T R A V E L G A L L E R Y
Travel expert Cynthia David provides updates on the tourism industry in this curated collection that appears in every issue —
TRAVEL NEWS YOU CAN USE
D
espite inflation and global challenges, the travel market
continues to grow. Virtuoso, a global network of travel agen-
cies booking high-end travel, reports a 69 per cent uptick in
sales in the first half of 2023 versus 2019, with hotels and cruises
leading the way. The U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and Thailand are
set to be the hottest destinations this winter. Demand continues
for exclusive experiences, from yachting to joining a scientific
expedition in Antarctica. Travellers also want genuine personal-
ized service that saves time and delivers the best experience.
Food and wine are crucial, especially for Boomers and Gen-Xers.
Top culinary experiences include visiting a brewery or distillery,
sampling street food and joining a culinary tour. virtuoso.com
I
f you love modern art, and Italy, and have up to nine like-minded
friends who also love the idea of staying at a 270-year-old farm-
house set in a Tuscan olive grove, this tour's for you! Over three days
the art-loving owner of the five-bedroom, beautifully renovated
Casetta Firenze will guide you to the Castello di Ama sculpture garden
near Siena followed by a wine tasting and lunch. Casetta's owner Xenia
Lemos will drive you to the famed Galleria Continua in San Gimignano
and organize a private tour of the Gori sculpture gardens at the Fattoria
di Celle in Pistoia. The bespoke tour also includes four sumptuous din-
ners. Casetta Firenze is located 30 minutes from Florence. Casetta.net
CASETTA FIRENZE
N
orwegian-born artist Edvard Munch may be best known for his
1893 image The Scream, but two current exhibitions prove
there's much more to his genius. Until January 22, 2024, the
Berlinische Galerie in Berlin is exhibiting 80 Munch paintings,
prints and photographs. The artist's stay in Berlin between 1892 and
1907 challenged his colleagues and profoundly influenced the local
art scene. The Museum Barberini in nearby Potsdam is exhibiting
90 Munch works that demonstrate his interaction with the forests
and coasts of Norway. The dramatic weather depicted in Trembling
Earth is especially striking in light of the current climate crisis.
berlinischegalerie.de/en/; museum-barberini.de/en
MUSEUM BARBERINI
VIRTUOSO
