Art is everywhere when we travel. Sometimes it jumps out at us – like Michelangelo’s breathtaking Sistine Chapel or the cutting-edge installations of Japan’s Naoshima art island. Sometimes it takes more to discover, like street art in a hidden laneway, or ancient Aboriginal rock art that requires a journey through difficult terrain.
Art adds magic to our journey — inspiring, entertaining, nurturing and offering insight into a destination that we will long remember.
Lonely Planet’s Art Destinations: 70 Places To See Great Art is a judicious blend of world-renowned highlights and lesser-known creative enclaves.
A large-format, coffee-table book, it is a richly curated collection of 70 places around the globe where creativity pulses through the streets, landscapes, and local lives. These are places where art isn’t just something to see, it’s something to experience.
Beautiful photography introduces us to 70 locations across Africia, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, bringing each destination to life.
From the colourful street murals of Valparaíso, Chile, and dynamic art in the heart of Cape Town, South Africa, to the bustling galleries of Miami, and Munch magic among the fjords in Norway, there’s a veritable feast at every turn.
The book offers insights into public art spaces and installations, architectural marvels, world-class museums and galleries in cultural powerhouses like Paris and Mexico City, and off-the-beaten-path towns with vibrant contemporary art scenes, like Marfa, Texas.
It canvases ancient art forms, such as 40,000-year-old Indigenous Australian rock carvings, and includes attractions in Oceania such as MONA in Tasmania and Te’Papa in NZ. It also looks at festivals, artist colonies, and sculpture parks.
Top 10 lists feature the best places to visit artists’ homes, folk art, family-friendly museums, bucket list art, street art, and site-specific artwork.
Art tourism is on the rise, with modern travellers – especially younger generations like Millennials and Gen-Z – prioritising immersive cultural experiences over just sightseeing. According to Grand View Research, the global art tourism market size was valued at USD 44.0 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.1% from 2024 to 2030. Which is why Lonely Planet’s Art Destinations could not have been released at a better time.
Whether you’re planning your next cultural escape or simply dreaming from your armchair, Art Destinations is your passport to a world where creativity knows no bounds. This is an essential companion for travellers who find meaning in murals, magic in museums, and stories in every sculpture.
Art Destinations is more than a travel guide — it’s an invitation to discover how art connects us to place, people, and meaning.
Art Destinations: 70 Places To See Great Art by Lonely Planet, RRP $65. Available from bookshops or shop.lonelyplanet.com
