The Greatest Cities for Art Lovers


Travel offers a great opportunity to see new places, open your mind and get inspired. For the creative folk it is important to be able to experience a new destination through art. Luckily the world boasts a great number of cities that feature incredible art scenes. If you love art and would like to be able to see masterpieces during your trip here are top five destinations with awesome art scenes.

Paris, France

No wonder that Paris tops our list of the best cities to visit for art lovers. Not only is it home to a plethora of world famous museums like The Louvre, with its amazing collection of the historical and cultural artifacts, but it also features many other layers to the art scene. From masterpieces by Monet to remarkable street art, Paris has it all. We recommend visiting the Musée de l'Orangerie where you can see some of Monet's original Water Lilies and the Musée D'Orsay which is so great that you will need a whole week to explore all its halls. The Palais De Tokyo and Center Pompidou are also great sights worth visiting.

Having explored all major museums, consider visiting the less famous but equally remarkable galleries. One of them is La Maison Rouge located not far from the Bastille. This modern gallery houses unique pieces of art that evoke deep emotions and thoughts. To see Parisian culture from a different angle consider taking a street art tour.

Vienna, Austria

For centuries Vienna has been Europe's cultural center, with some of the most prominent artists drawn to the city. That is why Vienna is considered one of the best places in the world to enjoy art.
No trip to Vienna is complete without seeing one of the greatest pieces of art - The Kiss by Gustav Klimt housed in the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere in the Belvedere Palace. This magnificent palace is a good place to begin your art trip with as apart from Klimt's famous painting it also features many other iconic works. For a unique museum experience make sure you visit KunstHaus Wien, devoted to artistic legacy of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. At the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) you will be able to view works that date back to the Middle Ages and up to present day.
Of course, music has always been an important part of the Vienna art scene. Consider going to the concert at the State Opera House to experience the best of chamber music and hear the best opera singers perform at the stage. To learn about the history of music and sound visit the Haus der Musik. Also the Vienna Boys' Choir with some of the most talented young singers around the world is always a performance not to be missed.

Florence, Italy

No other city can be proud of so much art and art history than Florence. Visiting the Uffizi Gallery is a must if you want to see works by Botticelli and Michelangelo. If you love sculpture most then you should visit the The Bargello and the Accademia Gallery where you can see Michelangelo's David. The Medici Chapels are incredibly beautiful: it is the place where many members of the Medici family are buried.
If you feel tired of the crowds of tourists at these iconic places, Florence has lots of other places of interest, such as the Ferragamo Museo devoted to the work of the world famous shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo. Or consider visiting Museo Galileo that features a huge collection of scientific objects.

Berlin, Germany

When you are in Berlin art will surround you practically everywhere. After the Berlin Wall fell, lots of artists from the whole world arrived in the city and today Berlin boasts a number of galleries just waiting to be explored. If you're in Berlin for the first time we recommend visiting some of the larger galleries as well as the smaller ones offering more intimate art experience. To immerse into international contemporary art we recommend checking out Eigen + Art and the KW Institute for Contemporary Art where workshops and art talks are regularly held. If you would like to view historic works from the 13th to 18th century the Gemäldegalerie is the best place to go then.
No other city in the world has such impressive street and public art as Berlin. Make sure you see the East Side Gallery, the longest outdoor mural in the world.
Berlin is a real mecca for many artists from the whole world who arrive to the city to take part in various Artist-in-Residence programs. So if you are an artist consider joining one of these programs to experience the Berlin art scene to the full.

New York, New York

The U.S. has great many cities with unmatched art scene but New York City is impossibly to beat. Such places as the Museum of Modern Art, The Met, and the recently constructed Whitney Museum of American Art, along with some smaller galleries in Chelsea, including Chelsea Gallery Map, are really great.
The Gagosian Galleries and the David Zwirner Gallery are known for their interesting exhibits. Museum and gallery admission in New York City varies but travelers can find a variety of free options as well.

Tips for Your Art Travels:

  1. Planning a visit to a major museum, make sure you book the tickets in advance online! This way you will skip long lines and save lots of time. You can save money as well as museums sometimes offer deals to those who book in advance.
  2. Consider visiting a major museum during off-peak hours to avoid crowds of tourists. For example, The Louvre is open late on Wednesdays and Fridays so there are fewer visitors those days.
  3. If there are too many sights you want to visit and it's hard for you to decide which one to visit first taking a tour will be a good strategy. There are many specialized tours at most destinations so travelers can choose what kind of art they want to focus on.
  4. As most travelers are typically limited with time frames we recommend zeroing in the art you actually enjoy most. Of course, you may want to see some world renowned classic paintings and sculpture masterpieces, but it makes sense to spend the time enjoying the art you love most!