MUNICH

Museums
Pinakothek der Moderne
Germany's most highly frequented art gallery focuses on five categories of classic modernism: architecture, painting, graphics, sculpture and design. However, you will also find video installations, photography and other contemporary art. The museum has recently been completed and now contains the largest collection of modern art in Germany, being itself a fascinating piece of modern architecture.

Alte Pinakothek
The oldest of the three Pinakotheks exhibits the works of artists from the Middle Ages to late Baroque

Neue Pinakothek
Bavaria's largest collection of works from the late 18th to the early 20th century have found their home here

VIENNA

Cézanne - Picasso - Giacometti,...
Masterpieces from the Fondation Beyeler
17 September 2010 – 17 January 2011
The Leopold Museum is showing for the first time in Austria a representative cross-section from the collection of the Beyeler Foundation in Basel. A singular collaboration has made it possible for the Leopold Museum in Vienna to present in Autumn 2010 leading masterpieces of Impressionism and Classical Modernism – from Monet to Picasso.

Picasso: Peace and Freedom
22 September 2010 – 16 January 2011 A major exhibition bringing together over 150 works by Picasso from across the world will be presented at the Albertina. Picasso: Peace and Freedom will reveal a fascinating new insight into the artist’s life as a tireless political activist and campaigner for peace, challenging the widely-held view of the artist as protean genius, habitual playboy and obsessive extrovert.

Egon Schiele
Unteres Belvedere 17 February - 13 June 2011
Rodin and Vienna
Unteres Belvedere 1 October 2010 - 6 February 2011 Drawing from the Belvedere’s own holdings, the museum’s autumn exhibition will be devoted to Auguste Rodin and his relations to Vienna. As a corresponding member of the Vienna Secession, Rodin sent works to its exhibitions starting in 1898. In 1899, the Secessionists acquired a bust by Rodin for today’s Belvedere.

Salonorchester Alt Wien
Salonorchester Alt Wien ballet solists opera vocalists. Works by J. Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Kursalon built from 1865 – 1867 in Renaissance style, is one of the most splendid buildings in Vienna. The Strauss brothers celebrated their greatest triumphs in this historical building, next to the famous golden Strauss statue. “Sound of Vienna” keeps the lovely tradition with “Strauss & Mozart” concerts alive on a daily basis.

Guided Tours Spanish Horse Riding School
including Stables
A unique tour of the Spanish Riding School takes you to the different “stations” which account for the special charm of this institution. The Winter Riding School, a gem of baroque architecture; the Summer Riding School, one of Vienna’s quietest and unexpected spots; the Stallburg, Vienna’s most significant Renaissance building with the stables of the Lipizzan horses.

VENICE

ANNUAL EVENTS IN VENICE

New Year's Day
Regatta
Santa Maria della Salute
The year begins with a celebration of New Year's Day on the Lido - and a swim if you're feeling really brave!

Regatta delle Befane - 6 January A rowing contest along the length of the Grand Canal for men of 50 and over.

Carnival - ten days leading up to Shrove Tuesday Carnival, or Carnevale, takes place before Lent each winter, finishing on Shrove Tuesday. Events include pageants, commedia dell'arte, concerts and masked balls. Many people wear fancy dress for the duration of the festivities.

Concerto delle Ceneri - midnight, Shrove Tuesday A traditional Lenten concert in the church of the Pieta.

Su e zo per i ponti - second Sunday in March A marathon running race around the streets of Venice, with the contestants running up and down the bridges, as the name suggests.

Benedizione del fuoco - Maundy Thursday A ceremony in St Mark's Basilica. The sacred flame is lit in the atrium of the darkened cathedral, after which a procession enters, lighting candles as they go.

St Mark's Day - 25 April Feast in honour of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice, when men give women a long-stemmed red rose (it is also La Festa del Boccolo - the celebration of the "Bòcolo" (rose bud)). A gondola race takes place in Bacina di San Marco.

May 1 - A festival and regatta, held in the lagoon.

La Sensa: Marriage to the Sea - first Sunday after Ascension This is an annual ceremony which reaffirms the "marriage" of Venice and the Adriatic. The mayor travels with his party by boat to the Lido, and drops a gold ring into the sea before attending a service at the San Nicolò church. Anyone who manages to dive in and retrieve the ring may keep it, and is free from all state taxes for the following year.

Vogalonga - first Sunday after Ascension A rowing race over a 32km course, from Bacina di San Marco to Burano and back.

Palio delle antiche Repubbliche marinare - May or June, every 4 years A boat race in St Mark's basin between four galleons representing the ancient maritime republics Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa and of course Venice. There is also a historical re-enactment by a cast of hundreds in front of the Doge's Palace.

Sagra di San Pietro di Castello - last week in June A festival on the last remaining grassed campo in Venice.

Biennale - June to October. The Biennale is a modern-art exposition featuring painters, sculptors, and performance artists from around the world, which takes place in odd-numbered years. Most events are located in the Giardini Pubblici and at the nearby Corderie dell'Arsenale.

Festa della Redentore - third Sunday in July Religious ceremonies are held every year in the Redentore church on the Giudecca to commemorate the end of the plague of 1577. Visitors can reach the church by crossing the Giudecca Canal over a pontoon bridge specially built for the weekend. Decorated boats fill the lagoon to watch the spectacular firework display on the previous evening. A huge feast of traditional Venetian dishes is held along the Giudecca waterfront, followed by dancing on the Lido. On the Sunday a regatta is held in the Giudecca Canal.
Regata di Pellestrina - first Sunday in August This is held for the popular feast of the Madonna dell'Apparizione (the Virgin of the Apparition). The regatta is held on the lagoon side of the island.

Concerto dell'Assunta - A concert in the cathedral on Torcello.

Film Festival - This takes place during the August, and is second only in importance to the Cannes festival. Take any water bus to the Lido to catch the action, or book into the Excelsior Hotel and mingle with the stars!

Regatta Storica - first Sunday in September A procession of decorated craft along the Grand Canal is followed by a race for city gondoliers and other expert rowers. Spectators are expected to cheer on the teams and are often given appropriate colours to wave.

Regata di Burano - third Sunday in September This regatta concludes the season's rowing events and is known as the "rematch of the Historical Regatta". The competitions are held in front of the island. On land, the regatta can be seen from the fondamenta where polenta, fish and wine are sold.

Sagra del mosto di Sant'Erasmo - first Sunday in October A festival on the island of Sant'Erasmo, with a regatta in the afternoon for mixed teams.
Venice marathon - second Sunday in October A marathon along the Riva del Brenta, finishing in front of the Salute Church.

Festa dei morti - It is traditional for men to give a gift of small, bean-shaped pastries to their beloved.

St. Martin's Day - 11 November. Venetian children run through the city, banging pots and pans with wooden spoons. It is traditional to reward the children by giving them a few coins. Special cakes depicting St Martin are baked in celebration.

Festa della Salute - 21 November. On November 21st each year, city workers lay a pontoon bridge over the Grand Canal from the San Marco district to the Salute church. Citizens walk across the bridge to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for delivering them from a plague in the 16th century.

Christmas market, Campo Santo Stefano - December Campo Santo Stefano, near the Accademia Bridge, hosts a spectacular Christmas market with a huge range of products on sale, from Murano glassware to sweets and decorations.

FLORENCE

Easter Sunday - "The Explosion of the Cart"
The first major folk festival of the year. From Porta Prato to the Duomo, a cartload of fireworks is pulled by a string of white oxen. The whole cart is set ablaze by a mechanical dove descending by wire from the top of the high altar. This event dates back to the days of the first crusade, when the leader of Florentine, Pazzino de' Pazzi initiated this event. Pazzo in Italian means insane, need we say more..

Spring & Autumn - Exhibition of Plants & Flowers
An important exhibition and market that takes place in the Giardino dell'Orticoltura
Ascension Day - "The festival of the Cricket"
Dating back to Pagan times, this Florentine tradition takes place in Cascine park where amongst the picnickers you'll find stalls selling caged crickets who are then released onto the grass. A ritual that celebrates the days when men placed a cricket on the doorstep of their lovers to serenade them.

May 23 - Bonfire of the Vanities
Celebration of the death of the Domenican friar Savonavola, he preached against the renaissance the ideas that flourished from that movement. Enjoying popularity at the time, he called upon all the citizens of Florence to bring forth works of art and books to burn on a bonfire. After a mass at Palazzo Vecchio, there is a performance in the Piazza Signori.

Final June 24 - Costume Football Game
This is one of Florence 's major events. Although, the british claim to have invented soccer, locals claim this sport dates back to Roman times and a game called "Arpasto", which was played by Roman soldiers. Before the games, a magnificent historic parade flows through the streets of the town. Rather like Siena and the famous "Palio", each of Florence 's historic four quarters fields a team.

June 24 - Saint John's Day
The Patron saint of Florence is also celebrated on this day with a procession in the morning and a display of fireworks at Piazzale Michelangelo.

September 7 - Festival of the Lanterns
Known as the festival of "rificolona", it draws inspiration from the pilgrimage of distant travellers from the mountains who came to Florence and illuminated the dark streets of the city with their lanterns. Nowadays, modern Florentines and especially children hang these lanterns from their windows, or carry them hanging from a long cane.

June until September - Fiesole summer festival
Dance, theatre and music shows take place in the Roman amphitheater of Fiesole , in a festival that has been running since 1948.

End of September thru beginning of October - Antique-Trade Exhibition
The oldest antiques fair in Italy , with highly reputable dealers coming from abroad representing all fields of the antique trade.

November 23 - Florence Marathon
It starts in Piazzale Michelangelo, and the course of the marathon runs through the streets of Florence .

MILAN

The Duomo - The most outstanding example of Gothic-Lombard architecture, the Duomo dates back to 1300. It was built on the wishes of Gian Galeazzo Visconti. This imposing religious building, second only to St Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, houses almost 3500 statues that are spread over an area of almost 12,000 square meters. The tallest spire, which has the famous “Madonnina” on top of it, is 108 meters high. The statue of the Virgin Mary, the “Madonnina”, is covered in 3900 pieces of gold leaf.

Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio - This is the symbol of Milan’s religiousness. It was built in 379 A.D. in the Romanesque-Lombard style, and was consecrated by the famous Bishop Ambrogio, who lent his name to the Ambrosian Church. Inside there are valuable artifacts and works of art that tell the story of about 1600 years of Milan’s history.

Basilica of Sant' Eustorgio - A wonderful medieval religious building that was built at the beginning of the fourth century on the wishes of the Bishop Eustorgio who brought the remains of the wise kings here from Constantinople, that can still be seen in the Chapel bearing their name today.

Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore - This wonderful basilica, located opposite the Roman columns that are the only remains of a third-century temple, includes many different architectural styles, due to the various renovations that the building has undergone. The main elements are Paleo-christian (for example the mosaics) but other more recent styles also stand out, including ones from 1600 (the dome) to 1800 (the façade).

Santa Maria delle Grazie - This church was built in the second half of the fifteenth century. It was only completed years later by “il Bramante” on the wishes of Ludovico il Moro. The famous architect designed the wonderful apse, the cloisters and the old sacristy. Leonardo da Vinci painted “The Last Supper” in the refectory, which is one of the most famous works of art ever painted.

A selection of the most interesting museums in Milan that must be visited:
Cenacolo Vinciano - Between 1495 and 1498, Leonardo da Vinci painted the whole wall of the refectory in the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with a fresco of The Last Supper, one of the most famous masterpieces in history. This work of art has undergone a restoration that lasted twenty years and which was only recently finished, bringing it back to its full glory and halting the deterioration that was turning it into a faded, shapeless stain.

La Scala Theater Museum - Founded in 1913, this interesting museum houses exhibits of various costumes and theatre sets that are of great historical and artistic value. Some rooms are dedicated to the La Scala Theater’s architecture and the life of the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi, while others house ancient musical instruments, curtains and costumes that belonged to famous artists such as Maria Callas and Rudolf Nureyev.

Pinacoteca di Brera - The Pinacoteca di Brera is an art gallery set up in 1809 by Napoleone Bonaparte. It houses a great number of works of art that were “confiscated” from churches and convents throughout Europe. Works to be seen range from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries, and include masterpieces by artists such as Piero della Francesca (Pala d’Urbino), Raffaello (Sposalizio della Vergine), Mantenga (Cristo Morto), il Bramante and Caravaggio. The courtyard holds a wonderful statue of Napoleon that was created by Canova.

Pinacoteca Ambrosiana - This is Milan’s oldest museum, which was opened in 1609 It is home to some masterpieces by artists such as Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello and Botticelli. The Ambrosiana also houses an important library which contains some ancient codes, illuminated manuscripts, and ancient books.

The Museum of Ancient Art - This interesting museum is housed in the splendid Castello Sforzesco, and is home to some of the most important sculptures that help to understand Lombard history and culture. The works come from a period ranging from the 4th to the 16th century. They include the funeral monument for Gaston di Foix and the “Pietà Rondinini” by Michelangelo.

Museum of Science and Technology - This interesting museum, which is named after Leonardo da Vinci and which was recently renovated and housed in an old monastery, is one of the most interesting science museums in the whole world. 40,000 square meters of exhibition space for subjects ranging from astronomy to computers. The models and machines built to the design by the great Tuscan genius cannot be missed.

LUCERNE

Sat, 9 April 11 - Sun, 17 April 11
Lucerne Festival Ostern, classic music festival

Wed, 4 May 11 - Sat, 2 July 11
Summer Night Classics
Summer Night Classics internationally appreciated combine traditional culture with high entertainment and brilliantly presented.

Wed, 10 August 11 - Mon, 19 September 11
LUCERNE FESTIVAL in Summer
Lucerne Festival is one of the leading international organisers of classical and contemporary music festivals. Every year, over 110,000 people visit these concerts. World-famous orchestras and great conductors established Lucerne's reputation as an exclusive festival venue right from the start. Lucerne Festival comprises three separate festivals each year: Ostern, Sommer and Piano (Easter, Summer and Piano). Lucerne Festival Sommer is the best-known event. It is held in August and September, with about 30 symphony concerts and 60 other events.

Fri, 9 September 11
Museum Night
Discover the Lucerne museums with their changing exhibitions, games, shows, children's workshops, concerts, film presentations, and performances.