Art Basel travel tips

Miami’s holiday travel season kicks off in earnest with Art Basel (Dec. 8 - 10), runs through February, then begins to taper off. It’s a time when securing a reservation in the thriving local restaurant scene becomes nearly impossible. Here are ten of the toughest Miami restaurants to get into for holiday travelers (put in those reservation requests now!).

The 28th annual edition of the international art fair Miart last week kicked off a month of art, architecture, design and fashion in Italy’s most fashionable city. With 180 galleries from 28 countries showing more than 1,000 artworks, Milan’s international fair has a well-deserved reputation for carefully selected galleries. The fair has made a stellar effort to stand out among the hundreds of annual art fairs that include mammoth fairs like Frieze and Art Basel by focusing on Italian galleries and by taking the unusual decision to have the emerging galleries, rather than the established blue chip galleries, right at the front of the fair.

As a global traveler who loves and covers all things luxury, I’m always looking for a connection no matter where in the world I am- something that gives me the edge to enjoy an experience that few others can claim to have. Enter Pendulum, a new app that claims to be the answer to my never ending quest for that insider access.

Steps away from the glistening Victoria Harbour sits the Peninsula Hotel.

Thanks in large part to the 2022 World Cup, Qatar’s capital city continues to rise higher in the collective imagination of global travelers and in the sky itself, with the opening of new luxury hotel towers. The editors of Forbes Travel Guide have named Doha’s best hotels—based on the stays of its incognito inspectors—including several Five-Star properties such as Raffles Doha as well as the Four Seasons Doha and Mandarin Oriental Doha.

Palm Beach is hot and is making its mark on the art scene. With the constant trickle of millionaires and billionaires moving to the area, the desire to build a robust art community is greater than ever, and gallerist Sarah Gavlak is among those leading the charge.

The 21st edition of Art Basel Miami Beach is now in the books – a whirlwind week of parties, dinners, DJ sets, brand collaborations, product launches, restaurant openings and, fortunately, great weather. But at the center of it all, of course, was the art – presented in every form all throughout the Magic City.

What do some of the most iconic pieces of architecture in the world—say, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao—all have in common? Two words: Frank Gehry.

While Miami Beach is the epicenter of all-things art, culture, design and creativity year-round, December brings an enhanced global selection of exhibitions, experiences and conversations to the forefront. Visitors and locals alike can choose from a variety of marquee and debut events that support the artistic community and beyond with innovative and thought-provoking themes at Art Basel, SCOPE Miami Beach, Untitled Art: Miami Beach, No Vacancy and more.

Here we go again...the best of the art world (not to mention the fashion world, culinary world, luxury brands, celebrities, and partygoers) descend on Miami for Miami Art Week, which includes a week long schedule of incredible art exhibits, parties, and events that are sprinkled around the Magic City. A lot has happened here since last year’s Art Week. Miami has welcomed more new high-profile residents to its shores - including Jeff Bezos, Shakira, and Lionel Messi. The level of cuisine has grown exponentially, as Miami now has 11 Michelin-rated restaurants with more on the way. As a native Miamian, I am blown away by the level of culture and sophistication Miami has achieved. Miami’s economy is still booming, with people flocking to the city both to live and to visit - and the attraction of Miami will be on full display during Art Week.

Whether it’s in pursuit of a new community, better weather, or a new adventure, there are many reasons people pack up their lives and become expats. And it seems like the idea of moving to a new country is more appealing than ever—and gone are the days when it was reserved for retired people. With remote work becoming a more viable option for people of all ages experiencing wanderlust in their hearts, the possibility of the expat lifestyle is now more within reach than ever.

Paris+ par Art Basel's second edition concluded, highlighting the city's cultural vitality and its growing stature in the global art market. With 154 premier galleries, including 61 in France, the event showcased France's thriving art scene. It featured a diverse public program in collaboration with renowned cultural institutions across six Parisian locations. This edition welcomed 15 new galleries from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Held at the Grand Palais Éphémère from October 20 to 22, 2023, the fair drew 38,000 attendees. The next edition will take place at Art Basel’s permanent venue: the iconic (renovated) Grand Palais from October 18 to 20, 2024.

It seems hard to believe now, but not so long ago most visitors to Miami bypassed the showrooms and studios of the Design District for South Beach or downtown. The roots of the neighborhood's current cachet lie in the 1990s, when local developer Craig Robins, seeing potential in the area—a former pineapple plantation—began buying up its rundown storefronts and leasing them to top-tier designers. Eventually he partnered with L Catterton Real Estate to shape it into what it is today: an inviting and eclectic hub of cutting-edge art, scene-y restaurants, and high-end shops, all presented in a distinctively vibrant South Florida style. True to form, the Design District continues to evolve: Opening soon is a major renovation of The Moore, a landmark building sure to become a neighborhood anchor. Come for the colorful people-watching, which is always guaranteed—and stick around for everything else.

On a friday night at Soho House Hong Kong, the 30th-floor Pool Room was at capacity. A DJ churned out West Coast hip-hop classics for a crowd of creative multihyphenates thronging the bar and squeezed onto the narrow balcony. It was just one of the parties and openings accompanying Art Basel, back in full force for the first time since 2019 and bringing with it something not seen here in a while: international visitors.

One of the world’s great global cities is pulsating with renewed energy and dynamic new attractions, lending fresh vibrancy to its timeless appeal.