Known as the City of Towers, the medieval town of San Gimignano in Tuscany is an entrancing place that I never tire of exploring.
Yes, plenty of crowds surge through San Gimignano, especially on hot summer days. You’ll also find loads of tourist dreck in the shops.
But unlike some of Italy’s most visited cities (think Florence!), San Gimignano manages to retain its medieval charm.
I’ve visited San Gimignano numerous times and even set my first novel there (The Towers of Tuscany).
I’ve nowhere near stopped loving it!
San Gimignano at a Glance
Visit San Gimignano 1300 and find out what the town looked like in the 14th Century
View the marvelous frescoes in the Museo Civico and the Duomo
Climb the Torre Grossa to see stunning views of the Tuscan countryside
Spend an evening in the town at one of the many gourmet restaurants
Stay in a place outside the city with the view of the towers: the Hotel Pescille is a good bet
San Gimignano Snapshot
Even if you visit San Gimignano on the most tourist-heavy days, you need only walk a few paces away from the main thoroughfare (Via San Giovanni) to find yourself virtually alone in a quiet back street.
Hear birds twittering and watch an old guy sweeping his front stoop.
The small side streets in San Gimignano are quiet and crowd-free.
The heaving, sweating, shopping masses of humanity packing the piazzas and dripping gelato on the cobblestones are a distant memory.
Map of San Gimignano
Here’s a map of San Gimignano. It’s a very small and walkable city. You can cross it from gate to gate in about fifteen minutes. Also included are my three recommended hotels.
You’re in the 14th century! Your long gown swishes around your legs, you listen for the bells that divide your days and regulate your life.
If you’re a woman, you might be on your way to the baker for a loaf of fresh bread or to the church to make confession. If you’re a man, you could be meeting a kinsman to settle a festering vendetta or to chat with a fellow guild member about the crocus trade.
In the Middle Ages, much of San Gimignano’s wealth came from the cultivation of saffron from the stamens of crocuses. Also lucrative was textile manufacturing and the production of Vernaccia, a lovely white wine still produced today (it’s very good!).
Walk up to the ruined fortezza. There, you’ll not only rarely find many tourists, you’ll enjoy this stunning view of the towers of San Gimignano.
View of the city of San Gimignano, Italy
When you walk the back streets of San Gimignano in the 21st century, you’re only an ounce of imagination away from the Middle Ages.
The Towers of San Gimignano
San Gimignano is famous for its towers. In fact, the town is often referred to as the Tuscan city of towers because 14 medieval towers are still standing. In its heyday in the 14th century, over 72 towers dominated San Gimignano’s skyline.
But even with only 14 towers, the town of San Gimignano is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in all of Italy.
Why So Many Towers?
Every medieval city had towers back in the day, but San Gimignano is unique because so many of its towers remain.
Why so many towers? We can safely assume that the medieval merchants didn’t build them to give 21st-century tourists something to point their iPhones at.
Wealthy citizens frequently competed with each other to build the tallest towers above their homes. In fact, the Podesta passed a law prohibiting any private citizen from building a tower higher than the Torre Grossa, the municipal hall which survives to this day.
The citizens of San Gimignano were a bellicose lot who sometimes attacked and destroyed towers belonging to their rivals.
The family feuds that form the basis of the Romeo and Juliet story were definitely not fiction. Vendetta and its accompanying violence were the all-too-common ways to resolve differences.
History of San Gimignano
The Etruscans first settled San Gimignano in the 4th century BC, but significant growth did not occur until 1000 to 1200. Thanks to its proximity to the Via Francigena, a major route across Italy, San Gimignano was an important stopover for travelers, pilgrims, and merchants.
The town became steadily more prosperous until it declared itself a free Commune in 1199.
In 1300, Dante Alighieri came to San Gimignano, and in 1317 the famous painter Lippo Memmi opened a workshop. With his father, Lippo Memmi painted a fresco cycle in the town hall that you can see today.
San Gimignano prospered until the mid-14th century when in 1348 it was devastated by the plague, also known as the Black Death. More than half of the population died in a six-month period.
Following the pestilence that also ravaged most of western Europe, San Gimignano never recovered its former glory and at the end of the 14th century was finally obliged to submit to Florentine rule.
The town’s website provides an excellent overview of San Gimignano’s rise and fall over the centuries. The town is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
How to Get to San Gimignano
San Gimignano is about a 45 minute drive or a two-hour bus ride from Florence. Touring Tuscany by car is probably the best way to see the countryside.
When you arrive, park in one of the parking lots at the base of the town. As you enter San Gimignano, you’ll see electronic signs telling you which parking lots have space. The town is well prepared for the daily onslaught of visitors.
From the parking lots, take the elevator up as far as it goes (not far) and then take the short walk into the historic centre of San Gimignano.
What To See in San Gimignano
San Gimignano’s main attraction is the town itself–the cobbled streets, the towers, the Tuscan ambience.
But you’ll also find several worthwhile attractions to explore, including my favorite, San Gimignano 1300.
San Gimignano 1300
The San Gimignano 1300 (#1) museum contains an amazing scale model of San Gimignano as it appeared in the year 1300 with its 72 towers intact.
Not long after I started my novel, The Towers of Tuscany, about a woman painter in the 14th century, I came across the website for San Gimignano 1300.
I could not believe my luck! Someone had very thoughtfully recreated the entire city in which much of the novel’s action takes place.
I had to see it! A few months after I found San Gimignano 1300 on the web, I was there in person. Few things get in the way of an historical novelist on a research warpath!
A portion of the scale model of San Gimignano at San Gimignano 1300
San Gimignano 1300 moved to a smaller venue a few years after I first saw it. The model is now divided into two sections, but you still get a good sense of how the city must have looked in 1300.
The staff at San Gimignano 1300 are lovely. I’ve returned several times in the last few years to replenish their supply of The Towers of Tuscany.
With the manager of San Gimignano 1300 where The Towers of Tuscany is available
Frescoes, Frescoes, and More Frescoes
Unlike many Italian towns, San Gimignano is stuck in a medieval time warp. Most of the best art was created during the Middle Ages rather than the Renaissance.
I’m a medieval girl at heart and prefer the flatter, more stylized work of the medieval painters to the florid, somewhat over-produced paintings of the Renaissance.
Museo Civico
The first stop for art lovers should be the frescoes in the Museo Civico. Painted by Memmo de Filippuccio and his son Lippo Memmi in 1317, the frescoes portray scenes of everyday life.
Such scenes were a rarity at a time when the vast majority of frescoes and paintings depicted religious subjects.
I like best the two scenes showing a newly married couple first enjoying a communal bath together (ooh la la) and then climbing into bed.
Detail from a fresco by Memmo de Filippuccio & Lippo Memmi in the Museo Civico in San Gimignano
The scene depicting the couple getting into bed shows them as naked. While researching The Towers of Tuscany, I learned that people often slept naked to get a break from the wee beasties that infested their heavy gowns. Also, I imagine that summers in San Gimignano were as hot in the 14th century as they are today.
Another fabulous fresco in the Museo Civico is The Maestà by Lippo Memmi. Commissioned in 1317, the fresco is said to have been inspired by Simone Martini’s Maestà from the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena.
The fresco shows Mary seated on a throne surrounded by adoring saints and angels.
Frescoes in the Cathedral of San Gimignano
Other frescoes worth seeing in San Gimignano cover the walls of the cathedral (the Duomo – #2) in the Piazza Duomo in the town center.
One set, painted by Bartolo di Fredi in 1356, depicts scenes from the Old Testament. I particularly like the figure of Noah lying drunk on the ground, his gown open to reveal that he is definitely not wearing his boxer shorts. There’s nothing new under the sun!
Another set of frescoes depicting Hell was painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in 1465. The frescoes are terrifyingly realistic. You might want to avoid them if you’re traveling with children.
Torre Grossa
The tallest tower in San Gimignano, at 54 meters (178 feet), is the Torre Grossa (#3), part of the Palazzo Comunale where the Museo Civico is housed.
It’s worth the effort to climb to the top and see the stunning view. If it’s a fine day, go early or late to avoid the crowds.
Torre Grossa in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
Here’s an option for tickets to the Torre Grossa and the Duomo:
Ahhhh….! The tour buses have puffed their way down the hill, the shops are shuttered, and peace descends.
Thanks to floodlit towers, the darkness never gets close to the black intensity of the olden days, but your imagination can still get a workout.
You’ll find plenty of good places to eat in San Gimignano. In recent years, the town has become something of a mecca for gourmets. But wherever you decide to eat, make sure you order a glass or two of the delightfully white vernaccia di San Gimignano wine.
Afterwards, walk off the dinner and wine with a stroll through the fast emptying piazzas. The later it gets, the quieter the streets become.
And, unlike in the 14th century, walking the streets of San Gimignano after dark is not dangerous. No assassins are intent on revenging a vendetta; no watchmen are standing by to clamp into irons people ignoring curfews.
When to Visit
The best times for a visit to San Gimignano are late spring when the surrounding countryside is drenched in the freshest greens imaginable and in September/October when golden light and crisp days make sightseeing a pleasure.
Just remember to take along a rain jacket and a sweater.
Where to Stay in San Gimignano
In your Tuscany itinerary, allocate at least one night and preferably two nights to staying near San Gimignano. Most bus tours pop in and out for a few hours, staying just long enough for people to sip a cappuccino, climb a tower, and go shopping.
If you really want to experience this lovely town, stay a while, preferably at one of the lovely hotels in the gorgeous countryside Here are three options, all of which I’ve stayed in and can heartily recommend.
Cappuccina Country Resort is situated north of San Gimignano and commands a wonderful view of the towers from its swimming pool
Also north of San Gimignano is the lovely Villa Ducci with friendly staff and rooms overlooking the towers.
Hotel Pescille is on the opposite side of San Gimignano. Ask for a room that overlooks the valley with the towers of San Gimignano beyond.
Tours to San Gimignano
One way to see San Gimignano if you don’t have a car is on a day trip from Florence. If you’re short on time, then taking a tour that drops you at the gates of this enchanting city is certainly better than not visiting at all! Here’s an option with GetYourGuide that includes Siena and a wine tour.
I’ve had great luck finding marvelous places to stay in Italy.
Hotel proprietors are friendly, and these days almost all of them speak English.
In this post, I provide general tips about accommodations in Italy and list hotels I recommend.
Choosing a Room
To Book or Not to Book?
I book almost all the hotels on my itinerary before I leave home so I know I’ll have places to stay in every location. While traveling, I sometimes change bookings to follow a new route or in response to hearing about a cool location I hadn’t known about.
TIP: Stay flexible when you travel. You never know when you might meet someone who recommends a festival or event or exhibition. More than once, I’ve altered an itinerary to attend a special exhibition or visit a new attraction.
Choose a hotel booking site that allows you to book and then cancel hotel reservations as your itinerary changes. Most sites offer you a no-cancellation option at a lower price. I never choose the no-cancellation price unless I’m 100% sure I’ll be staying at the hotel. For example, I’ll select the no-cancellation price for hotels I’m staying at in the cities I fly into and depart from because I know those locations won’t change.
But overall, stay flexible. I’ve learned from experience that sticking to a rigid itinerary with no-cancellation accommodations can end up costing you more money than you save.
Breakfasts – Prima Colazione
Breakfasts in Italy usually consist of scrumptious pastries, fresh fruit, dry cereal, cold meats and cheeses, and coffee. I only eat the hotel breakfast if it’s included in the room rate or if I didn’t get a chance to buy food before checking in.
Buffet breakfast at an Italian hotel
If hotel breakfasts cost extra (and the cost can be exorbitant), I buy yogurt and fruit at a local grocery store and then go to a bar or café for my morning cappuccino.
Location
In Italy in particular, I only stay in the center of a town or city if I’m not driving. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, driving into medieval hill towns can be a nightmare, and driving into cities like Rome is definitely not recommended!
A great advantage of traveling in Italy by public transit is that you can choose to stay in picturesque and historic town centers (centros). Grab a taxi from the train station and let your driver negotiate the tiny cobbled alleyways while you enjoy watching the passing throngs and imagining yourself back in the Middle Ages.
Tips for Drivers in Italy
When driving in Italy, I book places on the outskirts of the town or city and then take trams or taxis into the centro for sightseeing. In rural areas, like Tuscany and Umbria, I always book places located in the gorgeous countryside so I can take walks and, if it’s hot, enjoy a dip in the pool.
When selecting a hotel outside a city, I usually opt for a modern business hotel that includes free parking. Chains such as NH, Blu, and Best Western are generally reliable.
TIP: For a taste of la dolce vita, consider booking an agriturismo property for a week or more in a rural area. Attached to a working farm or vineyard, these properties provide you with opportunities to meet local families and to sample local food.
Star Rating
Over the years, I’ve stayed in many clean and well-run budget hotels in Italy, but these days I favor three- or four-star properties because I appreciate amenities such as elevators, air conditioning, parking, bathtubs, and in-room WIFI.
I also like larger rooms. Check the square meterage of the room. Anything under 15 square meters will be small, with a child-size shower stall and barely enough room to wedge your suitcase against the wall.
Reviews – Should You Care?
Yes, I pay attention to reviews. If a property’s aggregate review is under 8.0 out of a possible 10, I usually pass. Sometimes the difference between a property with a 9.6 review and one with an 8.2 review is only a few euros, and yet the quality of the higher-rated property makes the extra money worth spending.
You have to take reviews with a grain of salt, however. Just because a property has a score of 9.8 doesn’t meant it’s five-star luxury. Check the star rating, remember that a 9.8 score for a two-star hotel is not the same as a 9.8 for a four-star, and proceed accordingly.
TIP: Read reviews on a few sites, such as booking.com and TripAdvisor. I take my time when booking accommodations in Italy and elsewhere to make sure I’m getting the best value for my travel dollar.
Accommodation Options by Region
To help you plan your Italy getaway, here are my recommendations. For each destination, I describe properties I’ve stayed in along and suggest alternate properties that look good.
You can click the link to the hotel to make a reservation with booking.com.
Northern Italy
Turin
The Parco Hotel Sassi, located 4 kilometers from Turin, worked well for us when we were driving from France to Italy. We checked the pictures of the hotel and noted it was surrounded by the greenery of the Po Natural Park. When booking hotels on the outskirts of a town, make sure you don’t end up in a dreary suburb. Parco Hotel Sassi is situated in an attractive area outside of Turin.
We appreciated the large rooms, beautiful grounds, and proximity to a family restaurant that served one of the best meals we’ve had in Italy. We left the car in the free car park and hopped the tram to get into Turin.
On another trip to Turin, we stayed in an apartment in the heart of the city. This was a great choice because we were staying in Turin for ten days and wanted to be able to walk everywhere. We parked our car in an underground lot nearby.
Called the Casa Vittoria, the two-0bedroom, well-appointed apartment was great value and in an excellent location for exploring lovely Turin.
Milan
I can’t recommend the nondescript 3-star hotel we stayed in while visiting Milan a few years ago. It was located near the train station and was a bit on the dark and small side. I don’t recommend getting places too close to the train station in big cities. In my experience, such hotels tend to be rather soul-less!
I’ve provided two options located in the lively center of Milan for travelers who are not traveling by car (take a taxi from the train station). If you are traveling by car, check the maps and select a hotel located near the main highway of your route into the city. Note that Milan is not as crazy to drive in as, say, Rome. However, it is a big city, and, as a rule, steering clear of big cities is the less stressful option. After all, you’re on vacation!
I once stayed in a teeny tiny room in a business hotel near Malpensa airport, but I can’t recommend it unless you have an early flight to catch.
In central Milan, Antica Locanda Dei Mercanti looks like an excellent, relatively high-end choice located close to the Sforza Castle and featuring terraces and views. The reviews are excellent, and the rooms appear quite spacious. The hotel includes an airport shuttle, but parking is €38 a day so probably not the best choice for drivers.
Also in central Milan, Hotel Gran Duca Di York is a three-star hotel in an excellent location near the Duomo. Ratings are good, although room sizes are not specified for all room types, and some look small. However, the price is reasonable, considering it’s Milan..
Have a look at the map below for additional accommodation options in Milan.
The Hotel Magdalener-Hof, high on a hill above Bolzano, was a perfect stop for us when we were en route to Venice after crossing into Italy through the Brenner Pass from Austria. We had a dip in the pool overlooking the view and then caught the local bus into Bolzano to wander its colorful streets before enjoying dinner at a restaurant on the town square. At the end of the evening, we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel for about €5–much easier and less stressful than driving into town and looking for parking.
Dolomites
We drove up into the Dolomites to the picturesque Alpine village of Seis and stayed in the Parc Hotel Florian. The view from our balcony of needle-sharp Mount Schlern looming above the village was fabulous–exactly the view of the Dolomites I’d hoped for. The hotel included a hearty dinner, which was great because restaurant options in the area were limited. The hotel makes a good home base if you plan to spend a few days in the area and take lifts up to the Alpe di Siusi to go hiking.
Venice and Ravenna
Venice
If you have the time, rent an apartment in Venice and stay for a week. Live like a local, not that you’ll see many locals these days. Venetians are moving out of the city at an alarming rate. But at least you’ll experience shopping in tiny local grocery stores and get to know your way around a neighborhood.
If you’re staying in Venice for two or three days, consider the Dorsoduro district across the Grand Canal from the Piazza San Marco. I recommend you avoid the area immediately adjacent to Piazza San Marco. Hotels there can be expensive, and the tiny streets in the area are wall-to-wall tourists during the day.
Here are suggestions for hotels that we have stayed in–one in the Dorsoduro and one near the Rialto Bridge.
Hotel Canaletto: We stayed there a few years ago and loved it. The rooms were small, but that’s par for the course in Venice. The location, just 200 meters from Rialto Bridge, was fantastic as was its situation on a charming side canal.
Hotel Messner is a more modest option, located in the Dorsoduro neighborhood close to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. It was quiet, and the area was peaceful and uncrowded, particularly at night.
For other options in Venice, check the map below. Resist the temptation to stay on the mainland. The savings will be minimal once you take into account train fares and your time. Stay in the middle of Venice and enjoy this unique city.
We were driving when we visited Ravenna, so we stayed at the Grand Hotel Mattei, about a ten-minute taxi ride from the center of Ravenna. The hotel was large and modern and included free parking–a perfect choice! When we’re driving in Italy, convenience usually wins out over charm.
The map below shows more options in and around Ravenna.
We’ve stayed in marvelous hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in Tuscany–some in the countryside and some in the towns. You’ll find amazing villa properties in Tuscany and pay equally amazing prices. Most of my suggestions are in the modest €80-150 per night range.
Florence
One of the best weeks I spent in Florence was at a rented house high above the city, near Fiesole. While swimming in the pool, we could see the Duomo shimmering in the distance. If you have the time and a car, consider renting a house a few kilometers outside Florence. You can then drive to one of the parking lots on the perimeter of the city and catch a bus into the centro.
Here are two suggestions for hotels I’ve stayed at in central Florence.
Hotel Pitti Palace at Ponte Vecchio is a great choice because it’s across the Ponte Vecchio in the atmospheric and marginally less crowded San Giovanni district. I stayed there on a solo trip to Florence and was especially taken by the views from the rooftop bar. Highly recommended.
View from the rooftop bar at the Hotel Pitti Palace in Florence
The Hotel Alba Palace is an elegant property in a good location near Santa Maria Novella Basilica.
If you’re driving, you do not want to drive into central Florence. Instead, find a place on the outskirts and take a bus. Here are two places we’ve stayed in that I recommend.
The Hotel Ungherese is a two-star, budget option that includes a statue-filled garden, views over Florence, spacious rooms, and easy parking. It’s a good bargain and not far from Florence on the local bus. The Hilton Garden Hotel Florence Novoli is a four-star, reasonably-priced property a 15-minute bus ride from the center of Florence. The hotel is slick and modern and lacking in charm. However, it’s easy to find, and parking is underground and secure.
For other accommodation options in Florence, check the map below.
I heartily recommend three places outside the walls of San Gimignano that I’ve stayed in over the years. My favorite is the Hotel Pescille which I’ve stayed in at least four times since we discovered it back in 1999!
Hotel Pescille: This three-star establishment has a killer view over the valley to the towers of San Gimignano. I keep returning to the Hotel Pescille for its simple but comfortable rooms, its fabulous location in the Tuscan countryside, and the rustic furnishings. The walls in the common areas are decorated with farm implements, and ceramic pumpkins adorn niches and stairwells. The Hotel Pescille is located about a five-minute drive south of San Gimignano.
On our most recent trip, we took several walks near the hotel to admire the view. Here’s a shot of San Gimignano from a vantage point close to the Hotel Pescille. Look at those clouds!
I give you San Gimignano!
Relais Cappuccina: On the north side of San Gimignano, the Relais Cappuccina affords a different–and equally stunning–panoramic view of San Gimignano than that of the Hotel Pescille. The pool at this hotel is lovely, thanks to its situation overlooking San Gimignano. Our room was spacious and bright and included a terrace.
The swimming pool at the Relais Cappuccina with San Gimignano in the distance
Villa Ducci: I stayed here on my own while researching my novel, The Towers of Tuscany, and loved it. The staff were friendly and helpful. They even allowed me to view the cellar with its 14th-century foundations that later played a role in the novel. The Villa Ducci, like the Relais Cappuccina, is located on the north side of San Gimignano. Here’s a sunrise view of the town I snapped one morning.
The map below shows more options for staying in or near San Gimignano. If you’re traveling without a car, consider one of the hotels in the center of the town so you can enjoy moonlit strolls around the medieval streets before turning in.
Palazzo Masi: This small bed-and-breakfast in the center of Siena is steps from the Campo and located in a building that dates from the 14th century. I stayed here while researching The Towers of Tuscany. It’s a great choice if you’re not driving in Siena.
Athena Hotel: This is a wonderful choice if you’re driving because it’s located just inside the city walls and easily accessible. The rooms are large and the views over the countryside spectacular. We’ll stay there again, for sure.
Check the map for more accommodation options in Siena. If you’re driving, choose properties at or near the city walls rather than in the center of the city where access is tight and parking at a premium.
Casale Dinelli: This is a lovely agriturismo property near Tarquinia, consisting of two small guest cottages set in beautiful grounds that included vegetable gardens we were welcome to raid.
Charming cottage accommodations at the Casale Dinelli
Breakfast food supplied; strawberries fresh from the garden
Umbria
We stayed for ten days in Umbria in an amazing apartment attached to the gallery where Gregg had an exhibition. Located outside the lovely little town of Gualdo Tadino, the place made a wonderful home base for exploring the principal towns of Umbria.
Because we chose a homestay for our Umbria visit in 2018, most of my recommendations for these towns are based on user reviews rather than personal experience. We did, however, stay in the Hotel Valentino in Orvieto the first time we visited Umbria.
Assisi
The Vico del Poeta looks like an excellent, medieval bed-and- breakfast in Assisi. Reviews are good, and free parking is included (always a bonus!).
Grand Hotel Assisi: I like the look of this place–panoramic views, a swimming pool, and a reasonable price.
Orvieto
Hotel Valentino is situated in the centro storico (the historical center) of Orvieto but is accessible by car. We loved being in the middle of the medieval action here–able to stroll the cobbled streets after all the crowds were gone. The hotel itself is old and rather dark but comfortable and clean. A solid choice.
Agriturismo Podere Pescara is located in the countryside near Orvieto. The surroundings look amazing! Very Tuscan.
Perugia
Sangallo Palace includes balconies, views, and what looks to be a lovely ambiance near Perugia.
Marche
I have to put in a plug for the Hotel Emilia, high on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea on the east coast of Italy. If you drive east through Umbria, you’ll likely end up in the Marche, the biggest city being Ancona on the coast. Once a bit off the tourist track, the region is getting more popular and for good reason.
The Hotel Emilia is wonderful; stunning views and fabulous modern sculptures and paintings decorate the grounds and public rooms. We stayed for two nights, relaxing in the gardens overlooking the misty view of the legend-shrouded Adriatic, taking long walks along the cliff top, and enjoying a beachside dinner in the village of Portonovo a few minutes’ drive down the hill. We were there in May, which is still the off-season. I gather that in the summer, the beach is mobbed!
View over Portonovo from the Hotel Emilia
Rome
We tend to favor apartments when staying in Rome. Our favorite location is in the tiny streets leading into the Piazza Navona. One year we had an apartment that included a rooftop terrace! Hotels are plentiful but not budget-friendly in Rome. Here are two hotels and one apartment I’ve stayed in that I recommend.
Deko Rome is a small bed-and-breakfast located close to the Borghese Gardens in a lovely residential area of Rome. I stayed there when I traveled to Rome on my own and found it comfortable and budget-friendly.
Hotel Paba is a small, two-star hotel that occupies the second floor of a residential building conveniently located on the Via Cavour, not far from the Colosseum. In fact, you can see the Colosseum from the street. The decor is old-fashioned and cosy and the price reasonable, considering the central location.
Viam 16B Suites is probably my very favorite suite hotel I’ve stayed in anywhere in Europe. It’s stylish, includes a private terrace, and is located in a great area of Rome – close to the Piazza Popolo and the Spanish Steps.
Check the map for more accommodation options in Rome. I suggest the area around the Piazza Navona or the less touristy Trastevere.
We stayed in the Hotel Paradiso. Located on Posillipo Hill, the hotel has a commanding view across the Bay of Naples to Mount Vesuvius. Relax on the terrace and enjoy! The hotel is comfortable and reasonably priced.
Sorrento
The Hotel Eden has a central location in Sorrento, with rooms on the upper floors overlooking the stunning view of the Bay of Naples. Lush gardens and a pool provide a welcome oasis. This is a good choice for Sorrento, although not budget-friendly.
Positano
We didn’t stay in Positano, so my recommendations are based on what I think looks good. Prices are high in this holiday mecca, so if Positano is above your price range, consider staying longer in Sorrento and taking a day tour down the Amalfi coast.
In Positano, the über posh Sirenuse Hotel is über expensive, but if you’re budget runs to it – wowee! Scenes from Only You were filmed there.
A more budget-friendly option is the Villa Antonietta that still has sea views but is much more modestly appointed.
Paestum
The Hotel Savoy, steps from the beach near Paestum is an awesome place to stay. It’s super luxurious and yet surprisingly affordable.
Tours & Tickets in Italy
Here are some options to explore through GetYourGuide and Tiqets.com, both companies I’ve booked with several times, and had good experiences.
Do you have accommodation recommendations to share? Please let me know in the Comments section. I’m always on the lookout for new places to stay in Italy. I’m always on the lookout for new places to stay in Italy.
Here are some more posts to enjoy while you’re planning your trip to Italy:
You could easily spend several days just focusing your sightseeing energies on ancient Roman sites. They’re everywhere! But top of the list are the Colosseum and the Forum, the Domus Aurea (if you’re in Rome on a Saturday or Sunday), and the Pantheon.
Colosseum and Forum
Start your day with an early visit to the Colosseum followed by a wander through the Forum. Of the two Roman sites, the Colosseum gets the most crowded, so be sure to see it first. Alternatively, tour the Colosseum and Forum later in the day when the crowds may be less.
Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, the iconic Colosseum has become the symbol of Rome. Construction of the Colosseum began in AD 72 by order of the Emperor Vespasian and was completed in AD 80. It was the largest colosseum in the world with a capacity of 50,000 spectators.
Seeing it now, you’ll be hard-pressed to believe that it held that many people.
I was a bit underwhelmed the first time I saw the interior of the Colosseum. My imagination couldn’t quite conjure the scenes of wild animals tormenting terrified Christians, which is probably just as well.
That said, put the Colosseum at the top of your Rome sightseeing list. Just make sure to buy your tickets in advance for both the Colosseum and the Forum.
Another option is to book a nighttime tour of the Colosseum that takes you to the Colosseum’s underground corridors, the arena, and the first ring of the seating area. I haven’t taken this tour, but it sounds intriguing and crowd-free (always a selling point for me).
Purchase tickets here for the Colosseum Nighttime tour.
Domus Aurea
The Domus Aurea is in the vicinity of the Forum and Colosseum. We visited the Domus Aurea in 2001, not long after it opened in 1999 when we were able to wander freely around the massive excavated rooms. The site was closed in 2005 and reopened in 2007, with more galleries added in 2015. The number of visitors is now restricted, with everyone required to wear a helmet.
Built by the Emperor Nero in 64 AD, the Domus Aurea had 300 rooms and occupied about 50 hectares–and was used exclusively for parties. That Nero was some kind of party animal.
Visit the Domus Aurea by guided tour and only on Saturdays and Sundays. If you can get tickets, go. The guided tour consists of a twelve-stage itinerary that includes a virtual reality installation in the Sala della Volta Dorata. Visitors are purportedly transported to an ancient, rich, and magical world.
The area around the Pantheon in central Rome is always hopping. Visit later in the day when the crowds are thinning.
The Pantheon is remarkable for its dome–still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, which is amazing, considering the Pantheon was built 2,000 years ago. Thanks to continuous use for two millennia, the Pantheon is one of the best-preserved buildings from ancient Rome. Originally a temple, the Pantheon is now a church.
See the Pantheon on your own or, for a few euros more, take a guided tour.
After touring the Pantheon, treat yourself to a gelato and watch the world go by from one of the cafés bordering the piazza in front of the Pantheon. I still remember fondly the fig gelato I sampled while visiting the area.
Spend the evening getting lost in the maze of streets leading from the Pantheon to the Piazza Navona and then find a place for dinner. Choose small restaurants on side streets that are filled with locals.
The area around the Piazza Navona is my favorite part of Rome.
Day 2: Catholic Rome
Rome bristles with churches, some dating back to Roman times and most containing priceless works of art, particularly from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. You can’t see all the churches in one day, nor should you try!
Focus first on St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum and then go back across the Tiber to visit San Pietro di Vincoli and the Basilica of San Clemente.
St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum
A visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum requires stamina. Line-ups are inevitable even with advance tickets. You can’t avoid the long, sweaty trek through room after room of the Vatican Museum before finally arriving in the Sistine Chapel.
But the trek is worth it. Just make sure you buy your tickets for the Vatican Museum well in advance.
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel heaves with tourists. There’s no escaping them (and you are one of them!) so just tilt your head back and admire Michelangelo’s ceiling. My favorite memory of the Sistine Chapel is when, on my first visit at the age of 18, I heard a woman behind me say to her companion, “Do y’all think it was done by hand?” I resisted the temptation to turn around and tell her it was paint by numbers.
Buy your tickets in advance to visit the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum.
The Sistine Chapel was restored by Pope Sixtus IV, famous for his patronage of the arts. He also makes an appearance in the TV series Medici, which I write about in a post over on my sister website, Art In Fiction. Pope Julius II is responsible for commissioning Michelangelo to cover the ceiling with his magnificent frescoes between 1508 and 1512.
St. Peter’s Basilica is a must-see because it is humongous. My favorite part is viewing the size of various world cathedrals marked in the nave. Washington’s National Cathedral is marked at 139 meters, which is about half the length of St. Peter’s nave.
The last time I visited St. Peter’s, the organ was at full volume and wow! Transfixing, for sure.
I love the exterior of St. Peter’s. A gorgeous double sweep of Bernini columns embraces two sides of the square.
A section of the Bernini columns at St. Peter’s Basilica
Castel Sant-Angelo
On your way back over the Tiber to central Rome, you’ll pass by the Castel Sant’Angelo. Also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the site technically belongs with the ancient Rome Day 1 itinerary. However, its location near St. Peter’s and the Vatican makes it a good stop on Day 2.
Originally built to be the mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family, the structure was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle and is now the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo.
Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome
The museum is a worthwhile stop, primarily because of the view of Rome seen from the top. Go at sunset for some great photo ops. The area around Castel Sant’Angelo teems with tourists, so a view like the one below is virtually impossible!
Cross the bridge from the Castel Sant’Angelo and plunge back into medieval Rome. Stay around the Piazza Navona for the rest of the day, enjoying gelatos and people-watching, or continue your Catholic Rome wanderings by visiting two more churches.
Take a bus or a taxi back towards the Colosseum area to find San Pietro in Vincoli.
TIP: To get around Rome, consider taking taxis and busses. Taxi drivers skillfully weave through the dense traffic–better them than me! Prices are reasonable and worth it to save your feet. Busses in Rome are also a good bet. Use your phone to familiarize yourself with the bus routes. I prefer riding the bus to riding the metro (which has limited routes) because then I can watch Rome go by.
San Pietro in Vincoli
Not far from the Colosseum are a few churches worth visiting, particularly San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) where Michelangelo’s statue of Moses dominates the side altar.
Whenever I’ve visited this church, it’s been quiet and uncrowded. I love standing in front of the Moses statue and admiring the way Michelangelo sculpted Moses’s hands. Truly remarkable.
Marble statue of Moses sculpted by Michelangelo in the San Pietro in Vincoli church in Rome
Basilica of San Clemente
Located not far from the Colosseum, the Basilica of San Clemente appeals to me because it was built on the site of a house containing a shrine of the Roman god Mithras. An underground passage leads to the excavated foundations of the 2nd-century Roman house. A relief on the altar shows the Persian sun god, Mithras, killing a bull.
The underground area is super dark and creepy, providing great scope for the imagination.
Day 3: Pastoral Rome
Rome is not all churches and ruins. It also has the marvelous Borghese Gardens, the atmospheric Trastevere region, and the achingly pastoral Appian Way, several metro stops from the center of the city.
See the Galleria Borghese and the Borghese Gardens in the morning, zip out to the Appian Way for lunch and a lovely afternoon stroll, then end your day with dinner in the Trastevere neighborhood across the Tiber from central Rome.
Borghese Gardens and the Galleria Borghese
Head to the Borghese Gardens and tour the Galleria Borghese. You must get tickets ahead of time. This stunning gallery reopened recently after being renovated. You’ll see some of the masterpieces of the Baroque age, including works by Caravaggio and the famous sculpture of Apollo and Daphne and The Rape of Proserpina by Bernini.
I first saw Bernini’s sculptures when I visited Rome in 1974. Works of that quality were thin on the ground in the Vancouver suburb where I’d grown up, so I was understandably impressed. Check out the way Pluto’s fingers press into Proserpina’s flesh and then remember that you’re looking at marble.
The Rape of Proserpina by Bernini in the Galleria Borghese: Buy tickets in advance
Amazing!
After partaking of the Baroque delights at the Galleria Borghese, spare an hour or so to wander around the gardens of the Villa Borghese. On a solo trip to Rome a few years ago, I stayed in a bed-and-breakfast about a block from the park and enjoyed early-morning strolls alongside Roman joggers.
Appian Way
In the afternoon, depending on the weather and your energy level, consider taking the metro out to the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica).
You’re transported from noisy modern Rome to an Arcadian landscape of plane trees and cypresses lining the original Roman road. Rent a bike or just stroll along the stone roadbed, imagining Roman chariots rumbling past.
Gregg and I spent a magical afternoon there, communing with the ghosts of the Roman rich people whose tombs line the road. The peace and quiet soothed nerves that can get a bit overstimulated by the hustle and traffic of downtown Rome.
The beautifully pastoral and peaceful Appian Way outside Rome
Trastevere
Spend an evening strolling the quiet streets of the Trastevere neighborhood. The working-class area still feels authentic and Roman. Find a small restaurant overlooking one of the piazzas and settle in for dinner.
Trastevere is located on the same side of the Tiber as St. Peter’s Basilica, about a ten-minute bus ride alongside the river.
Cobbled street in the charming Trastevere area of Rome
Here’s a good article about what to do and see in Trastevere.
Tours in Rome
Here are some tours offered by Tiqets.com:
And here are some tours offered through GetYourGuide:
Fancy a walking tour? The tours offered through GuruWalks are a good bet. Here are their tours in Rome.
Where to Stay in Rome
If you’re staying in Rome for more than two or three nights, consider renting an apartment. I’ve had good luck with VRBO and booking.com. When you stay in an apartment, you live like a temporary local, buying food from the local markets, and getting to know neighborhood restaurants and cafés.
Here are some good options:
The Sant’Angelo Apartments in the Jewish Ghetto area of Rome, very close to a lot of Roman ruins in addition to the Capitoline Museum and the Piazza Venezia, site of the Victor Emmanuel monument. The apartment was quite spacious and the location can’t be beat for exploring ancient Rome.
I also recommend Viam 6B located between the Spanish Steps and the Piazza Popolo–a very upscale and chi-chi part of Rome with lots of designer stores. The apartment was very modern and comfortable and included a beautiful outdoor terrace.
This one-week itinerary for touring Nothern Italy provides a taste of stately Turin and sophisticated Milan, along with the deliciously jagged Dolomite mountains and the Italian Lakes.
Although my itinerary covers the high points, consider spending more time at the lakes (Maggiore, Orta, Como, Iseo, and Garda) or hiking in the Dolomites. The views are stunning and the livin’ easy.
Why Tour Northern Italy?
This area of Italy is sometimes skipped in favor of Tuscany, Umbria, Rome and beyond to the Campania and Sicily. But I loved touring Northern Italy because it’s like a different country compared to other regions of Italy.
It’s still Italian with great food and plenty of amazing cultural sights, but it also feels much more Germanic as a result of its proximity to Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. I found the people more reserved than their southern neighbors, albeit still helpful and friendly.
Interesting Cities
The two main cities in Northern Italy are Turin and Milan. There are also some wonderful places to explore in the Veneto, such as Padua and Vicenza, but in this post, I’m focusing only on the area from Turin in the far west near the border with France to Bolzano near the border with Austria in the north.
Turin and Milan are both worth a few days of your time.
Milan Cathedral–a must-see in Northern Italy
Stunning Landscapes
The other reason for spending time in Northern Italy is to explore the spectacular landscapes of the Italian Lakes and the Dolomites.
Getting Around Northern Italy
Taking Trains and Tours
You can travel easily by train between Turin and Milan and then take day tours to explore the Italian lakes and some nearby cities. See the section on the Italian Lakes below for suggested day tours of the lakes that depart from Milan.
Driving in Northern Italy
If you’re driving, you’ll be able to explore more of the Dolomites and take side trips to cities like Verona. We found driving in Northern Italy to be quite easy, although the traffic around Milan can be horrendous. There are a lot of roads and a lot of people.
Turn on your GPS and focus. More than a few times, we’ve missed turn-offs and ended up navigating spaghetti-like mazes of roads before finding our way to where we needed to be.
Drivers can travel right up into the Dolomites along twisty mountain roads and check out charming towns like Bolzano. On the other hand, you don’t need a car in Turin and Milan. We book hotels on the outskirts that have free parking and then take a tram or bus into the city center.
Overview of A One-Week Itinerary in Northern Italy
Here’s my suggested one-week itinerary in Northern Italy:
One night in Turin
Four nights in Milan with a day trip to the Lakes OR two nights in Milan and two nights at Lake Como
Two nights in the Dolomites
Highlights of your one-week itinerary include visiting the Museo Egizio in Milan, taking a boat trip on one of the lakes, touring Milan Catheral, and hiking in the Dolomites.
Turin
Located in the northwest corner of Northern Italy near the French border, Turin (Torino in Italian) is an unpretentious city with a lovely central core and the not-to-be-missed Museo Egizio–one of the largest museums in the world solely dedicated to ancient Egypt.
I recommend you stay at least one night in Turin and spend a half-day exploring the Museo Egizio.
Museo Egizio
The Museo Egizio is enormous and can be very crowded.
Buy your tickets in advance and go early. The three floors are packed with beautifully curated exhibits. If you’re an ancient Egypt fan, you’ll be in heaven. And even if ancient Egypt isn’t your thing, you’ll find plenty to entertain you.
Here are some options for touring the Museo Egizio and Turin:
Staying in Turin
We were driving when we visited Turin, so we chose a hotel that was a little ways from the centro. The restful Parco Hotel Sassi fit the bill. We parked the car for free, relaxed for a while on our terrace overlooking beautiful grounds, and then took a short tram ride into Turin. Highly recommended.
Torino’s Piazza Castello with tramway
After our afternoon in Turin touring the Museo Egizio and walking around the large central piazza, we took the tram back to the hotel and walked to a local restaurant for dinner. The place was empty when we arrived and packed with locals by the time we left.
That meal ranks as one of our most memorable, both for the food and for the friendliness of the servers. We were the only tourists in the place.
TIP: Seek out restaurants recommended by your hotel and that are frequented by locals. If you go when the restaurant opens (usually around 7 pm), you’ll have the place to yourself. If you prefer conviviality and noise with your pasta and pizza, wait a few hours to join the crowds of Italian families that start pouring in around 9 pm.
The area around Turin is called the Piedmont and was the location of many of the sports venues used for the 2006 Olympics. If you have extra time, spend a day or two driving around this scenic area.
Milan
On both of my visits to Milan, I was struck by how stately and calm this Northern Italian city is, particularly compared to Rome and Naples.
I remember riding in a taxi on my first trip to Milan. We’d just taken the train from wonderful, frenetic Naples where a taxi ride was an adventure and stop signs merely suggestions, and spent several days in Rome. In Milan, the driver swung us into lanes of slow-moving, very well-behaved traffic and steered us sedately down wide avenues. I felt like I was on a main road through a particularly safe and dull Canadian suburb.
I commented to the driver that Milan seemed very different from Rome. She harrumphed and said, “This is Milan. We are not like Roma.” I got the impression she considered that a selling point.
I’m always fascinated by regional differences within a country. Certainly the differences betwen the north and the south in Italy are particularly noticeable!
Milan is Different
The taxi driver was right. Milan is not like its more rambunctious southern neighbors. The streets are wide and the city quite spread out. Traffic is dense. However, people actually drive in the correct lanes and avoid piling into intersections and honking.
Although Rome is notorious for its pickpockets, the only time we encountered petty theft in Italy was in Milan. At our hotel near the train station, Gregg witnessed the theft of the hotel manager’s wallet from the front desk when the manager’s back was turned. The manager gave chase but to no avail. So, the moral of that story is to never leave your valuables unattended.
On the other hand, I once left my purse containing our passports and my wallet on the counter at a very seedy hotel in Nice, only for it to still be there when, in a panic, I returned thirty minutes later.
You never know, but always err on the side of caution.
Top Sights in Milan
On a one-week itinerary touring Northern Italy, Milan is worth at least two days of your time or one very full day. I suggest you spend four days in Milan and spend one or two of them taking day tours to the Italian Lakes or spending two nights in Milan and driving to the lakes for another two nights.
If you enjoy shopping, set aside an afternoon to check out what’s on offer in Italy’s most sophisticated fashion city.
Here are the big draws in Milan.
The Duomo of Milan
The Milan Duomo is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Christendom, with a roof bristling with a forest of spires topped with sculptures. Make sure to buy your tickets in advance to avoid the long lines (see tour suggestions below).
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
After visiting the Duomo, head across the piazza to enter the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Billed as an aesthetically pleasing shopping arcade, the Galleria is worth escaping into from the sun or rain to browse designer shops, such as Louis Vuitton and Prada if your budget stretches that far, or to enjoy a coffee and pastry if it doesn’t.
The 19th-century glass ceiling is magnificent.
La Scala Opera House
La Scala is located at the far end of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. You’ll reach it after walking through the galleria from the Duomo. As one of the world’s most famous opera houses, it’s a must-see for music fans. Book a guided tour of the auditorium and the attached museum.
Sforza Castle
Wander through the hip Brera district, with its funky boutiques and trendy bars, to get to the imposing Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco).
If you’re a fan of the Medici series on Netflix (I’ve written a post about it over on Art In Fiction), you’ll remember Galeazzo Maria Sforza, one of the Sforza family’s most famous dukes. He was renowned both for his cruelty and for his patronage of music. Spoiler alert: he meets a bad end in Season 2 and in real life.
The Castello Sforzesco contains several worthwhile museums as well as Michelangelo’s unfinished Pieta. Also view the sala delle asse, a room with walls and ceiling painted by da Vinci and depicting intertwining trunks with leaves and fruit.
Castello Sforzesco in Milan
Purchase your tickets to Castello Sforzesco in advance and go early to beat the crowds (as usual!). Here’s a link to the Castello Sforzesco website.
Da Vinci’s Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci, of Mona Lisa fame (among many other things), is also renowned as the painter of The Last Supper. Located in the refectory at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the iconic fresco tops the list of must-see places in Milan.
But make sure to pre-book! I went there without a reservation in the vain hope I’d get in, although I should have known better. Alas, ’twas not to be. The person at the ticket counter actually laughed at me when I said I wanted a ticket for that day.
Don’t make the same mistake. The Last Supper is a major tourist attraction in Milan and rightly so. If you want to see it, buy your tickets online as far in advance as possible.
As soon as you know your travel dates in Milan, buy your tickets. Don’t wait until you get to Milan. Trust me on this!
Once you do get inside to view da Vinci’s masterpiece, you can stay for only 15 minutes.
Sightseeing Options in Milan
Here’s a selection of artsy sightseeing options for touring Milan. Other sites include Leonardo – The World of Leonardo and the art gallery: Pinacoteca di Brera
This region is simply gorgeous. In fact, you’ll quickly run out of adjectives to describe the unique combo of mountain vistas and shining lake views. No wonder so many ultra-rich people have villas in the region.
My one-week itinerary of Northern Italy covers the high points of the area, but if you have more time, spend it at the lakes Maggiore, Orta, Como, Iseo, and Garda; each has its own character and charm. Your best bet for a quick visit is to take a small group tour that includes two or three of the lakes, or a boat trip.
Although a round trip of the lakes covers only about 100 miles, you’re best to find one or two spots to stay in and enjoy rather than try to see everything.
Highlights include:
Bellagio on Lake Como from where you can take ferries and water taxies to other towns on the lake. You could spend all day cruising up and down the lake, enjoying the breezes and the stunning views, and looking out for celebrities sunning themselves on the terraces of their lakeside villas.
Lake Garda is the largest of the lakes, with the northern half surrounded by mountains and the southern half flat. North is better!
Sirmione on Lake Garda is known for its thermal baths and the Rocca Scaligera, a medieval castle that overlooks the lake.
Lake Maggiore and the Barromean Islands with their ornate gardens.
Rocca Scaligera in Sirmione on Lake GardaBellagio on beautiful Lake Como in the Italian Lakes
Tours of the Italian Lakes
The Dolomites
The super-jagged, needle-like peaks of the Dolomites mountain range (the Dolomiti) have long fascinated me. They don’t look real, and yet they are. We’ve driven a few times in the area, and I’d like to return to do some hiking.
Allocate at least two days to this region during a one-week tour around Northern Italy.
Bolzano
Bolzano is a pleasant town considered the gateway to the Dolomites. We were impressed by the distinctive architecture of many of the buildings, some painted in pastel colors.
View of the city of Bolzano, Italy
A big draw in Bolzano is the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. Visit “Ötzi”, a well-preserved mummy of a man from about 3300 BC and the world’s oldest natural human mummy.
If you’re driving, head a little farther into the mountains and base yourself in Castelrotto. From there, go hiking in the Alpe di Siusi, a large Alpine meadow. Cable cars whisk you from stations near your hotel up to the meadow.
View of peaks in the Dolomites from Alpe di Siusi
Another gorgeous location in both winter and summer is Alta Badia. Check the town’s excellent website for more information.
Carrying on South Into More Italy
If you’re driving into Italy through Bolzano, your next stop will probably be Venice. Read my recommendations for Venice and Ravenna.
If you’re driving into Italy through Turin, you’ll likely head south into Tuscany and Umbria, perhaps stopping on the way to check out the Cinque Terre.
You can also catch the high-speed train from Milan south to Florence and Rome.
Conclusion
Have you toured Northern Italy? What did you think? Do you have suggestions for must-sees (especially artsy-oriented must-sees) to share with other travelers? Add them to the comments below.
Here are more posts to help you plan your Italian travels:
If you love incredible art, gorgeous landscapes, fabulous food, and world-class wines, then consider dedicating at least a week (preferably two) to exploring Tuscany and Umbria.
Along the way, you’re sure to experience la dolce vita–the sweet life.
I’ve put together some suggested itineraries for exploring this gorgeous region of Italy. No matter how many times I return, I always find new things to see.
And I never get tired to returning to some of my old favorites like Siena and San Gimignano.
The map of Tuscany and Umbria includes all the destinations mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.
Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android
Suggested Itineraries for Exploring Tuscany & Umbria
Explore both Tuscany and Umbria by car or home-base in one or more of the towns and take day tours to others.
For Tuscany, one strategy is to spend a three nights in Florence (see my suggestions below for enjoying this most Renaissance of cities), three nights in Siena, and one or two nights in San Gimignano. During those five days in the Tuscan countryside, be sure to take a wine tour.
For Umbria, divide your time between the three main towns: Orvieto, Perugia, and Assisi, and reserve time for enjoying the rugged countryside.
If you want to explore Tuscany and Umbria by car, pick up your rental car at the Florence airport. Avoid picking your car up at the train station or some other area in central Florence. You don’t need the headache of navigating your way out of the city.
After picking up your car at the Florence airport, you’ll be out on the highway within minutes.
TIP: Bear in mind that driving in Tuscany and Umbria can be slow going. If you home-base in a specific area or town, reserve a few days for just staying put and enjoying la dolce vita. Spending every day driving the twisting, narrow roads can get tiring.
After a week (or maybe two!) in Tuscany, spend another week in Umbria if time allows. Perugia or Assisi are good choices.
Here are my recommendations for top towns to visit in Tuscany and Umbria.
Tuscany
If you have only a week to see Tuscany, I suggest you make time for Florence and two of the other towns, such as Siena (my favorite) and San Gimignano, with perhaps a day trip to one other town, such as Montalcino or Volterra.
You kinda have to visit Florence (#1 on the map) because it’s, well, Florence. A sizable percentage of Italy’s finest art is found in Florence, and you owe it to yourself to see it. Unfortunately, half of the known universe descends on Florence every day (or at least that’s how it feels). I remember wondering if the medieval Ponte Vecchio was strong enough to bear the throngs streaming across it.
Ponte Vecchio in Florence
TIP: Combat the crowds by visiting the hot spots, such as the Uffizi, the Duomo, and the Piazza della Signoria in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, early in the morning or late in the day.
During the middle of the day, opt for lesser known but still amazing sites, such as the Masaccio frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel across the river from central Florence and the Museo Nazionale di San Marco which houses the frescoes by Fra Angelico.
Here are sightseeing suggestions for Florence. Make sure you purchase tickets ahead of time for the Uffizi and the Accademia.
Siena
Spend at least two nights, preferably more, in Siena (#2). Siena is my favorite city in Tuscany, with enough great artsy sightseeing to keep you as busy as you want to be. You’ll also have time to just hang out in Siena–walk the narrow cobbled streets, relax in the Campo, and eat a great meal or two complemented by good Tuscan wine.
TIP: When you arrive in Siena, head first to the Campo. If the weather is dry, plop down on the 700-year-old bricks and soak up the history.
Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy at twilight
The Campo can get very crowded during the day. Arrive later in the afternoon, enjoy a glass of wine at one of the cafés bordering the piazza, and watch the crowds disperse as the sun turns the Torre Mangia golden. Your glass of wine will be overpriced, but who cares? You have a ringside seat to one of Europe’s most beautiful public piazzas.
Wine Tour
Allocate one of your days in Tuscany to taking a wine tour of the region. Choose a tour that includes Montalcino, home of the scrumptious (and potent) Brunello di Montalcino. The tour I took included a marvelous three-course lunch and visits to three wineries that also included tastings. Let your guide do the driving! Here’s a good option from GetYourGuide:
Yes, it’s crowded during the day with tour busses, but once they leave, you’ll have beautiful San Gimignano (#3), medieval city of towers, all to yourself. Enjoy top-class restaurants and stroll flood-lit streets that, apart from the souvenir shops, have barely changed in 700 years.
And if you’re looking for something to read while staying in San Gimignano, consider downloading The Towers of Tuscany, my award-winning novel about a female artist in San Gimignano and Siena in the 1300s.
Stay overnight in San Gimignano so you can enjoy this magical city without the crowds. Good options are the Hotel Pescille and the Cappuccina Country Resort, both outside the city so you’ll need a car.
Volterra
Fans of the Medici series on Netflix will recognize the town hall in Volterra (#4) as the stand-in for Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. Volterra–known as the City of Alabaster–is considerably less crowded than its neighbor, San Gimignano, and has just as much (maybe more) to offer the artsy traveler.
Scenic Volterra in Tuscany
Noteworthy sites include the medieval frescoes in the Palazzo dei Priori, the remains of the Etruscan Acropolis (the Etruscans were big in these parts), the wonderful Guarnacci Etruscan Museum (more Etruscans), and the Roman Theater complex that includes the ruins of 3rd-century baths.
Read more about the Etruscans in the Artsy Sightseeing section of the Italy Destinations page.
Lucca
The walled city of Lucca (#5) is a charming place to spend half a day. Walk along the top of the walls, visit Lucca Cathedral (Lucca is known as the city of a hundred churches so there’s more to choose from), and breathe in the medieval atmosphere.
When we visited, a group of young people dressed in medieval garb were presenting a flag-waving demonstration to the accompaniment of some serious medieval drumming. We were entranced.
Medieval flag-waving in Lucca
Pisa
I’ve visited Pisa (#6) once, and that’s enough for me, although perhaps I’m being unfair. The area around the famous Leaning Tower teems with tacky souvenir stalls. I like a good tacky souvenir as much as the next gal, but even I reached my limit in Pisa.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Duomo
The cathedral is worth visiting, and you must get someone to take the obligatory shot of you holding up the tower. Drop in to Pisa if you’re driving and you have time; otherwise, don’t sweat it. Tuscany has many more treasures to offer.
Other Towns in Tuscany
Tuscany is one of the largest provinces in Italy, with many worthwhile hill towns to visit, including Montalcino, Montepulciano, Monteriggioni, Cortono, and Pienza.
These are all best visited by car. I’ve also traveled in Tuscany by bus, which works fine if you really don’t like driving.
Driving in Tuscany is relatively easy but not speedy. The roads are narrow and twisting. Slow down, relax, and enjoy the journey. Oh – and make way for locals who don’t ‘do’ slow.
TIP: Never (and I mean never!) attempt to drive into a Tuscan hill town. First, you risk getting a stiff fine (being a tourist is no excuse), second, you risk ripping one or both of your side mirrors off your rental car, and third, you risk never again speaking to your partner.
Find the parking lot outside the city walls and walk into the town. Yes, you’ll likely be walking uphill (that’s why they are called hill towns), but some towns such as San Gimignano thoughtfully provide an elevator to take you from the car park to the town. Others don’t, but if you’re going to travel in Tuscany, you need to be up for some good, stiff walking.
Umbria
Umbria (#7) has much to offer the artsy traveler. The landscape is just as stunning as the landscape in Tuscany, with even more rugged mountains, and hill towns as interesting and historic. Highlights include Perugia, Assisi, Gubbio, and Orvieto.
Perugia
Perugia (#8) is the capital of Umbria and one of its largest towns. We enjoyed strolling around the central piazza and ducking into the cathedral. Perugia is laid-back and not overly crowded.
View of the scenic Piazza IV Novembre, main square and masterpiece of medieval architecture in Perugia, Italy
The highlight of our visit to Perugia was discovering the Civic Museum at the Palazzo della Penna. There, we viewed the work of Gerardo Dottori, the leader of the Umbrian Futurists and one of the founders of Aeropainting.
The Palazzo della Penna is one of Perugia’s little-known museums that’s worth seeking out. It’s constructed on the ruins of a Roman amphitheater and an ancient Roman road.
One of the highlights of artsy traveling is looking for these lesser-known but amazing small museums (of which Italy has many). They are almost always deserted, and most contain marvelous collections.
Assisi
One of the hippest things I saw during our visit to Assisi (#9) wasn’t even on the tourist radar. I spied a small sign in a side street advertising a special exhibition of medieval costumes. As an historical novelist with a yen for all things medieval and Italian, I’d found my bliss. Here’s a few of the costumes included in the exhibition.
When traveling to small towns in Tuscany and Umbria, check at the tourist office for local exhibitions and events and keep an eye out for posters. You never know what gems you’ll find.
Also taking place while we were in Assisi was an annual festival where all the locals dressed in medieval garb and paraded through the streets. Many other events were included in the festival, but we had neglected to get tickets.
More reason to do your research before you go!
The big draw to Assisi is, of course, the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, with its marvelous frescoes by Giotto. Start your visit to Assisi here, then walk up into the medieval town, and from there continue up to the fortezza for some stunning views.
Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi
Gubbio
What a delightful town! Nicknamed the City of Fools, Gubbio (#10) is unpretentious and relaxed. We spent a pleasant day wandering its cobbled streets, enjoying lunch in the panoramic Piazza Grande, and visiting the municipal museum.
One of the fun attractions of Gubbio is the Big Barrel, otherwise known as La Botte dei Canonici. The barrel is reputed to be the world’s largest and oldest. It’s worth a photo op, and there’s a gift shop. Entrance is free, so if you pass it during your wanderings around Gubbio, pop in and find out more.
We also checked out the Roman Theatre outside the walls of Gubbio near where we parked.
The Roman Theatre outside the walls of Gubbio
Remember–always park outside the city walls!
Orvieto
The stunning cathedral is the draw to Orvieto (#11), a beautiful Umbrian town perched atop a volcanic plug and worth an overnight stay. Unlike its better known Tuscan counterparts, Orvieto is relaxed and approachable. Park in the large lot at the bottom of the hill and take the elevator or escalator to the medieval upper town.
The facade of the cathedral is unusual in its inclusion of golden mosaics, sculpture, and stained glass.
The stunning facade of the Cathedral at Orvieto
For more information about what to see in Orvieto, check out this article by Rick Steves, my fave travel writer.
Have you visited Tuscany and Umbria? Share your recommendations in the comments below. And to further excite your about this amazing region, here are some more posts about what to see as an Artsy Traveler in Italy:
Are you traveling to Vienna? I wrote this post during my solo trip to Vienna while researching A Woman of Note, my novel about a woman composer in 1830s Vienna. This post chronicles Day 1.
Getting To Vienna
Flying Austrian Airlines from Vancouver to Vienna
Viennese waltzes (what else?) play over the sound system as I board my Austrian Airlines flight from Vancouver to Vienna. Cheerful red pillows and black blankets edged in red and white gingham sit demurely on each seat. The attendants wear red literally from top to toe—red neckerchiefs, red dresses, red stockings, red shoes, red fingernails.
Most of the passengers speak German and look like extras from The Sound of Music. OK – cultural stereotyping, but seriously, I have the distinct feeling they are minutes away from breaking into the chorus of Edelweiss. I may join them, Edelweiss being one of my favorites.
A montage of Austrian fun plays on everyone’s screens. Skiers whizzing down snow-covered mountains under achingly blue skies morph into hundreds of dancing couples. Girls in white dresses (where have I heard that line before?) swoon in the arms of men in black tuxes who sturdily waltz them around an enormous Baroque ballroom.
Did you know that the waltz became popular during the 1830s, the time in which I set A Woman of Note? The Viennese bourgeois were hungry for innocent pleasures in a Vienna that was, essentially, a police state. In 1830, you kept your mouth shut, and you waltzed. I’m hopeful that things have changed a bit.
On the screens, blonde, bikini-clad girls play beach volleyball (really? in Austria?), the Danube sparkles in the sun, and more sunny-looking blonde people cavort in front of big white buildings, intercut with generic Austrian flora and fauna.
After two movies, a few TV shows, surprisingly good food, and a short nap, I begin my travels in Vienna.
Arriving in Vienna
Vienna’s sleek airport is small and efficiently laid out. I sail through passport control and board the City Airport Train (CAT) for the sixteen-minute trip into Vienna. If you’re traveling to Vienna, consider the CAT for getting into the city. It’s much faster and cheaper than a taxi.
The train rides smoothly. I can type on my laptop as easily as if I were working at my desk at home. We pass the usual hideous sprawl that infects the outskirts of every European city–huge cylinders, rust-streaked girders, junk yards, railway tracks, electrical pylons.
I hope to not see these suburbs again until I return to the airport. On my first trip to Vienna with the family, I booked a hotel on the outskirts, and things did not go well. You can read about that misadventure in Robbie Bubble, an extract from Pastel & Pen: Travels in Europe that I wrote and Gregg illustrated.
I leave the CAT at the central station and hop onto the U train – Vienna’s efficient subway system. I bought my combo CAT ticket and three-day transit pass online before leaving home, so I won’t need to buy transit tickets for the next three days.
All I have is a printout with the dates that the pass is valid, which doesn’t feel very official. However, the guy on the CAT train scans it with his phone, and all is well.
I emerge from the U station to find a wide and busy street surrounded by large, white buildings that I will see a lot of during the next forty minutes. Armed only with a printout of a Google map and a phone with a dead battery, I turn left. It’s as good a direction as any. After walking for 15 minutes, I turn back and walk the other way for another 15 minutes, only to conclude that no, I was right the first time.
Sighing, I spin my brand new, four-wheeled suitcase (it’s a keeper) full circle and trudge back the way I came, barely registering in my post-flight fog that I’m passing the imposing Kunsthistorisches museum squatting in 19th-century splendor across from the equally imposing Natural History museum.
Finally, I ask a passing jogger for directions. She speaks English (score!) and tells me that my apartment is just across the street. Phew. I set off with renewed resolve and minutes later meet my HomeAway host.
Tip: When you travel, make sure your phone is always charged so you can use it to navigate. If you still get lost, grab a taxi. Spending the extra money is well worth it to avoid sore feet before you’ve even had a chance to enjoy yourself.
Settling into a Vienna Apartment
If you travel to Vienna and stay in a HomeAway place, you can pretend to be an honorary Viennese and live sort of like the locals do. My host leads me through several thick doors and up old, dark stairs, gives me a lesson in the complicated use of three different keys, then finally ushers me into an apartment that looks like, well, an apartment.
Instead of a tiny hotel room with mini bar and wrapped soaps, I have a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom that look like the kind of place I might actually want to live in. In other words, it’s pretty cool.
I’ve chosen this HomeAway home-away-from-home for my Vienna trip because it’s a 15-minute walk from the old town, the price is outstanding (about $113USD/night), and it has a piano.
I know! A piano! When does that happen? Minutes after arriving and saying goodbye to my host, I sit down to play.
Romantic swooning ensues, despite clunky action and doubtful tuning. I play the Schubert Impromptu mentioned in A Woman of Note and get a bit of a buzz imagining Schubert himself playing the piece only a few blocks and about 185 years away.
I am in Vienna, playing Schubert! Yes!
Exploring Vienna
The apartment overlooks a courtyard containing a little hole-in-the-wall café called the Kandinsky Café. I get a coffee and a bun from the friendly proprietor who knows all about Vancouver.
Ah! Mountains, very beautiful, the Olympics.
An injection of caffeine, a bout of Schubert, and an hour’s rest shake off the worst of the jet lag. I set off for the Wien Museum in the Karlsplatz—two subway stops away.
First Lunch in Vienna
My first requirement is lunch. I’d planned to eat at the museum café, but it’s closed—the café, not the museum. I hike another half mile back across the Ring Road.
Men smoking hookahs fill the first café, so I make a graceful exit and walk next door to join a jolly-looking crowd sitting at tables lining the street. Here’s a transcription of my notes:
I eat my first meal in Vienna outdoors. The choices are mostly hearty, but I resist the lure of wiener schnitzel and opt for a salad and beer. My first taste of Austrian blonde beer – oh yeah. It cuts the dust of the 10,000 mile trip. The salad arrives—it looks good with lots of chicken and avocado pieces. The chicken is flavorful and tender, but the salad dressing has soaked the greens to sogginess. I am defeated with still half a bowl left to eat. At least I’ve lost that awful achy, empty, lightheaded feeling that comes from almost no sleep and widely spaced meals.
After lunch, I finish my beer and again take up my pen to wax lyrical.
The first few hours of a European trip are a strange mix of sensory stimulation. The new noises and smells, the incessant traffic, and voices talking in German accentuate my aloneness. I don’t mind – I love the anonymity of solitary travel. I am here in Vienna to do a job. My hope is that something will jump out at me, will give me the key to A Woman of Note. So far, wide boulevards choked with 21st-century traffic, prosperous people, and rides on the metro have yielded nothing. The Vienna of today is very far from the Vienna of 1827. I need to get into the old town where, hopefully, something will resonate.
Sidenote: My trip to Vienna did indeed inspire me to finish A Woman of Note, thereby proving, if I needed proof, the wisdom of traveling to the locations where I set my novels.
I pay for lunch and set off for the Wien Museum to view old maps and examples of furniture and paintings from the era of A Woman of Note.
After ten minutes of fast walking, I am again lost. I’m quickly discovering that navigating Vienna is not a waltz in the park. The streets angle all over the place, and a few steps along a street at the wrong angle take me many long blocks from where I thought I was just a few minutes earlier.
Vienna, Austria, 25th August 2016 – Stephansplatz plaza with old gothic buildings and tourists
Finally, after many long trudges and increasingly hot feet, I emerge into the square containing the museum.
Total fluke.
Wien Museum
The Wien Museum is not as exciting as I’d hoped, but I do enjoy a few scale models of how Vienna looked back in the day. The museum focuses on the “new Vienna” – the post-1850s version following the demolition of the medieval outer wall and the building of the famous Ringstrasse.
In 1827, when A Woman of Note opens, a wall still enclosed Vienna. A population of 290,000 people sounds like a lot, but I was surprised to discover that during the same period, Paris had 860,000 inhabitants and London 1,340,000. Vienna was not a big city, which works well with my plot since a central motivator of at least one character is to go to Paris.
After the museum, I head back over the Ringstrasse into the old town. By this time, I’m starting to get seriously tired! But as a seasoned traveler, I persevere – walking, walking, walking.
Tip: In Vienna, avoid the Ringstrasse (Ring Road) area with its big roads and heavy traffic and spend more time walking in the old town. It’s magical.
Strolling in the Old Town of Vienna
The old town teems with tourists and locals strolling along its many pedestrian streets. I walk to the Stephansplatz where the massive St. Stephen’s cathedral looms whitely. During my trip in 2000, the cathedral was black with soot, so I guess it’s had a bath.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna
I find a music store (as in, sheet music). The obliging attendant unearths books of piano music by Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Maria Theresia von Paradis, a contemporary of Mozart. I discuss both Clara and Fanny in my post Women in the Performing Arts in 19th-century Europe on my Art In Fiction website.
Living Local in Vienna
Buying Groceries
At a grocery store near my apartment, I load up on yogurt, crackers, cheese, and a nice bottle of Austrian rosé. I love European grocery stores. They are inevitably tiny because they’re usually shoehorned into an old building. In the mornings, older people with string bags crowd the aisles, and in the late afternoons, smartly dressed office workers stock up for their evening meals.
I enjoy the challenge of deciphering German labels and searching out things like crackers, which are hard to find in European stores and never the same as the crackers at home. I’m not sure why. The cheese cooler has no Canadian cheddar (funny that!) but instead brims with mild-looking white cheeses.
And the yogurt! The individual yogurts taste spectacular, with flavors like coconut, mango, and coffee. I have a sneaking suspicion they taste so good because they are full-fat. Fortunately, the ingredients are listed in German, so I can’t check.
I arrive back at the apartment and post on Facebook about my burning stump feet while rolling them over a tub of frozen yogurt. One needs to improvise while on vacation.
After a wee sleep and a nice interlude at the piano, I saunter into the balmy night air in search of dinner. I’m looking, of course, for a typical Austrian restaurant.
First Dinner in Vienna
Two of the restaurants I pass are empty (not a good sign), and two others serve Asian food which I can get at home.
The restaurant I finally choose is comfortably full and noisy and Italian, with wiener schnitzel nowhere to be found. Oh well. On many a European sojourn, from Stockholm to Milan, I’ve almost always eaten good meals at Italian restaurants.
I order my favorite, gnocchi in gorgonzola – another indulgence best kept to once every few years. Accompanied by an Austrian white wine, the gnocchi comfortably fills me up.
I also have a ringside seat to drama among the waitstaff. One of the waiters—the one who does not look Italian and I don’t think is—takes the wrong order to the table next to mine. Two other waiters, who both look very Italian and are probably related, chastise the poor fellow roundly and volubly.
For the rest of my meal, the poor guy is relegated to washing and drying wine glasses at the bar. The look of resentment on his face transcends language. Every so often one of the other waiters wanders by and says something to him, which only serves to deepen his scowl. The whole scenario looks like a good start for a Viennese murder mystery. Maybe I should consider switching genres.
By the time I make it back to the apartment via two heavy doors, a keyed elevator, and a staircase that looks like it dates from the 18th century, I’m too tired to do anything but pass out.
But sleep comes surprisingly slowly, thanks to a noisy group of young people in the courtyard five floors below. Their conversation sounds like they’re in my bedroom. If only I understood German, I could be well entertained. As it is, I just want to know how to yell “shut up” in German. Fortunately, another tenant does, and finally the kids move on.
If you love music, you owe it to yourself to plan a trip to Vienna in Austria. For over 250 years, this great city has celebrated and enjoyed its reputation as the City of Music. And no wonder!
Many of Europe’s greatest composers, including Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and Strauss, lived and worked in Vienna. When you visit Vienna today, you’ll see evidence everywhere of the city’s illustrious musical past.
In this post, I describe options for enjoying music in Vienna, including music museums, composers’ houses, and concerts.
Hang out in the central square (Stephansplatz) near the imposing St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and within minutes, a young person dressed in 18th-century garb will hand you a flyer advertising the music concerts on offer.
Go for a walk in any park and you’ll soon be snapping selfies in front of statues of composers.
Saint Stephansplatz in Central Vienna
In the evening, wander the cobbled streets in the center of the city and you’ll hear snatches of melodies from chamber music and full orchestras wafting into the soft air from concert venues specializing in tourist-oriented programs usually dominated by the music of Mozart and Strauss.
A Map of Musical Vienna
The map below shows the location of all the music sites mentioned in this post. Vienna is a very walkable city. You can easily stroll between most of the sites in central Vienna and still have energy left to enjoy a coffee, a slice of torte, and a spot of people watching.
I recommend starting at the House of Music (#1) and venturing out from there to visit the museums dedicated to your fave composers, and then spend the evening enjoying a concert.
Vienna is chock-a-block with excellent museums. I’m a bit of a museum fan girl, so for me, this city ranks as one of Europe’s top museum cities. You could easily spend a week here and not run out of world-class museums to visit.
In this post, I focus on two of my favorite music museums: the House of Music and the Musical Instrument Museum, which is part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
House of Music
Make time for a visit to the House of Music, (#1 on the map above) also known as Vienna’s Museum of Sound or Haus der Musik.
Housed in the historical palace of Archduke Karl in the old city center, this museum is a must-see for everyone. And it is absolute heaven for music lovers.
On a recent trip, I spent half a day there enjoying its five floors (yes, five!) of installations and displays celebrating music and sound. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this place.
Highlights of the House of Music
Here are some highlights at the House of Music.
Virtostage
This is a multimedia and interactive production. When you move in front of the screen, you become part of the 15-minute opera “zeitperlen”. Members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra recorded the music with vocals by opera star Natalia Ushakova. Technically and musically, the production is a remarkable achievement.
NAMADEUS
Namadeus is an installation created after Mozart’s musical game KV 516f. Included are the interactive Waltz Dice Game and an interactive application called Facing Mozart that lets you bring the composer’s portrait to life by controlling his head movements and facial expressions. Hours of fun!
Virtual Conductor
This installation allows you to “conduct” a video projection of the orchestra that responds to your conducting commands. If you conduct poorly, the musicians respond with criticism, so you need to keep time correctly!
Sound installations
These installations use state-of-the-art technology, including opportunities to visualize sound as waves, swirls, and grids.
Exhibits at the House of Music
The museum includes gloriously comprehensive exhibits of composers including Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Strauss, and Mahler. I spent at least an hour in this section. Plenty of life-size figures and original musical instruments bring the subjects to life.
I especially enjoyed the Haydn portion of the exhibition.
During his long life, Papa Haydn exerted enormous influence on classical music. He even counted Beethoven and Mozart among his many pupils.
Haydn had a complicated relationship with Beethoven who criticized his teacher by saying “I never learned anything from Haydn” and then dedicated his set of three Piano Sonatas Opus 2 to Haydn. (reference: Beethoven and Haydn: their relationship)
The House of Music is located at Seilerstätte 30 in Vienna and you can get a discount with the Vienna City Card. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.
You can also purchase tickets through GetYourGuide. If you love music, you really can’t miss the House of Music, aka Haus der Musik!
I always enjoy touring a good musical instrument museum, and this one is first-rate. Housed in the Hofburg Palace and part of the masive Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum (#2 on the map above) exhibits five centuries of historical musical instruments. Its collection of Renaissance and Baroque instruments is considered one of the most important in the world.
You’ll see a particularly awesome collection of clavichords and Viennese fortepianos. A highlight for me was seeing pianos that had been played by Mozart, Liszt, Mahler, and Clara Schumann, who is the inspiration for my second novel, A Woman of Note.
Harpsicord made in 1745, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Sammlung alter Musikinstrumente
The museum also includes replicas of historical instruments that visitors may play, and regularly holds concerts at which master interpreters of their professions play the original instruments.
The Musical Instrument Museum is located at Heldenplatz and is open daily except Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm.
Composer Houses
Many of the apartments lived in by famous composers have been converted into museums. Download a map of Musician Walks from the excellent Wien Info website.
Here is information (in alphabetical order) about the museums dedicated to individual composers including Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Schönberg, Schubert, and Strauss. Some of them are celebrated in more than one museum.
You can visit the six apartments of Beethoven, Strauss, Schubert, and Haydn with a special combination ticket from the Wien Museum website. Note that most of the museums close on Mondays.
Ludwig von Beethoven
Beethoven House
I’ve made two pilgrimages to the Pasqualati House (#3 on the map above), one of the many houses in which the great composer lived. Built in the 18th century adjacent to the city walls, the house is named after its owner (Pasqualati). Beethoven lived for eight years, off and on, in the 4th floor apartment at the top of a series of old stone staircases.
During my second visit to the apartment, I was writing A Woman of Note about a woman composer in 1830s Vienna. The novel starts with the funeral of Beethoven, and his influence is felt by the characters throughout the novel. As I mounted the old staircase to Beethoven’s apartment, I imagined my characters mounting similar staircases in buildings of the same vintage.
When I visited, the apartment was virtually bare of furniture and contained little in the way of exhibits. Two listening desks are set up for listening to various Beethoven pieces on headphones.
I indulged myself with the second movement of Symphony No. 7 for a while. I was the only visitor, so it was just me and the Maestro’s soaring melodies and the temptation to burst into tears.
Musical tourism doesn’t get any better.
In front of Pasqualati House in Vienna
Beethoven Museum
Want more Beethoven? Visit the Beethoven Museum (#4).
In 2017, the original 40-square-meter apartment at Probusgasse 6 in Heiligenstadt in the 19th district where Beethoven lived was extended to create a spacious, 14-room museum. Here you’ll find exhibits chronicling the history of the house, Beethoven’s move from Bonn to Vienna, his stay in Heiligenstadt, and many more related to the maestro.
Pasqualati House (or Pasqualatihaus) is located at Mölker Bastei 8 in Vienna and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays. The Beethoven Museum is located at Probusgasse 6 and is also open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays.
Joseph Haydn
Haydnhaus
Managed by the Wien Museum (as are most of the composer houses), Haydnhaus (#5) is the location where Joseph Haydn spent the last twelve years of his life and where he died on May 31, 1809. The museum includes the rooms of his flat on the first floor, recently restored so that the rooms are divided in the same way they were when he lived there.
Haydn was extremely famous during his lifetime, and exhibits at the museum reflect the esteem in which he was held both then and now.
The museum also has a room dedicated to Brahms.
Haydnhaus is located at Haydngasse 19 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozarthaus Museum
Mozart lived in several houses in the city during his short and tumultuous life. The only one that survives is the Mozarthaus Museum (#6) at Domgasse #5, where he lived from 1784 to 1787.
Occupying 1,000 square meters on six levels, this museum is the premier pilgrimage site for Mozart fans.
And seriously, who isn’t a Mozart fan?
The museum immerses you in the great composer’s world. Exhibits celebrate his remarkable genius and creativity and feature his family, friends, and foes in the heady world of late-Baroque Vienna. Get tickets here.
Mozarthaus is located in St. Stephansplatz at Domgasse 5 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm except for public holidays.
Arnold Schönberg
Arnold Schönberg Center
Established in 1998, the Arnold Schönberg Center (#7) celebrates and life and work of one of the 20th century’s most notable composers (and also a painter, teacher, theoretician, and innovator). If you’re a music history buff, you’ll know that Schönberg is associated with the method of composing with the 12-tone scale.
The museum includes exhibitions about Schönberg’s life, a gallery of his paintings, a replica of his study in Los Angeles, the city in which he died in 1951, and lots of concerts, lectures, and other events aimed at helping people understand and enjoy Schönberg’s music.
The Arnold Schönberg Center is located at St. Stephansplatz at Schwarzenbergplatz 6 and is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm except for holidays.
Franz Schubert
I’m very fond of Schubert, who makes a cameo appears in A Woman of Note and who, like Mozart, died very young (he was just 31). He managed to compose an amazing amount of music in his short lifetime, much of it lived in poverty. Two museums in Vienna are devoted to Schubert.
Schubert Geburtshaus
The Schubert Geburtshaus (#8) is the house where he was born on January 31, 1797. He came from a large family that shared one room and a kitchen with an open fire. The exhibits include a pair of spectacles that belonged to Schubert and has apparently become quite an object of veneration for his fans.
Schubert Sterbewohnung
Schubert died at the Schubert Sterbewohnung (#9) on November 19, 1828. Although he lived in the small apartment for only a few weeks, he composed several works including the song “The Shepherd on the Rock.” Exhibits document the last weeks of his life, his death, and his funeral.
Schubert Geburtshaus is located at Nußdorfer Straße 54 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays and Schubert Sterbewohnung is located at Kettenbrückengasse 6 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from to 10 am to pm and 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays.
Johann Strauss
Johann Strauss Wohnung
The Johann Strauss Wohnung museum (#10) is the apartment where the composer wrote “The Blue Danube” waltz which has become Austria’s unofficial national anthem. The museum includes his instruments along with furniture and paintings from his life, and references to the other musical members of the Strauss dynasty.
Strauss Museum
This new museum (it opened in 2015) is dedicated to the lives and work of the composers in the Strauss family, It’s a must-see for Strauss fans. Find pictures and documents from the period and listen to music at the various audio stations arranged in 15 themed areas. Here’s a detailed post about the museum on the Visiting Vienna website.
Johann Strauss Wohnung is located at Praterstraße 54 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm except for public holidays. The Strauss Museum is to remain closed through 2021 and will reopen in 2022 at a new location.
Vienna Concerts
You can’t walk far without seeing ads for music concerts, particularly those organized for tourists and, as mentioned earlier, mostly featuring music by Mozart and Strauss (and occasionally Beethoven, Schubert, and Haydn). Check the current concert listings.
If you’re lucky, you might get to catch a performance by the Vienna Boys Choir, an opera at the opera house, or a performance by the Vienna Philharmonic (Wiener Philharmoniker). Following are descriptions of two concerts I enjoyed during a recent trip.
The Sala Terrena (#11) is a small concert hall next to a monastery in the centre of Vienna. Mozart lived in the building for about two months when he first came to the city as a young man. The room is frescoed from floor to ceiling with a cacophony of Italian Baroque splendor. You’ll see lots of fruit, cherubs, roses, urns, and even a leopard.
I chose the Sala Terrena concert rather than one of the flashier tourist concerts because Schubert was on the programme. Schubert makes a guest appearance in A Woman of Note, so I owed it to my imagination to hear his music played at least once in his home town.
Alas, ‘twas not to be. The programme was changed to include the American Quartet by Dvorak and some Hadyn string quartets. Fortunately, the performances were fantastic, so I had no complaints.
Concert Experience
Four musicians dressed in 18th-century garb (someone in this city must do a roaring trade in producing period costumes) entered the tiny salon and settled in to play. Unfortunately, as so often happens when I attend an evening concert soon after landing in Europe, jet lag hit me with a vengeance. I was seated in the front row, directly in the line of sight of the first violinist.
Despite my best efforts, my eyelids drooped, and my head started that awful bobbing thing that happens when you desperately fight falling asleep. What if I pitched face-first into the violinist’s lap? She might not appreciate the interruption.
In my defense, I defy any jet-lagged music lover to sit through an adagio without succumbing to the temptation to close one’s eyes and drift. In the intermission, I chatted with a young woman from Japan who was studying art in Florence. I love how traveling can connect you with people, including local artists and artisans, from all over the world.
The concert was a success, and I drifted out into the heaving mass of tourists and locals thronging the Stephansplatz. If I hadn’t been alone, I would have hung around for awhile to enjoy a slice of strudel and a glass of wine in the shadow of the floodlit cathedral. Instead, I let the atmosphere wash over me for about ten minutes and then caught the tram back to my apartment.
You can book tickets to a concert at the Sala Terrena below. The title says the Mozarthaus, but the concerts are the ones held in the Sala Terrena that I attended. Highly recommended!
While I was in Vienna, I was determined to see a “real” concert. By real, I mean a concert that does not feature costumed musicians and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But I wanted to attend a concert with local people.
Fortunately, I discovered that the five-day Schloss Laudon festival—a yearly classical music event held in the salon at the Schloss Laudon (#12), also known as the Water Palace about an hour outside of the city —was on during my visit.
Getting to Schloss Laudon
With e-ticket in hand, I boarded the metro for a ride to the last stop. For forty minutes, the bus wound through a maze of suburban streets toward what I hoped would be the palace.
I had absolutely no clue where I was and what I’d do if I was on the wrong bus (I didn’t have a Smartphone with GPS at the time). What if there was no concert at the end of the ride and no bus back? I’d be stranded miles from nowhere with only 60 euros in my wallet and a pathological fear of incurring data roaming charges on my phone because on that trip I hadn’t had the foresight to buy a European SIM card.
Update note: Thank goodness you can now conveniently buy an eSIM card for traveling anywhere in Europe!
Fortunately, I heard a couple on the bus mention Schloss Laudon, and minutes later the bus stopped and they got off.
I followed.
Exploring Schloss Laudon
The Schloss Laudon and its stylishly landscaped grounds were exquisite. I was extremely early for the concert but fortunately not for the bar. I sipped a glass of wine while wandering the sylvan pathways and making friends with the swans.
At Schloss Laudon for a concert
Experiencing the Concert at Schloss Laudon
The concert featured a trio – piano, violin, and cello—in the large salon in the Schloss Laudon. A Schloss is basically a palace or a castle, and this place certainly qualified. The salon was frescoed floor to ceiling with exotic animals (tigers, rhinos, elephants, etc.) and exotic scenes of idealized, vaguely New World native-looking people in turbans. Evidently, historical accuracy was not a priority.
I snagged a seat in the second row, in direct line of sight of the keyboard. As a pianist myself, I always like to get as close to the keyboard as possible so I can watch the performer’s hands.
Almost everyone around me was dressed to the nines. Most of the men wore suits and ties, and the women wore cocktail dresses and lots of jewelry and perfume. I might as well have had a neon sign on my head – turista. But whatever.
No one paid any attention to me—not even a wee smile of musical comradeship. I felt a tad isolated, but what could I expect? Solitary travel can sometimes be a bit, ah, solitary.
A drawback of sitting in the second row quickly became apparent. The large spotlight caught me in its glare, and soon I was sweating. The heat would have been tolerable if indeed there had been music to listen to. However, to my dismay, the festival director and an expert on the modern composer featured on the program both shuffled to the front and faced the audience.
The Pre-Concert Talk
Festival-Director Guy talked for about five minutes–a bearable length of time to listen to German and pretend to understand. Then, Composer-Expert Guy took over and talked for at least thirty minutes.
He stood directly in front of me, even making eye contact occasionally, so I had to look as if I was hanging on his every German syllable. I caught a few words—Mexico, Nazis, Anschluss, Franco. I snuck a peek at the concert notes–in German, of course and managed to decipher that the composer of the modern piece had left Vienna in 1938 and settled in Mexico by way of Spain.
That was not a whole lot of information to get from a thirty-minute lecture.
Haydn & Tchaikovsky
Finally, the three musicians entered and performed an early Beethoven piano trio in the style of Haydn. The heat, the somnolence engendered by Composer-Expert Guy’s talk, and those darned slow movements marred my enjoyment of the piece.
Again, I experienced more than a few head bobs along with the terror that someone might notice. What if I snored or drooled? After the Beethoven came the modern composer’s piece, which was actually pretty good in a dissonant, modern music kind of way.
At the break, I thought about giving in to jet lag and catching the bus back to the metro. I even walked out to the bus stop and checked the times. Then I came to my senses and trudged back into the palace for the second half—the piano trio by Tchaikovsky.
Holy Russian romantic! It was stunning—no danger of head-bobbing for this one. I cheerfully bought the CD.
Exploring Vienna
Here are some GetYourGuide tours in Vienna.
Vienna Walking Tours
GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Vienna!
Concerts at Schoenbrunn Palace
For a wonderful classical music experience that throws in a world-class palace for good measure, consider going to a concert at Schoenbrunn Palace. The repertoire leans heavily to Strauss and Mozart with performances by opera singers. If you take a tour, you’ll often also get dinner and drinks, along with priority entrance to the palace.
Here are some GetYourGuide tours that will take you to concerts at Schoenbrunn Palace.
Vienna is not an inexpensive city, but if you can swing it, stay as close to the center as you can afford.
On my first trip to Vienna, I made the mistake of staying waaaaay out in the suburbs in a cheap apartment. Well, let’s just say that it was a disaster! After two days of cramped quarters, cold water showers, bland suburbs that could be anywhere, and long commutes into Vienna, we moved to a hotel close to the action. The extra money was well worth it.
Vienna, the City of Music, is a must-see for the artsy traveler who loves classical music. You can’t help but swoon when you walk into your favorite composer’s house, or when you hear a Strauss waltz played in the city where it was composed, or explore the awesome exhibits at the House of Music.
And when you want a break from music (why?!), Vienna has some of the best art museums in the world, including the Belvedere where you’ll see Klimt’s The Kiss and the always amazing Kunsthistorisches Museum.
For more information about what to see and do in Vienna and Austria, check out these posts
Have you visited any of the music sites in Vienna described in this post? Share your thoughts about music and Vienna with other artsy travelers in the Comments section below.
Are you a fan of modern art? If so, then you’ll find plenty of art thrills in Europe, where some of the best modern and contemporary art museums in the world are located.
In this post, I’ve chosen mostly large museums that feature a variety of artists.
My focus is on modern art so you won’t find museums like the Prado and the Louvre in this post. But you will find the Pompidou, the Guggenheim Bilbao and the Tate Modern!
As a life-long lover of modern art (check out my husband Gregg Simpson’s art and you’ll see why!), I’m a bit of a kid in a candy store when it comes to finding awesome modern art museums in Europe.
You’ll be spoiled for choice!
Highlights at a Glance
The iconic architecture of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao in Spain’s evocative Basque Country
Picasso’s Guernica at the Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain–so much more powerful in person than in reproductions
The stunning outdoor art installations at the Kröller-Müller Museum near Otterlo in the Netherlands
The collection of 20th century modern masters on the 4th floor of the Pompidou in Paris
The location and ambiance of the Fondation Maeght in the hills above the French Riviera near the delightful village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Check for Exhibitions
Before you set off for Europe, take some time to check for special exhibitions in the places you’re visiting. Many times, I’ve changed my itinerary on the fly to catch an exhibition before it closes or to take in one at its start.
One of the great pleasures of traveling is switching gears halfway through a trip—to zig when you planned to zag. Stay open to possibilities when you travel. Often, you’ll meet someone who’ll tell you about a must-see art museum that you’ve never heard of.
On a recent trip to Porto in Portugal, we were told about a special exhibition of the work of M. C. Escher. What a treat! We never would have known about it because of its location in an exhibition space rather than a museum.
Chat with servers at dinner and strike up a conversation with other travelers you meet on the train or at your hotel. People love to share recommendations!
Modern Art Focus
As I mentioned earlier, this post focuses only on museums with significant and varied modern artcollections.
What do I mean by modern art? I’m a huge fan of 20th-century art from about the turn of the century to the 1960s. I also appreciate some (not all) of the contemporary art created post-1960.
Most of the art museums covered in this post primarily exhibit traditional modern art. That sounds like an oxymoron, but if you’re an art fan, you’ll know what I mean!
Modern art—as distinct from contemporary art—encompasses the work of a slew of big names. These include Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, Rene Magritte… the list goes on and on and on.
In this post, I list only museums that works by modern masters in their permanent collections
Map of Modern Art Museums in Europe
Here are the locations of all the modern art museums covered in the post–from Bilbao (#1) in Spain to the Tate St. Ives (#12) in Cornwall, England.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (#1 on the map) is worth the hype and worth the trip. Located in the Basque region of northeast Spain, Bilbao isn’t on the beaten tourist path.
But please, if you’re in northern Spain and within striking distance of Bilbao, find the time to spend a night there.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was built to revive the failing industrial city. How marvelous that the city bigwigs used art to pull their city out of the economic doldrums and place it firmly on the world cultural map.
The move was bold, even audacious, but it’s paid off spectacularly, thanks to Frank Gehry’s awesome structure.
Now the Guggenheim Bilbao shows up in just about every Top Ten list of modern art museums worldwide.
Exterior of the Guggenheim Bilbao
The exterior of the Guggenheim Bilbao plays a major role in its spectacular appeal to art lovers. Stroll around outside the building to see the many amazing sculptures.
Most notable are Tall Trees and The Eye by Anish Kapoor, the massive spider Maman by Louise Bourgeois, and the wildly popular Puppy by Jeff Koons.
I defy anyone to stand in front of Puppy and not smile. He is adorable. That is, if a 43-foot tall, flower-encrusted West Highland Terrier can be called adorable.
The museum’s interior is as compelling as its exterior.
On one of our visits, we were lucky to catch a major exhibition of recent landscapes by David Hockney. The massive galleries and thoughtful curatorial choices made the exhibition one of our favorites, which is saying something.
We were also taken with the massive installations by Frank Serra.
The whole complex with its gorgeous setting on the Nervion River really is miraculous. The museum attracts over 20 million visitors annually.
Now, that’s an art success story!
Exhibitions at the Guggenheim Bilbao change frequently, so check what’s on and then plan your visit accordingly. You won’t regret devoting time to exploring the Basque region of Spain.
Practical Information for the Guggenheim Bilbao
Guggenheim Bilbao is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. It’s closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Museum admission currently costs €15 for adults, €7.5 for seniors (65+) and students. Youths under 18 and Museum members are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Tours of the Guggenheim Bilbao
A great way to see the Guggenheim Bilbao is on a private tour if you have the spare funds or a small group tour for the more budget-conscious. Modern art is sometimes not so easy to understand, and having a guide can really help you make sense of what you’re looking at.
You’ll also learn a lot about the stunning architecture and permanent installations such as Puppy and Maman. Here’s a guided tour offered through GetYourGuide.
Where to Stay in Bilbao
On both my trips to Bilbao, I stayed in excellent four-star hotels. Both were within walking distance of the Guggenheim Bilbao.
Catalonia Gran Vía Bilbao: In downtown Bilbao, this place is truly lovely with a very friendly staff and a good location for exploring more of Bilbao beyond the Guggenheim.
Hotel Meliá Bilbao: Situated right on the river, the modern hotel has all the amenities and is fairly easy to drive to.
Bratislava, Slovakia: Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum
Situated on the Danube as the name suggests and about 20 kilometers from Bratislava in the Slovak Republic, the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum is billed as “one of the most romantic museums of modern art in Europe”.
The museum, opened in 2000, was founded by Gerard Meulensteen of Eindhoven, a Dutch collector and art patron, and Slovak gallerist Vincent Polakovič.
The collection includes works by artists from the experimental CoBrA group in the Netherlands, such as Karel Appel and Eugen Brands . Also included are works by Sam Francis, Christo, Corneille, Pierre Alechinsky, and others.
Plenty of quirky and colorful outdoor sculptures along with the dramatic setting on the Danube make this museum a must-see if you’re traveling to Bratislava.
Practical Information for the Danubiana Meluensteen Art Museum
Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Museum admission currently costs €10 for adults, €5 for seniors (62+) and students. Children under 6, seniors (75+) and Museum members are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Where to Stay in Bratislava
The Danubiana Museum is a few kilometers up river from Bratislava itself where you’ll find these two hotels. Both are located in historic buildings and highly rated.
Marrol’s Boutique Hotel: Located in Bratislava city center, this hotel is rated 5-star, but the price is more like a 3-star. It looks amazing!
Arcadia Boutique Hotel: Centrally located in a 13th-century building in Bratislava’s Old Town. Rooms include antique furniture.
London, England: Tate Modern
I’ve visited the Tate Modern in London a few times and have mixed feelings about it, to be honest! It’s a monumental place and a huge accomplishment from an architectural perspective.
I mean, seriously—a power station?
It’s pretty darned amazing that Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron could convert the Bankside power station into an art gallery and still keep much of the building’s original character.
View of the Tate Modern from the Thames in London, England
I can’t say I loved—or even liked—all the art exhibited in the Tate Modern. Several exhibits comprise contemporary and installation art, most of which was kind of hit or miss, in my opinion.
However, the special exhibitions can be spectacular. I saw a wonderful retrospective of the work of American artist Georgia O’Keeffe on one visit, and an exhibition of international surrealism on another visit. My husband, Gregg Simpson, was honored to be included in the catalog for the latter exhibition.
Location of the Tate Modern
The location of the Tate Modern on the south side of the Thames, right across the new Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s Cathedral, is a selling point. You can see the Tate Modern in the morning and then stroll across the bridge and visit St. Paul’s and the City in the afternoon.
You can also take in two Tates in a day. A good strategy is to start at the Tate Britain upriver. Check out the paintings by William Blake and some of the best works by the pre-Raphaelites. Then, hop on the Tate Boat at Millbank Pier and sail downriver to Bankside Pier to see the Tate Modern.
The Tate Boat runs every twenty to thirty minutes along the Thames.
And if you happen be down in St. Ives in Cornwall, don’t miss the Tate St. Ives.
Practical Information for the Tate Modern
Tate Modern is open daily from 10 am – 6 pm and the admission is free.
Tours of the Tate Modern
Why not take a tour of the Tate Modern with an expert guide? You’ll learn about the history and architecture of the gallery along with highlights of the collection. Here’s a guided tour offered through GetYourGuide:
I always stay around the West End so I’m within walking distance of the theaters, Trafalgar Square and two of my favorite art museums–the National Gallery and the Courtauld.
Here are three places I’ve stayed in that I recommend and that won’t break the bank (and are still four-star and comfy):
Wilde Aparthotel Covent Garden: Located steps from the Strand in the center of the action, the Wilde Aparthotel Covent Garden is an excellent choice. I even wrote a whole post about my stay there!
The Cavendish near Green Park is in a posh area and close to just about everything. When I stayed there, I was able to walk or take a bus everywhere I wanted to go. I didn’t once need to take the Tube!
Park Plaza Victoria London Hotel is located right across the street from Victoria Station and is a remarkably good deal for a modern, four-star hotel in the heart of London.
Madrid, Spain: Reina Sofia
The Reina Sofia is home to one of the most famous paintings of the 20th century—Guernica by Pablo Picasso.
You’ve likely seen Guernica many times in reproduction. However, seeing the “real thing” is a different story.
The massive mural in the Reina Sofía has pride of place in a room of its own. You can sense how enraged Picasso must have felt as he painted it. Its graphic depiction of the bombing of the old Basque city of Gernika in April 1937 has become an iconic image of the brutality of war.
Outdoor reproduction of Guernica by Picasso / Image by Almudena Sanz from Pixabay
The Reina Sofia is a beautifully designed gallery that combines a modern area with the arched hallways and barred windows of an old hospital. In several rooms, films representing specific 20th-century periods are running. Most are silent-era films, which makes following them a lot easier if your Spanish is minimal.
Included in the Reina Sofia are masterpieces by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and Juan Gris, as well as a collection of over 22,400 works divided into three sections titled: The Irruption of the 20th Century: Utopia and Conflict (1900-1945), Is the War Over? Art in a Divided World (1945-1968), and From Revolt to Postmodernity (1962-1982).
Visiting the Reina Sofía
The museum is located on the Art Walk (Paseo del Arte)—a one-kilometer stretch that also includes the must-see Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
Reina Sofia is open from daily except Tuesdays from 10 am to 9 pm (Sundays until 2:30 pm). Museum admission currently costs €12. The website has the latest rates.
Tours of the Reina Sofia
Explore the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Spain’s national museum of 20th-century art, on a guided tour and learn about the diverse collection.
Stay as close to the centro as you can in Madrid. Largely traffic free, the centro is full of narrow streets and grand plazas, and not too far from Madrid’s three big museums, including the Reina Sofia.
ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini: I stayed here for two weeks and loved it! The location right across the street from the Royal Palace puts it about a ten minute walk from the centro, but still outside the traffic limited zone so you can drive there and park in the parking lot right next door. The staff are wonderful and the one-bedroom apartment spacious and comfortable.
nQn Aparts & Suites Madrid: This place is even closer to the city center within steps of the Plaza Mayor.
Munich, Germany: Pinakothek der Moderne
The Pinakothek der Modern in central Munich is one of three Pinakotheks in Munich’s Kunstareal (art district).
The museum features an excellent collection of the works of German Expressionist artists. In addition, you’ll find works by modern masters, including Picasso, Miró, Kandinsky, Klee, and Marc.
Other exhibits are related to form and function in a section that features modern industrial design and manufacture, furniture, and appliances.
On Sundays, the admission price is significantly discounted—at least it was when I visited. After strolling through the galleries, stop by the café.
Practical Information for the Pinakothek der Moderne
Pinakothek der Moderne is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm (Thursdays to 8 pm). Museum admission currently costs €10 for adults, €7 for seniors (65+) and students. Youths under 18 are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Interesting Art Tour in Munich
After touring the Pinakothek der Moderne, keep the art juices flowing by taking this intriguing-looking street art bike tour with GetYourGuide. There’s a lively street art scene in Munich, a city that pioneered the graffiti movement in Germany in the 1980s.
Boutique Hotel Splendid: Located in the center of Munich within easy walking distance of many attractions. Comfortable rooms.
Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, By Hyatt: This is a bit of a splurge, but its location next to the English Garden is great if you’re looking for a stroll in nature after touring Munich’s museums. The buffet breakfast here was the most opulent I’ve ever seen.
To say that the Kröller-Müller blew me away that first visit would be an understatement. Fresh off the plane from North America, I’d seen nothing like it in my North-American life.
The Kröller-Müller Museum is light, airy, and filled with famous works by van Gogh and a load of other great painters.
Even better, the museum is smack in the middle of the Dutch National Park. This amazing park teems with deer, rolling sand hills, intriguing forests, and miles of bike paths.
Visiting the Kröller-Müller Museum
When I revisited the museum with Gregg recently, I was thrilled to discover that the Kröller-Müller and the park are as awesome as I remembered.
Everything about the place is perfect!
The museum includes dozens of paintings by van Gogh, room after room of other greats from the 19th and early 20th centuries, a massive sculpture garden, and even a bustling outdoor café with excellent food.
The word that comes to mind when touring the sculpture garden is serendipity. The sculptures are modern and diverse and often positioned in unexpected places.
Every turn of a pathway through forests and across green clipped lawns reveals yet another vista and another sculpture—stone or wood or marble, some moving, some static, some aesthetically stunning, some quirky, a few ugly, and yet all perfect.
If you’re a fan of van Gogh and modern sculpture but haven’t visited the Kröller-Müller, then go.
Take a day tour from Amsterdam, or better, drive and stay a few days in the area. We combined our visit to the Kröller-Müller with a bike ride around a portion of the 55-square-kilometer national park.
Explore a remarkably varied landscape that includes stunningly beautiful forests, heathlands, and sand dunes. You’ll spot impressively antlered deer, wild boar, foxes, sheep, and more.
Red deer stag in the Dutch National Park at Hoge Veluwe
Practical Information for the Kröller-Müller Museum
Kröller-Müller Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Museum admission currently costs €13.50 for adults, €6.75 for youths (13 – 18). Children under 12 are admitted free. The website has the latest rates. Plaese note that the museum is located in the middle of De Hoge Veluwe National Park. Therefore, you also have to buy a ticket for the park that costs €13.40 for age 13 and older, and €6.70 for ages 6 -12.
Tour to the Kröller-Müller from Amsterdam
This full-day tour is a great option if you don’t have your own transport. The tour goes from Amsterdam and includes time to explore the awesome Hoge Veluwe National Park.
The Kröller-Müller Museum is in a lovely rural area of the Netherlands. You can choose to stay near the museum or in nearby Arnhem. Here’s the place I stayed in:
Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant De Buunderkamp: This place is nestled in the woods not far from the Kröller-Müller Museum. Rooms are spacious and there’s an indoor pool. You can even rent bikes to explore the area, which we did and it was gorgeous!
Paris, France: Centre Pompidou
My most recent experience with the Pompidou Center (one of my absolute favorite modern art museums in Europe) was fraught with pure terror.
Gregg and I were trying to find an art gallery on an obscure side street that even Google Maps couldn’t find. The gallery was hosting an exhibition of Gregg’s work, so finding it was a matter of some urgency.
I directed Gregg to turn down what I trusted was the right street. He drove a short block over cobblestones to emerge into a wide, pedestrian-only space that butted up against the back end of the massive Pompidou Center.
Mon Dieu!
I looked up at the crazy exoskeleton of pipes and glass that had horrified Parisians when it was first built and yelled a few choice curses into my phone. The Google Maps lady was not impressed. She continued to insist that we drive across the square.
Exterior of the Pompidou Center in Paris
Luckily, the space was relatively empty of people (a rare event) so Gregg was able to execute a hasty U-turn and head smartly down the correct street. The only problem was that the street was one-way, and we were barreling down it the wrong way.
Fortunately, we found the gallery without having a head-on collision. A few hours later, after unloading the paintings and hanging the show, we were swanning about the vernissage (the opening), champagne glasses in hand.
Phew!
Visiting the Centre Pompidou
Every time we visit Paris, we make a beeline for the Pompidou. Its special exhibitions are almost always excellent.
Check what’s on before coming to Paris and adjust your dates accordingly. One of our favorite special exhibitions featured the work of Gerhard Richter way back in 2012. I was impressed both by the range and styles of Richter’s work and the thoughtful way in which the exhibit was curated.
No matter when you go to the Pompidou, you’ll always have the legendary fourth floor to wander through. This floor features the museum’s permanent collection and is a veritable “who’s who” of early 20th-century modern art.
All the most famous names are represented. Enjoy strolling through the rooms picking out your favorites and reveling in the glorious mishmash of colors and forms that characterizes 20th-century modern art.
After sighing your way around the art, take the escalator to the rooftop to relish one of the best views of the Paris skyline.
Practical Information for the Pompidou Center
Centre Pompidou is open daily except Tuesdays from 11 am to 9 pm. Museum admission currently costs €18. The website has the latest rates.
Tour of the Pompidou Center
This 2-hour private tour of the Pompidou lets you skip the line and provides expert commentary on the world’s largest collection of contemporary art. It’s a bit pricey but you’ll learn a lot!
I favor staying on the Left Bank when I’m in Paris, preferably Saint Germain, although that area is getting pretty very expensive. In Paris, an apartment or aparthotel may be your best bet. Hotel rooms tend to be very small.
Here are three of my recommendations for places to stay in Paris on the Left Bank.
Hotel de L’Université: I love the location of this boutique hotel–close to Boulevard Saint Germain and the Seine but a bit removed from the busiest areas of Saint Germain. Rooms are quite spacious (for Paris) and the old beams in the ceiling are a nice touch.
Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés: This aparthotel is part of the Citadines chain and is good value considering the excellent location right on the Seine in the 6th arrondisement.
Le Clos Medicis: Located very close to the Jardin du Luxembourg, this charming boutique hotel has attractive rooms and a very comfy lobby.
Rome, Italy: National Gallery of Modern Art
Rome’s National Gallery of Modern Art (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna) is conveniently located on the edge of the Borghese Gardens, surely one of Europe’s most beguiling parks.
View of the Temple of Asclepius at Villa Borghese Gardens in Rome
The gallery features an excellent collection of 20th-century Italian painters, including Giorgio de Chirico (a particular favorite), Amedeo Modigliani, Antonio Canova, Giacomo Balla, and Giorgio Morandi.
You’ll also find works by Rodin, Degas, van Gogh, Monet, Duchamp, Man Ray, and Pollock.
Unlike the Vatican and the other Renaissance and ancient Roman attractions of Rome, the National Gallery of Modern Art is sparsely attended and therefore extremely pleasant.
After your visit, stroll along the shaded pathways of the Borghese Gardens.
Practical Information for the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome
National Gallery of Modern Art is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm. The admission currently costs €10. The website has the latest rates.
Tour of the Borghese Gallery
The very popular Borghese Gallery is close by. Here’s an option that inclues a guided tour with your tickets. The Borghese is well worth a visit, and houses one of my favorite Baroque sculptures by Bernini.
I favor staying in apartments when in Rome because I’m usually staying at least a week. Here are two of the apartments I’ve stayed in that provided excellent value in great locations:
Viam 16b Suites: I loved this place! It’s located on a tiny side street close to the Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps in an upscale area of Rome. Unlike many apartments in Rome, the Viam 16b Suites is staffed during the day. Our suite included an outdoor terrace.
Sant’Angelo Apartments: The location deep in the ancient Jewish Ghetto is a big selling point and the apartment itself is comfortable, albeit a bit dark. But walk out your front door and you’r’re steps from Roman ruins.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France: Fondation Maeght
The Fondation Maeght makes just about every list of must-see art museums in Europe. While not the largest modern art museum in Europe, the Maeght is one of the most respected and also the most beautifully situated.
On the grounds of the fabulous Fondation Maeght in the south of France
I can’t say that every exhibition we’ve seen at the Fondation Maeght has been great. However, you still ought to visit if you’re in the area. When the exhibitions are good, they are extremely good.
The Fondation Maeght is a private foundation that was conceived and funded by Aimé and Marguerite Maeght to exhibit modern art. The Maeghts had several artist friends, including Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Fernand Léger, and Joan Miró, who from the get-go donated or sold their work to the Foundation.
As Miró emphasized, the Fondation Maeght “…must before all be a place for art that remains alive.”
Visiting the Fondation Maeght
We first visited the Fondation Maeght in the 1990s during our first family trip to Europe with our young daughter. It was love at first sight!
Highlights include the giant sculptures by so many of the great 20th-century modern artists, including Miró, Giacometti, Arp, and Calder; spectacular views across the hills of the Riviera to the turquoise Mediterranean; and an airy modernist gallery.
You can visit the Fondation Maeght on a tour, but you’d be best off spending at least a few nights exploring the area and visiting the Maeght for a few hours at the beginning or end of the day when the light is best for photography.
Practical Information for the Fondation Maeght
Fondation Maeght is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm (July and Augusut to 7pm). The admission currently costs €18 for adults, €14 for youths (16 – 18), students, press and unemployed visitors. Children under 16 and disabled visitors are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Tour of Medieval Villages
If you don’t have a car, this tour of medieval villages that goes from Nice stops in Saint-Paul-de Vence for 1.5 hours, which is enough time for a flying visit to the Fondation Maeght.
The village of Saint Paul-de-Vence has been well and truly discovered and accommodations there are not budget-friendly. Here are two options:
Le Hameau: Located in an 18th-century farmhouse with a view of the valley and the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, this place is close to the Fondation and includes a gorgeous pool
Hotel Marc-Hely: Located a few kilometers away in La Colle-sur-Loup, this comfortable hotel room included a balcony and very friendly properietors.
Venice, Italy: Peggy Guggenheim Collection
If I were to pick a favorite modern art museum from this Must-See list, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice would rank in the top three.
Located right smack on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro district of magical Venice between Santa Maria della Salute and the Gallerie dell’Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection just makes me smile. I can’t visit it often enough!
Carol next to a statue of a horse in front of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice.
The museum houses Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection of 20th-century art, including masterpieces of cubism, surrealism, and abstract expressionism.
Gregg is a huge fan of Max Ernst,to whom Peggy was married for a time. Several of Ernst’s marvelous paintings are featured in the collection. Other artists in the permanent collection include Picasso, Kandinsky, Miró, Braque, Giacometti, Klee, Magritte, Dali, Pollock, de Chirico, Brancusi, Braque, Duchamp, and Mondrian.
It really is an embarrassment of 20th-century riches.
If you’re in Venice, take a break from the Renaissance and cross the canal to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Wander the cool halls of her renovated palazzo to view the paintings and sculptures, then descend the steps to the edge of the canal and watch the boats go by.
Venice panorama city skyline at Venice Grand Canal, Venice Italy
Practical Information for the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim Collection is open daily except Tuesdays from 10 am to 6 pm. The admission currently costs €16 for adults, €14 for seniors (70+), €9 for students under 26. Members and children under 10 are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Art Tour in the Dorsoduro
This private art and culture tour includes both the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the wonderful collection of Venetian art at the Accademia.
Venice is expensive, but splurge and stay in a central area of this remarkable city rather than in nearby Mestre. Venice at night is the best. Streets that are thronged during the day become dark and empty and you’re bound to get lost on your back back to your accommodations. But you’re on an island and eventually you’ll find your way through alleyways that look like they haven’t changed in centuries, which is pretty much the case.
San Teodoro Palace: This one-bedroom apartment is huge by Venice standards and located steps from the Rialto Bridge in a very lively and touristy area.
Ca’ Mirò: Settle into this two-floor apartment in a quiet area of Venice not far from the train station and become a temporary Venetian. It’s gorgeous.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Near Copenhagen, Denmark
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (#11 on the map at the top of this post) is about a 30-minute train ride north of Copenhagen. It’s world-renowned as one of Europe’s best modern art museums, and therefore a must-visit for the Artsy Traveler!
Check what exhibitions are on, but even if they don’t appeal, visit the museum anyway. It makes for a lovely morning out from Copenhagen. You reach it by train (covered by the Copenhagen Card) followed by a pleasant 20-minute stroll along a suburban road to the museum.
After visiting the exhibitions, head outside where the real stars of the museum are located.
Sculpture at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen, Denmark
Practical Information for the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is open from 11 am to 10 pm on Tuesdays to Fridays and 11 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The admission currently costs DKK 145 for adults, DKK 125 for students. Louisiana members and youths under 18 are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Day Tour from Copenhagen
Here’s a private day tour to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art from Copenhagen with Viator, or on another day, consider this day trip from Copenhagen with GetYourGuide to three interesting destinatoins outside Copenhagen: Kronborg, Frederiksborg Castle and Roskilde:
Here are two recommended places to stay in Copenhagen, both in the atmospheric Nyhavn area. See my post about both places for more details.
Sanders Haven: This huge apartment is one of the best places I’ve stayed anywhere in Europe (which is saying something). If it’s available, book it!
Phoenix Copenhagen: A stylishly upscale hotel in the Nyhavn area with friendly staff.
Tate St. Ives in Cornwall, England
The Tate St. Ives (#12) is a delightfully compact and easy-to-tour museum overlooking the sea in lovely little St. Ives. I visited on a recent trip to Cornwall, and was lucky to sit in on two curator talks about local artist Robert Lanyon. Here’s one of his pieces.
Lost Mine by Peter Lanyon
Practical Information for Tate St. Ives
Tate St. Ives is open daily from 10 am to 4:20 pm. The admission currently costs £13.50 and visitors aged under 18 is admitted free. The website has the latest rates.
Entry to the Barbara Hepworth Museum
A few minutes’ walk from the tate St. Ives is the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. This place is well worth a visit if you’re a fan of world renowned sculptor Barbara Hepworth. Here’s a link to tickets to the site.
Tregenna Castle Resort: Why not stay in a castle! This place is about a kilometer from St. Ives and overlooks the Cornish coast. It even has a heated indoor swimming pool and an outdoor seasonal heated swimming pool.
Sightseeing Tips
I highly recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time when you’re traveling in Europe. Major art museums are increasingly crowded, with long lines that sap your sightseeing energy. Who can enjoy art after standing for an hour under the hot sun waiting to buy tickets?
Purchase your tickets well in advance of your visit or even the night before from your hotel room. Then enjoy a leisurely breakfast before strolling straight into the museum past the long lines of tourists who did not book ahead.
You’ll be sighing in front of some of the world’s great masterpieces in no time!
I prefer to use just a few websites to book all my tickets so I can easily keep track of which venue I’m seeing on which day. You can also book tickets directly with most of the venues.
Have you visited any of these modern art museums in Europe? What are your suggestions and recommendations for fellow artsy travelers? Please share them in the Comments below.
Looking for more great art? Here are posts on a few more of my favorite art museums in Europe:
