Is it possible to see the invisible? This was the attempt made by the surrealist artists of the early 20th century and of which a collection is showcased at the fascinating Palazzo Strozzi in Florence from February 26 to July 18 2010. Giorgio de Chirico is the protagonist of this exhibition, as it was the first artist to create images that do not represent reality, but interpret hidden meanings. the other artists that are featured in this exhibition have been influenced by this concept. The young artist de Chirico first became conscious of a new approach to seeing the world when visiting Florence...

Where: Turin, Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist When: April 10th –  May 23rd The Shroud of Turin (Sacra Sindone), which usually goes on display once every 25 years, is programmed to go on display again in April 2010, just 10 years after its last public viewing. It will be just the 6th time in the past hundred years that the sacred relic will be seen in public. It’s also the first time the devout, the curious and the incredulous will have the opportunity to see the Shroud since it underwent major restoration in 2002. The 4.4 × 1.1m rectangular linen cloth is believed by many to be the...

The city of Bologna, the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, may as well be considered as a secondary tourist destination in Italy if compared to Rome, Florence and Venice. Yet, Bologna is a truly magical city emanating a unique atmosphere with its plentiful arcades, charming squares, quaint churches and indeed because there are not masses of tourists all around. A cultural center since medieval times – the oldest existing University in the Western World was established here in 1088 – Bologna is also famous in Italy for its excellent culinary tradition: Bolognese sauce...

Courtesy of Hospes Palau de la Mar in Valencia, here are some useful tips on what to do in the city of Valencia: City of Arts and Science in Valencia This futuristic “city within a city” is one of the world’s most electrifying and imaginative millennium projects. The entire compound, designed as a celebration of the 21st century, looks as though it was beamed down to earth from another planet. Santiago Calatrava, who designed most of this complex, comments: ” I am proud of the fact that people can walk through and around the main buildings without paying. It is a city...

Business partners Mark Sainsbury and Michael Benyan, co-owners of The Zetter hotel in London’s Clerkenwell, have announced that Bruno Loubet will join the company as chef/patron of Bistrot Bruno Loubet. Scheduled to open on Monday 22nd February 2010, Bistrot Bruno Loubet is an 85-seat restaurant, with a small lounge area, that will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menus will feature Loubet’s characteristic cooking technique of modern bistrot food, and will include the trademark style of his previous significant London establishments – including Bistrot Bruno and L’Odéon....