Art tips

In a city of ravenous for art, in Tokyo lines for exhibitions are as long as those for the latest pop idol's concerts.

To hold Dolce Vita—the new silk-swathed hardcover released by luxury publisher Assouline—in my hands feels as though I am embracing the essence and sensuousness of Italy itself. Sweet Life! Written by Italy connoisseur Cesare Cunaccia, this hefty (10-by-13-inch, 6.4-pound, 320-page) coffee-table tome showcases almost 200 expressive and evocative photographs that invite lovely lingering perusal. If you’re seeking an armchair traveler’s page-turner for yourself to kick off 2024 or a Valentine’s Day gift for a dreamer of things bellissimo, thispleases aplenty. Dolce Vita is a visual joy ride, chic and engaging. Indeed, gazing at its images fuels my fantasies of sliding onto a Vespa or into an Alfa Romeo, breezily wheeling from Venice to Milan to Genoa to Florence to Rome to Naples to Sorrento and beyond, through undulating verdant landscapes and glistening seaside ports, savoring fantastic cuisine, then sailing to Sicily for more. Prego!

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK.

The spectacular House of Music is in Budapest’s beautiful City Park. After going through the mushroom-like main entrance, you find a museum dedicated to the history of music. From the beginning of music to the modern day via Gregorian chanting and Hungarian folk, the House of Music is a fascinating place. With a superb audio guide, and for just 1,000 forints (£2.25), it is well worth a visit.Danny Baker

When you have a partner obsessed with architecture, you can’t expect to go on holiday without a detour to see some building or another. So if it’s a city break, that usually means a walking tour of the architectural highlights interspersed with visits to art galleries.

If you’ve rambled along La Rambla in Barcelona, climbed the Eiffel Tower in Paris and checked out Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, it’s tempting to tick Europe’s major cities off the list. But even in the most well-visited cities, there’s often a new and surprising angle to discover. We’d love to hear about the unexpected discoveries that made you see a European city in a new light, whether it be modernist architecture in Vienna, street food in Amsterdam or contemporary art in Rome.

Fellow parents, forget the extraordinary wine for a brief moment (although there’s always grape juice for the kids). With its giddy mix of sweeping green spaces, river life, interactive museums and casual dining scene, Bordeaux tops the French charts for urban exploration en famille.

Art auctions are a mainstay of big-ship cruise lines—and they usually run in a similar format: show up, drink a few glasses of free Champagne, take a numbered bid card, and peruse the artwork to be auctioned off. Make the right bid, and you'll go home with travel memories and a new piece to add to your collection.

Rome is witnessing a flurry of new luxury hotel launches, and travelers are lucky to stay in historic properties such as the newly launched Palazzo Ripetta. The five-star property is located on Via Ripetta, in what is becoming one of the trendiest areas, just a short distance from the Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, and Via del Corso.

Pack a sun hat, some loose-fitting clothes and a book of José Martí’s poems – and get ready to uncover the buoyant and sophisticated magic of Cuba.

With a pedigree rooted in classical Greece and a fair claim to the mantle of France's second city, Marseille is an intense, high-octane place that never stops moving. In the last decade, this noisy, once-notoriously unglamorous port has morphed into a quietly cool influencer. With its eclectic choice of museums, churches and coastal parks in a sprawling metropolis famously stitched from 111 wildly diverse “villages,” Provence’s all-consuming capital deserves far more time than a quick weekend.

Located steps from storied St. Charles Avenue in the Warehouse District, Virgin Hotels New Orleans is like no other place to stay in the city. Guests who visit during Mardi Gras are likely to discover some special surprises.

Scott Cooper’s memories fade all too quickly, yet the 66-year-old Australian still travels the world in defiance of his dementia. He and his wife Jill visit their daughter in Canada twice a year, and regularly explore Australia. His home country is one of the few destinations starting to cater to tourists with dementia, which affects recall, thinking, and behavior.

Best place to live in Florida; a top-ten market for millennials to move to; one of the world’s greatest places. In a world that loves a superlative, Tampa has secured a spot on an outsized amount of best-of lists of late thanks to new and rapid development. And while we’re not ready to say “move over, Miami,” just yet, if it’s been some time since you checked out this sun-splashed city on Florida’s Gulf Coast long been overshadowed by heavier Florida hitters, then chances are you’ll be surprised by the Tampa of today.

Art museums have never done much for me.

From the the exotic cacao blends of South America to the velvety richness of Belgian pralines, chocolate making is a serious work of art. Elevate your Valentine's Day celebration with one of these ten finest, most luxurious boxes of chocolates the world has to offer.

Havana seduces you slowly, getting under your skin with its street energy, historical heirlooms and charismatic people. It's a complex city with many different layers.

With its awe-inspiring art, architecture and culinary delights, Italy has been a star of the world stage for millennia.

As the frosty equivalent of St. Tropez, glitzy St. Moritz in the stunning Engadin Valley of Switzerland has much to offer visitors with guaranteed snow on its 88 ski slopes in 9 resorts. For travelers looking beyond the slopes, the area offers excellent restaurants, shops and a rich selection of cultural and sporting events.

There are many ways to visit Cuba. Many price points, too. While the country’s unique circumstances may not make the island the best place in the world for shoestring backpackers, you can certainly save money if you understand a bit of the local mecánica (Cuban way of doing things).

There’s something powerfully compelling about Balinese food. Whenever I arrive back home on the island, my taste buds immediately cry out for local cuisine. I head straight to the eastern outskirts of the capital, Denpasar, to my favourite warung (a simple roadside stall or shop), Nasi Tekor. This rustic spot recalls Bali in the 1970s and offers a fix of nasi campur, the Indonesian staple of plain rice usually served with vegetables, egg, meat or fish to make up a composite meal. I eat my fill and despite my familiarity with Indonesian and Balinese food, I’m no closer to understanding why I find it so addictive. Certainly, though, it’s in part due to its rich and diverse origins.“