Though hardly the first time artists influenced the allure of travel, it is perhaps the most memorable. We’re talking about Paris in the 1920s, when the artists and thinkers of the time crafted their version of the City of Light into an exciting, romantic and must-visit destination. The tradition of artists influencing and inspiring visitors to experience a city’s burgeoning food, hotel — yes — art scene continues today around the world. Here, some of our favorite urban art scenes that also happen to be hopelessly romantic.
Berlin, Germany
Without a doubt, the capital city of Germany is currently one of the most art-focused cities in the world. Attracted by low rent and an exciting, progressive atmosphere, contemporary artists have been flocking to the city ever since the fall of the berlin Wall in 1989. The European city is currently home to over 400 galleries and at least 20,000 working artists. The ninth Berlin Biennale, a series of art events held in various locations, will take place in early summer 2016.
Photo Credits: ©VisitBerlin, Foto: Wolfgang Scholvien
What to Do: New art galleries open almost every week here; the densest concentration is in the Berlin-Mitte, Kreuzberg, Potsdamer Strasse and Charlottenburg neighborhoods. Street art is also big in Berlin, with large, colorful murals appearing on walls, doors and even the sides of housing blocks throughout the city, especially in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. Don’t miss the East Side Gallery, where you can see an almost mile-long section of what was the Berlin Wall, which, soon after it fell, was painted by 118 artists from 21 different countries. It is officially the world’s longest outdoor mural. Of course, like most European cities, Berlin also has a rich heritage in more classical art forms. The Gemäldegalerie, which first opened in 1830, is especially noted for its collection of works by European painters dating from the 13th to 18th century.
Where to Stay: On the grand Kurfürstendamm boulevard, Hotel Zoo is housed in a building dating from 1891 used first as a private residence, then later the official VIP hotel of the Berlin International Film Festival. In recent years the hotel has undergone a makeover while retaining its old-school glitz. Guests are welcomed with a jade-colored carpet by Diane von Fürstenberg, with black and white crouching leopards woven into it. Rooms offer city views, fine-art fashion prints by photographer Andreas Kock and a custom nail polish created especially for the hotel by trendy Berlin brand Uslu Airlines (room rates start at $154 a night; hotelzoo.de.en).
Photos courtesy of Design Hotels
San Juan, Puerto Rico
“La Isla Encanta” may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of an art-focused getaway, but over the past few years, San Juan has been forging a dynamic contemporary arts scene. In Phaidon’s 2013 book Art Cities of the Future, San Juan was noted for its vibrant artistic community and selected as one of the emerging cities the authors claim are challenging the old order of Paris, London and New York.
What to Do: The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Puerto Rico are both home to large collections of local and international art. In the Puerta de Tierra neighborhood, home to numerous galleries and design stores just outside Old San Juan, Walter Otero Contemporary Art gallery has been critical in developing Puerto Rican art over the past few years. It offers rotating exhibits in its large space with views across the Bay. The nucleus of the city’s exciting street art scene lies in the gritty Santurce district. Blooming across the surfaces of abandoned buildings, amongst newly opened galleries, are playful and thought-provoking murals painted by local and international artists. Many of the works are created during the annual Santurce es Ley Graffiti Festival.
Where to Stay: In the heart of Old San Juan, the boutique and charismatic Hotel Casablanca feels a world away from the sprawling resorts that line the beaches of Condado and Isla Verde. Housed in a circa 1900s Spanish colonial building, the hotel features pop art-infuenced works by local conceptual artist Carlos Mercado (room rates start at $139 a night; hotelcasablancapr.com).
Photos courtesy of Casablanca Hotels/Carlos Maldonado
Miami, Florida
Sure, you can spend your time in Miami enjoying long days on the beach and late, late nights at the club, but make time to soak up some of the city’s dynamic art scene, too. Home to the annual Art Basel, a world-famous collection of modern and contemporary art fairs, as well as one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world, Miami is a must-visit for modern art fans.
What to Do: Find the beating heart of Miami’s art scene in the vibrant Wynwood Arts District. Formerly an industrial neighborhood and now home to more than 70 galleries, Wynwood is also something of an open-air museum thanks to its numerous colorful murals. Some of the world’s best-known contemporary street artists — including Shepard Fairey (famous for his iconic “Hope” graphic created for President Obama) and Maya Hayuk (known for her colorful geometric patterns) — have made the walls of Wynwood’s many warehouses their canvases and transformed the area into one of Miami’s hippest neighborhoods. After working up an appetite by touring the galleries and murals, visit Wynwood Kitchen and Bar for Latin-influenced cuisine, creative cocktails and even more art-filled surroundings, including more of Shepard Fairey’s work.
Where to Stay: Set on a secluded island oasis, but within easy reach of downtown and south beach, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami features beautifully appointed interiors and lush tropical gardens. Eight sculptures from local Elaine Baker Gallery are also on view, which you can experience with a self-guided walking tour via your phone. The spa is another highlight, as much for its mosaic waterfall installation and contemporary art displays as for its array of pampering treatments (room rates start at $269 a night; ritzcarlton.com).
Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotels
Valparaíso, Chile
With its charming Pacific oceanfront setting, steep hills, picturesque vintage funiculars and colorfully painted Victorian-era houses, Valparaíso has long drawn artists and photographers to its maze of cobblestoned streets and alleyways. The past decade or so has seen a remarkable revitalization take place in Valparaíso, Chile, most notably with the city’s Historic Quarter becoming a UNESCO-designated World Heritage site and the reopening of the Museum of Fine arts, which houses works by Chilean and international artists, after a 15-year hiatus.
Photo courtesy of Turismo Chile
What to Do: The UNESCO World Heritage site encompasses the Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción neighborhoods, which, along with neighboring Cerro Polanco, is where you will find much of the street art for which the city is famous. Public art has long been part of the cultural fabric in Valparaíso, and you can see some of the thousands of works on display throughout the streets by joining the tip-based Valpo Street Art Tours. They’ll even let you try your hand at it. La Sebastiana, the art- and trinket-filled former home of Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, is a must-visit.
Where to Stay: Housed in a restored mansion in the Cerro Alegre area, Palacio Astoreca features works by Chilean and international contemporary artists in its rooms and communal areas. The hotel further supports artists by inviting them to develop projects locally. The hotel’s Alegre Restaurant, helmed by Sergio Barroso, a veteran of Spain’s El Bulli, is a top eatery in town (rooms from $213 a night; hotelpalacioastoreca.com).