One of the most important art collections in the world, the Thyssen Bornemisza focuses on European painting from the 13th to the 20th centuries and is the perfect complement to the Prado and Reina Sofía. Wealthy industrialist Baron Heinrich Thyssen Bornemisza began acquiring Old Masters in the 1920s for his villa in Switzerland. After the … Read more

Hong Kong’s newest museum, on the outskirts of Sha Tin in the New Territories, is by far its best (although the revamped History Museum in Kowloon is also worth a visit). Opened in 2000, the Heritage Museum covers the culture, arts and natural history of Hong Kong and the New Territories. Exciting audio-visual exhibits and … Read more

Although only a few miles from urban Hong Kong, the remote, pristine beaches on the eastern edge of the rugged Sai Kung Peninsula seem like another country. There is no rail link and few roads, so you will have to make an early start, taking a bus to Sai Kung town, another bus to Pak … Read more

Capitoline Hill was ancient Rome’s religious heart, and is now home to a magnificent museum. A gently stepped grade, the Cordonata leads you up the hill and provides an unforgettably theatrical experience, just as Michelangelo planned it in the 16th century. At the top you notice the outstretched hand of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, as he … Read more

Palazzo dei Conservatori Exhibits Colossal Statue of Constantine Fragments Found in the ruins of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, these surreal outsized body parts (c.AD 313–24) formed the unclothed segments of an overwhelming seated effigy of the first Christian emperor, recognizable by his protuberant eyes. The rest of the sculpture was made of carved … Read more

One of the most visited destinations in Washington, the National Zoo is a beautifully landscaped 163-acre urban park as well as an innovative center for animal care and conservation. Children and adults delight at seeing rare giant pandas, a playful Asian elephant calf, or a Sumatran tiger cub. More than 2,700 animals live here, increasingly … Read more

Some of America’s most cherished burial sites are found in the 624 acres of the nation’s best-known military cemetery. The rolling lawns filled with white tombstones, the Tomb of the Unknowns, and the grave of John F Kennedy are conspicuous symbols of sacrifices made for freedom. The flags fly at half-staff from before the first … Read more

The old Misión San Francisco de Asís acquired its popular name, Mission Dolores, from a small stream that once flowed nearby, Arroyo de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. It is the oldest building in the city of San Francisco and the only intact mission chapel in the chain of 21 (of which it was the … Read more

The world-famous Wine Country comprises two picturesque valleys, Napa and Sonoma, and the extensive hills and dales surrounding them. Altogether, this bucolic zone boasts over 300 wineries, from which countless award-winning wines have emerged. Napa, the slightly more distant of the two, is more developed for visitors, while Sonoma is more low-key but equally inviting. … Read more

Wine Country Spas Indian Springs Indian Springs’ tradition of purification and healing began over 8,000 years ago, when Native Americans built sweat lodges here over escaping steam. The ancient tradition continues in the historic 1913 bathhouse, restored to pristine condition. Inside, thermal geysers warm volcanic ash in mud baths, and soothing music is played in … Read more

The Kulturforum is a unique complex of museums, concert halls and libraries, based at the south-eastern end of the Tiergarten. Every year, some of the most outstanding European art museums, as well as the famous concert hall of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, attract millions of visitors who are interested in culture and music. The Kulturforum, … Read more

Gemäldegalerie Portrait of Hieronymus Holzschuher Albrecht Dürer painted this portrait of the mayor of Nuremburg in 1529. Portrait of the Merchant Georg Gisze This painting by Hans Holbein (1532), showing the merchant counting his money, reflects the rise of the wealthy citizen during the Renaissance. Madonna with Child and Singing Angels A 1477 painting by … Read more

Berlin’s Zoological Garden is Germany’s oldest zoo and, with near 1,500 different species, it is one of the best-stocked in the world. Animals have been kept and bred here, in the northwest of the Tiergarten district, since 1844. A total of about 15,000 animals live in the zoo, ranging from saucer jellyfish to the Indian … Read more

Packed with exciting hands-on exhibits, this huge museum explores the fascinating world of science through centuries of scientific and technological development. It shows British inventiveness leading the world in the Industrial Revolution, with spinning looms and steam engines, navigation and early flight. It also has displays on contemporary science and cutting-edge technologies, with numerous interactive … Read more

London’s most famous residence, and one of its best recognized landmarks, Buckingham Palace was built as a town house for the first Duke of Buckingham in 1705. Between 1824 and 1831, George IV commissioned John Nash to extend the house into a substantial palace, which was first occupied by Queen Victoria in 1837. The extensive … Read more

Today one of the world’s most famous pieces of modern architecture, the Pompidou Centre opened in 1977, when architects Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano startled everyone by turning the building “inside out”, with brightly coloured pipes displayed on the façade. Designed as a cross-cultural arts complex, it houses the excellent Musée National d’Art Moderne (Modern … Read more

Today Paris’s beautiful Panthéon building is a fitting final resting place for the nation’s great figures. However, it was originally built as a church, on the instigation of Louis XV to celebrate his recovery from a serious bout of gout in 1744. Dedicated to Sainte Geneviève, the structure was finished in 1790 and was intended … Read more

New York’s “backyard,” an 843-acre swathe of green, provides recreation and beauty for over two million visitors each year. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the park took 16 years to create and involved the planting of over 500,000 trees and shrubs, the hauling in of vast amounts of stone and … Read more

One of the world’s great art museums, the Metropolitan is a veritable collection of museums, spanning 5,000 years of culture from every part of the globe. Each of its specialized galleries holds an abundance of treasures. It was founded in 1870 by a group who wanted to create a great art institution in America, and … Read more

Paintings in the Met Self-portrait Rembrandt (1606–1669) painted a self portrait each decade of his career. In this moving study from 1660, when he was 54, he portrayed age very honestly. View of Toledo Darkening clouds set an eerie mood for one of El Greco’s (1541–1614) most memorable paintings, depicting the capital city of the … Read more