If you’re looking for a culture and art holiday, Europe is a
fine choice. The continent has an impressive array of galleries,
museums and exhibitions meaning that you’re likely to find
something of interest in almost every major city you visit. Yet
with this much choice comes a new problem, how do you pick which
European art city to prioritise? Hopefully this top 5 European
art cities should help you decide which place to start your art
history holiday in…
Berlin
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Germany’s capital
has been a thriving European arts centre, mixing the old and the
new with great aplomb. For the culture vulture, the first place
to investigate is the Museumsinsel (“museum island”), which is a
section of five museums: the Alte Nationalgalerie, Altes Museum,
Neues Museum, Bodemuseum and Pergamonmuseum. The Alte
Nationalgalerie hosts works by German and French Impressionists,
as well as German artists including Adolph von Menzel, Max
Lieberman and Karl Freidrich Schinkel, while the Altes Museum
hosts treasures from Ancient Roma and Greece.
Elsewhere in the city you can take in the Dahlemer Museum which
displays art and culture from other continents, the
Gemaldegalerie which features the paintings of Botticelli and
Rembrandt, and the Neue Nationalgalerie which features more
modern works by the likes of Picasso and Munch. Berlin is a
great choice to take an art history holiday!
Rome
Rome’s art and architecture spans two millennia, with ancient
sculptures sitting comfortably alongside abstract modern pieces
in one of the most stunning cities in Europe. Art is all over
the city, and even if you wanted to avoid it, you’d be hard
pushed to be able to do so! The Vatican Museums are the main
highlight – composed of a large collection of renaissance works
and antiques line the Vatican buildings, are there are a few
modern works of religious themed work from the likes of Gauguin,
Chagall and Picasso. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must see
on your visit to Rome. Its legendary ceiling is one of the best
known pieces of art in the world, let alone Europe. Alongside
these Catholic collections, there are a number of museums and
galleries most certainly worth a look, including the Borghese
Gallery, the National Gallery of Ancient Art and the National
Etruscan Museum.
Vienna
The Hapsburgs’ empire is responsible for much of Vienna’s
impressive collection of artistic pieces on display to this day.
The ruling family controlled vast lands between 1282 and 1918,
and much of the spoils are on display to this day, making it an
excellent choice for those wanting to see high quality art in
Europe. The majority of this, and a clear sign of the diverse
lands controlled, is visible at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
which boasts ancient art by the Greeks and Egyptians, to
(slightly) more modern pieces by Pieter Brueghel and Rembrandt.
For something a little more modern, visitors to Vienna should
head to the MuseumsQuartier Wien which hosts the Leopold Museum
and the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien. The former
has work by Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt, while the latter
hosts contemporary pieces from hyperrealism to American pop art.
If these three don’t satisfy, Vienna has plenty more artistic
merit going for it, including the Osterreichische Galerie
Belvedere (medieval and baroque) and the Kunsthalle Wien
(contemporary art including Kandinsky, Picasso and Pollock.)
Florence
Florence could well be the cultural capital of Europe - art is
so hard to avoid during a stay there! With paintings, sculptures
and architecture encompassing everything you see and do it’s
easy to become overwhelmed, but as the birthplace of Renaissance
art this is no real surprise. Simply there are too many museums
and galleries to list, and simply wandering where the mood takes
you guarantees an educational and entertaining experience, but
make sure you don’t miss out on the most famous cultural
buildings: The Galleria dell’ Accademia (the place
Michelangelo’s David calls home!), the Galleria degli Uffizi
(the first museum for modern art in Europe) and of course the
magnificence of the Duomo. If you’re planning an art holiday in
Italy, this (along with Rome) should definitely be on your list!
Paris
Paris is such an art city that the greatest pleasure is
exploring the smaller galleries dotted around the place, or
taking in the wonderful architecture from a street side café.
That said, like in Florence, there are certain museums and
galleries widely regarded as absolute ‘must sees’. In terms of
sheer renown, it’s hard to beat the Louvre (though even harder
to beat the crowds around its most famous exhibits – the Mona
Lisa and Venus de Milo!). A converted royal palace, even the
building itself is aesthetically splendid, and a stroll around
the building is a real pleasure. The Musee d’Orsay is another
treasure – a neo-classical railway station converted into an
exhibition space. It hosts an impressive number of 19th and 20th
century pieces by artists such as Cézanne, Renoir, Monet, Manet
and Van Gogh. Fans of modern art can’t go wrong with the iconic
Centre Pompidou, which itself is a monument to modern
architecture. As well as this famous trio, you can find several
smaller museums devoted to individual artists, including Picasso
and Rodin. If you’re looking for a European art holiday close to
home, you can’t beat a trip to Paris.
All of these cities offer a great mix of culture, art, and
splendid atmosphere to enjoy the rest of your holiday. Whether
you want a European art history holiday, or just to supplement
the area’s other attractions, you can’t go wrong with any of
these cities.
About the Author: Kieron Sellens is the marketing manager of
the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AiTO). With
AITO’s cultural breaks
http://www.aito.co.uk/cultural-history-holiday.asp you can
choose from tailor-made art holidays, historical tours, musical
trips and many more.
