ArtandCulture, Biel/Bienne

Opened in 1841, the Vaud Museum of Fine Arts in Lausanne is one of the oldest Swiss museums exclusively dedicated to art. Located in the Palais de Rumine, it presents several temporary exhibitions a year from its collection of 10,000 works. https://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/P435/vaud-museum-of-fine-arts-mcb-a?group=687

One of Zurich's must-dos is a stroll along the sleek storefronts of Bahnhofstrasse. Stretching across Old Town from Hauptbahnhof station to Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse features a variety of high-end shops, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Chanel and Giorgio Armani. Swiss shops like the dessert-focused Confiserie Sprungli and the jewelry-centric Gubelin AG can also be found here. According to recent travelers, if it's budget shopping you're after, head to the Niederdorf and Langstrasse areas instead of Bahnhofstrasse. Though Bahnhofstrasse is free to visit, this shopping area is better suited for window shopping, unless you're prepared to drop some serious cash during your visit. https://travel.usnews.com/Zurich_Switzerland/Things_To_Do/Bahnhofstrasse_23834/

The Swiss National Museum resides within a historic, castle-like building in the northern tip of Kreis 1. The museum surveys Swiss art, history and culture from as far back as the fourth century B.C. Exhibits cover everything from medieval and religious frescoes to weapons and Swiss furniture. There are also several ornate rooms to explore during your visit. According to many past visitors, the Swiss National Museum's architecture alone is worth seeing. However, should you decide to go inside, expect to find a comprehensive overview of Switzerland's history. https://travel.usnews.com/Zurich_Switzerland/Things_To_Do/Swiss_National_Museum_23828/

Zurich's Old Town is the historic part of town – and by historic, we mean medieval. Winding cobblestone alleys run alongside quintessential Zurich attractions like the Great Minster. You'll also find several acclaimed museums – such as the Swiss National Museum and the Museum of Art – and hotels in and around the district. Though all of the neighborhood's buildings are worth admiring, when visiting Old Town, be sure to check out Muhlesteg Footbridge. This bridge, which is famous for its array of love locks, comes highly recommended by past travelers. But those traveling with kids should consider visiting during the day. Old Town boasts the highest concentration of nightclubs in Switzerland, which come alive once the sun goes down. https://travel.usnews.com/Zurich_Switzerland/Things_To_Do/Old_Town_Altstadt_59918/

The Kunsthaus Zurich (art museum) is a must for all art enthusiasts with one of the most important modern art collections in Zurich and various temporary exhibitions. https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/culture/kunsthaus-zurich

The Village of Hansi and his Museum is located in front of the famous "Maison des Têtes". Come in and discover the city of Colmar in the lifetime of the famous artist Jean-Jacques Waltz, so called "Hansi". Find out about the fascinating World of Hansi in our Museum on the first floor. Nowadays as a part of the alsatian cultural heritage, his original artworks will allow you to dive into the romantic and fascinating Alsace that he experienced. https://www.tourisme-colmar.com/en/visit/presentation/museums/F235014585_the-hansi-village-and-its-museum-colmar

This defensive tower (beginning of the 14th century) was one of the ancient prisons of Riquewihr, the seat of feudal justice in the era when the town belonged to the Dukes of Wurtemberg. The ‘Thieves’ Tower” interconnects with the ‘Winemaker’s House”, which dates from the 16th century http://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/en/visit/museums.htm

The magnificent water jet is 140 metres high, with 500 litres of water passing through it per second at a speed of 200 km per hour! Used initially for distributing the Rhône's propelling force to the city's craftspeople, it became the Jet d'Eau when the workshops required an additional flow. Since 1891 it has graced the centre of Geneva's harbour, and is the must-see tourist attraction! https://www.geneve.com/en/attractions/the-jet-d

The Vieille-Ville is the largest historic town in Switzerland, and is dominated by St. Peter's Cathedral, the symbolic location of the Reformation. Climb the 157 steps to the top of the tower for a unique panorama of the city. Then take a stroll in the charming surrounding alleys and passageways, each telling its own story about Geneva's history. https://www.geneve.com/en/attractions/the-old-town-and-its-treasures/

950 years of history through keeps, guardroom, kitchen: richly furnished rooms, decorated with artworks. Residence of St François de Sales and holiday destination of the Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia Count Cavour, this castle contains many memories. https://en.lac-annecy.com/cutlural-heritage/1/161070-chateau-de-thorens.html

Gamba Castle Built at the beginning of the 1900s from the designs of the engineer Carlo Saroldi, it was commissioned by Charles Maurice Gamba, husband of Angélique d‘Entrèves, daughter of Count Christin d‘Entrèves. Since 1982 it has been the property of the Valle d’Aosta Autonomous Region. After a complex restoration, today the castle houses an exhibition route that winds through 13 rooms, displaying over 150 works of art such as paintings, sculptures, installations, drawings and photographs belonging to a regional collection dating back from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. Alongside the works of the 20th-century masters, including sculptures by Martini, Mastroianni, Manzù, Arnaldo and Giò Pomodoro, and paintings by Casorati, De Pisis, Carrà and Guttuso, the collection documents Italian figurative art produced from the second half of the century up to contemporary study exponents, such as Schifano, Baruchello, Rama and Mainolfi. A vast and varied selection of works testifies to the movements that have animated the Italian art scene over the past 25 years: for example, the exhibition hosts representations of Informal art, Geometric abstraction, Transavantgarde and Pop art. Particular importance is given to Valle d’Aosta region through the activity of local artists, or those active in Valley, on regional commission. For visitors seeking both learning and distraction, the exhibition offers a series of services designed to bring different groups of visitors (families, adults, schools, children, young people) closer to modern and contemporary art through workshop activities, guided tours and events. http://www.discoversaintvincent.it/en/baron-gamba-castle

The Museum Villa Pia in Porza, created by the "Fondazione d'Arte Erich Lindenberg" costituted in 2008 by Mareen Koch, has as mission the conservation and promotion of the German painter Lindenberg (Gronau 1938 - Berlin 2006). http://www.luganoturismo.ch/en/see-do/culture-arts/detail/id/8284/fondazione-lindenberg-villa-pia

Dedicated to the ones interested in the history of Santa Maria del Monte, it includes and shows romanesque sculptures, precious miniatures, a collection of important paintings of Giuseppe Baroffio Dall’Aglio and a section of sacred art from the 20th century. You'll find 20th-century bright rooms but also hidden old rooms situated under the Sanctuary, with remains of fifteenth-century frescos. The museum includes also a beautiful terrace with one of the most beautiful views in Lombardia. The Madonna con il Bambino by Domenico and Lanfranco from Ligurno is the symbol painting of the museum. http://www.vareseturismo.it/en/blog/museo-baroffio-e-del-santuario-del-sacro-monte-sopra-varese

It seems that in the first half of the 15th century the Visconti stayed "in the countryside", a step away from the current Marche metro stop in Milan, in Villa Mirabello. At the time, however, the building we are talking about was called Cascina Mirabello, and it can be found in the documents of 1468 that recognized it as the property of this Pigello Portinari. The Florentine nobleman dear to Prince Sforza, general manager of the annuities of the Milanese duchy and representative of the Florentine House of the Medici in Milan, was also the promoter of the construction of the Portinari Chapel in Sant'Eustorgio. Towards the end of the 15th century, the villa changed hands, becoming the property of the noble Landriani. Antonio Landriani, awarded by Francesco Sforza as mayor of Milan in 1456, then appointed prefect of the ducal treasury by Galeazzo Maria Sforza, later president of the Mint of Milan by the appointment of Gian Galeazzo Sforza, then became a trusted man and adviser politician of Ludovico il Moro. Ludovico himself was a guest of the Landriani in Villa Mirabello on February 4, 1500. A few years later the villa became one of the houses of the order of the Humiliati, of which Gerolamo Landriani was general. The Landriani family remained the owner of Villa Mirabello for some tens of years, enough to leave traces still visible today in the form of coats of arms that stand out on the fireplace of the main hall and on the ceilings, together with the motto "always el duty ”frescoed on the walls of the villa next to pomegranate figures and blue crosses. It seems that the villa then passed from Landriani to Marino, a rich family of Genoese origin whose member Tommaso entrusted Galeazzo Alessi with nothing less than the construction of Palazzo Marino in Piazza Della Scala. The history of the villa, in the following years, is rather confused, but it is known that it later became the property of the Serbelloni family and that, starting from the mid-1500s, it faced a sad decline: the building was reduced exclusively to uses agricultural and over the next three centuries it became increasingly dilapidated, until Luca Beltrami, in 1891, considered it by re-evaluating it as an illustrious example of Lombard architectural art. https://www.fondazionevillamirabello.it/

This striking building from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy is one of the few examples for ring road architecture outside the city of Vienna. A twin building of the post office is found in the imperial spa town of Bad Ischl. Today, the post office includes an exhibition by star Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/experience/tourist-attractions/architecture-in-bregenz/bregenz-post-office/

Each summer, in the middle of an enchanting landscape in the westernmost Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg, the Bregenz Festival presents high-calibre opera al fresco with the theatre on the lake. In addition, the festival attracts approximately 200,000 visitors to the border triangle between the Alps and Lake Constance with unforgettable debut opera performances and concertante treasures in the Festival House, unheard material as part of “Kunst aus der Zeit” at the studio theatre, as well as touching gems of operatic literature at the Theater am Kornmarkt in the months of July and August, with more than 80 performances in total. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/culture/bregenz-festival/

Located between the lake and the city centre, in direct proximity to the Art House and the State Theatre, the architectural masterpiece of the new vorarlberg museum forms the end of the culture boulevard.The main point of attraction is the more than 150,000 artefacts from art, history, folklore and archaeology that deal with the history and present of Austria’s westernmost federal state from a wide range of perspectives. Inspired by Terra Sigillata vessels, Roman ceramics from the museum collection, the artists used the base of commercial PET bottles as the shape and equipped the outer wall of the museum with a structure that seems random at first glance but that, in reality, was calculated in a complex mathematical process. Seen from the lake, the historicism facade of the former district commission structures the building. The most noticeable feature is the huge panoramic window on the top floor, which provides a fantastic view of Lake Constance and the Lindau bank, where the guest, stirred by the many impressions, experiences a moment of tranquillity and contemplation. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/culture/vorarlberger-museum/

The Art House stands in the light of Lake Constance. Its structure is built from glass plates, steel and a stone mass of cast concrete that forms structure and space in the interior of the building. Viewed from outside, the building gives the impression of an illuminant. It absorbs the changing light of the sky and the haze light of the lake, radiates light and colour back and gives an idea of something of its inner life, depending on the angle, the time of day and the weather. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/culture/kunsthaus-bregenz/

The State Theatre in Bregenz plays a significant role in the cultural happenings of Vorarlberg’s state capital. The repertoire ranges from classics to debut performances. The theatre, as a place of imagination, stories and emotions, focuses consciously on traditional and contemporary theatre art, thus finding its recognition in the cultural landscape of the Lake Constance region. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/culture/vorarlberg-state-theater/

Step into Baden-Baden’s Kurhaus and marvel at its unique Belle Epoch styled elegance. Whether it’s a concert, a casino visit, a midnight dinner or a star-studded ball, the Kurhaus represents Baden-Baden’s glittering center stage. https://www.baden-baden.de/en/tourist-information/places-of-interest/kurhaus/

Culture and nature promenade across beauty, innovation and Como's treasures. A path through Villa Olmo, Villa del Grumello and Villa Sucota where art initiatives grow. A place to meet and "breathe" culture for citizens and tourists. http://www.visitcomo.eu/en/discover/parks_villas/parks/chilometro_conoscenza/index.html

An area devoted to exhibiting the work of amateur artists, particularly from Chambéry, of new exhibitors and Chambéry associations. The sale of works on the premises is prohibited. http://www.chambery-tourisme.com/noesit/!/fiche/vaugelas-chapel-104915

The market square (Marktplatz) is in all probability the best-known square in Karlsruhe. Situated on it is the city's hallmark, the pyramid, built in 1823 as well as the municipal protestant church, the town hall, and the market fountain. Images Information https://www.karlsruhe-tourismus.de/en/overview-map/Sights/Highlights/Market-Square-Marktplatz-and-the-Pyramid

The Art Museum Stuttgart is situated right in the heart of the city centre. The spectacular glass cubicle - build by the Berlin architecture office Hascher and Jehle - is inspiring with its sleek elegance. During the day glass galleries invite you to enjoy a magnificent view of the city and the surrounding slopes, at night the cube floats as a fascinating light sculpture above the Small Schlossplatz. https://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en/a-art-museum-stuttgart

The Sabauda Gallery is headquartered at the New Palace of the Royal Palace and retains great masterpieces of the leading European schools. Among the works of Italian masters from the 14th century to the sixteenth century can be admired the Madonna with Child of the Blessed Angelic, the Archangel Raffaele and Tobiolo of Antonio and Piero del Pollaiolo, the Three Archangels and Tobiolo of Filippino Lippi, the Madonna with Child and painted saints by Andrea Mantegna with the help of a collaborator and the great canvas with Dinner at Simone's house by Paolo Veronese. http://www.museireali.beniculturali.it/index.php/it/il-complesso/galleria-sabauda

A baroque jewel with a colourful past - the Old Observatory will enchant you with past and present. Who can fail to be attracted by the stars? Built under Elector Carl Theodor, the old observatory was the place for celestial observations and for surveying the different parcels of land that made up the state of Baden. Even Wolfgang A. Mozart and Thomas Jefferson paid a visit. Today, one of the city's oldest surviving buildings is home to numerous artists' studios. Thanks to extensive refurbishment, it can now be seen in all its former baroque splendour. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/en/Media/attractions/old-observatory

The first decentralized satellite of a French museum, the Centre Pompidou-Metz is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture. Conceptualized by the architects Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, with Philip Gumuchdjian, who also designed the prizewinning project, there are three exhibition spaces covered by an audacious roof inspired by a Chinese hat. http://www.tourisme-metz.com/en/centre-pompidou-metz-et-musees/centre-pompidou-metz_s.html#.WieZ3bT1UWo

Construction of the theatre began in 1738 but work was delayed by a number of problems (war, embezzlement etc.). The first theatrical performance only took place 14 years later. However, it is the oldest theatre still in use in France today. http://www.tourisme-metz.com/en/sites-and-monuments/opera-theatre-de-metz-metropole-1_s.html#.Wieaw7T1UWo

Castello Sforzesco is a surprising monument sheltering several specialized museums and traces of the city’s past. An oasis of art and culture. It was originally a Visconti fortress and later home to the mighty Sforzas, the rulers of Milan, who transformed it into a magnificent ducal palace thought to have been decorated by several of the greatest artists of the times including Donato Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci. Transformed into a military complex during four centuries of foreign occupation and subsequently used as the barracks of the Italian army, at the end of the 19th century the Castle was restored by architect Luca Beltrami who turned it into the headquarters of Milan’s Civic Museums. Today the Castle sits in all of its glory in the eponymous square with its 70m-tall “Torre del Filarete” and a number of majestic circular keep-towers. https://www.wheremilan.com/sightseeing-sempione/sforza-castle/

The new museum, created inside the ancient Ospedale Spagnolo (Spanish Hospital) in the Castello Sforzesco, is a fascinating space that has never opened to the public before and is exclusively dedicated to Michelangelo’s last masterpiece. http://www.turismo.milano.it/wps/portal/tur/en/arteecultura/musei/pitturaescultura/Museo_della_Pieta

Brera is synonymous with the artistic heart of the city. In fact, as you stroll along the streets of this ancient district, you cannot help but be enchanted by its almost surreal atmosphere boasting small artisan’s workshops or quaint stores selling canvases and paints. Additionally, Brera is home to the impressive Accademia di Belle Arti, where visitors can admire Milan’s famous painting collection at the Pinacoteca (the Brera Picture Gallery), the historic Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense (Braidense National Library) , the Museo Astronomico (The Astronomical Museum), the oldest scientific research institute in the city and the Giardino Botanico (Botanical Gardens), an evocative green space located. https://www.wheremilan.com/sightseeng-brera/welcome-to-brera-district/

La Scala, or Teatro alla Scala in Italian, is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. Its sober and elegant exterior never fails to surprise those that visit it for the first time. The Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este commissioned the construction of a new Ducal Theatre when a fire burnt down the previous theatre in 1776. The opera house was built on the site where the former site of the Church Santa Maria alla Scala, hence the name of the Teatro alla Scala. Like other theatres of the same period, La Scala also housed a casino during its early years. In 1943, during World War II, the theatre was badly damaged by bombing. It was reconstructed three years later. In 2002, the Opera House was closed for two years while it was renovated and opened in November 2004 with an opening performance of Europa riconosciuta by Antonio Salieri, which is the same opera that was performed when the theatre was inaugurated in 1778. Many famous operas have had their first production in La Scala, such as Othello, Nabucco by Verdi or Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini. During its early years, the composer Giuseppe Verdi did not want his work to be represented in the Teatro alla Scala because he was convinced that the orchestra modified his compositions. Nevertheless, he then established a very close relationship with the Opera House. The Theatre Museum contains a large collection of paintings, busts, costumes and several other objects related to the world of opera and theatre. The visit includes discovering the theatre’s grand foyer, an elegant and sparsely decorated hall. Then you will be taken to the small box seats covered in red satin, where the high society enjoyed and still enjoys the various operas and ballets performed in La Scala. The enormous auditorium is made of wood and covered in red velvet, adorned with golden coloured stuccos. The stage is lit by a huge Bohemian crystal chandelier with 383 bulbs. https://www.introducingmilan.com/teatro-alla-scala

Le Jardin Rosa Mir, or the Rosa Mir Garden, located in the heart of Croix-Rousse in Lyon’s 4th arrondissement, is one of Lyon’s unique treasures, founded in the dreams of a self-taught artist. The Rosa Mir Garden is a small, originally private garden located in the courtyard of an apartment building. Created between the years of 1957 and 1977, the garden is a tribute to the creativity and artistic vision of its creator, a Spanish mason called Jules Senis Mir. Made up of pillars, basins, obelisks and pergolas sculpted from pebbles and shells, the monument pulls its inspiration from Arab-Andalusian motifs and styles. It is filled with over 10,000 plants, from cacti to perennials to roses to oregano and lemon. https://thisislyon.fr/things-to-do/historical-monuments/jardin-rosa-mir/