every day to explore new areas of Rome.
Here are additional suggestions for what to see in Rome, including tours.
Naples and the Compania
Naples is kind of crazy–or at least it was when I visited a few years ago. We keep meaning to get down there again to see how or if it’s changed. I rather hoped it hasn’t.
I have a vivid memory of being driven in a taxi through downtown Naples and noticing how the driver barely slowed down at stop signs caked with dirt. Apparently, obeying them was optional. The driver pulled up in front of the National Archeological Museum in Naples, reputed to be one of the best museums in Italy for Roman antiquities. He then turned around and announced chiuso. Closed.
Oh. Those were the days before the Internet took the guesswork out of travel planning. Our only day in Naples was also the only day of the week when the museum was always closed.
That mistake wouldn’t happen nowadays which is a good thing although sometimes I miss the serendipity of the “olden” days when plans could so easily be derailed.
View of the Bay of Naples, the city of Naples, and Vesuvius in the distance
Museums in Vienna are world-class. You can easily spend several days exploring museums that cater to just about every artsy interest–from painting to music to theater and much more.
In this post, I describe the museums I’ve enjoyed visiting and a few that I’ve yet to visit (but want to!).
Museum Passes
If you enjoy touring museums and have two or more days in Vienna, consider purchasing a Vienna PASS. You’ll be able to skip the line to popular attractions, get in free to more than 60 attractions, including the Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and ride the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. It’s a pretty good deal and it saves you time.
Another less expensive option is the Vienna Flexi PASS that allows you to customize your itinerary. Check which attractions they offer to see if you’ll save money.
Touring Museums in Vienna
So let’s dig into my suggestions for best museum experiences in Vienna. As you’ll quickly discover, Vienna really is one of Europe’s best destinations for museum lovers. The only trouble is that you need to pace yourself. All those long, marble-floored corridors are hard on the knees. Take your time! It’s better to enjoy fewer museums and enjoy yourself than try to see them all and be too exhausted to take in a concert in the evening and enjoy a plate of weiner schnitzel.
Assume you’ll return! And while Vienna is a great place for museum-going, it’s also a wonderful place to just sit back and watch the world go by. There’s a reason that Vienna consistently ranks in the top ten of the world’s most livable cities.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Start at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna’s answer to the Louvre and one of Europe’s best. The museum is located at Maria-Theresien-Platz in the Imperial Palace complex and exhibits the art collection of the Habsburg family. They were also known as the House of Austria and for several hundred years ruled a large chunk of Europe.
Skip the line by purchasing your tickets to the Kunsthistorisches Museum online before you leave. You save time and are guaranteed entry into this marvelous museum.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum includes several collections.
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna
Egyptian and Near Eastern
You’ll find one of the world’s most important collections of Egyptian antiquities at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Take a tour of the collection which includes more than 17,000 objects. I always enjoy a good Egyptian museum, and the collection here is first-rate.
Greek and Roman Antiquities
The collection spans 3,000 years. I’m particularly fond of the Greek vases decorated with scenes of Greek life.
Kunstkammer Wien: The Cradle of the Museum
This relatively new area of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (opened in 2013) contains over 2,200 fabulous artworks. The Habsburg emperors were busy collectors from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque Age. You’ll find sculptures, clocks, objets d’art, scientific instruments, automatons, and a lot more.
The list goes on. Have a good look. You won’t regret it.
Picture Gallery
The collection in the Picture Gallery at the Kunsthistorisches Museum includes several pieces by Pieter Bruegel the Elder that you’ll probably recognize if you like 16th-century Dutch painting. You’ll also find masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, and one of my favorites, Arcimboldo, who really had a way with food.
We bought a jigsaw puzzle of one of the Arcimboldo paintings in the marvelous museum gift shop. I do like a good museum giftshop and the one at the Kunsthistorisches has a great selection.
Collection of Historical Musical Instruments
I write about the incredible collection of historical musical instruments in Music Lover’s Guide to Vienna. On my solo trip to Vienna, I spent a happy afternoon enjoying the rooms full of pianos and harpsichords and various other instruments. The collection of Renaissance and Baroque instruments is reputed to be the finest in the world.
I was in heaven, particularly because this area of the massive Kunsthistorisches Museum was virtually empty. If I’d been so inclined, I could have played one of the pianos, and probably no one would have been the wiser. I didn’t try. The prospect of even a short stay in a Viennese prison did not appeal, even if it’s likely to be well maintained and serve wiener schnitzel.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum also includes the Coin Collection, an Armory, and lots more, but you get the picture. The museum is worth a good chunk of your day. Alternatively, pace yourself and space your visit across a few days. It depends on your stamina because plenty of museums await you in Vienna’s Museum Quarter.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is open daily except Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm. Check the website for current ticket prices.
Natural History Museum
The architectural mirror image of the Kunsthistorisches Museum is the Museum of Natural History opposite it. Although natural history museums are not, strictly speaking, artsy sights, I have a soft spot for them. Vienna’s Museum of Natural History is excellent, on par with the Natural History Museums in London, New York, and Washington.
The big draw in Vienna’s Museum of Natural History is the squat statue of the wonderfully fecund Venus of Willendorf. She’s a clay figurine just 11.1 centimeters tall, reputed to have been made between 24,000 and 22,000 BCE, which is a long time ago on any calendar.
Although little is known about how or why she was made, you have to think her purpose had something to do with fertility. I mean, seriously! Look at her! Because she lacks defined facial features, some philosophers and archeologists view the Venus of Willendorf as representative of a universal mother.
Well, I certainly took to her. She’s displayed in a special, atmospherically lit case that will probably be surrounded by other museum-goers. Wait your turn and then spend a few minutes contemplating universal motherhood and also thinking about the people who made this exquisite figure. How had they used her? Had she been cherished? I like to think so.
Animal Displays at the Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History is a marvel, with one of the many highlights being the massive second floor containing several high-ceilinged, ornate rooms chock-a-block with stuffed animals.
When we walked into the reptile room on our family trip, I had to sprint through it with my eyes closed. Stuffed snakes in glass cages filled the massive room from floor to ceiling. And I don’t mean the cute plush variety of stuffed snakes. Oh no. I’m talking about very real, very menacing, very snakey snakes. Ugh!
Fortunately, the other rooms made up for the trauma of the reptile room. The Vienna Museum of Natural History gets top marks for taxidermy.
Museums in the Museum Quarter
Vienna’s Museum Quarter (MQ) in central Vienna is truly a remarkable cultural area. Housing over sixty cultural institutions, the MQ is one of the largest districts for contemporary art and culture in the world. You’ll find museums and events devoted to art, architecture, music, fashion, theater, children’s culture, literature, dance, street art, photography, even gaming culture. This is the place to be if you love the arts.
Highlights of the MQ directly related to visual art include viewing modern art at the LeopoldMuseum, MUMOK – the Museum of Modern Art and Kunsthalle Wien, and visiting the remarkable Kunst Haus Wien–Vienna’s first ecological museum. The MQ is always open and entry is free. Relax in the various courtyards and engage in some serious people watching.
Hanging out in the Museum Quarter in Vienna
Here are four of the major art museums in the MQ. For more information about what’s on, including special events, check the MQ website and the websites for the individual museums. The range and breadth of cultural activities truly is breathtaking!
Leopold Museum
The Leopold Museum exhibits the world’s most important collection of paintings and works on paper by Egon Schiele who, along with Gustav Klimt, is one of the best-known Austrian artists of the 20th century.
Egon Schiele, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
MUMOK – Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien
MUMOK is the largest museum of modern and contemporary art in central Europe (and that’s saying something!). You’ll find an amazing collection that features works of classical modernism (my favorite) by artists such as Picasso, Mondrian, and Magritte to mention only a few, along with pop art, Fluxus, minimal art, and concept art, as well as Vienna Actionism and contemporary art.
MUMOK in the Museum Quarter in Vienna
Kunsthalle Wien
The Kunsthalle Wien fcouses on temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. I confess I’m not generally a fan of contemporary art, but if you are, check the website for current exhibitions.
Kunst Haus Wien
Vienna’s first ecological museum, the Kunst Haus Wien, features contemporary art with a focus on photography. You have to check out the building–it’s remarkable with colorful tiles, uneven floors, and irregular structures. The museum also houses the Museum Hundertwasser which displays the largest permanent collection of works by Friedensreich Hundertwasser who designed the building for the Kunst Haus Wien and is also one of Austria’s most famous artists and visionaries.
Visit Kunst Haus Wien for a very different experience!
The Meeting Place at the MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is one of the largest cultural quarters in the world. You’ll need another day to tour the MQ and also hang out in its public spaces.
Belvedere Palace
If you are a fan of Gustav Klimt, don’t miss the Belvedere Palace. Here you’ll see the world’s largest collection of Klimt’s paintings, including his masterpiece, The Kiss, and the iconic Judith I. You’ll also find a good 19th-century collection that includes work by Monet and van Gogh.
Gustav Klimt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The baroque Belvedere Palace itself is worth visiting to see its magnificent ornamental gardens and the stunning views of Vienna.
Other Museums in Vienna
Here’s a list of several other art museums in Vienna that are worth a visit.
Click the links to buy your tickets in advance or check if the Vienna PASS or Flexi PASS includes admission or discounts.
Albertina Museum
The Albertina Museum contains the world’s most important graphic collections along with works by Monet, Renoir, Chagall, Miro, Magritte, Munch, Picasso, and more. You can also visit the Albertina – Modern a few blocks away, which is Vienna’s new museum of modern art.
Theater Museum Vienna
I always go out of my way to visit a theater museum (my third novel The Muse of Fire is set in the theater). The collection at the Theater Museum in Vienna includes over 1,000 stage models, 600 costumes, and a lot of props that bring the history of theater in Austria to life. So much to see!
Jewish Museum
Learn about Vienna’s Jewish life from the Middle Ages to the present. Check the website for temporary exhibitions.
MAK – Museum of Applied Arts
The MAK is a “museum for arts and the everyday world.” Its extensive collection focuses on the applied arts and the interface of design, architecture, and contemporary arts. MAK’s permanent collection includes one of the world’s finest collection of lace and glassware, particularly Venetian glass (I’m a sucker for Venetian glass). You’ll also find a collection of textiles and carpets, and lots more. Check the website for current exhibitions.
And here are more fun museums that are great if you’re traveling with kids (or even if you’re not!).
Music Museums in Vienna
Vienna is the City of Music–home to an impressive number of the world’s most famous composers–Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, and Mahler. And several more composers stopped by to perform, including Chopin, Liszt, Schumann (Robert and Clara), and Brahms.
A highlight of my solo trip to Vienna was visiting Pasqualati House where Beethoven lived and worked for a while. He changed apartments a lot, apparently.
Me in front of Vienna’s Pasqualati House, one of the places where Beethoven lived
The top music museums in Vienna include:
The House of Music (also known as the House of Sound), with five floors of first-rate, music-themed exhibits; not to be missed
