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Barcelona has a well-documented tourist trail marking out the must see highlights of the city. However there’s an abundance of interesting places in the city that visitors aren’t made aware such as the Spanish Civil War bunkers or the open-air cinema in the mountain. Here’s a round up of Barcelona’s best-hidden gems worth checking out.
El Refugi 307:
This 400-metre tunnel offers a rare experience to understand what the living conditions were like during the Spanish Civil War. Based in Poble Sec this two metre underground tunnel is where people had to live during the war for protection from the bombings. There were thousands of similar tunnels built throughout Barcelona. This particular tunnel is now part of the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat, a project devoted to restoring and teaching the history of the city. Inside of El Refugi 307 it’s possible to see the different rooms and to walk the full length of the tunnel. Visits are assisted by a guided tour and it’s highly recommended to book tickets in advance.
Palo Alto:
This Poble Nou based industrial complex was established in 1875 by businessmen Ramon Gal and Joan Puigsech and it was designed my Antoni Vila i Bruguera. In the 1970s it was reconverted in to light creative studios. Its been used for film sets, artists work space and events and currently there’re twenty different creative companies using the space. Visitors can enjoy wandering through the beautiful gardens and have lunch at the Cantina restaurant.
Poble Nou Park:
Near by to Palo Alto lies this eco-friendly park, which was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel in 2008. Nouvel’s aim was to create a winter sunshine spot. As the park is eco-friendly weeping willow trees have been utilised to absorb water and there is an irrigation system that collects ground water. There are two islands in the park and the old factory of Oliva Artés dwells on one of them. The gardens are made up of herbs, shrubbery and interesting architecture. Another part of the park is made up of purple plants and a crater that points towards the centre of the earth and connects with Guayaquil in Ecuador.
Sala Montjuic Open Air Cinema:
This is a great spot for film lovers. It’s open annually from 4th July until 5th August on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is set within the walls of Montjuic Castle. There is live music before film begins. The films are classics and shown in the original versions with subtitles. Most people take a picnic, which can be enjoyed on the hill where there are magnificent views of Barcelona.
El Refugi 307
Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 169
Phone: 932 562 100
Metro: Paral·lel
Palo Alto
Address: Carrer Pellaires 30-38
Phone: 933 070 974
Website: www.paloaltobcn.org
Metro: at Selva de Mar.
Poble Nou Park
Address: Avinguda Diagonal, 130
Metro: Poble Nou
Sala Montjuic Open Air Cinema
Address: Carretera de Montjuic, 66
Web: www.salamontjuic.org
* Hatty is our Been there local for Barcelona. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/barcelona-local-hatty-copeman.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/barcahiddencorners.jsp
Thatched lime-walled Pixie Hut and two self-catering artistic wood cabins on lush mountain site within walking distance of river, owned by a practicing sculptor. Fruit trees, owls, geckos, golden oriols, woodepeckers. Site previously owned by Guru Tony (from Hastings!). We flew to Faro, hired a car, drove to the beach (15min), crashed a few art exhibitions for free wine and nibbles, then returned to Fonte da Estrela to sit on the terrace overlooking rolling hills, watch for owls, drink red wine, and talk art to our attentive host, Toin, when she wasn't waving an arc-welder around! Studio facilities for artists and sculptors or borrow a three-man tent and do a Robinson Crusoe down by the river. From 35 euros/night (Pixie Hut), or 30 for cabins
For the design conscious traveler on a budget Campeggio Fusina, designed in 1959 by the modernist Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa, offers stylish, inexpensive camping with a stunning view across the lagoon to Venice (prices range from €8,50 for a tent to €92 for a four-berth static caravan).
The deep water channel just offshore treats you to a close-up of passing ships en route to Porto Maghera, Venice’s industrial secret. There’s a regular Vaparetto service from Fusina to Zattere that takes just 20 minutes, and there’s no better way to arrive in this city than to watch its majestic decaying architecture gradually loom out from the surrounding turquoise lagoon.
Once you’re there, be sure to visit the 55th International Art Biennale, on till 24 November at the Giardini and Arsenale. The Arsenale buildings housed the rope works and are worth seeing for the architecture alone. But be warned, the centre of Venice is not a cheap place, so to save money take lunch with you and enjoy it, and the visual feast that Venice offers, all’aperta!
www.camping-fusina.com
Via Moranzani, 93 30176 Fusina, Venezia (VE) +39(0)41 5470055
Google map: bit.ly/ZbNrCc
www.labiennale.org
Take an hour and twenty minutes train trip south to Camucia and catch the local bus or what appears to be the only taxi in the area, up to the ancient Etruscan walled town of Cortona. From Piazza Garibaldi the main street has many bars where you can take a light lunch enjoying the casual atmosphere before walking out of town back past the Piazza Garibaldi into the tree lined avenue of the public park, Giardini Parterre, with magnificent views across the Valdichiana.
At the end of the park turn left up the cypress lined road with wonderful views over the hills and you will come to Bramasole, the big peach coloured house where Frances Mayes wrote Under the Tuscan Sun. Carry on to the village of Torreone and turn left to follow the old roman road through the Porta Montanina back into Cortona. Stroll down through the steep narrow streets to Piazza della Republica just after siesta as the town comes to life and a possible free wine tasting at Enoteca Molesini.
The Piazza buzzes with life early evening and you will find it hard to leave to catch the train from Camucia back to Florence.
Camucia Station, a ten minute bus ride or five minutes by taxi from Cortona.
Google map: bit.ly/12lPJP5
MONA is Australia's largest private art museum and one of the country's most talked-about cultural institutions. It opened in January 2011 and houses the collection of eccentric Tasmanian millionaire David Walsh.
Carved into the sandstone cliffs of a peninsula in north Hobart, the building alone is worth a visit. It won the National Architecture Award in November 2012.
The collection ranges from antiquities (including several Egyptian mummies) to contemporary art, and visitors are encouraged to give their opinion of the artworks through the interactive audio guide 'the O'.
I loved the design of the building and the way in which visitors are encouraged to interact with the art. MONA lives up to the hype and is one of the most unusual and entertaining art galleries I've ever been too.
The best way to get there is by ferry. The trendy, camouflage print MONA ferry leaves from the docks of Hobart's old town. There is a coffee bar on board and if you go out on deck there are amazing views of Mount Wellington and Hobart's beautiful surroundings.
Adult entry to MONA is $20 and the ferry costs another $20 for a return ticket.
www.mona.net.au/
655 Main Rd Rosetta TAS 7011
+61 3 6277 9900
Google map: bit.ly/10Nyl9e
The Wheeler Centre is a cultural institution dedicated to books, writing and ideas. It is the centrepiece of Melbourne’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature and organises events, lectures, readings and debates about literature and a wide range of other issues. All the events I've been to there have been really thought-provoking, and they are a great way to gain insight into both contemporary writing and 21st-century Australia. And one of the best things about The Wheeler Centre is that most of the events are free! Reserving tickets through the website is very simple so if you're visiting Melbourne make sure you check out The Wheeler Centre's programme.
www.wheelercentre.com/
176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
+61 3 9094 7800
Google map: bit.ly/Zfu6Ar
Is public napping performance art? It is if you're kooky, androgynous actress Tilda Swinton! She did just that in London's Serpentine Gallery in 1995, in collaboration with the artist Cornelia Parker, and now she's at it again at the MoMA. Swinton will appear unannounced six times in 2013 to publicly sleep in a clear box. But hey, maybe you'll be at the museum at the right time? You may as well check. The Museum of Modern Art is at 11 West 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.
www.moma.org/
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 708 9400
Google map: bit.ly/17o7Abq
* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen
Olek is a Polish crochet artist (don't call her a "yarn bomber"!) who's crocheted the Wall Street bull statue and various other items around NYC. She hasn't had an NYC exhibition since getting arrested in London a few years ago. Now she's back and crocheting skeletons, household items, people, and more. Check out her funny, subversive, and very touchable exhibition "The End Is Far" at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea's gallery district until March 23. If you go on the right day, you might see me!
www.jonathanlevinegallery.com
529 W 20th St #9, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 243 3822
Google map: bit.ly/167CfZT
* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen
No Dublin-based film would be complete without a shot of the capital's cultural quarter, Temple Bar. In the final few moments of the movie 'Once', Glen and Marketa take a walk through the sun-dappled cobbles. It's a bittersweet scene. On the one hand, they're celebrating the completion of their album but ultimately they know they will soon be going their separate ways. If you choose to stick around, you’ll easily while away an hour or so checking out the latest exhibition in the Gallery of Photography on Meeting House Square.
The Gallery, Booshop and Darkrooms are open Tuesday to Saturday 11am-6pm, Sundays 1-6pm.
Gallery of Photography, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar,
Dublin 2
+353 1 671 4654
Google map: bit.ly/YCR0hQ
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
Mucha painted 20 huge canvases, inspired by the Czechoslovak and other Slav nations and with his trademark Art-Nouveau style. Monumental and stunning, with an excellent interpretive leaflet, see it while you can as they are destined for a permanent home, when Prague can agree where, and how to fund it.
www.ngprague.cz
Dukelských hrdinů 530/47, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice, Czech Republic
+420 224 301 122
Google map: bit.ly/WRdxtw
I recommend Les visites particulières, which is a private tours agency in Paris.
They offer private guided excursions throughout several exceptional art locations in Paris. Their passionate guides open the doors of art galleries, foundations, museums, artist workshops and private collections of Paris.
Oh luxury, a personal driver is provided.
I've never lived such an experience anywhere. Paris is the capital of arts, I live there, and I didn't know there was so much beauty.
Since the 1970s, the sculptor and conceptual artist Wolfgang Laib has been collecting pollen, pouring it in museums and galleries, and calling it art. Not that I'm skeptical — NYC's been so dreary that I think we could all use a burst of color, at the very least. "Pollen From Hazelnut" is on display in the Marron Atrium at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) until March 11. Don't forget to bring antihistamines! MoMA is at 11 West 53rd Street and is open free for all every Friday from 4-8 p.m. Check the website for more hours.
www.moma.org/
11 W 53rd St New York, NY 10019, United States
+1 212 708 940
Google map: bit.ly/XNFKyX
* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen
Hungarian artist Victor Vaserely created what we know as Op Art - images that trick the brain and make the eyeballs throb. The Sixties wouldn't have looked the same without him. Situated in a charming square in Obuda (Old Buda), the Vaserely museum has a huge collection of his (also huge) works - as well as suspicious staff who follow you around to check you haven't stolen an eight foot square painting. It also hosts changing exhibitions by contemporary artists and an interactive room for children to explore colour and light. The geometrical images make a refreshing break for eyes saturated with Austro-Hungarian opulence, but it's not a good idea after a few palinkas the night before ...
Entry is cheap and it's easily accessible from the city centre.
www.vasarely.hu
1033 Budapest, Szentlélek tér 6, Hungary
+36 1 388 7551
Google map: bit.ly/V1wgDV
Arpad hid HEV station
The Pinacoteca is home to a number of art works from thirteenth century triptychs to nineteenth century secular pieces as well as sculptures. My favourite saint, Sebastian, was much in evidence and it was interesting to see how his depiction - particularly his hairstyle - changed through the ages. The sculpture of the Sleeping Shepherd in the Shepherd's Room was incredible. Not since I'd first met Bernini in the Piazza Navona had I been so struck by the detailing created in marble.
www.ascolimusei.it/pinacoteca.html
Piazza San Tommaso, 63100 Ascoli Piceno
+39(0)736 298213
Google map: bit.ly/VcUrNg
The Palazzo dei Priori houses not only the Archaeology Museum on the first floor but the Pinacoteca and the Sala de Mappamondo upstairs (the police station is housed in the ground floor).
The Pinacoteca has an impressive display. The minatures telling the life-story of Saint Lucy are exquisite but when we walked into one of the rooms there was one picture that was head and shoulders above the rest, and we thought that before we realised it was a Rubens; but for me the best was yet to come.
When the attendant unlocked the heavy dark doors I was not ready for the assault on my senses - tears pricked my eyes. The scent of aging manuscripts and books filled my nostrils and I looked around a room that was filled from floor to ceiling with books. To one side stood a large globe made in 1713 by the Abbot Amanzio Moroncelli from strips of paper.
I could quite happily have sat in the middle of the small roped area that we were confined to and inhaled the scent of centuries of writing for the remainder of the day.
Piazza Del Popolo, 63023 Fermo Province of Ascoli Piceno, Italy
+39 0734 217140
Google map: bit.ly/XfnG2u
www.fermoturismo.it
Tourist Office: (+39) 0734 228738
Single Fare just might be the most New York art exhibition of all. For starters, it's an open-call exhibition. And there's only one requirement: All art must be made on a MetroCard, the same plastic card you swipe to ride NYC subways. This year, artists of every discipline from all over the world will be part of the show. I've even submitted my own snarky homage to the inspiring — and often slow — lettered subway lines! The opening reception for Single Fare 3 is Wednesday, February 13, from 6-9 pm at RH Gallery on 137 Duane Street. You can check out the exhibition until February 22.
www.rhgallery.com/
137 Duane Street New York, NY 10013, United States
+1 646 490 6355
Google map: bit.ly/XmkujA
* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen
Prague Castle is equally gorgeous in snow or sunshine. However, as with any popular tourist attraction, the crowds can be a little overwhelming at times. Ducking into one of the small galleries dotted around the site is one way of escaping the throngs of visitors as well as any inclement weather. The Prague Riding School’s current offering – a retrospective of Stanislav Kolibal’s work – is an engaging collection of abstract sculptures and barely touched canvases which both know-nothings and connoisseurs can enjoy. The highlight for me was the exact replica of Kolibal’s 1967 debut exhibition where his talent and range as an artist are already in ample evidence. The minimalism of the massive iron installations dominating the gallery’s main hall are neatly juxtaposed by the familiar imposing gothic outline of St Vitus Cathedral which can clearly be seen through the huge windows. There’s no need to buy a ticket for the whole site: you can just pay for entrance to the gallery without coughing up the required 250kc to do a tour of the cathedral.
On until 6 January 2013
www.kulturanahrade.cz/en/exhibitions/programme/programme/stanislav-kolibal-another-world-324.shtml
Pražský hrad, 119 08 Praha 1 Czech Republic
+420 224 373 531
Google map: bit.ly/ZkE7xO
* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague
If you’re keen to do more while on Old Town Square than take in the Astrological Clock, wander around the Christmas market and sample the mulled wine, make sure you pay a visit to the Czech Press Photo exhibition. This photojournalism competition, which takes place annually, spans two floors of the Old Town Hall and is an excellent way to get an insight into Czech society beyond beer and dumplings. Unsurprisingly the overall first prize was awarded to a shot capturing the national outpouring of grief following former Czech President Vaclav Havel’s death but the variety of images on display is impressive. Those which document contemporary Czech life are among the most interesting such as the shots of a zabijačka, or pig killing, the eighty six year old twins who wear identical clothing and the jockeys at the Velky Pardubice steepchase.
czechpressphoto.cz/en
Old Town Hall, Old Town Square
Google map: bit.ly/TXwa9N
* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague
If you have time for a day trip while in Toronto, I highly recommend the McMichael Gallery for a truly Canadian art experience. Located about a one-hour drive northwest of Toronto, this gallery is devoted exclusively to showcasing Canadian art, including works by First Nations, Inuit and other artists.
This is the perfect place to enjoy Canadian landscape paintings: the rural-style building is built with hand-hewn logs and set on 100 acres of conservation land. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow visitors to enjoy views of the densely wooded Humber River Valley. Through a network of outdoor paths and hiking trails, you can also spend time outside.
A day can easily be spent gazing in any of the thirteen exhibition galleries, the theatre or gift shop. The gallery boasts the largest collection of the Group of Seven landscape painters in Canada, those who painted distinctly Canadian landscapes from 1920 to 1933. The First Nations Art includes traditional, ceremonial and religious art, as well as contemporary pieces.
The Inuit Art collection includes paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures created using many different materials.
www.mcmichael.com
10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg, Canada
+1 905 893 1121
Google map: bit.ly/TBJyRc
* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti
Mundo King is a unique museum in Sosua, Dominican Republic that promotes local and Haitian art, set in a high land of Camino Llibre. This museum has a characteristic architecture that reflects its owner's vision of art and life, portraying space and man as one symbolic journey towards fulfillment of the spirit. If you're a fan of the uncommon and good original art, visit Mundo King when you travel to Sosua and don't forget your camera, there's a lot to photograph there.
Camino Llibre, Sosua 57000, Dominican Republic
Google map: bit.ly/11FGcSv
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