When it comes to travel, sometimes the best views are indoors, so SANDRA O'CONNELLhas rounded up some exhibitions worth a journey
Monet
Between now and the end of January, the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris is hosting an exhibition tracking the artistic development of Monet, founding father of French impressionism. The Claude Monet 1840–1926show is the first monograph devoted to the artist since a major retrospective here in 1980.
The works – representing 60 years of landscapes, figures and still lives – sit alongside almost 200 paintings from major collections around the world in a bid to present the whole of his career under one roof. Admission is €13 and, if you are going in the New Year, check out the Hotel La Belle Juliette Paris, a four-star affair due to open in St Germain Des Prés in December and already making a strong impression of its own, with an organic spa based on traditional Chinese medicine. Doubles from €300.
* grandpalais.fr and hotel-belle-juliette-paris.com
London
The capital of England has a number of exhibitions worth seeing, including Venice, Canaletto and His Rivalsat the UK's National Gallery from now until mid January.
Chances are you’ve seen his most famous view of the Grand Canal on a place mat somewhere, so here’s a chance to see his large scale vistas as they were meant to be seen, as well as works by his nephew Bellotto, and rivals Luca Carlevarijs, Michele Marieschi and Francesco Guardi.
According to the UK's National Gallery, it's the finest assembly of Venetian views since the 1960s and the first of its kind in the UK. Among Canaletto's masterpieces on display are Riva degli Schiavoni, looking Westand The Stonemason's Yard, as well as a number of works from the royal collection. Tickets start at £6 (€7).
And while you're there you can check out Gauguin: Maker of Myths, a collection of more than 100 works by the late 19th century artist which runs until the New Year at the Tate Modern. Exhibited alongside the pictures are samples of the artist's less well known work in ceramics, carvings and even journalism. Tickets cost £13.50 (€15.50) and for accommodation check out visitlondon.com which has daily special offers including two nights dinner and BB packages in central London from £49 (€56) per person.
* nationalgallery.org.uk, tate.org.uk and visitlondon.com
Dutch masters
Between now and January 23rd the Guggenheim in Bilbao is hosting The Golden Age of Dutch and Flemish Painting, a selection of over 130 works on loan from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. Providing a rich view of the lives of the Dutch elite of the time, it features Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Rubens, the Brueghals and Jan Steen. Tickets: €11.
Stay across the road from the gallery at the five-star Silken Gran Hotel Domine, with doubles from €155, including breakfast and tickets to the Guggenheim. So no queuing for you then.
guggenheim-bilbao.es and hoteles-silken.com
Italian history
The historic Scuderie del Quirinale – or Papal Stables – have only been open to the public as an exhibition space for a decade. To celebrate its 10th birthday, and as part of the impending celebrations to mark Italian unity, the gallery is hosting 1861, a major exhibition of art surrounding that auspicious date.
The exhibition explores how Italian painting interpreted major events, such as its Second War of Independence, the Expedition of the Thousand (Garibaldi’s military campaign) and the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy.
Scuderie del Quirinale was built in 1732 and is part of Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of the president of the Italian Republic. Tickets to the gallery are €10 and, if you want to stay nearby, check out the five-star Boscolo Palace on Via Veneto. It reopens this month after refurbishment with a romance package including overnight accommodation for two complete with flowers, chocolates, prosecco and dinner for €300.
* scuderiequirinale.it and boscolohotels.com
Funny money
Here’s one that might capture the interest of cash-strapped recessionistas – an exhibition of the history of counterfeit money at the National Museum of Art in Barcelona. It begins with the first forgeries detected in the Greek city of Emporium, and ends with forged euros.
Aattention is given to the dual circulation of legitimate and illegitimate currency as well as to the measures used to detect illegal tender and the improvements made to ensuring real money is harder to duplicate. The exhibition runs till May 2011 and Lastminute.com has four-star city centre hotel nights sold on a “mystery hotel” basis – that is, you won’t know where you are staying till you get there – starting from €65.
* mnac.cat and lastminute.com
Warhol
Kunstmuseum in the Swiss city of Basel is running an exhibition of paintings and drawings from pop art supremo Andy Warhol. The works, executed between 1961 and 1964, represent the time just after Warhol decided to devote himself to fine art.
The exhibition, until January 23rd, includes 70 paintings and drawings. Radisson Blu Basel, 0.5km from the museum, has doubles in November from €223 available on Eurobookings.
* kunstmuseumbasel.ch and eurobookings.com
Vienna cafe culture
The coffee-house culture of fin-de-siècle Vienna are explored in an exhibition at Foundation Beyeler just outside the city until January next. At the centre of its study of Viennese modernism are works by Gustav Klimt and his protégé Egon Schiele. The exhibition includes works by the young Oskar Kokoschka.
Basel Tourism is partnering with the Beyeler Foundation to provide an art package for visitors. It includes BB stays from Friday to Monday (plus weekends in December) in a choice of hotels, plus free public transport passes and tickets to the museum starting at €72pps a room in a two-star hotel up to €119 for a five-star.
* fondationbeyeler.ch and basel.com
Big Apple
Abstract Expressionist New York, an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Manhattan, celebrates the achievements of the generation of artists that placed the city at the centre of the international art world 60 years ago.
It brings together some 250 works across a variety of mediums. Opening this month and running until April 2011, it includes artists such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Robert Motherwell, Arshile Gorky, Lee Krasner, Willem de Kooning and Joan Mitchell. For $55 (€40) you can get a discounted package including admission to the gallery and the exhibition as well as a $10 (€7) voucher back for use at one of its restaurants.
The Warwick New York Hotel, just across the road in midtown Manhattan, has an art and leisure package for two including tickets for the observation deck at the Rockefeller Centre, two MoMA VIP tickets and a welcome gift at the MoMA gift shop. It’s from $415 (€299).
* moma.org and warwickhotelny.com