The Arts & Luxury Travel

Winter in art from the Renaissance to Impressionism'

Zurich, Switzerland - The Kunsthaus Zürich is staging a thematic exhibition focusing on depictions of winter from the Renaissance to Impressionism. Entitled 'Winter Tales,' it includes over 130 works by artists such Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Jacob van Ruisdael, Francisco de Goya, Kazimir Malevich, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch and many other European painters. More

A Manor-Guest House with a Thoughtful, Personal Touch

Val De Loire - Open only two years ago, the Château de la Verrerie, a romantic manor-guesthouse near Tours, has gotten rave reviews in the press. Voted the 'Favourite for 2010' by the hip French travel guide 'Chambres d'hôtes secrètes', this chic but discreet B&B is often described as 'fairy-tale' by visitors. The château has 17-hectare park and an intimate, elegant decor. more...

A Small Country In the heart of Europe Offers Big Rewards to the Traveler

Ljubljana, Slovenia - To those who take too little time to explore deeply, the history of our cities and towns will probably appear much the same: it reaches back long millenniums and record invasions and natural disasters and periods of decline and flourishing, but Slovene cities and towns always emerged victorious from trouble and misfortune. More...

A New acquisition: Trädgårdsinteriör by Johan Krouthén

Stockholm, Sweden - Nationalmuseum has acquired the painting Trädgårdsinteriör från Linköping by Swedish artist Johan Krouthén. The detailed painting depicts army surgeon Ernst Boman and his family and is dated 1887-1888. Nationalmuseum previously only owned one painting by Krouthén, and is thus pleased to be able to add this work from the artist's best period

Day Excursions: To the deep Black Forest,

Visits to the home town of Mercedes Benz and Porsche in Stuttgart, to the neighboring European Center of Strasbourg/Alsace or the nearby cities Basel and Zurich in Switzerland. The Black Forest Panoramic Road - called "Schwarzwaldhochstrasse" - more online...

Another look at Parisienne culture and heritage

Paris, France - The secular history of Paris has left its imprint throughout the city. Numerous sites, enhanced by talented contemporary artists, bear witness to this. The Maison Baccarat is one of these. Founded in 1764, the Baccarat crystal glassworks has installed its Parisian quarters in the former mansion house of Marie-Laure de Noailles in the 16th arrondissement. more online...

Frederick the Great: The Man who made Prussia

On the occasion of the 300th birthday anniversary of King Frederick the Great , the man who established Prussia as a European powerhouse and created the palaces and gardens of Potsdam , the majestic exhibition "Friederisiko" is to take place from April 28 to October 28 in the "New Palace" in Potsdam. Only 20 minutes from Berlin , Potsdam ...more online

Prince Kinsky's Estate at Auction

Vienna, Austria - Auction of about 250 objects of art and furnishings from the magnificent legacy of Prince Kinsky on 28 February 2012 at the Dorotheum in Vienna. The extensive range of works to be offered includes furniture and decorative art, as well as historical glass and porcelain, Klinkosch silver, gowns and travel items. Altogether about 250 objects from the estate of Prince Kinsky will be auctioned on 28 February 2012 more online....

Vintage Car Meet

Baden-Baden, Germnay - International Vintage Car Meeting - July 13 - 15, 2012 Philharmonic Castle Concerts - July 13 & 14, 2012. During the International Vintage Car Meeting , July 13 - 15, chrome-shining stars from bygone days are on show in front of the Kurhaus. Participation is open to vintage cars of all brands and types constructed until the year 1970.

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair

London - Jubilee Gardens... The Spring Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair presents a wealth of opportunities to search out unusual antique and vintage garden ornament, an important element of the Fair. Statuary, urns and planters, stoneware, architectural elements, seating and smaller decorative items are all found here. Mirror-backed metal window frames, especially with an arched shape, are very popular with designers of small town gardens ....

The Best of Baiersbronn and Black Forest

If you go into the woods today, you're in for a big surprise. In Germany's Black Forest region, Michelin-starred chefs Harald Wohlfahrt, Claus-Peter Lumpp and Jörg Sackmann will prepare some of the finest meals you've ever had. Simply put, you will not find a greater collection of top chefs anywhere else in Germany: Seven Michelin stars shine brightly over our picturesque holiday resort town, while other restaurants - More online...

An example of Art Nouveau to enjoy in Prague

Prague, Czech Republic - The Municipal House is one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings not only in Prague, but in Europe generally. For 100 years it has been the centre of cultural and social life of local residents and visitors to the capital city. For this reason, the celebrations will include a number of both cultural and culinary events. The French Restaurant in Prague's Municipal House more online...

Experience the world of Rembrandt

Amsterdam, Holland - Experience the world of Rembrandt with all your senses. First of all, you can admire the northern lights in his workshop, and his drawings and etchings. Next, accompanied by an ARTTRA guide, you will take a trip in a saloon boat or other boat, passing all the memorable places from Rembrandt's Amsterdam, from buildings that he admired, the homes of his customers, to the church where his wife Saskia and son Titus more...

Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve.

Whisky enthusiasts and cigar aficionados alike are rejoicing with the long awaited release of The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve. The highly anticipated new expression, aimed to please cigar-loving whisky drinkers, will be available

The Weblog at Luxury Traveler ....

The Atelier Renault: new design for an iconic address on the Champs-Élysées

After six months of work, the Atelier Renault, an iconic showcase for the brand, has reopened to the public. A new layout, new visual identity and new design for this mythical address on the Champs-Élysées whose catering services have now been taken over by the group Elior. More...

Leipzig, the City of Music - 800 Years of Thomana

Leipzig's musical heritage is a treasure. You can feel it everywhere - in the streets and squares, in concert halls and in the many authentic places where famous composers and musicians lived and worked. Among the many great names in musical history who lived and worked .....

Holistic Galapagos Adventure Blends Yoga, Fitness & Exclusive Access To Top Experts

New York, NY - Excursionist, the revolutionary new website that provides effortless access to life-changing experiences, and industry leader Equinox Fitness Clubs, join forces to offer a once-in-a-lifetime fitness and yoga retreat while taking in the stunning natural beauty and volcanic landscape of the Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This private voyage .... more...

Scotland Announces Its Most Creative Places

Year of Creative Scotland 2012 Celebrations Continues Five Scottish communities have been awarded the title of Scotland's most creative places, as part of the Year of Creative Scotland 2012, a year-long celebration of Scotland's cultural and creative strengths. Winners include the Wigtown Book Festival, West Kilbride's Craft Town Scotland initiative, and the already world renowned town of St Andrews. More online...

"Pikovaya Dama" The Opera Ball 2012

New Orleans, LA - The eagerly anticipated Opera Ball Unveiling/Benefactor Party will take place on Thursday, March 1st from 6:30-8:30 pm at the fabulous St. Charles Avenue mansion of Mr. John W. Houghtaling II. The Russian themed Ball will kick off with plenty of food, drink, live music, and distinguished company. The highlight of the evening will be the unveiling of the original artwork donated by artist Beth Cristina.

More online....

THE 20th BADA ANTIQUES & FINE ART FAIR UK's PREMIER ART & ANTIQUES FAIR

London, EnglandThe prestigious BADA Antiques & Fine Art Fair, which has established itself as the UK's premier national art and antiques fair, will mark its 20th anniversary when it opens to the public in London from 21-27 March 2012. During this time it has grown from strength to strength and proved that antiques are highly regarded by collectors. Much more online...

CARNEGIE HALL ANNOUNCES 2012--2013 SEASON

Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director, today announced Carnegie Hall's 2012--2013 season, consisting of over 170 performances and extensive education and community programs, featuring collaborations with many of the world's greatest musicians and ensembles from the worlds of classical, pop, jazz, and world music, with performances presented on Carnegie Hall's three stages and throughout New York City.

Swiss singles rave about Davos

Davos, Switzerland -267 Swiss singles can't be wrong. They've chosen Davos as their favourite destination for "skiing and après-ski action". This is the result of a recent survey conducted by the online partnership agency PARSHIP.CH When male singles clip on their skis or snowboard, let their hair down with après-ski action and perhaps let their eyes wander, 26% choose Davos. More online...

World Shakespeare Festival Update

Stratford-upon-Avon, Enngland - Rehearsals are now underway for the Royal Shakespeare Company's new productions of King John, Richard III and A Soldier in Every Son -- The Rise of the Aztecs - a season of three plays under the umbrella title - Nations at War which explore the struggle for absolute power and the right to lead a nation. More online....

With Meet & Seat, KLM integrates social media with air travel

Amstelveen, Holland - Today, KLM launches Meet & Seat. This makes KLM the first airline to integrate social networking in its regular flight process. Passengers with a reservation can link their Facebook or LinkedIn profiles to the flight they will be on, in order to see who else is on board. more online....

The Queen: 60 Photographs for 60 years

This exhibition celebrates Her Majesty's 60 years as Sovereign, from the early years of her reign in the 1950s to the present day, through a wide-ranging selection of images, illustrating both key events in her remarkable life and more informal family occasions. More online...

Lucian Freud Portraits

London, England - Lucian Freud (1922 -- 2011) was one of the most important and influential artists of his generation. Paintings of people were central to his work and this major exhibition, spanning over seventy years, is the first to focus on his portraiture.and ...More online

This Peaceful Irish eatery makes the 'Delectable Top 12"

Dublin, Ireland - One of the best and most unusual dining experiences in Ireland has been included in a leading international restaurant critic's "Delectable Dozen Best Restaurants for 2011". The multi award-winning Inis Meáin Restaurant and Suites, situated on one of the remote .....more online

The Holland Coin Fair

The Hague, Holland - The famous Holland Coin Fair will be held again at the World Forum Convention Centre in The Hague on Friday, 10 February and Saturday, 11 February. Dozens of professional coin collectors and traders will display hundreds of thousands of coins, banknotes and medals from the past and present. More online...

Jules et Jim: an unusual boutique hotel in the heart of Paris

Paris, France - After having intrigued everyone during memorable festivities last summer right in the middle of the building site, the hotel Jules et Jim has finally opened in a former precious metal treatment factory adjoining an 18th-century house. This 23-room small boutique hotel, tucked away in a small quiet street between the Arts et Métiers and the Centre Pompidou More online....

Contemporary 'Swan Lake' at Fokker Terminal

The Hague, Holland - A contemporary version of the ballet 'Swan Lake' called 'Swanlake, Siegfried and Odette' will be performed to live music at the Fokker Terminal in The Hague More online...

2012 at Heidelberg Palace: Sights, activities, experiences!

Heidelberg Palace continues to cast a spell on visitors from around the world. For two centuries, the ruins that tower majestically over the scenic Neckar Valley have been regarded as one of the world's most romantic places. In 2012, another exciting programme of events will bring the palace back to life. more online...

Improved Irish heritage tracing online ...

Dublin, Ireland - The search for family connections and forebears in the Emerald Isle has become easier with the recent online publication of the earliest surviving complete census of all of Ireland. More than 4.5 million ....

Retrospective of Francesca Woodman at the Guggenheim

New York, NY — Francesca Woodman, the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist's work since Woodman's untimely death in 1981 at the age of 22, will be on view at the Guggenheim Museum from March 16 through June 13, 2012. Spanning the breadth of her production, the exhibition includes more than 120 vintage photographs, artist books, and a selection of recently discovered and rarely seen short videos...More online...

Bella Coola: Nature's Gem on the Central Coast

Bella Coola may be small (population: 2,000), but it ranks big amongst adventurists, naturalists and all-around lovers of the Great Outdoors. Set within the valley that bears its name, this tightly knit community is bracketed by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the historic village of Hagensborg and expansive green of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the east. The result? A Cariboo Chilcotin Coast landscape that is at once staggering More...

Diana Vreeland after Diana Vreeland

Venice, Palazzo Fortuny, 10th March - 26th June 2012

Venice, Italy - The exhibition forms part of the "Spring at Palazzo Fortuny" programme, which in the same period includes the Avere una bella cera. Le figure in cera a Venezia e in Italia ('In the pink. Waxwork figures in Venice and Italy') exhibition curated by Andrea Daninos. This is the first major exhibition to be dedicated to the extraordinary and complex Diana Vreeland (Paris, 1903 - New York, 1989).

Glowing Light Ball Bench by Manfred Kielnhofer

Linz, Austria - The "Glowing Light Ball Bench" created by Manfred Kielnhofer was present at the Light Art Biennial Austria. The bench, which has a very simple design, consists of three light balls and two wooden board perforates that lay over the light balls. Contrasting structural dynamics of the artist Manfred Kielnhofer provides analytically with his artistic work The "Glowing Light Ball Bench" more...

Mannheim: One Museum - 1,000 Years of History

Mannheim is one of Germany's most vibrant and colorful cities, thanks to the people from 170 nations, who have made SouthWest Germany's second largest city their home. Next year, Mannheim hosts the "Katholikentag", the German Catholic Convention. From May 16- 20, the gathering is an opportunity for Roman Catholics to discuss and celebrate their beliefs.

Enniskillen to host world's first Samuel Beckett festival

Enniskillen, Northern Ireland - The world's first annual festival to celebrate the work and influence of Nobel Prize-winning writer Samuel Beckett is to launch this August in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, where Beckett spent his formative years at school. The inaugural HAPPY DAYS festival will run from 23-27 August 2012 as part of the London 2012 Festival

Picasso's Drawings, 1890--1921: Reinventing Tradition

Washington DC - Pablo Picasso (1881--1973) is generally acknowledged as the greatest draftsman of the 20th century. Through some 55 works, the exhibition presents the dazzling development of Picasso's drawings over a 30-year period—from the precocious academic exercises of his youth in the 1890s to the virtuoso works of the early 1920s, including the radical innovations of cubism and collage.

Louis Ghost Chair

Bath, England - Louis Ghost Chair, a new work by Simon Martin, premieres at Bath's Holburne Museum in January. This ambitious new work has been jointly commissioned by the Holburne Museum and Film and Video Umbrella. The film continues a line of subtle and engaging works by Simon Martin which reflect on particular moments and directions in art and design history. More...

The Crossbill Guide to the Loire Valley: A Welcome Gift for Nature Enthusiasts

Loire Valley, France - The new Crossbill Guide to the Loire Valley is the first guide book in English to the area's nature reserves. The compact 210-page guide comes in a handy format, easy to tuck into a rucksack or bicycle basket as you set out to explore the region's tranquil landscapes and rich and varied wildlife. More...

Valentine's Day on the British Pullman of Orient Express

London, England - Spend the most romantic day of the year with a loved one aboard the British Pullman for a special steam-hauled lunch or dinner. The train will depart from London Victoria and guests will settle down and admire the vintage carriages whilst enjoying a sumptuous five-course lunch or dinner with champagne and wine whilst relaxing to the sound of the entertainment on board. More....

Black Forest Highlights in 2012

The Black Forest, one of Germany's most beautiful and rugged regions, is in the Baden district of SouthWest Germany. In Karlsruhe Palace, a special exhibition marks 900 years of Baden, tracing its development from a small margraviate (principality) to a liberal 'Musterländle' or model region.

Paris on Paris: Le Relais du Parc and the G' Bar & Lounge, two gourmet suggestions around a garden • Gastronomy -- After full renovation in spring 2011, the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadéro Hotel***** is once again in the limelight with the launch of its new chic bistro, the Relais du Parc. Overlooking a 1,200 m² garden, a surprising haven of peace in the 16th arrondissement, the restaurant offers a contemporary and elegant setting ideal for relaxing.

Watch the head chef and the kitchen brigade as your meal is prepared

Bern, Switzerland - Kitchen webcam High-tech haute cuisine! At our gourmet Restaurant La Terrasse, you will be served an iPad shortly before your main course. Its integrated webcam allows you to take a peek behind the scenes in the kitchens. Watch live as head chef Gregor Zimmermann and his kitchen team prepare your meal.

The 3rd TGV service launched in the last 10 years connects two regions

On December 11, 2011, the first high-speed train route in France that is not centered around Paris will be launched. The TGV Rhine-Rhone will be a new track between Dijon in the region of Burgundy and Mulhouse in the region of Alsace, which will connect with two other high-speed lines: Paris - Lyon and Lyon - Mediterranean.

Stuttgart's Museum of Viniculture presents 2000 years of wine-growing history

Stuttgart is a city with a tradition of wine growing stretching back 750 years. And for over 30 years, Stuttgart's Museum of Viniculture (Weinbaumuseum Stuttgart) has brought the history of wine to life. The backdrop is perfect, set in a former wine press in Uhlbach, at the foot of the Württemberg hill and surrounded by vineyards. More ...

Hotel Veltlin: an Austriam Wine & Wellness Hideaway

Far from the noise and hectic of a busy lifestyle, yet only a scenic hour's drive north of Vienna is an idyllic, rural landscape that hugs the border of the Czech Republic. This sleepy corner of Austria features rolling vineyard hills, asparagus plantations, and a sparse few farming villages. Set in this rustic landscape is a peaceful oasis: the 4-star Hotel Veltlin and the Veltlinerland golf course in Poysdorf.

Asia Week New York Set for march 16-24, 2012

New York, NY - Asia Week New York-the collaboration of 34 top international Asian art specialists, five major auction houses, and 17 museums and Asian cultural institutions- will take place March 16-24, 2012, throughout metropolitan New York, it was announced by Henry Howard-Sneyd, Chairman of Asia Week New York 2012, and Sotheby's Vice-Chairman Asian Art, Americas. More online...