2 . Winter seems to drag on endlessly this time of year, so it’s only natural to start thinking about getting away, and the sunny south of France is calling your name!

Avignon

If you’re looking for history, then visit the town center of Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you want to learn even more about this attractive town, then take a tour— it is often guided by a local expert. Hear the history first-hand and come away with a greater understanding as to how the town came to be.

Chateau

Nothing says French countryside more than a chateau surrounded by acres of vineyards. There are wines to choose from. You can also explore the surrounding natural beauty on a horse ride, and they even run vineyard tours on horseback for a truly unique experience. Be sure to bring back a bottle or two of the Chateau des Bertrands wine so you can share a glass with friends as you tell them all about your trip.

Magnificent Marseille

The oldest city in France, starting out as an ancient Greek colony (殖民地), with its rich history, can keep every holidaymaker happy. A unique way to see as much as possible of what this great city has to offer is to book onto a segway tour. See the sights of the Museum Marseilles, Cathédrale La Major, and the historic Le Panier, while you walk around the streets.

Cannes

With amazing blue waters, fresh seafood, and mild winters, it’s an attractive destination to visit all year round. If you want a beach day, we’d recommend the Plage du Midi, easily accessible from the center of town. If you want to make the most of the Mediterranean Sea, don’t just look at it — sail on it!

3 . Great European Cities

Paris is the capital and largest city of France, situated on River Seine. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is visited by more than eight million tourists every year. The most popular place for tourists is the Eiffel Tower, the famous symbol of Paris. One of the world’s largest art galleries, the Louvre, is also located in Paris. The city is also famous for its restaurants, cafes and theatres. About two-thirds of France’s artists and writers live in Paris.

Barcelona is the second largest city of Spain and is situated on the northeast coast, about five hundred kilometres east of the Spanish capital, Madrid. One of Barcelona’s most famous landmarks is the Church of Sagrada Familia (圣家族大教堂), which was designed by an architect called Antonio Gaudi. Gaudi worked on the project from 1882 until his death in 1926. The church hasn’t been finished yet!

Florence is an Italian city which won its fame because of the Renaissance (文艺复兴), a great artistic movement which began in the 1300s and lasted for three hundred years. During the Renaissance, some of the greatest painters of all time lived and worked in Florence. Many of Florence’s most beautiful paintings and sculptures were produced by great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Florence is visited each year by about a million tourists who come to see the art galleries, churches and museums. The Uffizi Palace (乌菲兹美术馆) is the most famous art gallery in the city.

Athens, the capital of Greece, is known as the birthplace of western civilization. Two thousand four hundred years ago, it was the world’s most powerful city. Buildings such as the Parthenon (帕特农神庙) on the Acropolis (雅典卫城) Hill were built during this period. Greece’s best writers lived in ancient Athens. Their work has influenced other writers ever since.

8 . This week sees the opening of the Venice Biennale, an 8-month-long festival of art and culture staged every other year. With the main event running from April 20 to November 24,2024, here's our pick of what to see if you head to Venice.

Willem de Kooning e l’Italia

One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Willem de Kooning is the subject of a major exhibition(展览) exploring his time in 1959 and 1969 and the impact it had on his works. The show will bring together around 75 works, making this the largest   presentation of the artist ever organized in Italy.

Rise of the Sunken Sun

This photography exhibition by Greenlandic artist Inuuteq Storch marks the first time that the Danish Pavilion has showcased both a major exhibition by an artist from Greenland and a presentation on photography. With over 200 images, Storch's project aims to tell the Greenlanders' history, not seen through the visitors' eyes, but through the Greenlanders' own.

The Rooted Nomad

This exhibition will examine the life and works of M. F. Husain, a modernist painter called “India’s Picasso”. Celebrating his talent as an artist, thinker and writer, the show exhibits his paintings, photographs, letters and parts from his films and poetry that shaped his vision of India as a richly layered cultural nation.

The Arch within the Arc

The exhibition in Italy of Houston-based artist Rick Lowe takes place at Palazzo Grimani, home to a large collection of 16th-century Greek and Roman sculpture(雕像). Inspired by the architecture of the Museo di Palazzo Grimani and the experience of moving through Venice and its waterways, the exhibition features new paintings by Rick Lowe that reflect his consideration of the arch(拱) in architecture.