http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37371 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37371 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37339 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37339 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37338 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37338 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37268 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37268 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37075 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/37075 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36984 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36984 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36954 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36954 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36953 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36953 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36931 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36931 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36917 Entry is cheap and it's easily accessible from the city centre.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36917 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36909 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36909 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36908 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36908 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36866 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36866 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36577 On until 6 January 2013]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36577 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36504 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36504 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36497 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36497 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36477 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36477 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36417 They are also running tests for local trains for 1€ as well.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36417 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36412 Running until January 20, 2013, the exhibit features almost one-quarter of Kahlo’s paintings, a selection of Rivera's works, with styles from his early cubist period, to his Mexican murals and his portraits and landscapes. There are also watercolours, prints and over 60 photos of the couple. As the name of the exhibit suggests, the works showcase Rivera and Kahlo’s lives together and apart, their politics and how their passionate views and social activism affected their work.
Kahlo is best known for her surreal self-portraits, while Rivera was famous for his mural frescos, which helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in Mexican art. This exhibition highlights both their developments as artists through the years.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36412 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36411 The exhibit runs until January 20, 2013 and is part of the 50th anniversary of Bond in cinema, and examines how the famous spy has influenced design, culture and technology. Bond items featured in the exhibition include the poker table from Casino Royale and multiple gadgets from Q Branch. Also on view are elegant clothes designed by Giorgio Armani, Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Hubert de Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.
Special tours are also available on a first-come, first served basis and run weekly: Thursdays at 6 pm, Saturdays at 11am & 6pm and Sundays at noon. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Prices, not including taxes, are:
Adults: $15
Students & Seniors: $12
Children: $10.50
Don’t forget to stop for martinis and great food at the Luma restaurant, also located in the TIFF Bell Lightbox upstairs, or for something more casual, Canteen restaurant, located on the main floor.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/36411