Where To Go in France: Best 10-day Itinerary

Arts & Culture, Destinations, France Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 05:38 pm

You have ten days to spend in France? If it’s your first visit, then I suggest you focus on two locations: Paris & Provence.

The ten-day itinerary presented in this post is designed to allow you to explore these two iconic destinations in France at a reasonably leisurely pace.

France is a large country and best savored by spending at least two days in each place you plan to visit.

A colorful image of the coastal town of Menton in southern France, with pastel buildings, boats in the harbor, and the text "Best of France: 10 Days in Paris & the South" displayed prominently.

Overview of 10-Day France Itinerary

Here’s an overview of an itinerary that provides you with a taste of fabulous Paris (just enough to make you want to return!), four days split between two of the most scenic areas of Provence, and finally two days of sun and fun on the Riviera.

Days 1 to 3: Arrive in Paris on Day 1 and spend three nights in Paris, leaving on the morning of Day 4.
Days 4 and 5: Take the TGV to Avignon, pick up a rental car at the TGV station and drive east into the Luberon. Spend two nights in Rousillon or Gordes for a super Provence hit.
Days 6 and 7: Drive to Aix-en-Provence and spend two nights there; explore nearby Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence, or the Camargue.
Days 8 to 10: Drive to the coast and spend two nights in Antibes, Vence, or Cannes. Drop off the car at Nice airport and fly home.

Following are my suggestions for what to see in Paris and the South (particularly artsy sites!) and some recommendations for accommodations.

France Itinerary Map

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a road trip planner on iOS and Android

Paris on Your Best France Itinerary

Three days in Paris is nowhere near long enough to fully enjoy one of the world’s most fabulous cities, but it is long enough to explore most of the big bang sites.

I’ll get to sightseeing suggestions in a minute, but first, consider where you wish to put down temporary Parisian roots. To my mind, making sure you stay in an interesting part of Paris is almost as important as seeing the sights.

A lively cobblestone street in Montmartre, Paris, featuring colorful shops, outdoor art stalls, and people strolling past the Le Consulat café. — Find an interesting Parisian neighborhood to settle in, even if only for a few days

Choosing Your Parisian Neighborhood

Before and after you go touring around the city, you want to be able to walk to great restaurants and cafes, enjoy people-watching, and have quick access to the Seine for long, leisurely evening strolls to see the lights.

My preferred neighborhoods to stay in Paris are the sixth, fourteenth, and fifth arrondisements (in that order) on the Left Bank.

Yes, you can save money by getting a hotel near the péripherique (the multi-lane ring road that circles Paris) and then taking the Métro into Paris for sightseeing, but don’t succumb to the temptation unless your budget is really tight.

A few times over the years, I’ve stayed at soulless chain hotels on the edges of Paris, and each time it was a mistake.

I may have saved a few Euros, but I also wasted too many hours getting to and from the cool areas of Paris.

Instead of ending each evening watching the illuminated bateau mouches glide along the Seine with the sparkling Eiffel Tower in the distance before tumbling a few minutes later into a warm bed, I endured long, rattling Métro rides followed by quick walks through some pretty sketchy neighborhoods.

Like all major cities, Paris has its fair share of dreary, and sometimes even unsafe areas, I’m sorry to say, and while you can still find some nice places to eat and enjoy Parisian street life out by the péripherique, I’d stick with the arrondisements closest to the river and the Île de la Cité.

If you’re in Paris for longer than a few days, consider renting an apartment.

I’ve stayed in some great apartments in Montparnasse, the Marais, and Saint-Germain. But for short stays, I almost always head for the fifth and sixth arrondisements on the Left Bank, and ocassionally the 14th arrondisement.

Where to Stay on the Left Bank

Sixth Arrondisement

Sometimes referred to as Luxembourg because it contains the Luxembourg Gardens, the sixth arrondisement is probably still the area in Paris I most like to stay in. In recent years, it’s gotten very chi-chi and can be a bit touristy and expensive, but I still love wandering its narrow streets, window shopping and finding great little cafés to while away an afternoon.

I like the area so much that I had the heroine of my novel Love Among the Recipes rent an apartment on rue Bonaparte right across the street from Les Deux Magots, one of the most famous cafés in Paris.

Back in the day, French intellectuals such as Simone de Bouvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre discussed philosophy in Les Deux Magots and its equally historic neighbor the Café de Flore.

Nowadays the prices for a café crème at either place might make you weep, so walk a few blocks toward the Luxembourg Gardens and you’ll find more reasonable and less crowded alternatives.

The façade of the famous Café de Flore in Paris, adorned with lush greenery, flowers, and a black wrought-iron balcony.

Here’s a great choice in the sixth arrondisement.

Hotel de L’Universite

The Hotel de l’Université is a reasonably-priced (for Paris) hotel is on a quiet side street in the sixth arrondisement, a few blocks from the lively area around rue Bonaparte and Boulevard Saint-Germain.

I stayed there for three nights and loved the neighborhood, which is quintessentially Parisian and not too touristy. I spent many happy hours writing and people-watching at a cafe on the corner of the Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue du Bac (where there’s also a convenient Metro station) about a three-minute walk from the hotel.

The staff was great, the beds comfy, and the location quiet but still central.

Fourteenth Arrondisement – Montparnasse

A little farther south past the Luxembourg Gardens is Montparnasse, another cool and less touristy area to stay.

Back in the 1920s, Montparnasse was the haunt of artists, including Giorgio de Chirico, Amedeo Modigliani, Vassili Kandinsky, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, and Alberto Giacometti. For that reason alone, I enjoy staying in Montparnasse.

It’s a few Métro stops away from the Seine, but within walking distance of the Luxembourg Gardens. The area abounds with cool restaurants such as La Rotunde on Boulevard Montparnasse where many artists and intellectuals congregated back in the day.

Hotel prices can also be a little bit more reasonable in this area.

Hôtel A La Villa des Artistes

I recommend the Hôtel A La Villa des Artistes, which is the first hotel I stayed in on my first trip to Paris with my family when my daughter was eight years old.

Located close to the Vavin Metro, the hotel is also a short walk to the Luxembourg Gardens where my daughter spent many happy hours in a smartly designed playground.

Fifth Arrondisement

I also enjoy staying in the fifth arrondisement near the Boulevard Saint Michel. Like the sixth, the fifth is one of the oldest areas of Paris with plenty of winding side streets and one of my favorite museums, the Cluny.

Hôtel Le Clos Médicis

I recommend the H ôtel Le Clos Médicis which has a great location about a block from the Luxembourg Gardens near the Boulevard Saint Michel.

The rooms are pricey and quite small but very well-appointed and comfortable.

A cozy and elegant hotel lobby with plush chairs, a wooden coffee table, decorative beams, and warm ambient lighting. — Comfortable lobby in Hôtel Le Clos Médicis

Search for more hotels in Paris. Also check out my post about finding accommodation in France for general tips about finding good places to stay.

What to See in Paris

Where to start? On a three-day visit to Paris, I recommend the sites described below. I suggest checking out two or at the most three each day and then leaving plenty of time for wandering around your new neighborhood, sipping coffee in cafés and going out for dinner.

Eiffel Tower

Yes, it’s touristy and over-priced and super crowded, but you have to go up the Eiffel Tower at least once. I recommend going at night when the crowds are considerably less and the views are just as breath-taking.

Buy tickets in advance from the official website or consider a package that includes dinner:

The Louvre

The Louvre is massive, over-crowded, expensive, and magnificent.

The key to visiting the Louvre with ease is to focus on one or two areas at most. There’s a great deal of art in the Louvre, and while all of it is amazing, some pieces are more amazing than others.

The glass pyramid entrance of the Louvre Museum in Paris, reflecting sunlight and surrounded by historic buildings under a bright blue sky. — A visit to the Louvre is a must-do in Paris for art lovers

When you enter the pyramid and descend the escalator to the center of the Louvre, you’re faced with three wings: Sully, Richelieu, and Denon.

Most visitors make a beeline for the Denon wing because that’s where some of the most famous artworks in the world are displayed, including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.

Unless you have a burning desire to stand in a massive crowd bristling with pickpockets so you can peer over the tops of heads to see a tiny, glass-enclosed painting on a single wall, I’d give Mona a miss.

If you do want to see her, arrive early, or drop by just before the museum closes.

Suggested Way to Enjoy the Louvre

A better and less headache-inducing option is to head for the far end of the Denon wing and work your way back.

You’ll pass several remarkable pieces, including The Raft of the Medusa by Géricault, Autumn by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, Saint John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci, and La Grande Odalisque by Ingres (one of my faves).

Depending on your interests, you may also want to take a quick walk through the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian Antiquities in the Sully wing. The key to enjoying the Louvre is to pace yourself. You absolutely cannot see all of it in one visit.

Visiting the Louvre

You must book a time-slot to visit the Louvre. Check the website for details. The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily except Tuesdays.

Another good option for art lovers is to take a guided tour. This Masterpieces Tour with Reserved Access is a good option from GetYourGuide:

Sainte-Chapelle

The exquisite Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité is still one of my all-time favorite Parisian sites. I make time for a visit every time I go to Paris. Its other-worldly beauty will literarlly stop you in your tracks. Guaranteed.

The best way to see and really enjoy Sainte-Chapelle is to get tickets for a concert. You’ll experience its awesomeness without crowds while soaring to the heavens on the wings of sublime music.

For me, a perfect Parisian evening starts with a 7 pm concert at Sainte Chapelle followed by a walk across Île de la Cité to enjoy dinner on medieval Île Saint Louis. Check out this website to buy concert tickets.

And for more about Sainte-Chapelle, check out my post about the top cathedrals in Europe.

The stunning stained glass windows inside Sainte-Chapelle, featuring intricate patterns and vibrant colors illuminated by natural light. — The upper chapel in Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle is open from 11 am to 7 pm and reservations are required. Get tickets for priority access.

Notre Dame Cathedral

After the devastating fire in 2019 and five long years of reconstruction, Notre Dame Cathedral is again open to the public. I can’t wait to see it when I visit Paris again in 2025. Notre Dame has long been one of my favorite cathedrals in Europe.

The cathedral is free and open to all. However, you can reduce your waiting time by booking your access online. Here’s the link: Reservation.

The Musée d’Orsay

I love visiting the Musée d’Orsay maybe even more than the Louvre. It’s a little less crowded and not nearly so large.

It also displays some of the most-loved works of art by Manet, Morisot, van Gogh, Monet, and a lot more. To avoid the crowds, buy your tickets in advance and go early in the day or go on a Thursday evening when the museum is open until 9:45 pm (last entrance one hour before closing).

Head first for the fifth floor so you can enjoy the most popular paintings accompanied in relative peace.

Take your time wandering from room to room and then stop by the café behind the large clock–the original from when the Musée d’Orsay was a train station.

The historic Musée d'Orsay building along the Seine River, with boats docked on the water and the Eiffel Tower in the background. — The Musée d’Orsay is on the Left Bank in Paris

Here’s an option for a guided tour of the Musée d’Orsay:

The Pompidou

If you are a fan of mid twentieth-century modern art, then the fourth floor of the Pompidou Centre is your happy place. In room after room after room, you’ll see masterpieces by modern painters including Matisse, Pollock, Miro, and a lot more.

The area around the Pompidou Centre is also fun, particularly the Stravinsky Fountain. Linger for awhile to people watch.

The Stravinsky Fountain in Paris at night, featuring whimsical, colorful sculptures and water jets with the Gothic-style Saint-Merri Church lit in the background. — Stravinsky Fountain near the Pompidou Centre

Buy tickets in advance to avoid line-ups to the Pomipdou Centre, which is open every day except Tuesdays from 11 am to 8 pm.

Quai Branly Museum

Also known as the Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, the Musée Quai Branly deserves a place on your Paris itinerary if you are interested in art and objects created by indigenous cultures from around the world.

The collection is displayed in four distinct areas representing Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.

Plan to visit the Branly on the day you visit the Eiffel Tower. It’s within walking distance and is one of the few other noteworthy sites in the Eiffel Tower area.

If you’re in Paris on a Thursday, visit the museum around 6 or 7 pm (it’s open until 10:00 on Thursdays), go up the Eiffel Tower to see the sunset and the lights (depending on the time of year), and end with dinner at a restaurant in the area.

There are not a huge number of restaurants in that area, so check before you go and make reservations to avoid long, hungry walks up and down the relatively restaurant-free streets.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm (Thursdays until 10:00 pm). Get tickets in advance to book your time slot and avoid lines.

The Orangerie

Monet’s waterlily paintings take center stage at The Orangerie and are well worth a visit (go early or late to avoid crowds).

The Orangerie makes a nice stop after spending a few hours in the Tuileries Gardens watching the world go by. Get tickets in advance.

A vibrant springtime scene in a garden with blooming pink trees, colorful red tulips, and green grass, with classic Parisian buildings in the background. — Tuileries near the Orangerie in Spring

Paris has many more amazing museums in addition to the Big Three (Louvre, d’Orsay and Pompidou). If you have time, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

My post on Paris Art Museums provides you with some ideas.

And for even more details about my suggested sites and their tie-ins with Love Among the Recipes, along with descriptions of dozens of other things to see in Paris, check out my post on Paris Sightseeing.

Here are some options for taking a bus tour around Paris to see the main sites in comfort. A good strategy is to take a tour when you first arrive in Paris to orient yourself.

To the South on Best Your France Itinerary

After three full days of touring Paris, you’ll be ready for a relaxing morning riding the TGV, France’s high speed train, to the south of France. You catch the TGV to Avignon from Gare Montparnasse. Check the SCNF website to buy tickets or book through Trainline.

A sleek, blue and silver high-speed TGV train moving along tracks surrounded by green fields and trees under a clear sky.

I love riding the TGV. It’s so smooth and fast! Within about four hours, you’ll arrive at the sleek, modern train station in Avignon and step into the warm southern air.

I suggest renting a car for pick-up at Avignon station. The traffic around the station isn’t too frenetic, and very quickly you’ll be on your way east to the Luberon.

For information and tips about driving in Europe, see my post Top Tips for Driving in Europe.

The Luberon

Made famous by Peter Mayle’s book A Year in Provence, the Luberon region of Provence has been thoroughly discovered. But it’s still a magical area and one which I visit as often as possible.

I never tire of driving around the little villages, taking walks through the glorious countryside, eating fabulous al fresco meals and poking around the little shops. I always come away with a bag full of lavender and honey soaps.

The villages I like best are Gordes, Rousillon (an absolute must-see) and Bonnieux.

I suggest settling into a country hotel in the area and taking day trips to explore the villages and just soak up the Provençal vibe. Other attractive villages are Menerbes, Lacoste, and Saignon where we stayed for two weeks back in the nineties.

Rousillon deserves a special mention. Not only is the village itself delightful with plenty of good restaurants and shopping, it is close to Le Sentier des Ocres. This area of stunning ocher cliffs and pathways is an easy walk from the village. For more information, check out this post.

The striking ochre cliffs and vibrant red rock formations of the Sentier des Ocres trail in Roussillon, France, surrounded by lush green pine trees. — Ocher cliffs in the Sentier des Ocres near Rousillon

Here are two highly recommended hotels in the Luberon, one in Roussillon and one in Gordes.

Les Sables d’Ocre

A 15-minute walk from the village of Roussillon, Les Sables d’Ocre sets the bar for what a country-style, family-run, low-key, easy-on-the-budget place should be.

Book one of the rooms that includes a terrace. You’ll have your own private outdoor space and be steps from the pool.

Domain de l’Enclos

Close to lovely Gordes, the Domain de L’Enclos is wonderful. On a Spring trip to the Luberon , I snagged a room with a terrace which Gregg made use of to do some drawing.

The views from the garden over the Luberon are spectacular. Check our his work on his website.

A man sketching outdoors at a table surrounded by old stone walls, greenery, and lavender bushes in a tranquil French countryside setting. — Gregg drawing outside at our hotel near Gordes in the Luberon

Avignon

On your way to Aix-en-Provence from the Luberon, consider stopping for an afternoon to see Avignon. I loved touring the Pope’s Palace (the Palais des Papes) where back in the 14th century, several popes lived when the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon.

The palace is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe.

The imposing medieval architecture of the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, France, with its fortified walls, towers, and golden statue glistening against a blue sky. — Palace of the Popes in Avignon

The town of Avignon is pleasant and compact, and it’s always fun to see the famous pont d’Avignon that stretches only halfway across the Rhone River.

The historic Pont d’Avignon bridge in France, partially extending over the Rhône River, with a serene reflection of the structure in the water during golden hour. — The Pont d’Avignon made famous in the song

Aix-en-Provence and Arles

You could choose to home base either in Aix-en-Provence or Arles. Both have their charms and both are within easy driving distance of plenty of fabulous Provence landscapes.

Consider spending a day in the Camargue, where you’ll see flamingos, bulls, and the Mediterranean; wander Arles in the footsteps of van Gogh; and enjoy a meal on the picturesque and car free Le Cours Mirabeau, the main drag in Aix-en-Provence.

The key to enjoying this area is just to relax and soak up the atmosphere.

A lively street in Aix-en-Provence, France, with cafés, shops, and trees lining the boulevard on a sunny day. — The main drag in Aix-en-Provence

For an off-the-beaten track adventure, check out Château La Coste in the hills north of Aix-en-Provence. It’s a vineyard and sculpture park with a great restaurant. Another option is to take a half-day wine tour of the region. Here’s a GetYourGuide tour:

The Riviera

Drive east from Aix-en-Provence and within two hours, you’ll see signs to Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Menton and Monte Carlo.

You’re on the fabled Riviera!

A woman posing in front of Monaco’s harbor, featuring yachts, boats, and waterfront buildings lined with palm trees under a bright blue sky. — Enjoying the high life in Monaco on the French Riviera

There is a lot to do on the French Riviera so I suggest finding a home base and then taking day trips. Here are just a few of the highlights.

Antibes

Visit the Picasso Museum and wander the picturesque back streets. Enjoy great views of the Mediterranean and watch the boats.

Cannes

Promenade along the famous seaside and mingle with the beautiful people, enjoy a cocktail on the terrace of the famed Carlton Cannes Hotel, then check out the high class shops.

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Located on Cap Ferrat just to the east of Nice, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is worth a visit for the gardens alone (and the house is no slouch either). The nearby Greek Villa Kerylos is also fun to visit, particularly for the spectacular views of the Mediterranean.

Nice

Nice is a large and bustling city and although a bit iffy in some areas, is a great place to home base.

Avoid the areas near the train station. Spend an afternoon and evening exploring the narrow streets of Old Nice to sample great food and just get all your senses stimulated.

A narrow street in the South of France lined with colorful, pastel-hued buildings, potted plants, and green shutters, capturing a charming European atmosphere.

Menton

Menton is a great choice for a town that is less crowded than some of its more famous cousins. I’ve spent several afternoons in Menton and can’t wait to go back. Its old town is charming and its beach long and sandy.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Located in the hills above Cannes, the enchanting (achingly so!) village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence is truly delightful, even it is has in recent years become very upscale.

I’ve enjoyed some good meals there overlooking spectacular views. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is also very close to the Fondation Maeght, a modern art museum set in gorgeous gardens with very cool sculptures.

Vence

A few kilometers past Saint-Paul-de-Vence and closer to the mountains that buttress the French Riviera is Vence, one of our favorite places to relax away from the hubbub on the coast.

The pedestrian-only medieval streets of this walled town are peaceful and shady with plenty of restaurants are available. Vence feels like a place where people actually live.

If you’re a fan of Matisse, a visit to the Matisse Chapel (the Chapelle du Rosaire) a fifteen-minute walk from Vence is a must. Matisse designed every detail of the chapel. The interior is very spare and modern with stunning stained glass windows.

Tour Options on the French Riviera

Here are some options with Tiqets.com for touring the French Riviera. A boat trip would be fun!

And here are some GetYourGuide tours of the area.

Accommodation Options on the Riviera

Nice or Cannes both make good home bases on the Mediterranean. You’ll find lots of hotels here, some on the waterfront.

Another option is to home base in a village like Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Vence and then drive to the towns on the Mediterrenean.

One drawback of this plan is that the traffic can be horrendous the closer to the waterfront you get. On the other hand, the villages above the Riviera are so spectacular that it would be shame not to spend some time there.

Here are some options:

Les Villas du Parc: I stayed in this gorgeous villa on the outskirts of Antibes for a week. If you have a car, this is a great choice.

Hôtel Marc Hély: We enjoyed a room with a view over Saint Paul-de-Vence and a tasty breakfast in the courtyard. This is a great choice in La Colle-sur-Loup, which is about a ten-minute drive from the Fondation Maeght.

Miramar: This hotel is in Vence, which is just up the hill from Saint-Paul-de-Vence and a larger town with more services. FYI, we had the best pizza in an outdoor café in the Old Town of Vence! The Miramar is a reasonably-priced and well-located property that is great for drivers.

Search other hotels in Vence.

Eating in France

Enjoying French cuisine in the thousands of small restaurants all over France is a huge highlight. You can get a bad meal in France (and I’ve endured some doozies), but that’s usually the exception.

Check online reviews of the restaurants in the area you’re traveling to and make dinner reservations.

Check out my general tips on dining well on a budget in Europe.

Conclusion

One of the best things about traveling in France is just being in France.

People are friendly and helpful, particularly if you attempt to speak French; the food is almost always wonderful; and a great deal of the French countryside is drop-dead gorgeous.

Most of my fondest memories of my travels in France are of great meals I’ve shared with my husband, and the scenic drives and walks we’ve taken through the countryside.

Slow down, make time to smell the lavender, and enjoy!

Here are some more posts about traveling in France:

Favorite Concerts & Performances in Europe

Activities, Arts & Culture Artsy Traveler 1 Comment

Last updated on January 16th, 2025 at 01:29 am

When it comes to concerts and performances, Europe is like a chocolate box brimming over with artsy flavors. Venues in every city and town showcase a wide range of musical styles, from classical to traditional to rock.

In addition to music concerts, you’ll find plenty of theater and dance performances, along with festivals and special events.

Gregg and I reminisce most often about the many wonderful performances we’ve enjoyed during our European travels. Some of our favorite memories are of performances we stumbled across, often as a result of chatting with local artists and fellow travelers, noticing posters and flyers, and checking out “What’s On” pages on local websites.

Pinterest graphic with the text faovrite concerts and performances in europe over a picture of the sainte chapelle stained glass windows in Paris

Gregg and I reflected in the ultra-modern façade of the Paris Philharmonie

Overview

While I’m always open to serendipity when it comes to choosing performances and concerts, I also believe in planning ahead. I suggest that as soon as you know the dates of your trip, go online and search for concerts, performances, festivals and other live events that will be on while you’re traveling.

A search for “musicals in London”, “classical concerts in Paris”, or “dance performances, Seville” should yield good results. You can also use generic searches such as “what’s on in Berlin” or “concerts in Vienna” and then narrow down the choices to focus on the music genres that interest you.

In this post, I share some of the memorable concerts and performances we’ve enjoyed, listed by city.

Amsterdam

One of Europe’s most beautiful concert halls is Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, located across from the Museumplein. Free lunchtime concerts are held on Wednesdays in the small concert hall adjacent to the main hall.

On a recent visit to Amsterdam, we enjoyed a lively performance by two vibraphonists. Check the website to find out what’s on when you’re in Amsterdam. You’ll join locals and very few other tourists for a marvelous (and free!) musical experience.

Exterior of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, a great place to see concerts and performances in Europe — The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam

Barcelona

The Ópera y Flamenco performance at the astonishingly exquisite Palau de la Música Catalana is not to be missed. Even if Ópera y Flamenco is not playing when you’re visiting Barcelona, check out the Palau de la Música Catalana website to see what’s on and, if possible, get tickets. A visit to the Palau de la Música will quite simply blow your mind!

The magnificent stained glass at the Palau de la Música Catalana

Built between 1905 and 1908 by the modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you can’t get tickets to a performance, you can still take a tour of the building.

Berlin

If you’re a classical music fan, check out what’s on at the impressive home of the Berlin Philharmonic (Berlin Philharmoniker). The building itself is fabulous with wonderful acoustics and worth touring even if you can’t see a concert there. We enjoyed an awe-inspiring performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring performed by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

Check out the concert calendar and buy tickets from the Berlin Philharmoniker website.

Cologne

While we usually book tickets well in advance, we’re always open to attending concerts on the spur of the moment. One such memorable concert was at the Kölner Philharmonie, a magnificent concert hall a stone’s throw from Cologne’s famous cathedral and in the same complex as the wonderful Ludwig Museum.

We had just finished visiting the Romano-Germanic-Museum (a must-see!) and were walking past the Kölner Philharmonie when we noticed a poster for the evening’s concert. The programme appealed to us and so we inquired at the box office about tickets. The very friendly, English-speaking attendant told us that tickets were available and at a price we considered incredibly reasonable, at least compared to what we were accustomed to paying in Vancouver.

Two hours later, we took our seats in one of the most dazzling modern concert halls I’d ever been in. Built in 1986, the Kölner Philharmonie is constructed like an amphitheatre and provides near-perfect acoustics. Even the size and padding of the seats have been selected to ensure constant acoustics regardless of whether the seat is occupied.

Check the Kölner Philharmonie website to see what’s on.

Leipzig

Marvelous Leipzig is a must-visit for classical music lovers, particularly if you adore (like I do!) the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Read my post about our visit to the Bach Museum (I still swoon when I think of it!).

While in Leipzig, we attended a wonderful concert at the famed Gewandhaus where the young Clara Wieck (who became Clara Schumann and the inspiration for my second novel, A Woman of Note) debuted as a solo pianist in 1828. Many other famous musicians have played at Gewandhaus and for that reason I was curious to see a performance there.

Exterior of the Gewandhaus concert venue in Leipzig, Germany, a stunning venue for concerts and performances in Europe — Gewandhaus concert hall in Leipzig, Germany

The ultra-modern Gewandhaus concert hall is nothing like the venue Clara played in, and is, in fact, the third concert hall to bear the name Gewandhaus, the first being built in 1781, the second in 1884 (designed by famed architect Martin Gropius), and the current hall in 1981.

We snagged tickets to a solo piano concert of music by Mozart and Chopin. What a treat, and, at less than $30CDN per ticket, probably the best value for a concert I’ve ever enjoyed. At the interval, we thought the concert was over. The pianist had played for so long that we couldn’t imagine he’d be able to perform any longer. As we prepared to leave, a local woman came up to us and told us in careful English that it was only the break and that we needed to stay for the second half. Gratefully, we returned to the concert hall to enjoy another ninety minutes of jaw-dropping music performed by the very hard-working pianist.

Check the Gewandhaus website to see what’s on.

Lisbon

When you’re visiting Lisbon, make time for a fado performance (or two). We favor the smaller clubs with intimate performances over the more touristy offerings.

A fado guitar; see fado performances while traveling in Portugal

Our favorite place for fado in Lisbon is Restaurante Canto do Camões on Travessa da Espera in the Bairro Alto. It’s low-key, with a friendly owner, good food, reasonable prices, and lots of fado. When we were there, singers dropped in, performed a few songs designed to rip our hearts out, collected a few euros from the proprietor, and then left, presumably to go sing in another place. Sadly, Restaurante Canto do Camões is now closed permanently; however, you’ll find other small restaurants that feature fado in the Bairro Alto and the Alfama.

You can also see fado performances in Porto and Coimbra. In Porto, we loved the performance at the Casa da Guitarra, which also included a glass of port. In Coimbra, fado is only sung by men. We saw a troupe of men who sing wearing traditional costumes at À Capella, a 14th-century chapel that includes a bar and tapas with the live fado serenades.

Skyline of Coimbra in Portugal, a great place to hear fado — Coimbra is a charming town and a great place to enjoy fado

London

The first thing I do after booking a trip to London is check out what’s playing in the West End and what’s on at the National Theater and the Globe. I’ve enjoyed so many memorable performances in London, starting in the 1970s when I was a student at Reading University, a 40-minute train ride from the bright lights of the West End. In those days, performances in London were so reasonably priced that even a student could afford them! Even now, I find that prices for musicals in the West End are far below what I’ve paid in New York.

Go to the London Theatre website, see what’s on and get tickets well in advance. You can also take your chances during your trip and purchase last-minute tickets, often at a reduced rate. However, I don’t recommend doing this for a performance that you really want to see.

But if you are flexible and open to seeing what’s playing, you could well get lucky. On a trip to London in 2018, I got a ticket for Mamma Mia on the day of the performance for just 40 GBP.

Before going to the theater, enjoy an early dinner at one of the many restaurants in the West End advertising pre-theatre menus.

And while planning your entertainment options in London, don’t forget to check out what’s on at venues such as the Albert Hall and the Barbican Centre. Another option is the lunchtime and evening concerts at the achingly lovely St Martin-in-the-Fields near Trafalgar Square.

Exterior of Saint Martins-in-the-Fields in London, a venue for classical music concerts — Saint Martins-in-the-Fields next to Trafalgar Square in London hosts classical music concerts

Paris

We love going to concerts in Paris. Spectacular venues such as the Opéra Bastille, the Paris Philharmonie and Sainte-Chapelle enhance the musical experiences, and the quality of the performances is always first-rate. Here are just a few of the venues to check out, particularly if you are a classical music lover.

Opéra Bastille

Seeing an opera in Paris is definitely a cool experience, and one that we hope to repeat as restrictions continue to lift. One of our most memorable opera experiences was seeing Götterdämmerung at the Opéra Bastille. Talk about mind-exploding!

Exterior of the Opera Bastille in Paris, a stunning venue for concerts and performances in Europe — Opéra Bastille in Paris

The Opéra national de Paris presents operas at two venues—the ultra chic and modern Opéra Bastille and the sumptuously decorated and historic Opéra Garnier. Check the website for the Opéra national de Paris.

Paris Philharmonie

The Philharmonie de Paris is just breathtaking! Located in Parc de la Villette in the northeast of Paris, the Philharmonie is a complex of buildings that also house exhibition spaces and rehearsal rooms. We attended a performance in the symphonic concert hall—a 2,400-seat über-modern venue designed by Jean Nouvel and opened in January 2015. It was a stunning experience.

Check the website for upcoming performances and events.

Piano Concerts at Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Located just across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral in the 5^th arrondissement, the Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is one of the oldest churches in Paris. Concerts featuring either solo piano or duos (e.g., violin and piano or cello and piano) are frequently held there—and they are well worth attending. We’ve been to several. Tickets are reasonably priced, the venue is deliciously ancient and atmospheric, and the quality of the playing is first-rate.

Exterior of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre in the 5th arrondisement in Paris, across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral. The church is a lovely venue for concerts and performances in Europe. — Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is just across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral

Check the website for upcoming concerts and keep an eye out for posters in the area (that’s how we discovered what was on).

Sainte-Chapelle Concerts

Fancy spending an hour or two staring up at sublimely beautiful stained glass supported by impossibly slender columns while listening to sublimely beautiful classical music? Then check out the website for Sainte-Chapelle’s concerts and purchase tickets for a performance. You won’t be disappointed!

Imagine listening to music surrounded by this view!

We’ve enjoyed several concerts at Sainte-Chapelle and have always been transported into ever higher planes of awesomeness. A favorite evening out is to enjoy the performance at 7 pm and then to wander starry-eyed through the cobbled streets of Île de la Cité to Île Saint-Louis and dine at one of the many small bistros in the area. Artsy traveling doesn’t get much better!

Seville

We’re firm fans of flamenco. See my post describing the flamenco performance we enjoyed on our first visit to Seville. In Seville, you can see flamenco at several venues. I recommend two.

Flamenco Museum

From the website, purchase the combo ticket that includes the museum and a late afternoon flamenco performance that will leave you breathless.

Los Gallos

Situated in a charming little courtyard in the heart of Seville, Los Gallos is an intimate venue with world-class talent. Sip the Sangria included in the ticket price and prepare to be blasted into the stratosphere.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Every time I visit England, I do my best to squeeze in a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I have been fortunate to see many wondrous performances there, including productions of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet that both starred the incomparable David Tennant.

When I was a student at Reading University, a two-hour drive southeast of Stratford-upon-Avon, I frequently made the trek to see a performance. I was studying for a degree in English Literature so taking in as many Shakespeare productions as possible was almost mandatory.

You can see Shakespeare productions at the Globe in London and the experience is highly recommended. However, I must admit that I prefer the productions at Stratford-upon-Avon. The seating is more comfortable, and the quality is top-notch. I liken seeing a production by the Royal Shakespeare Company as the auditory equivalent of looking at high-quality cut crystal. Every word and gesture is crisp and perfect.

When you go up to Stratford-upon-Avon to slake your Shakespeare yen, you also get the bonus of having time to wander the charming streets of Stratford. Sure, it’s a bit touristy, but so what? I love touring Shakespeare’s birthplace, paying my respects at his grave in the church, and watching the swans glide by on the River Avon.

Exterior of Shakespeare's home in Stratford-upon-Avon in England — Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon

In August 2022, I’ll be visiting Stratford-upon-Avon again, this time to catch a performance of Richard III. Although admittedly not my favorite of Shakespeare’s History plays, I know I’ll see a production to remember.

Visit the RSC’s website for details about upcoming productions in Stratford-upon-Avon and London.

Venice

On one visit to Venice, we were strolling through the quiet streets after dark when we noticed a young man dressed in 18^th-century garb and carrying a violin case hurry past. We caught up to him and asked if he was a musician. He told us he was on his way to play a concert of 17^th- and 18^th-century music in a church. Did we like music like that?

Is Vivaldi Venetian?

Yes!

We followed him to the church and half an hour later were sitting beneath a mural painted by Titian and listening to a selection of Venetian classical music favorites. Bliss! The orchestra was clad in 18^th-century garb and the performance was obviously aimed at tourists, but that didn’t affect the quality of the musicianship or the depth of our enjoyment.

A mask and violin representing music in Venice, a place with many venues for concerts and performances — Hearing Baroque music in Venice just makes sense!

After the concert, we floated out into a warm evening to find ourselves moments later at the edge of the Grand Canal. A barge filled with another group of musicians in period dress slid past, the music wafting through the balmy air like the rustling of silk stockings.

Magical!

In Venice, several venues feature classical music concerts. Check out the Music in Venice website for programs and dates.

Verona

The Arena di Verona, the Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy, periodically presents operas to hundreds of fans who are mostly perched on the edge of very hard, very ancient Roman stone steps. We know because several years ago, we were such fans. To read about an evening that has become synonymous with disaster in our family, check out Meltdown in Verona.

Our experience aside, attending a performance at the Roman arena in Verona could be the magical experience we’d expected. The detailed RM Europa Tickets website contains information about all the opera festivals in Europe in 2022. You’ll find opera festivals in almost all European countries, along with a detailed list of venues and schedules, including the Arena di Verona.

The Arena di Verona, a venue for grand operas and other concerts and performances in Italy — Arena di Verona

Vienna

You can’t walk two feet in Vienna’s Stephansplatz without tripping over a bewigged young person trying to sell you tickets to a performance of Strauss, Mozart, or both. Vienna has several venues featuring tourist-oriented shows designed to showcase the oldie goldies of several of its most famous composers, particularly Johann Strauss.

The last time I visited Vienna, traveling solo, I attended a delightful string quartet concert at the gorgeous Sala Terrena, an intimate and heavily decorated venue in the center of the city. Mozart allegedly lived in the building in which the Sala Terrena is housed when he first came to Vienna as a young man. While you wait for the concert to begin, feast your eyes on the riotous Baroque frescoes and look out especially for the leopard! For more about my experience at the Sala Terrena concert, check out my post on Music in Vienna.

Interior of the Sala Terrena in Vienna, a charming venue for classical concerts and performances — Some of the frescoes at the Sala Terrena in Vienna

On the same trip to Vienna, I took the tram and then a bus out to Schloss Laudon (Water Palace) in the bucolic countryside surrounding Vienna to attend a concert that was part of the five-day Schloss Laudon festival. I discovered the festival while planning my trip to Vienna and was very glad I managed to snag a ticket for a performance that featured an early Beethoven piano trio in the style of Haydn and a marvelous rendition of Tchaikovsky’s piano trio.

Hamburg

In Hamburg, get tickets to see a performance at the ultra-modern Elbphilharmonie, one of the world’s most stunning concert halls.

Conclusion

Before you travel, check websites for venues and performance times and budget as much money as you can spare for live entertainment. You’ll be making memories that last a lifetime.

And keep a lookout for local folk performances that are often free, with some even encouraging participation. You’ll typically find these advertised in flyers and on posters. Watch a flag-waving demonstration by young people dressed in medieval garb in Siena, dance the Sardana in front of Barcelona Cathedral along with hundreds of locals and tourists, watch a concert featuring ancient instruments in a tiny chapel in Les Baux de Provence, and more!

Keep your eyes and ears open; you never know what’s around the next corner.

Statue featuring several figures dancing the Sardana, a traditional dance in Barcelona, Spain — Statue commemorating the Sardana in Barcelona

Have you attended concerts while traveling in Europe? Share your experiences and recommendations in the Comments below. Here are some more posts that feature information about concert-going in Europe:

Amazing Artsy Sightseeing Choices in Spain for the Independent Traveler

Arts & Culture, Destinations, Spain Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on October 15th, 2024 at 04:24 am

When it comes to artsy favorites, Spain has more than its fair share of wonderful sights and experiences. From amazing flamenco to mind-bending modern art to soul-expanding palaces and cathedrals, Spain is a treasure that keeps on giving.

Every time I travel to Spain, I discover new layers of a culture that stretch back millennia.

In this post, I share some of my favorite artsy experiences in Spain.

Map of Spain: Suggested Artsy Favorites

The map below shows the locations of the artsy sightseeing favorites mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.

Places mapped by Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android

Flamenco–a Definite Artsy Favorite!

My husband Gregg and I are crazy for flamenco and see it every chance we get when we travel in Spain. In fact, Gregg loves it so much that he created a whole series of pastel drawings based on his experiences seeing flamenco in Spain.

Abstract pastel drawing in pink and blue tones showing a flamenco dancer with swirling skirts — Flamenco Abstraction 7 by Gregg Simpson

Abstract pastel drawing in blue and green tones showing a flamenco dancer with swirling skirts — Flamenco Abstraction 6 by Gregg Simpson

We’ve experienced flamenco in Seville, Cordoba, and Barcelona.

Flamenco in Seville

Seville is the place to go to see a wide variety of flamenco shows, although we’ve also seen good shows in both Barcelona (even though it’s not flamenco country) and Cordoba.

When you’re in Seville (#1 on the map), start with the Flamenco Dance Museum. Purchase the combo ticket that includes the museum and a late afternoon flamenco show. On your second night in Seville (and seriously, spend at least two nights and preferably three in this most Spanish of cities), attend a flamenco show at Los Gallos.

Two female flamenco dances dancing outside against a backdrop of rounded columns in Seville. — Flamenco dancers in Seville

The Flamenco Dance Museum exhibits a marvelous collection of flamenco-related objects, films, and paintings and explains the history of flamenco and the meaning of the various terms. Baile is dance, Bailaor is dancer, cantaor is singer, palmas is the rhythmic hand-clapping that accompanies flamenco song and dance, and duende is the soul force that inspires the art of flamenco.

The flamenco dancers and musicians at the Flamenco Museum put on a heart-stomping hour-long concert. Get your tickets in advance. The room was packed!

Options for Seeing Flamenco in Seville

The show at Los Gallos is intimate and incredible. We’ve seen it twice and both times we were completely blown away.

Seeing Flamenco in Barcelona

Catalan Barcelona (#2) is not a center for flamenco. However, we saw our first performance of flamenco there at the Palau de la Música. Called Opera y Flamenco, we enjoyed an utterly spellbinding evening of opera arias by a tenor and a soprano, flamenco dancing by a man and woman, and traditional flamenco singing by a woman. A band of about eight that included guitars, piano, cello, violins, and drums blew the roof off.

I was having heart palpitations by the end. Rarely, if ever, have we experienced such an awe-inspiring evening of music. The flamenco dancing was enough to turn even the most hardened non-romantic into a giant goose bump.

The concert we saw may not be playing when you’re in Barcelona but definitely make room in your itinerary to tour the Palau de la Música or take in a concert. The stunningly ornate modernista building will take your breath away. I write more about it in Favorite Concerts & Performances in Europe.

Seeing the Palau de la Música in Barcelona

Historical Art–a Must See for the Artsy Traveler

Historical art in Spain takes in a lot of centuries, going as far back as 30,000 years ago and beyond. Spain has several cave art sites and is world-renowned for its master artists, including Velasquez, El Greco, and Goya, among others.

Cave Art

So far, we’ve visited only one cave art site in Spain—La Pileta (#3) near Ronda in southern Spain. The hour-long tour in the dimly lit cave took us past paintings that are at least 30,000 years old. Reservations are required; check the website to book your tour time. The drive up a steep and winding road to the entrance of the cave is half the fun of a visit here.

We learned about the Caves of Pileta (Cueva de la Pileta) from the owner of the beautiful little hotel we stayed at out in the countryside near Ronda (see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks).

We’re big cave art fans and plan to visit the ‘queen’ of the cave art sites –the Cave of Altamira (Cueva de Altamira) in northern Spain near the charming town of Santillana del Mar. Featured are charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of animals and human hands.

Detail of the replica of paintings of the Cave of Altamira

The Cave at Altamira is the premier site for exploring prehistoric art in Spain. Buy tickets in advance from the website.

The Prado

The Prado in Madrid (#4) is one of the world’s major art galleries, on a par with the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum. We enjoyed touring the Prado which exhibits many of the biggies, including Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, Velasquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s 6th of May, and a whack of Raphaels, Rubenses, Durers, El Grecos, et al.

Shown above is the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, surely one of the coolest paintings ever!

Although large, the Prado not as daunting as the Louvre and certainly not as crowded. You can get fairly close to masterpieces that you’ve seen in art books for years. There’s no doubt that the real thing is, well, the real thing! There’s no comparison to a reproduction.

Put the Prado at the top of your artsy must-see list when you visit Madrid.

Options for Touring Art Museums in Madrid

Modern Art for the Artsy Traveler

Spain is home to several modern art museums, the most famous being the Reina Sofia and the Guggenheim Bilbao. Don’t miss either one if you’re a modern art fan.

Reina Sofia

The Reina Sofia (#5) is the major modern art museum in Madrid and houses Picasso’s Guernica along with assorted works by Miró, Dalí, etc. Guernica did not come to Spain until the 1980s after the death of Franco. Now it has pride of place in a room of its own.

The painting is massive and far more powerful in real life than in reproduction. You’ll sense how enraged Picasso felt as he painted it.

The Reina Sofia is a well-designed gallery that combines a modern area with the arched hallways and barred windows of an old hospital. In many of the rooms, a film representative of the period is playing. Most were from the silent era which made following them a lot easier.

The Reina Sofia is included in my post showcasing Awesome Modern Art Museums in Europe: Best Bets for the Artsy Traveler.

Guggenheim Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (#6) is hands down one of my very favorite modern art museums in Europe. The building itself is fabulous as are the many sculptures surrounding it, including the beloved Puppy. He’s the massive Highland Terrier created by Jeff Koons and made from living flowers that guards the entrance to the museum.

The Guggenheim Bilbao is included in my post showcasing the Awesome Modern Art Museums in Europe: Best Bets for the Artsy Traveler.

Options for Touring the Guggenheim Bilbao

Museums Dedicated to Individual Artists

Several of the most famous artists of the 20th century were born in Spain including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. Each has museums dedicated to their art along with pieces in most major collections.

Picasso Museum

For more Picasso, visit the exquisite Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) (#7) in the Barri Gòtic, the medieval center of Barcelona. Picasso truly was a master of it all—a painter, printmaker, ceramicist, sculptor, stage designer, and even a poet and playwright. The Museu Picasso includes over 4,000 works artfully displayed.

Miró Foundation

A visit to the Miró Foundation (Fundació Joan Miró (#8)) in Barcelona is just plain fun. Located in the Parc de Montjuïc, it’s a subway or bus ride from the Plaça de Catalunya and well worth an afternoon of your time. I write more about it in my post Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona.

Dalí Museum

If you’re driving from southwest France into Spain, consider stopping in Figueres to visit the majorly quirky Dalí Theatre-Museum (#9). If you are a Dalí fan (I confess I am not), the museum is a worthwhile stop. The area also has other Dalí sites including the Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat near the charming little town of Cadaques.

Cathedrals to Awe the Artsy Traveler

In this very Catholic country, you’ll find lots of churches and cathedrals, many dripping with gold brought back from the New World by the conquistadors.

Learn more about them in these posts.

Santiago de Compostela (#10): Exploring Northern Spain & Basque Country
Seville Cathedral (#11) and The Cathedral of Cordoba (#12): A Culture Steeped Itinerary to Tour Andalusia Comfortably in 10 Days
Toledo Cathedral (#13) and the Cathedral of Zaragoza (#14): Exploring the Heart of Spain
Sagrada Familia(#15) in Barcelona: Two Packed and Fabulous Days in Barcelona

Options for Touring Cathedrals in Spain

My favorite cathedral, hands down, is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Still unfinished after decades of building, the Sagrada Familia is so incredibly quirky at the same time as being heart-stoppingly stunning. The stained glass floods your senses, blocking out the sounds of fellow travelers. Stop, sit, and let your soul be stirred.

Stained glass windows in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - an artsy favorite — Interior of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

Palaces–Artsy Favorites

The must-see palace in Spain is, of course, the Alhambra (#16) in Granada, the center of Moorish Spain back in the day. I write about my suggestions for visiting Granada and touring the Alhambra in A Culture Steeped Itinerary to Tour Andalusia Comfortably in 10 Days.

Allocate at least two nights in Granada so that you can spend the entire day touring the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palace. The complex is massive and requires stamina to enjoy. Pace yourself and make sure you get reservations well in advance of your visit.

View of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain--a must-see for the artsy traveler — The fabled Alhambra in Granada

In Madrid, the Royal Palace is also definitely worth a visit.

Conclusion

One of the many things I love about traveling in Spain is the variety of interesting sights and regions. At least two weeks is needed to even scratch the surface of Spain. It’s a huge country!

Must-see regions are Catalonia to visit Barcelona, Andalusia to visit Seville, Cordoba, and Granada, Madrid and Toledo in the center, and northern Spain from Santiago de Compostela in the far northwest to Bilbao and Basque country and the Pyrenees in the far west.

Artsy travel experiences abound. Here are more posts to explore:

Best Itineraries to Tour Favorite Regions in Spain

Arts & Culture, Spain Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 09:44 pm

My two Spain itineraries last for three weeks each because, frankly, you can’t “do” Spain in one trip. But in a three-week period, you can see a fair bit of it by focusing on either the south or the north.

This post presents two itineraries that both include Madrid.

Itinerary 1 starts in Barcelona, goes down the coast to Andalusia, swings by Madrid, visits charming Zaragoza and ends in Barcelona.

Itinerary 2 starts in Madrid and explores Salamanca and northern Spain, before swinging south to take in Burgos and ending back in Madrid.

Pinterest graphic with the text favorite regions in spain. Above the text is a picture of Toledo from a distance. Below the text is a picture of mountains - the picos du europa in northern spain.

Sample Itinerary 1: Barcelona and the South

The map below shows the route for a three-week trip to Spain starting and ending in Barcelona.

Day 1: Arrive in Barcelona

Go into Barcelona and get settled. You’ll spend three nights here so you have plenty of time to explore one of Europe’s most visited destinations.

Days 2 to 3: Barcelona

Spend three nights and two full days exploring Barcelona. Highlights include the Sagrada Familia, the Gaudi architecture, the Picasso Museum, the Palau de la Musica, and the Miro Foundation. Read more in How to Spend Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Beautiful Barcelona.

Many Catalan people would prefer Catalonia not be a part of Spain. The last time I was in Catalonia staying for a week in Girona, a Catalan stronghold, Catalan flags bloomed from the windows of many buildings and people spoke Catalan more readily than Spanish.

But don’t worry, most people in the service industries will likely speak English to you or at least respond to your attempts at Spanish.

Memories of Barcelona

One of my most vivid memories of Catalonia was during a visit to Barcelona when I was 21. I had traveled for two weeks with friends along the Costa Brava and then returned to Barcelona to spend a day sightseeing before flying back to England where I was studying. This was in the mid-1970s when Franco was in power and Spain was not the hip, happenin’ and awesome place to travel that it is now.

I walked into the Plaça de Catalunya and sat on the edge of one of the fountains to watch the world go by. The sun shone, people strolled, all seemed peaceful.

Suddenly, a handful of young men entered the plaza from a side street. They carried two or three placards and were chanting. I stood up for a better look, fascinated by this evidence of Spanish protest in the midst of fascism. I started walking toward the protestors.

Bad move.

A phalanx of armed soldiers started marching directly towards me, sub-machine guns cocked and ready. I looked around. The people who had filled the plaza with noise and laughter moments before were gone. I was completely alone—just me and my orange backpack with its grubby Canadian flag.

I picked up my pack and retreated as smartly as I could. The soldiers veered away, presumably to arrest the protestors, and I boarded the first bus I found to take me to the airport—seven hours before my flight was scheduled to take off.

Barcelona Today

I returned to Barcelona in 2010 and again in 2015. What a difference!

Barcelona is fun to visit, although in recent years it’s become extremely crowded. Avoid it at the height of summer and plan your time to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Read my suggestions for enjoying a two-day visit to Barcelona in Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona.

Day 5: Valencia

Pick up a car at Barcelona airport and start driving south. Spain is BIG! You can’t easily drive from Barcelona to Andalusia in one day so I suggest breaking your trip in Valencia. It’s a pleasant city and the City of Arts and Sciences (La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) is a spectacular and imposing space well worth a few hours of your time.

Days 6 to 11: Andalusia

You should really spend at least a week in this iconic area of Spain, but if you only have fivedays, then focus on Granada and Seville. Both are Spain must-sees. If you have time for only one of the two cities, then my vote is Seville. I never get tired of visiting this beautiful city with its wonderful food, fiery flamenco and great atmosphere.

You could easily spend a week in this region of Spain enjoying the historic Seville and Granada, before exploring the stunning White Towns – Los Pueblos Blancos—and Ronda with its gorgeous gorge.

Read more about Andalusia in A Culture-Steeped Itinerary to Tour Andalusia Comfortably in 10 Days.

Here are some GetYourGuide tour options in Andalusia:

Day 12: Cordoba

On your way north to Madrid, stay a night in Cordoba, one of Spain’s most magical cities (and that’s saying something). Explore La Mezquita, the immense mosque dating from 784 A.D, that features a magnificent columned prayer hall and Byzantine mosaics. In the evening, wander the tiny streets of this lovely city and take in a flamenco performance. I don’t think an artsy traveler can ever see too much flamenco..

Day 13: Toledo

Toledo makes a good stop for a peaceful night before driving into Madrid. It’s a lovely little town with plenty to see. At nights, it’s particularly stunning when the crowds have dissipated and you have the floodlit cathedral to yourself.

Days 14 to 18: Madrid

Drive north to Madrid, leave your car in a parking lot outside the city, or better yet stay at my favorite Madrid hotel: Sabataini drop your car off at the airport, and then spend your last day exploring Spain’s capital. You could easily spend a week in Madrid, but if you only have time for one day, check out my post How to Enjoy a Perfect Artsy Traveler Day in Madrid.

Day 19: Zaragoza

Although on the tourist trail, Zaragoza is a wonderful place to spend the night. We toured the magnificent baroque Nuestra Señora del Pilar basilica, checked out the Aljafería, an 11th-century Moorish palace, and enjoyed some of the best tapas of all our trips to Spain. Zaragoza makes a good place to break the trip from Madrid to Barcelona.

Day 20-21: Barcelona

Drop your car at the airport and spend another night in Barcelona. You could spend your final day taking a tour to stunning Montserrat.

Sample Itinerary 2: Madrid and the North

The map below shows the route for a three-week trip to Spain starting and ending in Madrid that skips Barcelona and southern Spain but does include western and northern Spain.

Day 1: Arrive in Madrid

Go into Madrid and get settled. You’ll spend three nights here so you have plenty of time to explore one of my favorite European cities.

Days 2 to 4: Madrid

Visit Madrid for its fabulous art museums—the Prado and the Reina Sofia. Also, stroll through Retiro Park (El Parque del Buen Retiro or just El Retiro), then join the locals for a late dinner.

Madrid is definitely worth at least three nights so you can thoroughly enjoy seeing some of Europe’s greatest art “in the flesh” and be a part of the lively evening scene.

Read more about my Madrid recommendations in Exploring Fascinating Madrid–Europe’s: Best-Kept Secret for the Artsy Traveler

Day 5: Toledo

Pick up a car at Madrid airport and drive to Toledo, a truly delightful place to visit. Perched high on a hill famously depicted in the painting View over Toledo by El Greco, Toledo pulses with history.

Walk the narrow streets, buy some objects made from the world-famous Toledo steel and check out the stunning cathedral.

Panorama of Toledo with the Alcantara Bridge – Spain

Day 6: Salamanca

We visited Salamanca on a driving trip that took us diagonally across northwest Spain from San Sebastian in the northeast to Salamanca in the west, near the Portuguese border and on the same latitude as Porto in northern Portugal.

I highly recommend adding Salamanca to your itinerary. It’s a laid-back, inviting, and friendly Spanish city with a fabulous art nouveau museum.

Enjoy a glass of wine in the massive Plaza Mayor, one of Europe’s most spectacular living rooms, and listen to roving bands of guitarists dressed in medieval garb play vaguely Mexican-sounding music.

Apparently, many people who emigrated to Mexico came from Salamanca and some of the wealthier ones have returned to make Salamanca prosperous. It certainly is a beautifully maintained city.

Days 7 to 10: Santiago de Compostela

Take your time driving from Salamanca to Santiago de Compostela, perhaps stopping enroute in Vigo before heading north. Santiago de Compostela can be crowded, but it’s a fascinating city to explore with an amazing food culture. Definitely check out some of its wonderful restaurants.

Days 11 to 16: Northern Spain

The landscape in the north is mountainous and lusciously green—not the seared brown plain you expect to see in Spain. You could easily spend a week traveling from west to east (or the reverse). I provide a suggested itinerary in my post Exploring Northern Spain & Basque Country.

Fuente Dé mountains in the Picos de Europa, Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain

You can also walk the width of northern Spain on the Camino. I haven’t, but I know many people who have, including guest poster Elizabeth Petrie. Read her two posts about her trip:

Days 17 to 18: Bilbao and San Sebastian

The big attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim, which you can see in a few hours, and then choose to move on to San Sebastian where sampling pinxhos makes for a fabulous evening out.

Day 19: Burgos

Break your journey between Bilbao and Madrid in historic Burgos. You’ll find lots there to keep you busy, including a visit to the terrific Museo de Evolución Humana (Museum of Human Evolution).

Days 20/21: Madrid

Drop your car at the airport, spend another night in Madrid (take in a flamenco show!), and start planning your next trip to Spain.

Tours in Spain

Here are some tours available through GetYourGuide:

What Regions of Spain are Your Favorites?

Do you have a favorite region of Spain that I’ve left out? Please share your recommends in the Comments below.

Here are links to more of my posts about fantastic Spain:

Best Itinerary to Tour Favorite Regions in Portugal

Arts & Culture, Portugal Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on October 12th, 2024 at 06:48 pm

We’ve traveled to Portugal several times and find it a compact country that packs a lot of sightseeing punch. You’ll be able to see most of lovely Portugal on a two-week trip.

I suggest picking up your car in Lisbon and then driving south to the Algarve. Spend a few days indulging in a bit of sun and fun and then start working your way north through the Alentejo region to Coimbra and from there west to the Atlantic coast near Nazaré and north to Porto and Braga before zipping back down to Lisbon and home.

The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Portugal that I recommend exploring.

map of Portugal for travel in Portugal — Regions in Portugal; Map by Google Maps

Sample Itinerary

Here’s a sample itinerary for a two-week trip to Portugal starting and ending in Lisbon:

Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon

If you arrive in the late morning, pick up your car at the airport. Depending on your energy level, either drive directly to the Algarve (about 3 hours) or drive south for about an hour to a beach town such as Melides or Sines to relax after your flight.

Days 2 to 4: Western Algarve

Spend three nights in a home base such as Luz or Lagos (I recommend Luz) and take a day trip to Sagres and a boat excursion from Lagos to see the spectacular rock formations. Become one with the beach.

Day 5: Eastern Algarve

Drive east to Tavira for a night. I suggest bypassing the middle section of the Algarve with all its resorts.

Days 6 & 7: Alentejo

Head north to Évora for two nights. Explore local towns such as Estremoz, wander among megaliths, and fall in love with cork.

Day 8: Coimbra

Drive west to delightful Obidos north of Lisbon, then drive north along the coast to spend a night in either Nazaré on the Atlantic Coast or inland in Coimbra. If you choose Coimbra, catch a fado performance in the evening.

Days 9 to 11: Porto

Drive north to Porto, then home-base in Porto and spend a day driving north to explore Guimarães or east to the Douro Valley.

Days 12 to 14: Lisbon & Sintra

Drive back to Lisbon and drop off your car at the airport. Take a taxi into the city and spend the rest of the day and the next day exploring Lisbon. On your last full day in Portugal, take a day trip to Sintra.

Another Option

Reverse the itinerary so you go first to central and northern Portugal and then south through the Alentejo to the Algarve for some beachy R & R before heading north to Lisbon and home.

The Algarve

This part of Portugal is vacation central and perfect for a spot of R & R—a gentle way to either ease into your vacation or relax before heading back to home and reality. You won’t do much artsy sightseeing, but the scenery is spectacular and the weather warm and inviting.

Explore the eastern Algarve around lovely Tavira and the western Algarve between Lagos and Sagres. Hurry past the middle bit with its phalanxes of high-rise resorts.

Even in the less touristy parts of the Algarve, you’ll be hard-pressed to hear anyone speaking anything other than English, German, or Dutch. British pubs have sprung up in the towns and pastel vacation homes blanket the countryside.

Read more about the Algarve in Exploring the Algarve and Alentejo.

Alentejo

Called the Tuscany of Portugal, the Alentejo takes up a good third of the country, stretching from the Atlantic in the west to the Spanish border in the east and from the Algarve in the south to almost halfway up the country past Lisbon.

We discovered the Alentejo when Gregg (husband and artist) had an exhibition in the white-washed and achingly charming town of Estremoz. The region is hot and arid with fabulous megalithic sites with menhirs, dolmens and ancient stone circles, rolling hills, vineyards, and my favorite thing of all—endless hectares of cork trees.

A plantation of cork oak trees in the Alentejo region of Portugal

The main town in the region is Évora, well worth at least two nights of your time.

For more information about how to spend your time in the Alentejo, read Exploring the Algarve and Alentejo and check out descriptions of the megalithic sites in Explore Seven of the Best Prehistory Sites in Europe.

Lisbon

Lisbon isn’t as funky as it used to be, but it’s still a great city to visit and enjoy. When we stayed there for two weeks way back in 2010, I rarely saw a souvenir store, and the narrow streets in the historic Alfama district slumbered in the heat.

On our latest visits, so much had changed. Lisbon has been well and truly discovered.

The Alfama district bristles with souvenir shops, tourists shuffle in a conga line through the narrow streets to the Castle Sao Jorge, and flocks of sightseeing tuk tuks dart in and out of the speeding traffic. And forget about getting a seat on one of the iconic trams in the middle of the day!

Consider visiting out of season when the crowds will be fewer and you may recapture at least some of the spirit of old Lisbon.

Day Trip to Sintra

Include a day trip out to picturesque and super-touristy Sintra to visit the quirky Pena Palace, the medieval Castle of the Moors (my favorite!), and the town itself with various palaces and gardens. If you have an extra day, consider staying overnight in Sintra.

I provide suggestions for enjoying Lisbon and lovely Sintra in Three Days in Lisbon.

Central & Northern Portugal

You could easily spend your entire two-week vacation in the central and northern regions of Portugal. My itinerary doesn’t do it justice!

Highlights include stately old Coimbra, pretty Nazaré and the nearby beach Praia Do Norte which gets some of the largest waves in the world, fun and funky Porto, and if you have time, fascinating cities like Guimarães and Braga, along with the stunning Douro Valley for a spot of port-tasting.

Read my suggestions for touring this top half of Portugal in Exploring North and Central Portugal.

Tours in Portugal

Here are some tours available through GetYourGuide:

What Regions of Portugal are Your Favorites?

Do you have a favorite region of Portugal that I’ve left out? Please share your recommends in the Comments below. Here are links to all my posts about lovely Portugal:

Amazing Artsy Sightseeing in Germany for the Independent Traveler

Arts & Culture, Destinations, Germany Artsy Traveler 2 Comments

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 05:42 pm

Artsy sightseeing in Germany means music, castles, and museums, particularly in Berlin. And concerts!

Every time I travel to Germany, I make time to go to a classical music concert. After all, Germany is the home of Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, and a whole lot of other luminaries.

It’s also home to some of the world’s greatest concert halls. A classical music concert in Germany is always an artsy traveler treat.

In this post, I share some of my favorite artsy experiences in Germany.

Pinterest graphic showing a statue of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig, a recommended artsy sightseeing destination in Germany.

Map of Germany: Suggested Artsy Favorites

The map below shows the locations of the artsy sightseeing favorites mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.

This map was made with Wanderlog, a travel planner on iOS and Android

Music Museums in Germany

As a life-long lover of classical music and a pianist, I enjoy visiting museums dedicated to some of my favorite composers. Germany is home to many great composers, including Bach and Beethoven, both of whom have museums dedicated to them.

Bach Museum in Leipzig

If you’re a Bach fan, head for Leipzig to enjoy one of the hippest music museums I’ve ever visited. I could have stayed there all day!

The Bach Museum (#1 on the map) is located next to the Thomaskirche, the church where Bach is buried. The museum is open 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday so make sure you don’t make Monday your Leipzig day.

Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig Germany, a artsy sightseeing choice for the music lover — Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig Germany

A highlight for me were the many interactive exhibits, including the Virtual Baroque Orchestra. The instruments are displayed on a wall with each instrument being played marked by a light signal. Press the button corresponding to the instrument and its sound will be amplified so you can hear it more distinctly. The orchestra plays three pieces and I listened to them all.

Another highlight, particularly if you’re a musician and have played Bach, is the Listening Studio. Sit on a comfy couch at a listening station, don the headphones provided and search a database containing every single one of Bach’s compositions (and trust me, he wrote a lot). I wanted to stay forever.

Here are some other sightseeing options in Leipzig.

Staying in Leipzig

I recommend the stylish Radisson Blu Hotel Leipzig, which is within walking distance of the concert hall and the Bach museum.

Beethoven House in Bonn

I first visited Beethoven’s birthplace in Bonn when I was 18. I’ll never forget going into the small house and hearing Beethoven being played on a piano located in the room where he was born.

The Beethoven-Haus (#2) museum has grown since then and is now considered one of the most visited music museums in the world. It’s also one of the 100 most popular sights in Germany.

The museum is open almost every day of the year from 10 am to 6 pm.

Statue of Beethoven in Bonn, Germany, a major artsy sightseeing choice — Statue of Beethoven in Bonn, Germany

Concerts in Germany

Go out of your way to attend concerts when you’re in Germany. Choose a major concert venue such as the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, a chamber concert, or even a folk performance.

Classical Concerts in Berlin

One of the highlights of our German travels was hearing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in the Philharmonie Hall (#3) in Berlin. Checking out this acoustically amazing and super-modern concert hall was almost as exciting as enjoying the performance.

Berlin Philharmonic concert hall, an artsy sightseeing must see — The Berliner Philharmonie concert hall in Berlin, Germany

Classical Concerts in Leipzig

While seeing a symphony orchestra perform in a grand concert hall is a huge artsy traveler treat, also seek out smaller venues to see chamber music and solo performances. At the world famous Gewandhaus (#4) in Leipzig, we snagged last-minute tickets to see a pianist perform a stellar repertoire of Chopin. The cost was only about fifteen euros each–an amazing bargain considering the quality of the performance. At smaller venues, you may be the only tourist. Enjoy being a temporary local among fellow music lovers.

Classical Concerts in Cologne

In Cologne, catch a performance at the Kölner Philharmonie (#5). Located close to Cologne Cathedral, the modern concert hall is breathtaking, with excellent acoustics and comfy seats.

Classical Concerts in Hamburg

In Hamburg, see a performance at the ultra-modern Elbphilharmonie (#6)–one of the world’s most stunning concert halls.

Interior of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg

Folk Music in Bacharach

On a folksier note, be on the lookout for concerts featuring medieval instruments. We attended one in Bacharach in the Rhine Valley. Costumed performers played wind instruments, drums, zithers, and other medieval instruments and explained in English and German what they were playing. At the end of the concert, most of the audience (me included) got up to dance.

Museums in Germany

Germany is awash with amazing museums, including some of the largest museums in the world in Munich and Berlin. Here are a few of my favorites.

Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne

The Romano-Germanic Museum (#7) (Römisch-Germanisches Museum) is simply amazing and one of the best museums we’ve visited in Germany.

Beautifully curated displays present the archaeological heritage of Cologne from the Palaeolithic period to the early Middle Ages, including the centuries when Rome was in charge. You’ll see the world’s largest collections of Roman glass vessels, and gold work and goods showing the lives of Romani and Franks in early medieval Cologne.

Here are some other sightseeing options in Cologne.

Duetsches Museum in Munich

I first visited the Deutsches Museum (#8) back in the 1990s when my daughter was eight. This incredible museum presents twenty exhibitions exploring science and technology, from aviation and chemistry to robotics and health. It’s a great place to take a child thanks to plenty of hands-on exhibits with explanations in English and German. Allow plenty of time to enjoy this museum!

Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg

Spare a few hours for Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland (#9), touted as the largest model railway in the world. It really is spectacular. No wonder it’s Hamburg’s number one tourist attraction with more than 16 million visitors from all over the world.

As the name suggests, Miniatur Wunderland showcases the world in miniature with over 265,000 figures, along with thousands of cars, ships, trains, and even planes taking off and landing. Everything is automated, providing constant jolts of fun as you stroll around the vast space (1,499 square meters). Kids will love it and adults will appreciate the incredible craftsmanship.

Art Museums in Germany

Here’s a list of some of my favorite art museums in Germany.

Berlin Art Galleries

Pergamon Museum in Berlin

As one of the most visited museums in Germany, the Pergamon Museum (#10) deserves a spot high on your list of Berlin sites. The big attraction is the incredible collection of massive archaeological structures from ancient Middle East, including the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon, and the Mshatta Façade.

The Pergamon Museum is one of five world-class museums on Museum Island in Berlin. To read about all of them, see Booming Berlin.

Gemäldegalerie in Berlin

The modern building (#11) houses a first-rate collection of European painting from the 13th to 18th centuries including masterpieces by Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, and Jan Vermeer van Delft.

Here are more options in Berlin:

Munich Art Galleries

There are three “Pinakotheken” museums in the Art District or Kunstareal: the Alte Pinakothek (#12) is one of the oldest museums in the world and houses a fine collection of Old Masters.

Nearby is Pinakothek der Moderne (#13) which is four museums in one: art, prints and drawings, architecture, and design. When we visited, we saw a wonderful exhibition of paintings by Frank Stella.

The Neue Pinakothek is closed until 2025. Several works from the collection, including paintings by Goya, Manet, van Gogh, and Klimt, are currently on display on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek.

Max Ernst Museum Near Cologne

A highlight is a visit to the Max Ernst Museum (#14) in Brühl, an easy tram ride from Cologne or Bonn. The museum features a marvelous collection of work by one of the 20th century’s foremost surrealists. Max Ernst is one of Gregg’s favorite artists (Gregg Simpson is my husband and also an artist and my frequent travel companion!), so visiting the museum was a true pilgrimage for him.

If you’re a fan of the work of Max Ernst, be sure to put the museum on your list. The grounds surrounding the museum are beautiful.

Albrecht Dürer’s House in Nuremberg

This charming house (#15) where Dürer (1471-1528) lived and worked for over 20 years is one of the few surviving burgher houses in Nuremberg. It’s also the only surviving artist’s house from the period in northern Europe.

Albrecht Durer's House, Nuremberg, Germany — Albrecht Durer’s House, Nuremberg, Germany

Tour the various rooms to see how a wealthy person lived in the 16^th century. Head upstairs to the workshop to enjoy a demonstration of the printmaking techniques Dürer used to produce his woodcuts, including one of his most famous—the rhinoceros.

Conclusion

One of the many things I love about traveling in Germany is the variety of interesting sights and regions, and as mentioned earlier, the quality of the music performances. At least two weeks is needed to even scratch the surface of Germany. It’s a big country!

Must-see places are Berlin, the Rhine Valley, and Munich, and if you have time, check out Leipzig, Dresden, and Hamburg. Here are more posts about Germany to explore:

So you have more artsy traveler favorites in Germany? Share your suggestions in the comments below.

Favorite Regions in Germany for the Artsy Traveler

Arts & Culture, Destinations, Germany Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 05:43 pm

Germany has much to offer the Artsy Traveler–from the museums of bustling Berlin to the pastoral landscapes of the Rhine Valley and a lot in between.

In this post, I review some of my favorite regions in Germany and include recommendations for what to see and where to stay.

The map below shows the destinations I’ve visited and recommend for artsy traveling.

Pinterest graphic with the text Favorite Regions in Germany over an aerial view of the town of Bacharach in the Rhine Valley

Cologne and the Rhine Valley

Add Cologne and a short cruise along the Rhine to your Germany trip. Here’s a suggested itinerary for a week in this magical area.

Days 1 and 2: Cologne

Day 3: Bonn

Days 4 and 5: St. Goar to home base, then take a cruise down the Rhine to Bacharach (about an hour) and the local train back to St. Goar

Days 6 and 7: Stay in Cochem and explore the Mosel Valley for a day or visit Trier with its excellent Roman ruins.

Town of Bacharach in the Rhine Valley in Germany — The Rhine Valley at Bacharach is fairytale land

See more details about this itinerary in Exploring Cologne and the Rhine Valley.

Berlin

Gregg and I spent a week in Berlin when he had an exhibition there and so had lots of time to explore this remarkable city. The weight of history is heavy in Berlin but at the same time, the city is energetic and forward-looking.

From an artsy perspective, Berlin is up there with London and Paris as one of Europe’s premier cultural capitals.

Read my suggestions for enjoying up to a week in Booming Berlin: Your Artsy Guide.

Leipzig

This city retains some of its East German past—dreary apartment blocks, cheap tickets to music concerts, and Ampelmänn (Ampelmännchen in German).

When you travel in Germany, you know when you’re in a city or region that was once part of East Germany by the crosswalk signals for pedestrians. We first spotted the red Stop and green Go Ampelmännchen in Leipzig and again in Berlin when we were in neighborhoods that used to be behind the Berlin Wall.

Green Ampelmänn pedestrian go sign in Germany — Ampelmänn says Go

Red Ampelmänn pedestrian stop sign in Germany — Ampelmänn says Stop

I became rather fond of Ampelmänn and even bought a plastic walking man for my keychain. For a dizzying variety of Ampelmännchen schlock, visit the Ampelmänn shops in Berlin (see more in Booming Berlin: Your Artsy Guide).

Bach in Leipzig

The big draw in Leipzig is Johann Sebastian Bach. I’d always wanted to visit Leipzig because of its connection to Bach and finally got my wish in 2015. The Bach Museum has to be one of the world’s finest music museums.

Leipzig has a marvelous pedestrian area teeming with restaurants. Different varieties of beer from various regions all over Europe are featured. When I asked for a beer that was local to Leipzig in a restaurant that only served beer from Munich, I got a very frosty reception from the server. Apparently, it’s a faux pas to order Leipzig beer in a Bavarian-themed restaurant. Who knew?

The people of Leipzig are proud of their contribution to the dissolution of East Germany. The pivotal day of the Peaceful Revolution was October 9, 1989 when 70,000 protestors marched into the center of Leipzig crying “We are the People!” and “No violence”.

The young man at the hotel desk, who probably wasn’t even alive in 1989, was eager to tell us all about it when we checked in.

Munich

Like Berlin, Munich is a must-see city in Germany. Alas, I haven’t been back to Munich since our family trip in the 1990s which means I’m due for another visit.

I remember drinking excellent beer in the Marienplatz—the main square—while waiting for the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel clock to chime the hour. Every day at 11 am and noon (and 5 pm in the summer), the clock chimes and carved medieval figures re-enact stories from the 16th century.

The dolls dancing in the clock of Marienplatz in Munich, Germany.

Don’t miss the massive Deutsches Museum that showcases over 100,000 objects from the fields of science and technology and is one of the most important museums of science and technology in the world. Exhibits range from atomic physics to the Altamira cave to a magnified model of a human cell as well as other displays from the Stone Age to the present.

Munich is also home to world-class art museums including the Alte Pinakothek and the Pinakothek der Moderne. The Neue Pinakothek is closed until 2025, with some of its masterpieces now being exhibited at the Alte Pinakothek.

Nuremberg

This city in south central Germany has a lot to recommend it. We stopped there on our way north from Italy en route to Leipzig and Berlin.

You’ll find an attractive old town with plenty of half-timbered buildings, pedestrian-only streets, the Nuremberg Castle which miraculously survived allied bombs, and my favorite, the Albrecht Dürer House (see Artsy Favorites in Germany).

Stroll the medieval streets and enjoy a dinner of German sausage and beer. Here are two views of Nuremberg.

Trier

We spent a night in Trier and really enjoyed its laid back atmosphere, attractive town square, and its Roman ruins. It was a convenient night’s stopover on our way from Amsterdam to Italy.

For us, the attraction of Trier was its Roman ruins. As you’ve probably already guessed if you’ve spent any time on this website, Gregg and I are suckers for a good Roman ruin and usually go out of our way to find them.

The Romans lived in Trier for over 500 years, and in the 4th century the city was the favored residence of Roman emperors, including Emperor Constantine. In Trier, you’ll find lots of Roman ruins including a complex of Roman baths, a large amphitheater and the mammoth Porta Nigra (Black Gate).

The Porta Nigra (Black Gate) - a 2nd-century Roman city gate in Trier, Germany — The Porta Nigra (Black Gate) – a 2nd-century Roman city gate in Trier, Germany

When you’re done with ruins, visit the Rheinisches Landesmuseum, a large archeological museum with an excellent collection of Roman artifacts.

Once you’ve had your fill of Roman ruins, spend the evening strolling Trier’s pedestrian main street lined with half-timbered houses, admire the market cross that dates from 958 in the market square, and enjoy a dinner accompanied by plenty of local wine.

Attractive half-timbered houses in Trier, Germany

When we were in Trier in 2018, the town was gearing up to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx. Strores were filled with Karl Marx rubber duckie, replete with a copy of Das Kapital clutched under one wing and a quill pen in the other.

I didn’t buy one and am now kicking myself since I doubt I’ll be around for the 300th anniversary.

Amazing Artsy Sightseeing Choices in Italy for the Independent Traveler

Arts & Culture, Destinations, Italy Artsy Traveler 1 Comment

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 09:29 pm

Where to begin when it comes to artsy sightseeing in Italy? Italy feels at times like one giant art gallery! There’s so much to see that even after numerous trips, I know I have many more wonders in store for me on future trips.

In this post I’ve described some of my favorites in eight historical periods: Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and 20th Century.

Read about my artsy sightseeing highlights and then follow links to more detailed recommendations. Seriously, you could very easily spend years in Italy and not run out of art to admire.

Pinterest graphic with the text Artsy Sightseeing in Italy. Above the text is a picture of the skyline of Siena in Tuscany. Below the text is a picture of the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

Map of Italy: Suggested Artsy Sightseeing Choices

The map below shows the locations of the artsy sightseeing options mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.

Map from Wanderlog, a trip planner app on iOS and Android

Greek Ruins

Three of the best preserved Greek temples in the world are located in Italy!

Ever since I first saw pictures of the magnificent Doric temples at Paestum (#1) in southern Italy, I’ve wanted to visit them–and finally I have!

The ruins are well worth the effort to get to them. Pictures give some idea of the beauty of the temples, but they cannot give a sense of the sheer size and splendor of the columns.

The temples are thought to be dedicated to the city’s namesake Poseidon (known to the Romans as Neptune), Hera and Ceres. The oldest temple dedicated to Hera dates from 550 BC.

Here are some options for touring Paestum with GetYourGuide.

Staying In Paestum

If you have a car, stay at the Savoy Beach Hotel. It’s on the Mediterranean and includes a beach club with loungers and people to bring you drinks! The hotel is luxurious, but the price is surprisingly reasonable.

Etruscan Art

I’ve grown very fond of Etruscan art. It’s different from Roman art in that it’s less monumental and more personal.

The Etruscans pre-date the Romans and were based around Florence and throughout Tuscany as far south as Tarquinia, about 50 kilometers north of Rome. The Etruscans were a fascinating society in which women held much more power than they did in Roman society.

I mention Volterra in the section on Tuscany. The Etruscan Guarnacci Museum is the place to see Etruscan artifacts.

Here are two other great options for enjoying Etruscan art while artsy sightseeing in Italy.

Tarquinia

All around Tarquinia are the ruins of Etruscan tombs, many with fabulous paintings. Visit the Necropolis of Tarquinia (#2) to see some of the most famous paintings including the Tomb of the Leopards which dates from 473 BC. The colors are remarkably well preserved.

Visit the museum in Tarquinia to see more Etruscan art. Fascinating.

National Etruscan Museum in Rome

We loved this place! The Museo Nazionale Etrusco (#3), housed in the lovely Villa Giulia, was virtually empty when we were there, which was a treat after visiting other museums in Rome. We wandered happily through room after room of Etruscan treasures including the famous Sarcophagus of the Spouses from the late 6th century BC.

Although we didn’t find the museum crowded, play it safe – skip the line and buy your tickets online.

Sculpture of a married couple in the Etruscan Museum in Rome; the musuem is high on my list of artsy sightseeing options in Italy — One of the most famous sculptures in the Museo Nationale Etrusco – skip the line to buy tickets

I also enjoyed the urns and household goods, even little statues of animals. The Etruscan style is very modern-looking.

Ancient Roman

In addition to visiting the Roman sites in Rome and Pompeii, you don’t need to go far to find Roman ruins in Italy. Here are a few artsy sightseeing suggestions related to Roman art and architecture.

Hadrian’s Villa

Hadrian’s Villa (#4) is a massive archeological complex near Tivoli outside Rome. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site is a must-see for fans of ancient Rome.

Be prepared to walk–the complex is vast, containing over 30 buildings and covering 250 acres, making it larger than the city of Pompeii. Stroll past the remains of fountains, pools, and gardens surrounding what must have been one heck of a pleasure palace back in the day.

View of columns at Hadrian's villa in Italy--a highlight of artsy sightseeing in Italy — Hadrian’s Villa in Italy

Hadrian constructed the villa as a retreat from the tough work of emperor-ing during the second and third decades of the 2nd century AD. We first discovered the villa on our family trip to Italy in 1994. Since then, much more of the site has been excavated with more ruins yet to be uncovered.

TIP: A good strategy is to visit Hadrian’s Villa (also called Villa Adriana) and the Renaissance Villa d’Este on a day tour. Here’s an option.

Ostia Antica

Rome’s original seaport is 30 minutes from Rome by train. Ostia Antica (#5) is like a mini Pompeii but without all the tourists. If you’re not planning to go south, take an afternoon from your Roman sightseeing to check out the atmospheric ruins at Ostia Antica.

You’ll find a well-preserved Roman theatre, the Baths of Neptune, remains of the military camp, temples to ancient deities, the forum and even Ostia Synagogue, the oldest known synagogue site in Europe.

Baths of Caracalla

This complex of ancient public baths close to Rome is worth a visit. Several towering walls remain along with impressive black and white mosaics. Descend below ground to view the well-preserved tunnels where slaves worked to keep the baths operating and the water hot.

Buy tickets for the Baths of Caracalla (#6).

Archeological Museum of Naples

This museum is a relevation–and one of the best museums showcasing Roman-era art that I’ve every visited. The Archeological Museum of Naples contains much of the art–paintings, frescoes, objects, mosaics–recovered from Pompeii.

If you’re pressed for time and trying to decide whether to visit the Pompeii ruins or the archeological museum, my vote is the archeological museum. The ruins may be far more popular (and very crowded), but to get a comprehensive view of what life was like in Pompeii, the museum has it all.

Read my detailed post about the Archeological Museum of Naples (#7): How to See the Art of Pompeii at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Staying in Rome

Here are two great options for staying in Rome:

Sant-Angelo Apartments: located deep in the Jewish Ghetto, you’re within steps of most of the major sites in ancient Rome.
Viam 6B located near the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo, this very stylish apartment is staffed, with some units including a lovely outdoor terrace.

Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Ravenna (#8) is the place in Italy to see the best Byzantine and early Christian mosaics. I wasn’t prepared for how incredibly new the mosaics looked. Despite dating from 400 to 600 AD, they looked like they were created yesterday.

I was taken with how the figures were depicted. Large eyes stare right at you, flowing robes glint with gold, the figures look like they could step from their perches on the walls high above you and join you for a glass of wine.

Be warned that many of the fabulous mosaics are located high up which means after a day of touring the UNESCO sites, you come away with a stiff neck.

It’s worth it! Artsy sightseeing doesn’t get much better than visiting the mosaics in Ravenna.

Gold mosaic showing a religious scene in Ravenna, Italy; Ravenna's mosaics are a must-do for the artsy sightseer — Sumptuous mosaic in Ravenna, Italy

Here are some options for touring Ravenna with Get Your Guide.

Staying in Ravenna

If you’re driving, avoid the narrow Ravenna streets and stay a little ways outside the city. The Grand Hotel Mattei is a modern and comfy choice.

Medieval Era

If you’re an artsy traveler with a love of the medieval, you just need to look out the window in Italy. Okay, that’s not quite true, but if you stay in any hill town, you’ll be surrounded by buildings that date from the 1300s, if not earlier.

These are some of my favorite medieval artworks I seek out when sightseeing in Italy.

Frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Simone Martini in the Palazzo Pubblico (#9) in Siena
The Maestà altarpiece by Duccio di Buoninsegna in the museum at the Siena Cathedral (#10)
“The Annunciation” by Simone Martini in the Uffizi (#11) in Florence
Frescoes by Giotto in the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (#12)
Frescoes by Giotto at the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua (#13)
Frescoes by Memmo di Filippuccio in the Camera del Podestà in the Palazzo Comunale in San Gimignano (#14) showing domestic scenes including a couple taking a bath and getting into bed

For more details about seeing medieval art in Italy, read Ten Must-See Masterpieces in Tuscany.

San Gimignano 1300

And before I leave medieval art, I must put in a plug for San Gimignano 1300 (#15). This scale model of what San Gimignano looked like in 1300 is located near the Palazzo Comunale and the Torre Grosso in the center of San Gimignano. The display is free and well worth seeing to give you an idea of how the city of towers looked with 72 towers instead of its current 17.

And while you’re there, pick up a copy of The Towers of Tuscany.

At San Gimignano 1300 with a copy of The Towers of Tuscany and the museum director — At San Gimignano 1300 with a copy of *The Towers of Tuscany* and the museum director

Here are some options for touring San Gimignano and the area with Get Your Guide.

Staying in San Gimignano

My favorite place (perfect if you have a car) is the Hotel Pescille on the outskirts of San Gimignano and overlooking the towers. The Cappuccina Country Resort also overlooking the city is another good choice.

Renaissance Era

The Renaissance was born in Florence with an explosion of amazing art by artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. You’ll see a fair whack of the best stuff at the Uffizi.

TIP: If you go to the Uffizi, you must buy your tickets ahead of time, preferably a few days or weeks before you arrive, especially if traveling in peak season. Here’s a link to buy your tickets to the Uffizi and skip the line.

Here are some of my favorite Renaissance pieces (it’s just a partial list–I could go on and on!):

Primavera and Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli in the Uffizi in Florence
David statue by Michelangelo at the Academia (#16) in Florence
David statue by Donatello at the Bargello (#17) museum in Florence
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Masaccio at the Brancacci chapel (#18) in Florence
The Medici chapels in Florence
Sistine Chapel frescoes by Michelangelo at the Vatican (#19) in Rome
Paintings by Sofonisba Anguissola, one of the few female painters from the period, in Siena and at the Uffizi in Florence.

For more artsy sightseeing in Florence, here are suggested tours and skip-the-line ticket options.

Staying in Florence

I highly recommend the Serristori Palace Residence. It’s right on the Arno River and slightly off the beaten track.

Baroque Era

Of all the art periods, the Baroque (roughly the 17th century) is my least favorite. I find the style too florid. However, the Baroque style is everywhere in Italy, from churches to museums. You can’t escape it.

Big names in Baroque art include Caravaggio, Tiepolo, Titian, Bernini, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Although Baroque art isn’t my cup of tea, I do love Artemisia’s work.

You can see her masterpiece, Judith Slaying Holofernes, completed in 1610, in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Modern Art in Italy

Italy has produced several noted modern artists including Giacometti, Modigliani, and Futurists such as Severini, Marinetti, and Balla. Following are three places to see wonderful modern art in Italy (and again, there are many more).

Peggy Guggenheim Museum

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 Museum (#20) just makes me smile. I can’t visit it often enough!

The museum houses Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection of 20th- century art including masterpieces of cubism, surrealism and abstract expressionism. Artists in the permanent collection include Picasso, Kandinsky, Miró, Braque, Giacometti, Klee, Magritte, Dali, Pollock, de Chirico, Brancusi, Braque, Duchamp, and Mondrian. It 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 Museum. Wander the cool halls of her renovated palazzo to view the paintings and sculptures and then descend the steps to the edge of the canal and watch the boats go by.

I include the Peggy Guggenheim museum in my post about the Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe. Buy advance tickets (recommended in peak season) here.

National Museum of Modern Art in Rome

Also included in Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe is Rome’s National Museum of Modern Art (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (#21). The museum is conveniently located on the edge of the Villa Borghese so you can see it before or after you visit the Galleria Borghese

Read my description in Ten Great Ways to Enjoy Bella Roma.

The museum features an excellent collection of 20^th-century Italian painters including Giorgio de Chirico, Amedeo Modigliani, Antonio Canova, Giacomo Balla, and Giorgio Morandi, along with 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 museum is sparsely attended and, therefore, extremely pleasant.

Tarot Garden: Sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle

Located near the coast in the province of Grosseto in Tuscany, the Tarot Garden (Il Giardino dei Tarocchi – #21) is a collection of sculptures created by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

If you’re traveling through Italy by car, carve out time to visit this wonderful place. For a great, although long, day trip from Rome, catch the train from Rome Termini to Orbetello Stazione (about 90 minutes) and from there take a taxi or a bus.

For a detailed description of how to get from Rome to Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, check out this post on The Spotted Cloth website.

Pictures of Il Giardino dei Tarocchi don’t do the sculptures justice. If you love quirky, whimsical modern art, you have to go and see the sculptures for yourself. You can walk around them, touch them, even go inside some of them.

Carol Cram in Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, a highlight of any artsy sightseeing trip to Italy. — Sitting on a sculpture at the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi

Il Giardino dei Tarocchi is far enough off the beaten path to be uncrowded and totally delightful.

The garden is open every afternoon from 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm from April 1 to October 15. In November, December, January and March, the garden is open on the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to 1 pm. If the Saturday falls on a public holiday, the park opens the following Saturday.

Sculpture of lovers in the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi

Quirky foundation in the Il Giardino dei Tarocchi

Check the website for more information and directions.

Exploring the Area

Here are some GetYourGuide tours in Italy.

Conclusion

Have you visited any of the places described in this post? If so, let other artsy travelers know what you think.

Here are some more posts on Italy to help you plan your next trip–or just to indulge in some armchair travel.

Favorite Regions in Italy for the Artsy Traveler

Arts & Culture, Italy Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment

Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 09:24 pm

My favorite regions in Italy range from Milan and the Dolomites in the north to Naples in the south. Unless you have several months to spare, you can’t really “do” all of Italy in one trip.

You’ll spend far too much time traveling and far too little time enjoying. Pick one or two regions and spent a week or two in each.

As Rick Steves says, “travel like you plan to return.”

Pinterst graphic with the text Favorite Regions in Itlay for the Artsy Traveler over two pictures. The top picture is of Milan Cathedral and the bottom picture is of the Grand Canal in Venice.

Map of Favorite Regions in Italy

The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Italy that I recommend you explore. I’ve visited all of them except for Sicily (coming soon!).

Map of Italy showing major tourist areas including Rome, Tuscany, and Venice

I’m going to start in the north and move south because we often drive to Italy, so that’s the direction we enter the country from.

Here are the five regions of Italy I suggest you explore:

Northern Italy: Turin, Lake Como, Milan, Dolomites
Venice and Ravenna
Tuscany and Umbria
Rome
Compania: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast

In this post, I give a brief overview of these areas and provide links to more in-depth posts.

Northern Italy

You could spend at least a week traveling through the regions of northern Italy.

Milan Cathedral at sunset — Milan Cathedral

From east to west, I recommend Turin, Lake Como, Milan, and the Dolomites. Spend at least a week in the north (not counting Venice which deserves at least three days on its own). You won’t run out of things to do!

Highlights of Northern Italy

Here are some of my favorite artsy highlights (a by no means an exhaustive list) in northern Italy:

Turin: The Egyptian Museum – Museo Egizio is first-rate. It houses one of the oldest collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. Even if you’re only moderately interested in ancient Egypt, put it on your list.
Milan: The Duomo, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, and La Scala just for starters. There’s lots to see in Milan and it has a very different vibe (calmer in my opinion) than Rome.
Italian Lake District: Spend several days exploring small towns such as Sirmione on Lake Garda, the various lakes; gorgeous views, great food, lots of history.
The Dolomites: Drive as far up as you can and then take a chairlift or gondola even higher. The alpine culture is very different from the rest of Italy.
Bolzano: The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

For more details about these and other artsy sightseeing in northern Italy, check out Recommended Places to Travel in Northern Italy.

Venice

Don’t stint on the time you allocate to visiting Venice. The city is worth at least three days (preferably longer). You could choose to spend a week in the area–three or four nights in Venice, a night in the Veneto to visit Vicenza and Padua, and then head south to spend two nights in glorious Ravenna (more on Ravenna in a minute).

Rialto Bridge — Rialto bridge in stunning Venice

You don’t need a car in Venice and you can reach the other towns in the area by train.

Highlights of Venice

Peggy Guggenheim Museum – one of my very favorite small modern art museums in Europe (read more in 12 Modern Art Museums in Europe.
Piazza San Marco late at night when the crowds have thinned
Accademia Gallery – great selection of Renaissance and Baroque artists in a lovely, old building
Island of Murano to watch glass-blowing and buy glass souvenirs
Duomo and Doge’s Palace: must-see attractions, but go early or late and get reservations to avoid crowds
Enjoying a Vivaldi concert and getting lost in the dark on the way back to your hotel

For more details about these and other sightseeing options and to plan your trip to Venice, read Venice in Three Days for the Artsy Traveler.

Ravenna

Ravenna is a delightful small city south of Venice, most famous for the mosaics in the eight Christian monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

While many of these sites, particularly the most famous mosaics in the Church of San Vitale, attract the tour busses, the rest of Ravenna is wonderfully non-touristy. Relax in the main square and watch the world go by. Ravenna has a subtle charm that made me want to write a novel set there just so I could go and stay for a good long while.

Piazza del Popolo in the evening, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

While we were in Ravenna, we watched a bride and groom emerge from a church and get into a red Ferrari, stopped into an art opening and drank white wine with the two Italian artists who were exhibiting their paintings, and enjoyed one of the best meals we’ve ever had in Italy at Ristorante Alexander. Check out the website and make a reservation! The food was to die for and the prices very reasonable.

TIP: When dining in Italy, make use of review apps and websites to find good restaurants. Every time we’ve taken the time to search out well-rated restaurants and to make reservations, we’ve been amply rewarded by fabulous meals.

Highlights of Ravenna: Touring the UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The mosaics in the early Christian monuments are the big draw in Ravenna, as noted earlier.

TIP: Buy your combination ticket for the six UNESCO sites in central Ravenna at any of these locations: the Basilica San Vitale, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, and the Archbishop’s Chapel.

The sixth site–the Arian Baptistery–is free and worth a visit to view the well-preserved domed mosaic, dating from the early 6th century AD, that shows Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.

At just €9.50 for entrance to all these sites, the Ravenna Mosaics combo ticket has to be one of Europe’s best artsy bargains. In addition to the six sites in central Ravenna, don’t miss the remaining two UNESCO sites. The mausoleum of Theodoric is a short walk from the town center, and the Church of Sant’Apollinare in Classe is an 8-kilometer drive towards the Adriatic coast.

Mosaic in Ravenna featuring the Empress Theodora

Staying in Ravenna

We were driving when we visited Ravenna, and so, as usual, we stayed in a hotel on the outskirts. We then took taxis into the city and from there walked to seven of the eight UNESCO sites in the center of Ravenna. On our last morning in Ravenna, we drove to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe.

For my hotel recommendations in Ravenna, read Where to Stay in Italy: My Best Picks.

Tuscany and Umbria

Toscana! The very name evokes warmth and good living and beauty while at the same time associated with a deliciously turbulent history.

All those towers and walls and fortifications in towns such as San Gimignano and Siena and Lucca were not built back in the Middle Ages because life was easy. The architecture of Tuscan hill towns screams strife.

Fortress of Montalcino in Tuscany — The Fortress of Montalcino, a hill town in Tuscany

At the same time, the museums and churches of Tuscany burst at the seams with art–much of it created between 1300 and 1600, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

We’ve been visiting Tuscany for years and plan to return. We’ve only recently “discovered” Umbria and were taken with its less touristy, more authentic atmosphere. While I love Tuscany, it can get overrun with visitors, particularly in Florence.

TIP: I recommend allocating at least a week to exploring Tuscany and another week for Umbria. Spend a few days in Florence to see the highlights and then if you have a car, find a house or an agriturismo property to rent for several days or a week in or near one of the medieval towns in Tuscany. Take day trips to other towns, bearing in mind that driving in Tuscany can be slow going on the twisty, narrow roads.

In a typical week, reserve a few days for just staying put and enjoying bella Toscana.

If you don’t have a car, you can still stay in the country, but choose a place that provides some assistance with transportation. You can join local tours such as wine tours (highly recommended!). Some properties offer cooking classes and painting classes.

After your week in Tuscany, spend a week in Umbria. The areas around Perugia or Assisi are good choices.

You won’t run out of things to see. I guarantee it!

For plenty of recommendations and suggestions, read Exploring Tuscany, Umbria and La Dolce Vita and Exploring San Gimignano in Tuscany. Also check out Art Masterpieces in Tuscany Who Don’t Want to Miss.

Rome

The Eternal City takes hold of your psyche with the weight of its 2,000-plus-year history and the central role it has played in the development of western culture.

Rome will not be denied.

I’ve visited Rome several times since my first trip there with my parents in 1974. During our most recent trip, Gregg and I spent ten days enjoying the city during Gregg’s exhibition of his paintings at a gallery near the Vatican. We lived like locals in an apartment in the same area and set aside time every day to explore new areas of Rome.

Read my Rome recommendations and a suggested itinerary for a three-day visit in The Best of Rome in Three Days.

Here are additional suggestions for what to see in Rome, including tours.

Naples and the Compania

Naples is kind of crazy–or at least it was when I visited a few years ago. We keep meaning to get down there again to see how or if it’s changed. I rather hoped it hasn’t.

I have a vivid memory of being driven in a taxi through downtown Naples and noticing how the driver barely slowed down at stop signs caked with dirt. Apparently, obeying them was optional. The driver pulled up in front of the National Archeological Museum in Naples, reputed to be one of the best museums in Italy for Roman antiquities. He then turned around and announced chiuso. Closed.

Oh. Those were the days before the Internet took the guesswork out of travel planning. Our only day in Naples was also the only day of the week when the museum was always closed.

That mistake wouldn’t happen nowadays which is a good thing although sometimes I miss the serendipity of the “olden” days when plans could so easily be derailed.

View of the Bay of Naples, the city of Naples, and Vesuvius in the distance

Read my recommendations and a suggested itinerary for a Week in the Campania.

Conclusion

I have a lot of posts on Italy for you to explore. Here again are some of the ones I’ve already mentioned along with a few more.

Overview of 10-Day France Itinerary

France Itinerary Map

Paris on Your Best France Itinerary

Choosing Your Parisian Neighborhood

Where to Stay on the Left Bank

Sixth Arrondisement

Hotel de L’Universite

Fourteenth Arrondisement – Montparnasse

Hôtel A La Villa des Artistes

Fifth Arrondisement

Hôtel Le Clos Médicis

What to See in Paris

Eiffel Tower

The Louvre

Suggested Way to Enjoy the Louvre

Visiting the Louvre

Sainte-Chapelle

Notre Dame Cathedral

The Musée d’Orsay

The Pompidou

Quai Branly Museum

The Orangerie

To the South on Best Your France Itinerary

The Luberon

Les Sables d’Ocre

Domain de l’Enclos

Avignon

Aix-en-Provence and Arles

The Riviera

Antibes

Cannes

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Nice

Menton

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Vence

Tour Options on the French Riviera

Accommodation Options on the Riviera

Eating in France

Conclusion

England

Entertaining Mr Pepys by Deborah Swift

The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett

France

Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands

The Paris Hours by Alex George

Germany

And After the Fire by Lauren Belfer

Chasing the Wind by C. C. Humphreys

Italy

Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey

Netherlands

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Spain

The Return by Victoria Hislop

The Miramonde Trilogy by Amy Maroney

Overview

Amsterdam

Barcelona

Berlin

Cologne

Leipzig

Lisbon

London

Paris

Opéra Bastille

Paris Philharmonie

Piano Concerts at Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Sainte-Chapelle Concerts

Seville

Flamenco Museum

Los Gallos

Stratford-upon-Avon

Venice

Verona

Vienna

Hamburg

Conclusion

Map of Spain: Suggested Artsy Favorites

Flamenco–a Definite Artsy Favorite!