From his mid 60s to the end of his life in his 80s, Henri Matisse worked in paper. After a long and illustrious art career as a painter, his move into this new art realm pushed modern art and design forward. He cut forms from brightly painted and colored paper and worked with gallery assistants…
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Swiss Yodeling, Yes, But Why? A Brief History
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We travel with our eyes, yes, but also with our ears. And some of our favorite places have distinct, unique sounds, sounds that take us back to our experiences there when we hear them. Perhaps no sound is quite as evocative of place as Swiss yodeling. While it is performed for pleasure and entertainment now…
Madrid in Pictures: Top 10 Sights to See
Madrid is a spectacular city! Though we do not have an UnTour program there, some of our guests from our Spanish UnTours in Barcelona, Andalusia, and Cordoba make their way there for an overnight or two, to round out their experience of Spain. And for good reason! Madrid is a beautiful and fascinating place. That’s…
Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Homebound Traveler
You’re stuck at home, right? No romantic getaways or imminent departures in sight. No one feels your pain more than we do. (Trust me on this one.) While we are all in a holding pattern for a return to Europe and some of the most romantic places in the world, we have some Valentine’s Day…
Barcelona’s Colorful La Manzana de la Discòrdia, the Block of Discord
On the Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona is quite possibly the most famous block in Spain. The Block of Discord is an architectural mishmash of ostentation and color. We’re looking at some of Barcelona’s most colorful architecture as we get ready for our upcoming Virtual Weekend in Barcelona and Madrid. Barcelona’s…
Tracy’s Melanzane alla Parmigiana Recipe
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Tracy, who has been welcoming travelers to Tuscany for years, has a gift for sharing the region’s culinary traditions with warmth and authenticity. Eggplant (Melanzane) Parmigiana is not just a dish; it invites us to appreciate simple ingredients and their stories. Tracy shares her beloved recipe for this Tuscan classic—perfect for recreating a…
Stendhal Sydrome: The Florence Condition
You might have heard of the Stendhal Syndrome, or the Florence Syndrome. You may have even experienced a mild case of it yourself. It is the feeling of being overwhelmed by too much art: too many beautiful paintings, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, architectural wonders. It is a particular physical and mental response to art that was…
Matisse in the South of France
One of modern art’s best known and loved artists, Matisse was critical in the development of art. His innovative use of color, line, and form were. He was also a big part of the story of art in Southern France and will be included in our upcoming series of Saturdays in Europe. Here our host,…
The Artists of the Uffizi
When we say Renaissance, what is the first city that comes to mind? For us, and for most, it is Florence. A cradle of architecture and artistic growth under the patronage of the Medici, Florence was seminal in the development of western art and culture. On our upcoming Virtual Weekend in Tuscany, we will explore…
Swiss-mas Carols, Alpine Snow, and Cinnamon Stars: Holidays with Urs
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We recently got this sweet message with video and photos from Urs, one of our favorite colleagues in Switzerland, known among our Swiss UnTour alumni for his positivity and his singing voice. We had to share his greetings, and a bit of his optimism. In Coronatimes, singers and yodlers like me have a hard time….