Art tips

You'll need more than a couple of days to truly get to know Melbourne. With steel-and-glass high-rise buildings and historic architecture, complemented by a richly multicultural population, this is a city with many layers and histories to uncover. 

Puerto Rico is one of those places that just keeps on giving – visit popular spots and well-known historical monuments the first time, and then come back for the hidden gems that require a little bit of research, a rental car and getting to know the residents of this beautiful archipelago. 

Tokyo's Shibuya ward is quickly becoming a popular tourist destination, especially among fashionable young people.

Families stroll and savor gelato cones as bike couriers whiz by. Pensioners relax on benches near manicured flower beds while earbud-wearing hipsters walk dogs and children chase pigeons by a fountain laden with bronze fish. The scene in Victory Square in Timisoara, Romania, is quintessentially European — modern meets Old World.

People sometimes talk about “love at first sight” when they arrive in a new city. That probably isn’t what you’ll experience when you first get to Bangkok.

The Khaite designer Catherine Holstein was newly pregnant in the fall of 2022 when the French children’s wear brand Bonpoint reached out to her about collaborating on a capsule collection. Now, the 11 new designs, intended to fit babies and children up to 10 years old and made with materials that are gentle against sensitive skin, are launching on Oct. 25 with a campaign featuring Holstein’s now-seven-month-old son, Calder. Standout pieces include a billowy white cotton top with a ruffled collar, a whimsical red-and-white botanical print skirt and miniature versions of two Khaite mainstays: a double-breasted Tanner blazer and a wool version of the brand’s flare-sleeved Scarlet cardigan. “I’m just amazed at the conversations you can have with kids after the age of three, and what their perspective is,” says Holstein. “I wanted the collection to give them the option to really home in on their individuality.” The pieces most dear to the designer are those inspired by her 1980s childhood. “I had black corduroy overalls that I would wear with suspenders with cars on them and a Fair Isle cardigan. … I really wanted to capture that nostalgia.”

With a medieval old town set against a deep-blue lake and ringed by towering peaks, Lucerne is as striking a city as you’ll find in Switzerland. Historically, this has been known as a place of art and music, but today, I’m visiting the city for a distinctly different — and arguably more delicious — reason.

If you’re anything like us, you’re looking to cram as much adventure as possible into 2024.

Think of New York and an image of the skyscrapers of Manhattan likely comes to mind. The Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center famously provide high-altitude views over that skyline — but there are other alternatives, whether hanging over the edge of a 100-storey building in Hudson Yards or sitting at a picnic table at a brewery in Brooklyn.

In our A Total Trip series, writers document what they spent on a recent getaway. In this edition, London-based writer, Tasmin Waby, shows us how she turned an expensive destination into a budget-friendly break.

The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Nairobi are a full sensory experience. The elaborately decorated Matatu busses painted ornate graffiti, the dynamic array of restaurants, food carts and cafes, and a steady rotation of arts and cultural venues all fuel a distinct coolness only found in Kenya’s capital. Add in its namesake national park teeming with wildlife within easy reach of the city center, and you’ve got yourself an unforgettable trip.

For more than 25 years, Alberto Avila has been making careteros, or paper maché masks, perpetuating a tradition of Indigenous communities in Ecuador. Typically worn by tribal leaders, the masks are used widely in local festivities. As Avila explains, each mask is intended to reflect “what’s inside” its creator—his first took the form of a devil, a character he identified with at the time, but he’s tranquil, nowadays, and has made more playful versions lately.

Branching out from the red cupola of the Duomo, the stone-built alleys of Florence’s historic core connect some of the world’s most precious examples of Renaissance art and architecture.

Istanbul, the only city in the world that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, is much more than a vacation destination. From the famous Blue Mosque and former cathedral Hagia Sophia to the Grand Bazaar and a brand new modern art museum, Turkey’s largest city is a fascinating adventure through time and culture. It was the capital of three empires and the influence of the Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans can still be seen today, especially in its art scene.

Last weekend following a sweeping two-year renovation, Washington, D.C.’s National Museum of Women in the Arts reopened its doors. There’s lots of new updates awaiting, such as a meticulously restored roof and facade of the historic 1908 building that once was a masonic temple; easier accessiblity; and thought-provoking exhibits in expanded spaces like The Sky’s the Limit, which displays 33 large-scale sculptures and installations from 13 women artists around the world including Shinique Smith, Joana Vasconcelos, and Sonya Clark. What’s remained unchanged is the institution’s steadfast mission in championing women in the arts—which it’s done since being founded in 1987 by philanthropist and art collector Wilhelmina Cole Holladay.

At 395km (245mi) long, the island of Taiwan is a paradise of superlative road trips. It's known as Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island), and from hot springs to pristine beaches to cosmopolitan cities, it's obvious why.

Think ‘historic American cities’, and the likes of New Orleans and Boston may come to mind more readily than Los Angeles. But at the core of this sprawling metropolis lies a quiet square lined with Spanish colonial buildings. Exploring this area is the first step to discovering the often-overlooked Hispanic heritage of the city, dating back more than 200 years and refreshed with changing art, music and food trends.

Disneyland is getting a dramatic transformation converting its Paradise Pier Hotel into a Pixar-themed hotel ready to open for business at the end of January. Last month, Disney revealed plans to double the investment in its theme parks by &60 billion over the next 10 years including expansions at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks, including potential new lands devoted to “Indiana Jones,” “Encanto” and “Zootopia.”

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.

Fans of Pixar Animation Studios will soon have a new favorite place to stay at the Disneyland Resort.

If you’re the type of person who finds typical museums a drag – “You call that art?!”… “Seen one dinosaur, you’ve seen them all.”… “How many signed guitars are in this place?” – you’re in for a Halloween treat.