Virtually travelling to the birthplaces of famous painters and musicians

Whether it was ‘The Starry Night’ or ‘Eroica’, the 3rd symphony, they’ve had us regale in their art since time immemorial.

Here’s a look at the birthplaces of the most popular and revered artists the world has seen.

Beethoven: Bonn, Germany

Home to the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven, Bonn was the capital of Germany before it got shifted to Berlin.

Beethoven-Haus at Bongasse 20, where he spent his early childhood, contains a comprehensive collection of his works and has been turned into a museum. A short walk away is the Beethovenhalle, which holds a concert regularly by the Beethoven Orchestra.

An hour from Cologne, Bonn is a potpourri of culture, art and nature. The mile-long stretch called Museum Mile is a heady immersion into a variety of topics, from World War II at the Haus der Geschichte (or House of History) , art at the Kunstmuseum Bonn (the art museum) to Mathematics at Arithmeum that lays down the history of math.

Amrita Shergil: Budapest, Hungary

Eminent painter and artist extraordinaire of Indo-Hungarian parentage, Shergil spent much of her childhood in Budapest. The city of sparties, Budapest is a heady concoction of westernization and the Soviet legacy.

Separated by the Danube, the twin towns of Buda and Pest have a distinct personality. Buda’s Gellert Hill and Pest’s flat terrain! Buda’s quietness and Pest’s buzz and merrymaking! Buda’s air of imperial wealth resonates through the air as does Pest’s bourgeois vibe. Budapest is an eclectic mix of history and frolic.

The Parliament of Budapest is a remarkable spot often visited by the tourists. As is the historic wine cellar underneath the Buda Castle that houses many of Hungary’s wines and is a sommelier’s dream come true. While on the other side, Neo-Baroque Szechenyi baths or the popular Rudas Bath are de rigueur.

Leonardo Da Vinci: Vinci, Tuscany, Italy

The small village of Vinci is a stark reminder of the slow life, one where you walk past the streets with no agenda in mind.

Leonardo was born in the town of Anchiano, about 3 kms from Vinci. A walk down the picturesque olive-replete trail of Strada Verda, leads you to Anchiano. The Leonardo museum, a commemoration of his paintings and life, takes you on an audio-visual journey to witness the ‘Renaissance Man’.

Vinci is also known for its vineyards and olive grooves. There’s some hotels and agro-tourism farms as stay options. Vinci is easily connected to Florence, the journey which takes about an hour and 40 minutes to reach.

Mozart: Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg, literally meaning the ‘salt fortress’ is a Unesco world heritage site nestled in the foothills of the Alps.

Dotted with several Baroque architecture buildings, the Hohensalzburg Castle; an ancient fortress with stunning white exteriors and the Mirabell Gardens; a verdant expanse of green that made them a rather picturesque setting for ‘Sound Of Music’, Salzburg is undoubtedly one of Austria’s most inspiring towns.

What makes it most popular though is the Mozart Museum, a three storey building that contains details of his childhood, his friends and patrons, the clavichord he used while composing ‘The Magic Flute’, his passion for opera and his symphonies.

While the old town reverberates with classical music, the eastern area of Salzburg is home to the Gaisberg Mountains, the perfect place to get a visitor’s adrenaline roaring.