Art lovers, you’re on the right continent: Europe has some of the best collections in the world, representing something in every medium and from every century. Often the galleries themselves are as much a draw as the art within them, with grand Italian palazzi, Second World War bunkers and venerable institutions such as the Prado and the Louvre vying for your attention. There are showcase exhibitions and major retrospectives on beloved old masters, as well as first shows from exciting up-and-coming talent — so whether your tastes run to medieval tapestries or the latest immersive installation, you’ll find something that catches your eye.
Main photo: Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island (Getty Images)
Museum Van Loon in Amsterdam (Alamy)
1. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, Amsterdam is home to some of the world’s best-known art. Art-lovers make a bee-line for the Rijksmuseum for paintings by Vermeer, Hals and Steen while the Van Gogh Museum displays more than 200 of his works. The Stedelijk is hung with modern works while the canalside mansions, notably the Willet-Holthuysen and Van Loon museums, are packed with treasures.
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It Wasn’t Us by Katharina Grosse at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin (Alamy)
2. Berlin, Germany
When it comes to art, Berlin caters for every taste. The five museums on Museum Island include a collection of Islamic art in the Pergamon, Egyptian treasures in the Neues Museum and sculpture in the Bode Museum. For work by local artists, head for the Berlinische Galerie or the Hamburger Bahnhof, a former rail station that contains Lichtensteins and Warhols, plus photography and video art. The Sammlung Boros collection, one of the world’s best contemporary galleries, is secreted in a Second World War bunker.
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The Museo di San Marco in Florence (Alamy)
3. Florence, Italy
Cradle of the Renaissance, Florence is an artwork in its own right. In the Uffizi gallery is Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, while the highlight of the Accademia’s collection is Michelangelo’s iconic sculpture of David. The Museo di San Marco houses Fra Angelico’s Annunciation; for sculpture, it’s the Bargello while Medici treasures are displayed in the Palazzo Vecchio. For frescoes head to the city’s churches — notably Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce for works by Giotto.
A visitor sits on Bench by Isamu Noguchi at the Barbican Art Gallery (Alamy)
4. London, UK
From grand galleries hung with the old masters to small pop-up spaces packed with cutting-edge installations, London is rich in the visual arts. Titian and Constable are among the big names at the National Gallery and an eclectic year-round programme of exhibitions alongside permanent displays are offered by the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly, the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House and the Barbican. Converted power station Tate Modern is best for contemporary art. For street art, head to Brixton to see some of London’s best.
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The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid (Alamy)
5. Madrid, Spain
It’s hard to do justice to the art capital of Europe’s vast array of museums and galleries in a single visit but the Prado’s spectacular royal art collection is the best place to start in Madrid. Picasso fans shouldn’t miss Guernica, in the Reina Sofia, while the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, in an elegant 19th-century palace, is world-class. The Museo de America contains important pre-Columbian American exhibit; elsewhere you can view decorative arts, prehistoric finds, sculpture and ornamental metalwork.
In the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris (Alamy)
6. Paris, France
Packed with world-class art — most famously Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa — the Louvre is a top pick, while, for modern art, the Pompidou Centre packs a punch. Elsewhere in Paris, the Musée d’Orsay, a former train station, and the Marmottan-Monet museum and Orangerie are must-sees for impressionist fans; while sculpture is the focus at the National Rodin Museum. Medieval art at the Cluny museum includes tapestries and altarpieces, and the elegant mansion of Jacquemart-André displays pieces by Canaletto and Rembrandt.
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The Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice (Alamy)
7. Venice, Italy
Since the days of the Grand Tour, Venice has long been a bucket-list destination for art lovers. Top sights include the Doge’s Palace, with paintings by Tintoretto; and the Accademia, where Titian, Veronese and Bellini take centre stage. Grand Canal palaces including the baroque Ca’Rezzonico and gothic Ca’ d’Oro also house spectacular collections. In the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Jackson Pollock rubs shoulders with Joan Miro; the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Frari sit along with a plethora of treasure-filled churches.
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The restaurant in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (Alamy)
8. Vienna, Austria
Vienna has a world-class art collection on display in the palatial Kunsthistorisches Museum. Amassed by the ruling Habsburg family, it comprises sculpture, decorative objects and paintings dating back to ancient Egypt. One of the largest collections of Gustav Klimt’s paintings (including The Kiss) is displayed in the Belvedere Palace; while the Albertina is known for its drawings and watercolours. The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) contains modern art, while for fine furniture and silverware the elegant Hofburg is hard to beat.
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