Sites to See…Museo del Grabado, Marbella (Spain)

The Museo del Grabado is a contemporary art museum that showcases a fine collection of engravings and graphic art. It is located in the old section of Marbella, and is housed in a restored 16th C. building that was formerly the Hospital Bazán.

The exhibitions cover a wide range of some of the best Spanish art in the print medium. The collections contain everything from 15th-century engravings, to works by internationally renowned artists such as Picasso, Dalí, Tàpies and Miró.

Hospital Bazán, s/n             Phone: (952) 765-741

Marbella, Spain                  Web: Museo del Grabado 

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Sites to See…Picasso Museum, Barcelona (Spain)

A visit to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona is essential to understanding the formative years of this iconic artist.

The permanent collection includes over 3,800 of his works, with a concentration on his early production. Half of the collection was donated by Picasso’s personal secretary, Jaume Sabartés, with the other half coming from the artist’s own collection.

The Picasso Museum is housed in five palaces that date from the 13th-15th centuries. It is located in the Gothic Quarter, just a short walk from the Cathedral.

• C/ Montcada, 15-23
• Barcelona, Spain
• Phone: (93) 256 30 00
• Website: Picasso Museum

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Next Stop...Montserrat (Spain)

Make sure you visit this Benedictine monastery, which sits atop a 4,000 foot high mountain and is famous for the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat (the Black Virgin), the patron saint of Cataluña. You can visit the monastery as a day trip from Barcelona, as it is only 35 miles NW of Barcelona. For more information on monastery click here

The monastery is also well known for the Escolanía de Montserrat choir school, which dates back to the 13th century. The choir consists of boys who are from Cataluña and range in age from 9 to 14, and are either sopranos or altos.  The choir performs Monday through Saturday at 1:00pm, and Sundays at 12:00pm. For more information on choir click here

When visiting Montserrat don't forget to make some time to visit the Museum of Montserrat, as it has many fine works of art, including works by artists such as El Greco, Picasso, Dalí, and many many more! For ticket information click here

Did you know…the monastery's publication company has the oldest printing press in the world; the first book was published in 1499 and the press is still in use today.

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Sites to See...Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid (Spain)

This magnificent museum features the greatest artists of the 20th century. Many visitors come for iconic works by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. In fact, the Reina Sofia houses Picasso's Guernica - arguably his most esteemed painting. Also feel free to peruse the extensive library collection. Discover Spain's sublime contributions to 20th century art and learn about the works of the masters. Click here for their website

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Nonstop To Valencia

Starting June 5, Delta Airlines will offer direct flights to Valencia - an exotic, beautiful locale on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Flights will depart four times a week from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and the timing couldn't be any better. Valencia is rapidly becoming one of the must-see Spanish destinations.

If a trip to Valencia is in your cards, we advise you to catch the Fallas (the city's main festival taking place in March). Also, make time for a visit to the City of Arts and Sciences - a futuristic cluster of museums that features an opera house, planetarium and plenty of art.

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What's New In Madrid?

Madrid, the vibrant capital of Spain, sets a high mark for culture and nothing is more interesting than the city's world-class museums. In this multi-part series, we'll start with the Museum Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.

Reina Sofia is Spain's majestic modern art museum. They are currently planning a large modification and restoration project throughout the interior and exterior of the building, while also making a large investment in new art acquisitions. A recently-opened series of sixth floor terraces will host a series of happenings, poetry readings and dance performances that are free to the public.

As far as exhibitions, there is a major retrospective of Julio González (a prominent 20th century sculptor) running through June 1st. Paul Thek shows his American cult art through and Eulàlia Valldosera presents her conceptual material until April 20th. Other upcoming shows include sculptures by Paul Sietsema and Juan Muñoz and multimedia installations by Fischli and Weiss.

After seeing these shows, hungry art lovers can enjoy lunch at the museum's restaurant, presided over by Sergi Arola, one of Madrid's most inventive chefs.

For more information, please visit Reina Sofia online by clicking here.

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Antonio López García

There's nothing like some great Spanish art in the summer, so today International Lodging Corporation is featuring the legendary work of Antonio López García. García was born in Tomelloso in 1936, and has consistently produced masterfully realist paintings that represent complex human relationships in the midst of Spanish history.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid houses many of the classic García pieces. His work is also currently on display in a major American retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.