Art tips

In the world of Disability, each life story—and each impairment—is as unique and individual as a fingerprint. Yet within our diverse intersectional community, smaller groups who share more than just a common identity exist. Take, for instance, the community of wheelchair users and, within our group, the subgroup to which I belong: the spinal cord injured. When individuals within specific subsets get the chance to connect, all small talk instantly goes out the window. You get straight to the heart of the matter, especially when you speak of parallels in both the cause and effect of your Disability.

The landscape around Route A29, which connects Palermo and Mazara del Vallo, is a travel-brochure version of rural Sicily: rolling hills dotted with barley fields, olive groves, and vineyards, and the occasional cluster of ancient ruins. Exit at Salemi, however, and follow the signs for Gibellina Nuova, and a surprise awaits. Like a postmodern version of Roman era city gates, there stands a 70-foot-tall steel sculpture of a five-pointed star by Sicilian sculptor Pietro Consagra. Porta del Belice (Door of Belice) or the Star of Belice marks the entrance to Gibellina Nuova, a town that hosts one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the world and a reputation as a failed art utopia or a surreal, postmodern ghost town.

Florence's transformation over the past two decades may not be visible at first glance – the red roofs, stone-paved alleys and Renaissance monuments have remained largely intact for centuries.

In the recent years, the world has experienced a major shift towards wellness with a deep desire for a healthy lifestyle. In the wake of this global surge, Palm Jumeirah is set to welcome a one-of-a-kind brand: Serenity – The Art Of Well Being, recognized several times as the best spa and wellness centre of Europe.

As the oldest fortified city north of Mexico, Québec City and its 400-year-old vieux ville (old town) attract throngs of visitors year-round.

In the heart of London’s lively Kensington Gardens, embedded in the city’s nature, Serpentine Galleries (North) is hosting "Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive" from February 16th to April 7th, 2024. A must see exhibition that merges artificial intelligence with nature’s beauty, through the innovative lens of Refik Anadol. Known for his pioneering work in AI art, this show demonstrates Anadol’s expertise in bringing digital art uniquely to life, presenting a series of works that redefine our interaction with AI and give us new perspectives on the depths of nature and human connection.

In a place of superlatives — highest, biggest, priciest — why settle for simple pleasures? Dubai has long been seen as a fun-loving, unabashedly ambitious city, often overshadowing the UAE’s more serious-minded capital of Abu Dhabi. It’s a place where you can swim above clouds in 360-degree infinity pools or quaff cocktails in billowing beach cabanas, and it’s this ‘City of Gold’ most travellers come for. A winter sun utopia, it dazzles with opulence and novelty, from the soaring architecture and dancing fountains of Downtown to Jumeirah’s luxury hotels and the Marina’s million-pound yachts. 

​Hong Kong is not a cheap place to visit. But with good planning, a bit of creativity and an eye for beauty, you can spend an enjoyable day in the city for very little money.

To see where Cape Town's cool kids hang out, stop by the Pot Plant Club. Set amid the Victorian row houses on trendy Bree Street, the boutique, cofounded by Salik Harris in 2022, doubles as a social club for locals, who linger at the shop's café and rifle through racks of oversized jackets and denim. The emporium's collection includes emerging labels like Asa Sadan, the Paint Company, and Yarns Worldwide alongside Harris's own streetwear brand, Leaf Apparel. All were founded by talents from the Cape Malay community, a South African ethnic group with a huge impact on the city's cultural life.

Maud Bailly is at the top of her game. Following roles at the French national rail company (SNCF) and French Prime Minister Manuel Vall’s office as head of the economic and digital department responsible for economic, budget, fiscal, industrial and digital affairs, Bailly now leads several of Accor’s premium brands like Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems.

From dense forests and desert plains to dramatic canyons and snow-capped mountains — the west-central US state of Colorado is a wellspring of wild and wonderful landscapes. The eighth largest of the states when it comes to square mileage, Colorado's vastly varied topography has seen it become a magnet for travellers seeking the best of the great outdoors. And as a base for adventure, it doesn’t get much better than the state’s sunny capital, Denver, a destination that seems made for nature-lovers and active travellers. Here you can join the locals out cycling the city’s trails, jogging across its plentiful green spaces or even kayaking down the rapids that run right through the centre of the city. But Denver is not just a jumping off point for outdoor adventure. Head deep into its streets and you’ll discover an urban destination that's a hub of ever-evolving cuisine, arts and entertainment. 

In the vast and whispering sands of AlUla, an ancient landscape where history breathes from the very earth, Desert X AlUla 2024 unfurls as a breathtaking canvas for contemporary art. From February 9th to March 23rd, this majestic region in north-west Saudi Arabia transforms into a globally resonant art space, inviting visitors to ponder the profound theme 'In the Presence of Absence.' This year's edition, expertly guided by artistic directors Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield, along with curators Maya El Khalil and Marcello Dantas, debuts 15 newly commissioned works that challenge the onlookers to seek what lies beyond the visible. Amidst the silent narratives of AlUla's sandstone mountains and lush oasis valley, Desert X AlUla 2024 weaves a dialogue between the seen and unseen, offering a unique intersection of art, nature, and heritage that transcends the conventional gallery experience.

It’s time to bust the myth that there’s nothing to do in the Maldives apart from sipping rainbow-hued cocktails, snapping beachfront selfies and sprawling on chaise longues.

It’s not clear when London museums first reinvented themselves with the opening of the queue-forming ‘blockbuster’ exhibitions that we are so familiar with these days. Was it back in 2013, when the V&A opened the David Bowie is exhibition? (It was so popular that the exhibit eventually visited five international cities and has now been seen by over two million visitors worldwide, making it on track to become the V&A’s most visited exhibition in its history.) Or could the seed for this phenomenon have been sewn way back in 1972, when the British Museum announced its Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition, which saw lines snaking around the block – the first for a London museum at the time?

The city that never sleeps is no match for The Langham, a hotel that delivers one of the best slumbers in the Big Apple. Set along iconic Fifth Avenue in the heart of New York City, The Langham, Fifth Avenue delivers a singular stay. Even among stiff competition in a city that is known for its ultra-luxe accommodations, it distinguishes itself with its impeccable elegance, solicitous service and finely-honed attention to detail. Throw in a spectacular Club lounge and some of the biggest hotel rooms in Manhattan and you’d be hard pressed to find a more restful repose in the city.

Bostonians don’t let the weather stop us, even in the coldest months. This is New England, after all, so we know how to make the most of winter. Join us as we venture out into the icy air or retreat inside to cozy cafes and fireside tables, with food and drink to warm you from the inside out.  

Coming second only to its northern neighbor as the most visited country in the world, Spain is packed with incredible places to visit and experiences to enjoy.

"The energy is shifting. Can you feel it?” It is a cloudy Sunday afternoon in Highland Park. A perfect day to hear about ghosts.

Often synonymous with glitz and glam, Abu Dhabi might seem like a destination tailored exclusively to upscale travelers. However, beneath its futuristic facade lies a treasure trove of free things to do, catering to even the most budget-conscious travelers.

Over the last few centuries, not much has changed in the village of Shuwaymis, which lies 400 miles and a dusty seven-hour drive north of Jeddah. But in 2001, a Bedouin told local teacher Mahboub Habbas al-Rasheedi that he'd found an undiscovered cache of rock art while grazing his camels. Mahboub spent the next several days searching for the site and eventually found hundreds of petroglyphs emblazoned on a honey-hued escarpment, including depictions of oryx, ostriches, leopards, cheetahs, and lions.

A confluence of multicultural neighbourhoods, belle époque avenues and functional high-rises, Bucharest wears its past on its sleeve. While the Ceauşescu regime sought to erase all traces of the city’s history in the early 1980s, today, the Romanian capital overflows with character — its gritty exterior concealing a wealth of cosy bars, galleries and bookshops.