Damien Hirst travel tips

It’s a new year, but when it comes to world-class food and drink, it’s still the same ol’ London. Meaning there's no Shoreditch—err...shortage of options across this perennially dynamic cityscape. With literally thousands of restaurants and bars worth exploring, there’s obviously no way we can include everything on one measly list. So the task here is to highlight some places that are doing something especially awesome this winter season. Whether you’re in town for a short stay, or a longtime local, check out what’s on below and you’re certain to be satisfied.

A majority of American adults (82%) plan to take at least one vacation this summer, according to The Vacationer’s recent travel survey. With that in mind, here’s a sampling of unique and unexpected summer escapes at you can find at centers and lodgings from the Pacific to Provence: creative and luxurious experiences to help you beat the heat and lean into the season. These may inspire you to find others to suit your summer interests—and go.

The glamour of Hotel Martinez, Unbound Collection by Hyatt hits you even before you walk through its doors. Thanks to its prime location on the iconic La Croisette — plus a chic private beach club draped with gorgeous globetrotters, and candy-colored Lamborghinis and Ferraris parked outside — the 5-star heritage hotel is as synonymous with the fashionable French Riviera jet set as the Cannes Film Festival itself.

Norway’s capital city is famous for Vigeland Sculpture Park. Rightly so, for the park featuring 212 sculptures of celebrated visionary Gustav Vigeland has long been one of the country’s leading free tourist destinations.

Step into a world where art transcends the boundaries of traditional galleries and finds its home within the luxurious confines of some of the world's most esteemed hotels. In this captivating journey, we will explore the intriguing fusion of hospitality and artistic expression, taking you on a tour of remarkable hotels with impressive art collections.

For locals, it's a well-known fact that many of the UK capital’s best attributes are completely free to enjoy. In London you can walk through two millennia of history, delve into a cornucopia of treasures, go on a music and art odyssey, and soak in some of the most iconic views on Earth – all without spending a single penny. Here’s where to start.

Shrewsbury, a gorgeous medieval market town, was put on the art map in 2021 with the launch of the Shrewsbury Arts Trail. The event goes from strength to strength: this year it boasts three sculptures by Salvador Dalí. Two are outdoors: the 5-metre-tall Surrealist Piano startles visitors to the castle grounds and Homage to Terpsichore dominates the courtyard of the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. Inside the gallery, the Dalínian Dancer is part of the Inspirational Exhibition, which also includes work by LS Lowry, Man Ray, Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst and Banksy.

If you didn’t know that Pablo Picasso had spent a sizeable amount of time in the Cote d’Azur village of Mougins, you’re made aware of it walking through the main square, site of a large and pretty realistic sculpture of his head. The nearby café and ice cream shop, named, respectively,Pablo and Paloma, give a hint as well of this past resident who spent the last 12 years of his life here. As the region celebrates the artist, marking the 50th anniversary of his passing, there are Picasso related sites and exhibits on view here through October including an exhibition of photos of the usually glowering artist in lighthearted moments with his famous artist friends. But that’s not the only reason to come to Mougins.

Newmarket in Suffolk is the home of British horse racing, with equine attractions aplenty. There are the two race courses, the Rowley Mile and the July Course; the gallops where the horses are exercised; the National Stud, where they are bred; and Tattersalls, where they are bought and sold. There is plenty of art, too, but it is largely of a horsey nature – the Packard Galleries of British Sporting Art are full of paintings by George Stubbs and Alfred Munnings, and depictions of hunting, hawking, shooting and, of course, racing.

If you fancy indulging your inner artist on your next British break, try one of these excellent galleries and art spaces across Britain.