International Tours: Experience Art & Culture Your Way

Discovering the multitude of art and culture across the globe is an exhilarating experience. Whether its visiting museums, admiring international architecture, or learning about diverse cultures through culinary immersion, we strongly recommend spending a little extra to embark on professional tours led by passionate and knowledgeable guides. This way, you are graced with the history, frame of mind of the artist while creating the piece, period in which it was created, and cultural influences, providing you with an entire canvas of contextual information, and leading to a greater appreciation of each work of art.

Museum Tours

Guided tours in art museums, especially those in other cities, are one of many ways to admire works of art and gain valuable insight you otherwise might miss. Through these tours, you get up-close and personal views of masterpieces, enabling you to grasp the true history and meaning behind each piece. Even if you don’t necessarily have a passion for art, museum tours allow you to learn about it through another set of eyes, giving you the knowledge and appreciation of an art lover. You also get a greater appreciation for the skill and creativity of the artists themselves, as well as the messages they are trying to convey. 

We strongly recommend touring the National Gallery of Art (nga.gov) and The Smithsonian Museum (smithsonianmag.com). Both are located in Washington DC and are two of the United States’ best, each featuring works highlighting American history. If you’re visiting New York City, make sure to tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org), as it’s one that tourists from all over the world put on their to-do lists. This museum features amazing pieces by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Claude Monet. Across the Atlantic, a guided tour of the Louvre in Paris, France (www.louvre.fr) is a must. Known for housing Davinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, this well-known museum is home to other famous works as well, including Cy Twombly’s 2010 ceiling, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Michelangelo’s Dying Slave, and the Venus de Milo. 

ARCHITECTURAL Tours

Besides museums, architecture is another artistic means to learn about different societies. Through architectural tours, you can immerse yourself in the true culture of an international destination and learn what shapes the region’s history and people. For instance, in the United States, a city like Chicago, known around the globe for its architecture, would be a great place to take a guided tour. 

By embarking on the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises (cruisechicago.com), you can admire the impressive shoreline from a relaxing riverboat ride along the Chicago River, as certified tour guides point out monumental buildings. This is an experience that provides the true story of Chicago, as well as a greater appreciation for the city.

For international architectural tours, companies like www.guiding-architects.net offer professional tours in such exotic cities as Amsterdam, Bacelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Milan, Moscow, Rome, Sydney, Venice, and more, making it easy to plan a journey of architectual discovery and exposure to diverse cultures from around the world.

CULINARY Tours

How about learning about different cultures through taste? One particular company, www.accesstrips.com includes tours that empower travelers to discover culture through cuisine and immersive travel to exotic destinations.

Providing knowledgeable local guides, world-class chefs, and thoughtfully curated local culture experiences, Access Trips offers something for every type of traveler. Foodies will find mouth-watering cuisine, travel buffs will savor both cultural highlights and serendipitous experiences, and cooking enthusiasts will learn to prepare authentic, local foods. Their newest tours include South Africa, Alaska, Japan, Peru and Cuba.

Whether you stay on American soil or travel to another country, art tours featuring museums, architecture, and culinary experiences are the best ways to learn and admire the culture and history of a particular location. With the help of an enthusiastic and trained tour guide, you will learn more than you ever would guiding yourself or in an audio tour. If art intrigues you, yet also intimidates you, an art tour is definitely the best way to get an enriching experience with less stress.