Our guide, Jose Luis, took us here to take in more of José Clemente Orozco. I reached out to Gemini, my favorite AI tool for some help in refreshing my memory as to what our guide shared with us, as there was a lot of history that went with understanding why every inch of wall space and stairwells were covered in murals. Feel free to keep swiping to get to my pics, but I think reading the history will shed some light on how important this work was and is. Orozco, along with t

As many of you may know by now, I prefer to use ToursByLocals or Context when booking a guide; for our visit to Mexico City, we booked Murals, Art and Architecture Tour in Mexico City led by ToursByLocals guide Jose Luis C.; he was fantastic. While we covered some highlights of archictecture in the City Center, we had an in depth art history mini seminar on the murals of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. In 1946, architect Carlos Obregón Santaci

The Palacio de Bellas Artes ("Palace of Fine Arts") is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It hosts performing arts events, literature events and exhibitions (including important permanent Mexican murals). "Bellas Artes" for short, has been called the "art cathedral of Mexico". The design of the building is a mix of styles; Art Nouveau dominates the exterior and Art Deco, the interior. We visited the palace with our ToursByLocals guide Jose Luis to focus on the murals

We understood that visiting Milan meant we had to see da Vinci's Last Supper. Securing tickets for this requires some timing and patience. Tickets are released approximately 4 weeks before your intended visit date. They can be purchased directly from the Cenacolo Vinciano museum, but getting in the queue is essential. Tickets are released at noon in Italy, which is 3AM in California where we live, so I had to wake up in the middle of the night to make the purchase. You can bu

Just outside Milan's historical center lies the Sforza Castle, a magnificent 15th-century structure erected on the remnants of an earlier medieval fortress, commissioned by Francesco Sforza, the city's ruler at the time. Throughout the centuries, the Castle saw various rulers, both local and foreign, such as Emperor Charles V and Napoleon Bonaparte, who governed Milan before the Unification of Italy. Following World War II, the Castle became home to the Modern Art Gallery, wh

The Pinacoteca di Brera is not only the main public gallery for paintings in Milan, Italy, but it also stands as a pivotal institution in the realm of art and culture within the city and beyond. Established in the late 18th century, the gallery houses an impressive and extensive collection that includes some of the most significant works of Italian art spanning from the 13th to the 20th century. The Pinacoteca di Brera's collection features a diverse array of paintings that r

The Scovengi Chapel is a stunning architectural gem located in Padua, Italy. This remarkable structure was completed by the renowned Italian painter Giotto di Bondone in the early 14th century, specifically around 1305. Giotto's work within the chapel is considered a pivotal moment in the history of Western art, marking a significant departure from the Byzantine style that dominated the preceding centuries. The chapel was commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni, a wealthy local merc

Visiting St. Mark's Basilica in Venice is an absolute must-see for anyone who finds themselves exploring the enchanting city of Venice. This architectural masterpiece, with its intricate designs and rich history, offers a glimpse into the opulent past of the Venetian Republic. As I stood before its magnificent façade, I was particularly struck by the striking similarities it shares with the grand mosques of Istanbul, many of which were formerly cathedrals during the time of t

Although our itinerary was quite packed, we unfortunately did not have the opportunity to revisit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection or the Gallerie dell'Accademia, which we toured the last time we were here in Venice, both of which are renowned for their impressive art collections and rich history. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is particularly famous for its extensive array of modern art, featuring works by iconic artists such as Picasso, Pollock, and Kandinsky, and is housed

Knossos was inhabited for several thousand years, beginning with a neolithic settlement sometime in the seventh millennium BC, and was abandoned after its destruction in 1375 BC which marked the end of Minoan civilization. It was located high up on a hill to give it a strategic advantage. The first palace on the low hill beside the Krairatos river was built around 1900 BC on the ruins of previous settlements. It was destroyed for the first time along with the other Protopalat