# Best Places for Artists and Cyclists



## ElRey2020 (Oct 31, 2019)

I have some best place questions. I realize that best place answers are very much linked to personal preferences but please indulge me.
1. My wife is a professional artist. What would you select as the best place for an artist to live
2. I love to bicycle. Best place for a road cyclist?
3. We both love cultural institutions- museums, concerts and historic places. Best location for access to art and music on a regular basis?
We had decided to move to Italy but COVID 19 stopped that. While waiting for the world to open again we have been considering France, Portugal, and Spain as alternative retirement destinations. Time on your hands and boredom does that to you. Thanks for considering questions


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ElRey2020 said:


> I have some best place questions. I realize that best place answers are very much linked to personal preferences but please indulge me.
> 1. My wife is a professional artist. What would you select as the best place for an artist to live
> 2. I love to bicycle. Best place for a road cyclist?
> 3. We both love cultural institutions- museums, concerts and historic places. Best location for access to art and music on a regular basis?
> We had decided to move to Italy but COVID 19 stopped that. While waiting for the world to open again we have been considering France, Portugal, and Spain as alternative retirement destinations. Time on your hands and boredom does that to you. Thanks for considering questions


All over Spain there are good places to paint and cycle. Cycling is very big in this country.
Have you heard of the Spanish artist Sorolla? Some of his most famous paintings are on the beaches of Valencia and are praised for the light.
Viaje a un cuadro: 'Paseo a orillas del mar', de Joaquín Sorolla
Antonio López based in Madrid
Antonio López Web Oficial
Zuloaga? From the north of Spain, Basque country
Los paisajes de la España vacía de Ignacio Zuloaga - Geografía Infinita

As for selling art - online seems to be the way to go. I bought a painting from a Hungarian artist on this website a few months ago
Art Gallery | Buy Original British Art Online


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## MartaA (Jan 1, 2021)

Hello!
Girona area (Costa Brava, Spain) is big with artists and cyclists. Also its an hour away driving from Barcelona and 30 min to Girona for your art and museums needs.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Just a personal opinion, but I think that the standard of driving in Spain is not at a level to be comfortable cycling on the road. I know a lot of people do, but a lot of people also have accidents, I also cycle, but off road.

Admittedly this was a long time ago (around 15 years), but I read in a Spanish newspaper that in around 70% of accidents involving two vehicles, one of which was a bicycle of motorcycle, the other vehicle fled the scene without stopping or reorting it.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Overandout said:


> Just a personal opinion, but I think that the standard of driving in Spain is not at a level to be comfortable cycling on the road. I know a lot of people do, but a lot of people also have accidents, I also cycle, but off road.
> 
> Admittedly this was a long time ago (around 15 years), but I read in a Spanish newspaper that in around 70% of accidents involving two vehicles, one of which was a bicycle of motorcycle, the other vehicle fled the scene without stopping or reorting it.


Definitely true. Whether it is the type of cyclists, the roads, the drivers I dont know but there are horrendous accidents on roads that are popular with cyclists. No idea how it compares with UK but local accidents always appear in my local newspaper.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

kaipa said:


> Definitely true. Whether it is the type of cyclists, the roads, the drivers I dont know but there are horrendous accidents on roads that are popular with cyclists. No idea how it compares with UK but local accidents always appear in my local newspaper.


*Im not going to generalise but for the most part most drivers here seem to adhere to the 'I'm the only one on the road' attitude.*

But to get back to the OP's questions.

Art wise, anywhere because Spain is a large country (Ok you are from the states) and the scenery various enormously from one part to the other BUT its relatively easy to move around here.
I'm an amateur artist who draws buildings mainly and Ive got a couple of hundred photographs of street views, small villages nestled in the mountains and churches that I can paint, all in the last 4 months of getting here. And I haven't left the immediate area we live in yet.

Cycling, Spain has some great country for this (its not my cup of tea) but around here, early in the year there are hundreds of the bleeding things hurtling up and down the roads (we are inland of Benidorm off the CV70 which goes up to Guadalest and beyond) 
The hill behind the village has tracks used by mountain bikes.

Museums, etc are everywhere, don't take this the wrong way but Spains history far eclipses that of the USA. You can find small towns with walls and Moorish influences, Castles, Forts, Picture perfect seaside towns with fishing boats, there is a desert and then you have the islands in the Med. 

I have a list of places I want to visit thats well into 3 figures. Some I will drive to, others we will take the train.
When we drove here, we got off the ferry in Santander and drove along the coast to Bilbao and then across to where we are now. Bilbao looked interesting and the coast around there is fascinating. 

I would suggest using Google maps to look for areas of natural beauty, good cycling routes etc. And contact some of the many clubs that exist.

You wont be disappointed. 
Good luck with your plans.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Barriej said:


> *Im not going to generalise but for the most part most drivers here seem to adhere to the 'I'm the only one on the road' attitude.*
> 
> But to get back to the OP's questions.
> 
> ...


Bilbao IS interesting as is the northern coastline!


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## ElRey2020 (Oct 31, 2019)

The drivers were a concern but that was lessened as I read more cycling blogs. I should have indicated that my wife works in oils and is currently focused on landscapes and portraits - Alla Parsons Art Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Cycling is extremely popular down here in Andalucia. There are plenty of safe rural roads with very little traffic as they were replaced by new dual carriageways built in the last twenty or thirty years. There are also dedicated cycle trails on disused railway lines such as the Via Verde de la Sierra. No shortage of historic cities and spectacular landscapes either.


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## ElRey2020 (Oct 31, 2019)

Alcalaina said:


> Cycling is extremely popular down here in Andalucia. There are plenty of safe rural roads with very little traffic as they were replaced by new dual carriageways built in the last twenty or thirty years. There are also dedicated cycle trails on disused railway lines such as the Via Verde de la Sierra. No shortage of historic cities and spectacular landscapes either.
> 
> View attachment 98871


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## ElRey2020 (Oct 31, 2019)

Thanks. Great photo to go with the info. I will explore the area


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

ElRey2020 said:


> I have some best place questions. I realize that best place answers are very much linked to personal preferences but please indulge me.
> 1. My wife is a professional artist. What would you select as the best place for an artist to live
> 2. I love to bicycle. Best place for a road cyclist?
> 3. We both love cultural institutions- museums, concerts and historic places. Best location for access to art and music on a regular basis?
> We had decided to move to Italy but COVID 19 stopped that. While waiting for the world to open again we have been considering France, Portugal, and Spain as alternative retirement destinations. Time on your hands and boredom does that to you. Thanks for considering questions


I would imagine that all road copy lists responding to this would state the areas where they live as the best. If you truly enjoy climbing, I would say here in the Pyrenees. Art museums are everywhere in the larger cities. Madrid is probably the most prolific but it would be dangerous for a road cyclist there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola, 

Alcalaina forgot to mention that this is the coast of light (Costa de la luz) which artists normally appreciate. The clean waters of the Atlantic gently wash the beaches of golden sand - they stretch for miles. 

Davexf


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## Andaluz (Oct 6, 2020)

I'm a photographer and the light down on the Costa de la Luz is fantastic. For me, the place as a whole is inspirational for those who look to be creative.

Re. cycling: Off road would be probably be better than on.


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