So many authors (including myself!) have set novels in Italy–and no wonder! With its rich history, gorgeous landscape, and fascinating cultures, Italy never fails to be inspiring.
In this post, I feature a selection of novels that are not only set in Italy, but also relate in some way to the arts.
Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the most talented painters of the Baroque era and one of the most famous female painters of all time. Her story is riveting.
One woman’s journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment inspired by the great art masterpieces of Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris.
A fascinating glimpse inside the source of Vivaldi’s musical legacy, combined with the captivating story of an exceptional young woman’s coming of age in a deliciously reminiscent place and time.
Stephanie Storey brings early 16th-century Florence alive, entering with extraordinary empathy into the minds and souls of two Renaissance masters–Michelangelo and da Vinci to create a stunning art history thriller.
A gleeful mashup of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Othello: Greed, revenge, deception, lust, and a giant (but lovable) sea monster combine to create another hilarious and bawdy tale from modern comic genius, Christopher Moore.
A story of memories lost and found that explores the mysteries of the mind, the truth behind lore, and the miracle of inspiration.
Have you read a novel set in Italy, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts to enjoy as you plan your adventures in Italy:
In 2021, I again put my European travel plans on hold and instead travel with my daughter to Nova Scotia and stunning Prince Edward Island. On one magical evening, we splash out on an Experience with a capital E—a stay at the five-star Inn at Bay Fortune and an evening enjoying the FireWorks Feast. Billed as an “immersive farm-to-table dining experience”, the FireWorks Feast is the brainchild of Chef Michael Smith.
As a long-time fan of cooking shows, I was familiar with Chef Michael, one of Canada’s best-known chefs. He and his wife purchased the Inn at Bay Fortune a few years ago and have transformed it into a truly memorable destination.
Is Food Art?
When food is presented like it is at the Inn at Bay Fortune’s FireWorks Feast, I’d say yes. Very much so.
Farm Tour at the FireWorks Feast
We arrive at the Inn at 4 pm just in time to grab a drink and head out across the massive lawn overlooking Bay Fortune on the southeast coast of Prince Edward Island to join our fellow FireWorks Feasters for the first leg of the FireWorks Feast Experience.
The Inn’s resident farmer, Kevin Petrie, stands in the middle of a circle of vibrantly painted Muskoka chairs (also known by my U.S. readers as Adirondack chairs) and holds forth about the Inn’s remarkable herb garden.
Kevin’s talk is the start of an hour-long farm tour that will take us from the front lawn to the extensive farm behind the Inn that features greenhouses, nursery beds, a mushroom patch, apple orchards, and even a Pots & Pans Trail.
Kevin is a font of information about growing organic food. I learn that the cilantro plant yields at least eight edible parts, including roots, leaves, and flowers that each have a different taste and texture. The seeds are called coriander – a tidbit of knowledge I’d vaguely known and have now confirmed.
I also sample a chunk of the crispest, sweetest cucumber I’ve ever tasted—almost crisp and sweet enough to turn me from a cucumber tolerator to a cucumber enthusiast.
I learn that the soil on the farm is like a chocolate layer cake – aerated and full of goodness, spongy, dark, delicious – and a wellspring of nutrition for the plants.
We tour an experimental area called the nursery to view dozens of varieties of tomatoes, some of which are almost black The purpose of the nursery is to discover which tomato varieties work best in the climate and the terroir.
Ah, the terroir – the earth from which the plants spring. Terroir garners tremendous respect, veneration even. The terroir creates the food we put into our bodies to nourish ourselves.
Oyster Hour at the FireWorks Feast
We walk from the farm back toward the Inn to find a tall man with grizzled grey hair tied in a tight ponytail. It’s Chef Michael himself standing with shovel in hand in front of a large, smoky fire on which oysters will soon be roasting.
An engaging speaker, Chef Michael exudes an infectious enthusiasm and passion for food, for sustainability, and for terroir. He tells us that the oysters we’re about to slurp were harvested in Bay Fortune that very afternoon. No more than a few hours separate their plucking from the sea to Chef Michael’s shucking knife.
We’ve reached the Oyster Hour portion of the evening that is devoted to sampling a variety of appetizers, including as many oysters as we can slurp. First up are oysters dotted with butter and nestled into the coals of the open fire. I select one and suck it back—tasting the sea, of course, but also a warm, smoky, buttery flavor.
Raw oysters are offered next, shucked right in front of us by Chef Michael and then dotted with dollops of fresh-chopped tomatoes from the farm. My daughter Julia is not a seafood lover (where did I go wrong?), but she gamely agrees to try her first raw oyster. Chef Michael instructs her—slurp, chew, swallow.
Julia holds the oyster to her lips, closes her eyes and tilts her head back.
And then, in full view of Chef Michael Smith, she spits the oyster back into the shell. Oops! But he is good-humored about it and commends her for at least trying.
Julia has better luck with some of the other appetizers. She enjoys slices of smoked salmon, delicate pink and so fresh as to be practically swimming, served atop a crisp, salty cracker, along lobster mushrooms on a taco with Sriracha – heat exploding across chewy smoothness.
Pre-Feast Toast
After an hour of sampling appetizers, we gather in front of the flagpole on the lawn overlooking Bay Fortune. Chef Michael directs our attention to the large Canadian flag snapping in the wind at half-mast. He alludes to why, but doesn’t explain, evidently trusting that the gathered company already knows. I wonder if they do and hope so. For readers who may not know, most Canadians have flown the flag at half-mast throughout the summer of 2021 in memory of the thousands of indigenous children across Canada who never returned from residential schools.
Chef Michael then proposes a toast with a sparkling, bubbling Prince Edward Island “champagne” (Benjamin Bridge Bubbles). The assembled guests (about 75 people) raise their glasses and then troop gratefully into the airy dining room to enjoy six more courses of the FireWorks Feast. Julia had thought we’d eat to the accompaniment of real fireworks, but no. FireWorks refers, literally, to fire and works, meaning that most of the food we consume has been cooked over fires fed with local wood.
The FireWorks Feast Begins
We are seated at the window – a perfect spot from which we survey the wide expanse of lawn leading to the sparkling waters of Bay Fortune. As the evening progresses, golden light floods across the grass, turning it into a shimmering expanse of brilliant, molten green. Slowly, the sky turns soft pink, then mauve, then indigo as night descends over peaceful Prince Edward Island. A bonfire flares, its bright orange flames a promise of life in the darkness.
Special FireWorks Feast Bread
First up is the bread tree – a metal “tree” in which nestles a small loaf of warm, fresh-baked sourdough bread described as made from 100-year-old naturally fermented heritage flour and baked in a wood oven. It is brown, dense, and sinfully delicious.
A trio of spreads invites extensive investigation. My favorite is the maple brown butter – sweet and creamy, but also light—frothy even. Pork pâté made from a happy pig (that’s what the server said!) is subtly flavored; again, the texture is silky smooth. Finally, I savor a lighter-than-air cheese pâté, the flavors so delicate as to be almost undistinguished.
Although I’m already almost full from the oysters and other scrumptious appies from the Oyster Hour, I nevertheless chow down on two hunks of fresh bread and far too many slatherings of spreads. I know this is a mistake – the bread is only course two of seven. Seven! Already, I need a rest.
A cool white wine from Nova Scotia provides the perfect accompaniment – not too strong, a blend that truly complements the food rather than overpowers it. There is the option to have four pours of four different wines for $75. I am tempted, but decide that even my indulgence quotient has limits.
Soup Swimming with Seafood
Course three is seafood chowder for me and a chicken broth with veggies for Julia. My chowder overflows with plump and sweet scallops and clams, bright orange mussels, dense clumps of crabmeat and lobster, along with haddock, salt cod, beach wort (whatever that is), dulse (seaweed?) and potatoes, all swimming in a delicate creamy broth. The flavors do not overpower. They blend and dance across the palate, inviting slow savoring.
This is not the place to gobble your food.
Both of us eat only half our soups, prompting the lovely young server to ask if we liked it. I hastily reassure her that the chowder is spectacular but that I need to leave room. I’d taken Chef Michael’s exhortation to eat as many oysters as we wanted far too seriously and, not wanting to let down the side for western Canada, had eaten three or four too many.
The Best Salad in the World at the FireWorks Feast
The next course is my favorite – all vegetables, and OMG what vegetables! I watch Chef Michael at the open-plan chef station dump fresh greens plucked mere hours earlier from the farm into a massive bowl. Surrounded by an impressive number of earnest-looking and mostly young chefs-in-training, Chef Michael tosses the greens with his hands. The hefty price tag for this foodie experience is feeling increasingly reasonable considering the value we’re getting.
The chefs portion the salad of herbs, shoots, stalks, stems, leaves, buds, fruits, and a plethora of brilliantly colored edible flowers into a bowl for every two people. We also receive an individual plate smeared with root vegetable purées – ash-baked beets, smoked parsnips, and roasted carrots, along with lentil sprouts and something called seedy soil that turns out to be a pleasantly crunchy, sweet and salty garnish I could have eaten all night.
We are instructed to place a few tongfuls of the greens (studded with popcorn – seriously!) over the plate of pureed vegetables to experience the different textures and tastes.
The parsnip cream is to die for, and I don’t even like parsnips. Even the beets go down a treat – the rich red color alone worth the price of admission. I want to eat every scrap of the greens, but my tummy is starting to groan. How am I going to manage the main course?
But back to the greens – crisp, tart, sweet, earthy, fresh – I feel like I’m eating a garden, which I suppose I am. My favorites are the flowers – startling orange nasturtiums and soft violet pansies that are peppery and sweet and crunchy. I’ve only just discovered the glories of eating flowers and am now a firm convert. Every so often, a leaf from one of the farm’s 26 herb beds—mint, basil, and many more tastes I don’t recognize—glides across my palate like an Olympic speed skater.
I reluctantly leave a fair amount of greens in the salad bowl, having practically licked the plate clean of its purée smears, and await the main course. Chef Michael and his crew are hard at work plating the two choices—brisket or halibut. I made the difficult choice when we arrived earlier but was torn. I adore halibut and almost never get it, but brisket! And I figure brisket smoked and prepared by a world-class chef had to be, well, world-class.
Main Course – FireWorks Beautiful Brisket
The main course arrives, the slabs of brisket and flatiron steak artfully (well, duh) arranged over an intriguing assortment of roasted root vegetables. But alas, my stomach rebels. I can manage only a few nibbles of wonderfully flavored kale and some brisket before having to give up. Would it be completely low-brow to ask for a doggy bag in a place like this? I envision enjoying a slab of the brisket (melt-in-your-mouth, for sure) later that evening. It would taste sooooo good then, whereas now – nope. I am far too full to appreciate it.
But as my dad used to say, they’ll not see you again, so I asked our server if I could have the brisket to go and she cheerfully offers to bring me a box. Phew! Later that evening and again for breakfast, I feast on the most tender, flaky, flavorful brisket I’ve ever tasted. Just enough of the salty au jus clings to the meat to give it flavor without overwhelming it.
Always Room for Dessert
Can we manage dessert? Well, of course. Dessert is a different stomach, right? Also, the gap between main course and dessert is, to my relief, long enough to give my system time to re-calibrate.
Dessert is a haskap berry tarragon meringue/sponge cake topped with blueberry cream and a scoop of lemon verbena ice cream. I eat every morsel.
And still we are not done! Over at the chef station, one of the young chefs is affixing rectangles of blueberry marshmallow to the ends of long sticks. Outside the window, the crackling flames of the campfire beckon. We pick up our marshmallow sticks and proceed to the campfire. Melty, blueberry, sticky. Oh yeah!
But unfortunately, swarms of unwelcome guests also show up to enjoy campfire time. We learn the hard way that the mosquitoes on Prince Edward Island are tiny but vicious. Funny – I never remember reading about mosquitoes feasting on Anne of Green Gables.
The Morning After
Before checking out the next morning, I take a copy of my novel Love Among the Recipesto Reception and ask that it be given to Chef Michael as a thank-you for a wondrous experience. The woman at the desk tells me I can give it to him myself since he’s just around the corner in the dining room working on the evening menu.
Feeling a trifle presumptuous, I nevertheless present Chef Michael with my novel. He graciously accepts, telling me he thinks it looks like something he and his wife would enjoy. I’m honored, and float away from the Inn feeling that our Prince Edward Island splurge is one for the memory books.
If you’re traveling to Prince Edward Island during the summer months, consider spending the night at the Inn at Bay Fortune and an evening enjoying the FireWorks Feast. You’ll come away with a renewed appreciation for fresh and nutritious food grown with love.
Each region in France has much to offer, and over the years, I’ve traveled in just about all of them. But if I had to narrow down my choices to just six different regions that I recommend to artsy-inclined travelers, I’d choose Normandy, Brittany, the Loire, the Dordogne, Provence/Côte d’Azur, and of course, Paris.
This post presents an overview of my six favorite regions to visit in France with links to more detailed posts. If you want to fully explore these regions, consider renting a car. My post on Driving in Europe gives you some pointers gleaned from our three decades of experience exploring Europe by car.
Normandy
Rolling fields, picture-perfect villages, and searing World War II history make Normandy in northern France an awesome destination.
I lived for two months at an artist-in-residence place in the Perche region of Normandy a few years ago. When my husband, artist Gregg Simpson, and I weren’t being artists/writers in residence, we spent several happy days exploring this under-touristed area.
Favorite Places in Normandy
The Perche Region
This far-off-the-beaten-track area has no big sites, but the countryside is lovely. Take a detour through it while driving up to the coast.
World War II Beaches
As a Canadian, I was moved by the museum at Juno Beach where Canadian troops landed on D-Day. You should also visit the Caen Memorial Museum, which is considered the best World War II museum in France. I found it fascinating.
Honfleur and the Satie Museum
Honfleur is a mecca for artists with lots of galleries and beautiful architecture. Linger at a cafe in the harbor and then don’t miss the quirky Satie Museum–an artsy-traveler must-see.
Bayeux and the Bayeux tapestry
The clever way in which the tapestry is exhibited is almost as captivating as the tapestry itself. And the town of Bayeux is just delightful. Plan to spend at least half a day exploring.
Mont St. Michel
It’s crowded and touristy, but go in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset after the crowds leave.
Étretat
These stunning white chalk cliffs were a favorite of Monet and other Impressionist painters. Wander along the cliff tops of this incredible coastline and marvel at the fascinating shapes sculpted by the wind.
I adore Brittany. Every time I visit the area, I say We really ought to spend more time in Brittany.
I recommend visiting Brittany in the summer when the weather is pleasantly warm rather than torrid like it is farther south. Beautiful sandy beaches vie for your attention with craggy coves and spectacular rock formations.
Favorite Places in Brittany
Rennes
This charming town with its half-timbered houses is a real delight. Stay the night and enjoy wandering around its virtually empty and picturesque streets.
Pont-Aven
This charming village is a pilgrimmage destination for art lovers. In the 1880s, it was a mecca for such notable artists as Gauguin and Serusier. Walk in their footsteps in the Bois d’Amour (the Wood of Love) and see why they loved the area so much. I recently spent a week there; check out my post: Savoring Life in Pont-Aven: City of Artists.
Cote de Granit-Rose
This rugged coastline in northern Brittanny is a photographer’s dreamscape. Stay a few days to enjoy the seaside and the fabulously shaped rocks.
Carnac and other prehistory sites
Brittany is home to France’s most concentrated collection of Celtic and prehistoric sites. Standing stones abound in this history-steeped region. Check out my post on Prehistory Sites in Europe that includes several places in Brittany.
Saint-Malo
This walled town recently made famous by All The Light We Cannot Seemakes a great home base for exploring the northern coast.
Consider at least a week’s stay in Brittany, or better still, three or four days on the north coast around Trégastel and three or four days on the south coast near Carnac.
The Loire Valley
Châteaux are exceedingly thick on the ground in the Loire Valley thanks to the Loire Atlantique region being the playground for the kings of France until kings rather suddenly went out of fashion.
Favorite Places in the Loire Valley
Spend a week here to tour not only the big (and crowded) blockbuster châteaux like Chambord and Chenonceau, but also the more intimate, even quirky ones like Villandry and Azay-Le-Rideau.
Rochemenier Cave Village (Rochemenier Village Troglodytique)
Visit the cave dwelling village museum to discover the underground houses inhabited for centuries. This place is amazing!
Château de Chenonceau
It’s hard to choose the most beautiful chateau in the Loire Valley, but Chenonceau with its graceful arches spanning the River Cher is definitely a contender.
Château de Chambord
This is the largest chateau in the Loire and also the most crowded. It’s definitely impressive, but go early or late in the day.
Château Azay-le-Rideau
This is one of my favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley. It’s incredibly photogenic!
Chinon
Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chinon makes a great home base for exploring the eastern Loire Valley, and it also famous for its wine, castle, and historic town.
Chartres Cathedral
The cathedral has incredible stained glass windows. Visit on a day trip from Paris or en route to the chateaux in the Loire Valley.
In addition to châteaux-hopping, consider an extended stay in the Loire Valley because, let’s face it, the region is drop-dead gorgeous. Rent a bike or go on a walking tour to immerse yourself in the fairy tale landscape. Also, the food in the Loire is exceptional (and that’s saying something!).
If your time is limited, consider a day trip from Paris to tour at least a few of the châteaux.
The Dordogne Valley
The Dordogne is an excellent choice for two reasons: prehistoric caves and amazing food. Spend at least a week exploring the beautiful towns and villages of this interesting region of France.
Favorite Places in the Dordogne Region
Les Eyzies
This charming little town is home to the National Museum of Prehistory, a must-see if you’re interested in the prehistoric history of the Dordogne.
The charming village of Montignac near Lascaux makes an excellent home base for exploring the area.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
This medieval town hosts an indoor food market, and a glass elevator in the bell tower offers city views. Wander around its ancient streets in the early morning to catch the sunshine bouncing off the yellow sandstone buildings.
Bergerac
Famous for its vineyards and old town center, Bergerac is close to fortified medieval towns called bastides, with Monpazier and Eymet. being particularly noteworthy examples.
If you have a hankering for gorgeous scenery mixed with compelling prehistory sightseeing followed by long, slow dinners where duck often plays a role, then meander down to the Dordogne.
Provence
I dare you to say Provence without sighing!
Ah, Provence! See?
Like Tuscany, Provence has earned its reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Settle in for a good long visit to discover why so many artists made their homes here (Picasso, van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Lèger, Matisse, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch).
I think it has a lot to do with the light. Every time Gregg and I visit Provence, Gregg is inspired by the unique way in which light floods a landscape of sharp contrasts—soft greens and lavenders, hard whites and ochers, startling blues.
Favorite Places in Provence
Luberon
This is still one of my favorite regions of Provence. Don’t miss Roussillon with its ocher cliffs, along with the hill towns Bonnieux and Gordes. In recent years, the Luberon has become rather “chichi”, as in scores of well-heeled people driving nice cars and living in lavender-coated villas, but the food is still wonderful, the weather warm, and the landscape stunning.
Avignon
The Pope’s Palace in Avignon is a lot of fun to explore. The last time I was there, a Picasso exhibition was on. Before you go, check to see if any special art exhibitions are featured.
Van Gogh lived here for only a few months but that was enough to put Arles on the map for art lovers. It’s a delightful town, worth a few days of your time to just kick back, relax, and enjoy the ambiance.
Aix-en-Provence
Home of Cezanne, Aix-en-Provence is a great place to kick back and spend a week. Don’t miss the wonderful Hotel de Caumont Art Center which almost always has excellent art exhibitions, drive out to Chateau La Coste and wander around the vineyards and forest paths to look at striking modern sculpture, and drop into the Fondation Vasarely to see Vasarely’s geometric masterpieces.
Gorges du Verdon
Provence is a region of mountains with many tiny, twisty roads leading up into the Alpes Maritimes and into the French Alps. Take some time to explore the rugged Gorges du Verdon.
The French Riviera
Spend at least some of your time with the beautiful people. Cannes is a good choice for a home base. Another central option is Nice, or my favorite, Menton, which is very close to the Italian border. And while you’re in the area, visit some of the many single-artist museums such as the Fondation Leger in Biot and the Matisse Museum in Nice.
Provence is big enough to deserve a two-week stay, or at least a week divided in two. I suggest enjoying the stunning countryside in the Luberon region for a week and then driving down to the French Riviera to hang with the beautiful people (and see a ton of art) while basking in the Mediterranean sun.
Paris and the Île de France
If you’re planning your first visit to France, Paris will likely be on your itinerary. It’s a must-see city in Europe if you are in any way artsy inclined.
Paris is home to dozens of art museums and galleries in addition to the big-ticket sights like the Eiffel Tower (go early or late to avoid the crowds), the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées.
To truly appreciate Paris, rent an apartment and settle in for the long haul. For the entire month of March one year, Gregg and I stayed in an apartment in Montparnasse. We spent our mornings painting (him) and writing (me) before setting out almost every afternoon to explore the artsy delights of Paris.
Favorite Places in Paris and the Île de France
Musée d’Orsay
With its world renowned collection of paintings from the late 19th century, the Musée d’Orsay is a who’s who of famous painters: Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Morisot, Renoir, Gauguin… You name it! This museum is always on my must-see list every time I visit Paris.
L’Orangerie
Here’s where you’ll see Monet’s waterlily paintings. The experience of walking through the two rooms surrounded by his tranquil and very large paintings is sublime.
Luxembourg Gardens
This is Paris’s playground that many visitors never see. Go there to relax and people watch.
Musée Cluny
I adore medieval art and the collection at the Cluny AKA the Musée national du Moyen Âge is one of the world’s best. Don’t miss the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries.
Pompidou
For early to mid-20th century modern art, there’s few better places then the Centre Pompidou. Check out iconic works by Miro, Dali, Ernst, Pollock, and a lot more. It’s a treasure trove!
Île de France
There’s lots to see in a day trip from Paris including Versailles (the gardens go on forever and the Hall of Mirrors is jaw-dropping), Monet’s gardens at Giverney, and the chateau and forest of Fontainebleau where artists of the Barbizon school back in the 19th century did a lot of plein air painting.
I’ve never ran out of things to see in Paris. In fact, a stopover in Paris has been on my itinerary for almost all of our dozen-plus trips to Europe. Here are four posts related to Paris.
And here are some suggestions for things to see, skip-the-line tickets, and tours in Paris.
Other Regions in France
I’ve limited myself to just six of the best regions to visit in France (in my opinion!), but if you have the time, there’s a lot more to explore. Every region in France has a great deal to offer.
In Eastern France, tour the Alsace region, pop into lovely Strasbourg, take a canal trip in Burgundy (check out the wine route!), and visit Dijon with its half-timbered buildings and great food. While touring Southeast France, check out the Alps, with Mont Blanc a highlight.
In Western France, don’t miss Bordeaux, Bayonne (the Basque Museum is marvelous) Biarritz, and Toulouse, then venture down to the Pyrenees. Also check out the walled city of Carcassone (go early or late to avoid crowds) and Albi, famous for the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. And on your way to Provence, explore the Auvergne in central France and then stop by charming Lyon where you’ll find lots to see and a wonderful culinary tradition.
Conclusion
What is your favorite region in France? Share your suggestions for other artsy travelers in the comments below.
When I travel in France, I enjoy reading novels that are set in France and that relate in some way to the arts. Do you enjoy reading novels set in the places you travel to? In this post, I feature a selection of novels that are not only set in France, but also relate in some way to the arts. I also share some of my favorite France guidebooks.
In the 1920s, a dazzling cast of characters including Pablo Picasso, Cole Porter, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos and F. Scott Fitzgerald gather at a villa in Cap d’Antibe.
The mysteries surrounded the death of Vincent van Gogh in the summer of 1890 and an indelible portrait of his final day are meticulously explored in this riveting novel.
An American woman living in Paris as WWII looms becomes entangled in the intense rivalry between iconic fashion designers Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli.
This richly detailed dural-time novel explores past and present, the personal and the historic, and sensuality, responsibility and the mystery of love through the lens of the life story of George Sand, the maverick French novelist whose many lovers included the composer Frederic Chopin.
Discover love in all its flavors in this fun, food-infused romp through Paris that is as crisp, sweet, and smooth as the perfect macaron. To follow the main character’s journey through Paris, check out this post.
Listed in the Photography category on Art In Fiction, The Postmistress of Paris revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France and is inspired by the real-life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold.
For fans of Nina George, Elena Ferrante, and Valentina Cebeni, a charming, uplifting novel about a man who sets out to fulfil his dead wife’s last wish.
A charming epistolary novel about the love of books and magical ability they have to bring people together. When Anne-Lise Briard reserves a room at the Beau Rivage Hotel for her vacation on the Brittany coast, she has no idea this trip will start her on the path to unearthing a mystery.
Paris of the 1920s and 30s teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a shining crucible of creative genius. But amidst the sparkling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four ordinary people each search for something they’ve lost.
An historical novel based on the true story of the American Library in Paris. In Paris in 1939, Odile Souchet stands to lose everything she holds dear—including her beloved library. After the Nazis march into the City of Light and declare a war on words, Odile and her fellow librarians join the Resistance with the best weapons they have: books.
2017, London: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits a lavish Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.
Guidebooks on France
My preferred guidebook writer, hands down, is Rick Steves. I’m not alone in my admiration for Rick’s thoughtfully organized and thorough travel guides. I’ve often seen travelers with one of Rick’s blue and yellow books tucked under their arms, spurring more than a few good conversations when we’ve discovered our mutual admiration for Rick. Here’s a link to Rick’s latest guidebook on France.
Have you read a novel set in France, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts to enjoy as you plan your adventures in France:
Visit Vienna and Salzburg to enjoy some of Europe’s quintessentially artsy travel opportunities. Concerts, world-class museums, and incredible art await. If you’re a classical music fan (Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, oh my!), you’ll be in 7th heaven.
Find out why I recommend travel to Vienna and Salzburg in this post!
I first visited Austria on a skiing holiday in 1975 and fondly remember the friendliness of the people and the gorgeous Tyrolean scenery in the ski resort town of Sölden. Since then, I’ve spent most of my Austria sightseeing time in Salzburg and Vienna (my particular favorite). In fact, my second novel A Woman of Note about a female composer in the 1830s is set in Vienna.
Artsy Sightseeing in Salzburg
When I first visited Salzburg with my family, I drove them crazy (short drive) with my constant references to my favorite musical of all time–The Sound of Music.
Yes, I know. It’s sentimental and over-the-top, but I loved it when I first saw it in the theater as a child and I still watch it every few Christmases. Those songs just don’t get old.
I threatened to embarrass my family by breaking into song at strategic locations.
To their relief, I never did, but I was rather surprised to discover that The Sound of Music was not always popular in Salzburg. On my first visit in 1999, I could find only a small pamphlet about the movie in the gift shop at the castle (AKA the Hohensalzburg Fortress shown below–one of Salzburg’s major attractions).
All that has changed. You can find information about shooting locations on the official Salzburg website and you can take Sound of Music tours. According to the website, more than 300,000 fans visit Salzburg every year to walk in the footsteps of the von Trapp family in the original shooting locations.
Touring Salzburg
We loved wandering around Salzburg. It’s a stunningly beautiful small city dominated by the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Apparently, the fortress is the largest preserved castle in central Europe and has become the symbol of Salzburg as the City of Mozart.
You can visit the Fortress year round. Tour the Fortress Museum to view historical exhibits about courtly life, the Marionette Museum, and the Altes Zeughaus which has interactive displays focused on the development of cannons, armaments and firearms (not really artsy, but interesting nonetheless!).
Part of the fun of a visit to Salzburg is riding the funicular from the Festungsgasse. Admission is included with the Salzburg card. Go early to beat the crowds (always good advice with popular tourist attractions in Europe).
Mozart in Salzburg
One big reason people visit Salzburg is to worship at the feet of Mozart who was born there in 1756.
If you’re visiting Salzburg, you can’t help but notice its love affair with its most famous son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756 and died on December 5, 1791 in Vienna at the age of 35. Mozart wrote over 600 works, including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, operas, and choral music. Ask anyone to name a great composer and chances are if they don’t say Beethoven or Bach, they’ll say Mozart.
Salzburg styles itself as the City of Mozart. If you like Mozart-themed chocolates and other souvenirs, you’ve come to the right place (you’ll also find them in Vienna!).
The big Mozart attraction is Mozart’s House at No. 9 Getreidegasse in the heart of Salzburg’s old city. Tour the house to see items of everyday life from the period, memorabilia that documents Mozart’s life in Salzburg, and several historical instruments.
To get the lay of the land quickly, consider signing up for the City Center Bus Tour and Mozart’s House. The tour also includes visits to filming locations for The Sound of Music.
Concert-Going in Austria
For me, attending concerts in Austria has two benefits.
First, I get to hear awesome music played by local orchestras, often in the concert halls where the music was first performed. I get goosebumps listening to a concert of Mozart’s work just steps from the house in which he was born.
Second, concerts that are part of local festivals are generally tourist-free. Plenty of tourists attend the special Strauss/Mozart concerts put on for the bus tour groups. These tourist concerts are great, don’t get me wrong. But if you want to be one of the few people in the audience who isn’t a local, check out the many musical festivals and concerts that attract a primarily Austrian crowd.
On the other hand, this strategy can backfire if you don’t do as the Austrians do. Let me explain!
A Tourist Faux Pas at a Concert in Salzburg
One year, we snagged tickets to a concert at the International Mozarteum Foundation building (Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum) in Salzburg. The concert was called Sturm und Drang (Storm and Struggle) and featured piano pieces by Liszt. Anticipating a fiery afternoon of pyrotechnic piano playing, we happily entered the ornate concert room and took our seats.
Within minutes, we became acutely aware that we stood out like stupid-tourist sore thumbs. Although the day was searingly hot, every single person in the audience wore formal dress. The men were decked out either in tuxedos complete with cummerbunds or in full dress uniforms, medals sparkling. The women shimmered in long evening dresses and dripped with pearls and diamonds as they swished into their seats.
Gregg wore ratty, paint-daubed shorts and a T-shirt, Julia wore pink shorts and a grubby T-shirt (hey, we were on holiday–who does laundry?), and I wore my decidedly hippy-dippy, no-crease travel dress. We looked like country bumpkins.
We also seriously miscalculated the appeal of the program. The music was by Liszt all right, but most of the program consisted of delicate, gossamer settings of Schubert’s lieder. The music was beautiful, no doubt about it, but it was also really, really, really slow. After fifteen minutes of trying desparately to look entranced, I wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball under my chair and snooze away the afternoon hidden from the disapproving gaze of all those well-dressed Austrians. And as for twelve-year-old Julia, who, despite our best efforts at the time, was not much of a classical music fan, sitting still in the oppressive heat was agony.
We left at the interval.
That said, don’t let our experience put you off investigating concerts while you’re traveling, especially in Austria where music concerts are as common as lunch.
Tours and Tickets in Salzburg
Here are some options in Salzburg:
Staying in Salzburg
Salzburg is not a large town, but save your legs and stay somewhere in the old town center so you can walk to all the attractions. You’ll pay more, but the convenience will be worth the extra euros. Check the map below for some options.
Vienna is one of Europe’s loveliest cities. It’s small enough to be easily walkable, at least in the charming city center. And there’s a lot to see, particularly if you enjoy art and music.
Vienna has been ranked by consulting firm Mercer as the most livable city in the world for ten years running.
Quick side note: My home town of Vancouver, Canada was recently ranked number 3 in the same survey. I think we have Vienna beat for scenery and recreation, but Vienna is head and shoulders above Vancouver when it comes to world-class museums and cultural events. And Vienna’s laid-back ambience, historic coffee houses and slabs of sachertorte are also features that Vancouver can’t compete with.
Getting Around Vienna
In Vienna, consider purchasing a Vienna City Card & Airport Transfer ticket before you leave home. I pre-purchased my transportation tickets and was very glad I did because I never did figure out how to pay for the trams. Fortunately, I had my city card so if I was stopped (I never was), I was legit.
A smooth train whisks you from the airport to the center of Vienna in just 16 minutes. You can then catch public transit from the U. Look for the blue U signs at the entrances to the subway stations.
On both my trips to Vienna, I spent a lot of time walking around the cobbled streets and people-watching. Stephansplatz in the center of Vienna is the perfect place to hang out and watch the action.
Music is a major reason to visit Vienna. My Music Lover’s Guide to Vienna provides a great deal of information about enjoying music in Vienna. You’ll also find plenty of other arts-related sightseeing opportunities in Vienna.
Museums in Vienna
Vienna has an amazing number of first-rate museums. In fact, it has an entire Museum Quarter. If you are a museum-goer, you might not emerge for days.
Consider purchasing a Vienna PASS. You can use it to skip the line at popular attractions, get free admission to over 60 attractions including the Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and ride the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. It’s a pretty good deal and saves you time.
A less expensive option is the Vienna Flexi PASS that allows you to customize your itinerary. I haven’t used either pass, but in my experience, such passes can be good value. Check exactly which attractions they offer to calculate if they’ll save you money.
Be sure to enjoy a concert or two while in Vienna. You can purchase tickets from Mozart-costumed touts in Stephansplatz for the tourist shows, or go online and find local concerts.
Also check the web for music festivals and concerts being presented during your time in Austria. Every time I’ve visited Austria, I’ve found a classical music festival–or two–to attend. You can also look for performances by the state opera, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, and the Vienna Philharmonic. If music is your thing, visit Vienna during the season–from about October to May.
Tours and Tickets in Vienna
Here are some other options for sightseeing in Vienna.
Staying in Vienna
Vienna is an expensive city. Expect to pay €250-400 or more for a centrally located, good-quality hotel room in Vienna. When you’re looking for accommodation in Vienna, choose places within the old city walls.
You could opt for a budget hotel on the outskirts but I don’t recommend doing so. You’ll waste too much time commuting through dreary suburbs into the wonderful city center. Spend the money and book a good hotel in the old city.
I made the mistake of being budget conscious to a fault on one trip to Vienna when I booked an apartment about a 40-minute tram ride from the city center. Sure, the place was inexpensive, but the hot water ran out on the second day and it was located in a nondescript neighborhood, kilometers from the action.
Apartments can be a good bet in Vienna, but again, book one in the center of the city. You’ll find excellent ones listed on HomeAway and on Booking.com. Click on the map below to find places to stay in Vienna.
Read novels set in Austria to get you excited about your trip or, even better, to read while you’re there. Numerous authors have been inspired to set novels in Austria, particularly novels inspired by Austria’s rich cultural heritage.
Each of the novels listed in this post relates in some way to the arts–from Klimt to Mozart to Beethoven. The rich cultural life of Vienna has inspired many authors (including me!). Many are set in the late 18th century when Mozart, Hadyn, and Beethoven walked the streets of Vienna, or at the end of the 19th century starring such luminaries as Klimt and Mahler.
Set in Vienna a century ago, this tale of Alma Mahler, wife of the composer Gustav Mahler and a composer herself, is part cautionary tale, part triumph of the feminist spirit.
In the dazzling glitter of Vienna at the turn of the last century, Adele Bloch-Bauer—young, beautiful, brilliant, and Jewish—meets painter Gustav Klimt and begins a passionate affair.
Photography illuminates this simple tale of a lonely man searching for his lover; a complex study of obsessions, set in Austria and spanning two centuries.
In 18th-century Vienna, Mozart’s estranged sister, Nannerl, stumbles into a world of ambition, conspiracy, and immortal music while trying to discover the truth about her brother’s death.
The great composer himself is cast as an amateur sleuth in 18th-century Vienna in this first in a series of Joseph Haydn mysteries. If you love this one, you’ll be glad to know there are two more!
In Book 2 of the Joseph Haydn mystery series, Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn receives a curious a message from Kaspar, an impoverished violinist with an ailing wife, asking Haydn to evaluate a collection of scores reputed to be the lost operas of Monteverdi. But before he can examine the works, Kaspar is murdered—beaten and left to die in front of a wine tavern.
In Book 3 of the Joseph Haydn mystery series, Hadyn receives an unexpected invitation from wily King Frederick. Worse still, the invitation appears to stir up suspicion in the highest quarters in Vienna—so much so that a mysterious cloaked lady visits Haydn’s Music Room and issues a thinly veiled threat.
The Woman in the Moonlight by Patricia Morrisroe
A stirring and romantic historical novel about 19th-century Vienna and the tragedy and dynamic passion that inspired Beethoven to write his beloved Moonlight Sonata.
When an English quartet, the Maggiore, undertakes a challenging work of Beethoven’s, violinist Michael Holme is overwhelmed by memories of mastering the piece as a student in Vienna. That’s also where he met Julia McNicholl, a pianist whose beauty was as mesmerizing as her musical genius and whom Michael loved with an intensity he never found again.
When the assistant manager of a hardware store in rural New Jersey shows up at the offices of Cubbage & Wakeham, an elite New York auction house, with a worn musical manuscript he hopes to sell for a small (or perhaps hefty) fortune, he is greeted with subdued snickers—not surprisingly. The title page of the document reads, “William Tell: A Dramatic Symphony” and is signed “Ludwig van Beethoven.”
Christopher Alt, piano maker, is the best in Vienna, probably in all of Austria and possibly the world. His piano keys have given life to melodies by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and many others. On his deathbed, he leaves a will specifying that his descendants, if they are to get their inheritance, must live together in the family home. Over successive generations of the Alt family, history itself passes through the doors, down the halls, and into the private rooms of the Alts’ building.
Want more novels set in Austria? You’ll find many more on Art In Fiction, the website I created to showcase novels inspired by the arts.
Guidebooks About Austria
My favorite travel writer, Rick Steves, of course has produced an excellent guidebook on Austria. Rick’s suggestions are pretty much always on the mark. I also enjoy Lonely Planet books for their comprehensive accommodation guides, particularly for budget places.
Conclusion
Have you read a novel set in Austria, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Check out these posts that provide suggestions for what to read in other European countries:
Most of the world-class art exhibitions that were scheduled to open in galleries and museums in Europe in 2020 were postponed to later in 2021 or 2022.
The following list of art exhibitions in Europe in 2021 doubles as my personal wish list. If I’m lucky enough to return to Europe this fall, I plan to take in at least a few of them. And if not, 2022 here I come.
My list of art exhibitions in Europe includes all the exhibitions that I’d go out of my way to see, which means it reflects my interests and preferences. I hope you also find some exhibitions that pique your interest and that you are able to get to. But if not, reading about them may be the next best thing. My list also includes arts-inspired novels related to the subjects of the exhibitions. For more artsy novels, check out Art In Fiction, the sister website to Artsy Traveler.
Basel
Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction at the Kunstmuseum Basel
The Swiss artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp “pioneered a form of abstraction that fused elements of Dadaism, avant-garde experimentalism, and her technical training as a teacher of applied art.” Until recently, Sophie Taeuber-Arp was over-shadowed by her better-known husband, Jean Arp, but she and her work were very influential. Also, her paintings are delightful. This exhibition is the first to present a comprehensive retrospective of Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s work to an international audience.
Following its exhibition in Basel, which runs from March 20 to June 20, Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction travels to the Tate Modern in London (July 15 to October 17) and then to the Museum of Modern Art in New York (November 21 to March 12, 2022).
Vermeer: On Reflection at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
One of Vermeer’s most famous works–Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window–has been a feature of the collection at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden since 1742. This masterpiece–and its stunning restoration–will be the centerpiece of the exhibition that includes nine other paintings by Vermeer along with over 50 works of Dutch genre painting from the second half of the 17th century A segment of the exhibition will also feature Vermeer’s painting technique and the recent restoration of the Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window.
The exhibition is scheduled to run from April 6 to December 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, check the website.
Suggested Reading
Girl with a Peal Earring by Tracy Chevalier from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction transports readers to a bygone time and place in a richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer’s most celebrated paintings.
The Vermeer Deception by Jennifer S. Alderson from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a fun mystery set in Munich, Heidelberg, and Amsterdam in which an art historian finds–and then loses–a portrait by Johannes Vermeer.
London
Epic Iran at the Victoria & Albert Museum
This massive exhibition explores over 5,000 years of art, design, and culture in Iran. The Victoria & Albert is one of my favorite museums in London, and in my experience, their special exhibitions are first rate. The monumental Epic Iranexhibition includes both ancient and modern works. Here are some of the highlights:
Horoscope of Iskander Sultan from 1411
Jewelry, such as an armlet from 500-330 BC found in present-day Afghanistan
Pottery, such as a bottle and bowl with poetry from 1180-1220
Costumes, such as a woman’s jacket, blouse, and skirt from 1800
Contemporary paintings and sculptures
The exhibition is set to open on May 29. Check the website for up-to-date information.
Suggested Reading
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani from the Decorative Arts category on Art In Fiction is an historical novel set in 17th-century Persia.
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali from the Literature category on Art In Fiction is an historical novel set during a time of political upheaval in Tehran in 1953.
Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty at the Barbican Art Gallery
I’ve long been a fan of the work of Jean Dubuffet. Many years ago, we drove to the village of Périgny-sur-Yerres about fifteen miles southeast of Paris in search of the Fondation Dubuffet, but alas, we arrived to find it closed. Those were in the days before smartphones on which access to museum websites is now a finger swipe away. We did get to peek through the fence to see a portion of Dubuffet’s distinctive white and black sculptures. Fortunately, a few years ago we were able to clamber around Jardin d’émail (the “garden of enamel”) installed in the expansive sculpture garden surrounding the marvelous Kröller-Müller Museum near Arnhem.
The Brutal Beauty exhibition at the Barbican Gallery is scheduled from May 17 to August 22. The exhibition is the first major survey of Dubuffet’s work for over 50 years and showcases four decades of his career, including his whimsical statues, butterfly assemblages, and giant canvases.
The exhibition also includes Dubuffet’s personal collection of Art Brut works. The term Art Brut, coined by Dubuffet, translates as “raw art”.
Check the Barbican Gallery website for more information.
Dürer’s Journey: Travels of a Renaissance Artist at the National Gallery
First off, I love any excuse to visit the National Gallery in London. Its collection of masterpieces takes my breath away–from Turner to Monet to Botticelli to Artemisia and so many more. Almost every room contains a painting that I recognize. Check out this overview of the collection highlights and you’ll see what I mean.
The exhibition of work by Albrecht Dürer is scheduled to run from November 20 to February 27, 2022 and it looks amazing. Ever since visiting Dürer’s home in Nuremberg, I’ve been a firm fan. Actually, I admired his work for many years before that, but visiting his home and watching a demonstration of how he made his famous woodcuts really cemented my opinions.
The National Gallery exhibition follows Dürer’s travels across Europe through his paintings, drawings, prints, and letters. From the exhibition description: Charting his journeys to the Alps, Italy, Venice and the Netherlands, the exhibition will explore how Dürer’s travels sparked an exchange of ideas with Netherlandish and Italian Renaissance artists, fuelled his curiosity and creativity, and increased his fame and influence across Europe.
Check the National Gallery website for more information and to get tickets. Or join the National Gallery and go for free.
Suggested Reading
The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley from the Decorative Arts category on Art In Fiction is an “hilarious, bawdy, and irreverent …tale” about a 16th-century relic hunter and artist Albrecht Dürer who conspire to fabricate Christ’s burial shroud.
Drifts by Kate Zambreno from the Literature category on Art In Fiction is a story of artistic ambition, personal crisis, and the possibilities and failure of literature in which a woman’s love for the work of Albrecht Dürer plays a role.
Madrid
Georgia O’Keeffe at the Thyssen-Bornemisza
This major retrospective of the work of Georgia O’Keeffe is the first in Spain and is a complete survey of O’Keeffe’s career from 1910 to her death in 1986. I think the exhibition may be similar to the one I saw at the Tate Modern a few years ago. If so, it’s a must-see–one of the most beautifully curated and informative special exhibitions I’ve ever seen.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Madrid between April 20 and August 8, make a beeline for the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which in itself is worth an extended visit. The permanent collection includes an awesome collection of medieval art along with major works, from the Renaissance to the 20th century.
Georgia by Dawn Tripp from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a dazzling work of historical fiction that brings to life Georgia O’Keeffe, her love affair with photographer Alfred Stieglitz, and her quest to become an independent artist.
Queen of the Owls by Barbara Linn Probst from the Photography category on Art In Fiction is the powerful story of a woman’s search for wholeness, framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O’Keeffe.
Paris
Botticelli at the Musée Jacquemart-André
Oh, how I hope I can see this exhibition! It’s scheduled to run from September 10 to January 24, 2022 which means if my planned trip to Europe in September happens, I’ll get to see it. Botticelli is one of my favorite Renaissance artists. I love the clarity of his figures, the subtle ways in which he uses color, and his depiction of draped material, not to mention the way he paints curly locks of red hair in masterpieces such as The Birth of Venus.
The exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André is being touted as a major survey of Botticelli’s works. Forty works by Botticelli will be on display along with several paintings by contemporaries who were influenced by him.
Botticelli is a popular subject for authors. Several novels listed on Art In Fiction are inspired by his life and work. Here are two:
Botticelli’s Muse by Dorah Blume from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a provocative historical novel about Botticelli and his conflicts with Florence’s Medici family, and the woman at the heart of his paintings.
The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palombo from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a lush and sensual interpretation of Medici Florence, artist Sandro Botticelli, and the muse that inspired them all.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
The Giacometti: A Family of Creators, Fondation Maeght
The Fondation Maeght is one of my favorite museums in France and is included in my post on the Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe. Whenever we’re traveling in the south of France, we always stop into the Fondation Maeght to see what’s on.
The Giacometti: A Family of Creators exhibition highlights the Giacometti family of artists, starting with Alberto Giacometti, its most famous member. Many of his sculptures are already permanent features in the gardens at the Fondation Maeght. Also exhibited is work by his father Giovanni, and his cousin Augusto, both painters, as well as his brothers Diego, the middle brother, sculptor and designer, and Bruno, the youngest brother and architect.
If you are able to make it to any of these exhibitions, please share your experience in the comments below.
I love Paris so much that I set my fourth novel there. Love Among the Recipesis about a cookbook author who reinvents herself by moving to Paris. The novel is also my love letter to Paris–one of my favorite cities in the world.
In Love Among the Recipes, cookbook author Genna McGraw writes a cookbook/guidebook that matches Parisian sights such as the Eiffel Tower with recipes for bistro-style French dishes such as steak haché.
The next time you visit Paris, use this post to visit the places featured in Love Among the Recipes. Included are descriptions of the sights along with links to some of their matched recipes.
No visit to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower! This iconic monument symbolizes the City of Light. For the most romantic experience, ascend the Eiffel Tower at night.
In Love Among the Recipes, the Eiffel Tower is the first sight Genna visits soon after her arrival in Paris. From the second level, she enjoys both the view and the passing parade of tourists. She also comes up with the idea for the first recipe for her cookbook/guidebook–Steak Haché et Frites.
Here’s how Genna describes this staple of the menu enfant–the children’s menu:
One beef patty, grilled and crispy, accompanied by a mound of light, hot, salty, and crunchy french fries—the best fries in the world. Steak haché et frites was as basic as cooking got in France.
Get tickets to the Eiffel Tower in advance to avoid very long lines. The Eiffel Tower is open year round from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm (9:30 am to 11:45 pm from June 1 to September 1).
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe stands proudly in the middle of the Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly known as the Place de l’Étoile), oblivious to the traffic swirling around it. I know whereof I speak. In the days before Google Maps and GPS, we took a wrong turn and were swept into the Place Charles de Gaulle. Gregg had to circumnavigate the unusually large roundabout (twelve exits!) numerous times before finally crossing a frightening number of lanes to reach our exit. I still break out into a cold sweat when I think of that drive.
Begun in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe honors soldiers who fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Directly under the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier who was killed in World War I.
You can wander around and under the Arc de Triomphe for free, but you’ll pay to climb the stairs to the top. The glorious view of the Place Charles de Gaulle, Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries, and the Eiffel Tower in the distance is well worth the price. WARNING: Don’t even think about trying to cross the Place Charles de Gaulle! Use the pedestrian tunnels located around its perimeter to lead you safely under the traffic.
L’abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Dating from the 6th century, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris and contains some notable frescoes. The current church was built in the 12th century, with the distinctive spire added in the 19th century. The abbey is also where the heart of philosopher René Descartes is buried.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna rents an apartment on the top floor of a building steps from the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. I modeled her apartment on one I stayed in with my family in 1995. The needlepoint reproduction of La Grande Odalisque by Ingres that hangs in Genna’s apartment was inspired by a similar (and equally hideous) version that hung in the apartment we rented.
Close to the church are two famous cafés in which several scenes take place: Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore. While sitting at a table overlooking the church, Genna decides to pair it with a recipe for French Onion Soup. This version comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
Les Invalides
Napoleon’s mammoth tomb and an impressive military museum (Musée de l’Armée) is housed in Les Invalides and is worth a look for Napoleon buffs.
When life starts to go sideways for Genna in Love Among the Recipes, she makes a tearful visit to her grizzled but kindly landlord and most loyal taste-tester. After pouring her heart out to him while savoring shots of fine Napoleon brandy, Genna pairs Les Invalides and its Napoleonic associations with Steak Diane Flambéed in Brandy. This recipe is created by Emeril Lagasse and comes from the Food & Wine website.
Les Invalides is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, except for January 1, May 1, and December 25. Get priority entrance tickets here.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
The partial destruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019 broke the hearts of many cathedral lovers, including me. Some of my most memorable moments in Paris were spent in the vicinity of Notre-Dame. Several times, I attended music concerts in the cathedral and was blown away by the sublime sound and medieval atmosphere.
In Love Among the Recipes, which is set several years prior to the fire, Genna matches Notre-Dame Cathedral with Lemon Sole with Butter Sauce. Here’s the description she wrote for her cookbook/guidebook:
A visit to Notre-Dame Cathedral takes you into the heart and soul of France. Emerging from a recent cleaning, the cream-colored stone glows in the spring sunshine, much as it did when it was first built a millennium ago.The cathedral sits on an island in the middle of the Seine, until modern times the principal artery for commerce. For centuries, fish from the river nourished the well-fed clerics who kept the great cathedral running.From soul to sole, this recipe for grilled lemon sole swims in a light cream sauce made tart by thin slices of melted lemon. Serve with a fluffy rice pilaf studded with pistachio nuts for a heavenly experience.
Rose Window in Notre-Dame Cathedral
The rose window at Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of Europe’s most stunning examples of Gothic stained glass. Miraculously, the rose window survived the 2019 fire. In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs a classic Strawberry Tart with the rose window. This recipe comes from Recipe Girl.
Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité ranks as my all-time favorite religious structure. I first visited when I was 14 years old while on my epic trip around Europe with my mom, and I always pop in every time I’m in Paris. The joyful release I experience when stepping from the dark, winding staircase into the bright and airy stained-glass heaven of the upper chapel never gets old. I include Sainte-Chapelle in my post about the top cathedrals in Europe.
Sainte-Chapelle is open from 11 am to 7 pm and reservations are required. Get tickets for priority access.
Tour Saint-Jacques
Located in the 4th arrondissement, the Tour Saint-Jacques is a fabulous example of the flamboyant Gothic style. It was originally part of a church built in the 16th century which was destroyed during the French Revolution. I always enjoy catching sight of the statue-encrusted Tour Saint-Jacques while walking around the area. The tower’s connection to butchers (the original church was called Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie) inspires Genna to pair it with homemade sausages.
Genna liked the contrast of the ornate tower with the lowly sausage, a dish perfect for an everyday dinner. She could include directions for making the actual sausage. A homemade sausage made from freshly ground meats in the cook’s own kitchen and blended with a rich mix of seasonings was surely one of life’s great gastronomic pleasures.
Viewing the eight giant canvases Claude Monet painted of the water lilies in his garden at Giverny never fails to exhilarate me. Two purpose-built rooms contain four canvases each. Stepping into the rooms is like stepping to the edge of a tranquil pond in a cool forest glade.
In Love Among the Recipes, the water lily paintings have a particularly dramatic effect on Marsha, a young woman whom Genna befriends from her French class. While Marsha blisses out in front of the paintings (collectively called Les Nymphéas), Genna settles onto a bench and thinks about Vichyssoise. Here’s what she writes:
Made with tender young leeks, pale yellow potatoes, heavy cream, and black pepper, a bowl of chilled Vichyssoise on a hot summer day will transport you to Monet’s world, where your soul receives the solace that only nature can supply.
Musée de Cluny
As I’ve written in my post Paris for Art Lovers: Cool Art Museums You May Not Know, the Cluny (otherwise known as Musée national du Moyen Âge) is my favorite art museum in Paris. I spend at least a few hours of every trip to Paris wandering through the dark rooms overflowing with medieval treasures. That’s my idea of paradise–that and stopping for a glass of wine at a local bistro after my visit.
Genna also loves the Cluny, particularly the stunning Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. While enjoying coffee with Parisian hottie Pierre Leblanc, Genna’s description of why she paired the famous tapestries with Duck Confit comes replete with some seriously suggestive double entendres.
This recipe for Duck Confit to match with the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries comes from Serious Eats.
The sixth tapestry: À mon seul désir Photo: Wikipedia
The Cluny Museum is open every day except Monday from 9:30 am to 6:15 pm. Ticket office closes at 5:30 pm. Evacuation of the rooms begins at 5:45 pm.
Musée Delacroix
The Musée Delacroix is housed in Delacroix’s former home and is considered a rare gem in the heart of the 6th arrondissement. The collection includes over a thousand artworks by Delacroix along with objects that belonged to him, and artworks created by artists who admired him.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits the Musée Delacroix the day before she hosts a dinner party for her new friend Marsha and Marsha’s insufferable boyfriend. She pairs the Musée Delacroix with a rich and flavorful Bœuf Bourguignon:
The idea for bœuf bourguignon came to her as she was touring rooms that once housed Delacroix’s living quarters and studio. When she thought of Delacroix, she thought of clutter and heat, of fallen soldiers and distressed maidens densely painted in browns and ochers and reds. Delacroix’s large canvases were too big, too full, too heroic—and a good match for the richness of a well-cooked bœuf bourguignon.
The museum is open Wednesday to Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a night opening until 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
Musée d’Orsay
I never tire of visiting the Musée d’Orsay. It teems with masterpieces created between 1848 and 1914, and includes scores of great paintings by Manet, Morisot, Monet and more. Genna matches three recipes to various aspects of the venerable museum.
To avoid the crowds, buy your tickets in advance and go early in the day. Head first for the fifth floor so you can enjoy the most popular paintings accompanied by few visitors. 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.
Musée d’Orsay as a Whole
When Genna visits theMusée d’Orsay with her daughter, Becky, she pairs cassoulet with the museum. She explains her choice to Becky, who has arrived unexpectedly in Paris, bringing with her an attitude and a secret:
“I was watching all the people crowding into the galleries and I couldn’t help thinking of them as so many ball bearings all rolling along together, one indistinguishable from the next. Then from there I went to beans—white haricot beans that are smooth and round and meaty. And from there, I thought of richness—the paintings, which led me to think of chunks of homemade garlic sausage and duck confit legs simmered in wild garlic and . . .”
“Stop!” Becky held up her hand. “I get the picture. The cassoulet mixes all kind of colors and textures with herbs and beans, just like the museum combines paintings and people.”
“Exactly!” At this rate, they’d start wearing matching stretch pants and pink T-shirts with Mother on one and Daughter on the other.
Here’s a recipe for cassoulet, a tasty recipe from southwest France, on Jo Cooks.
Mère et enfant sur fond vert, Musée d’Orsay
Becky is fascinated by the painting Mère et enfant sur fond vert by Mary Cassatt. Later in the novel, Genna pairs the painting with clafoutis, a delicious and simple fruit pudding suitable for serving to children.
Great Clock at the Musée d’Orsay
Genna pairs the great clock that dominates the façade of the Musée d’Orsay with a classic French apple tart–a tarte aux pommes. This recipe for Apple Tart comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
Make sure to buy tickets to visit the Musée d’Orsay in advance so you can skip the line-up. The museum is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm daily except Mondays.
Musée du 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.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs recipes with three different parts of the Louvre: the Denon wing, La Grande Odalisque by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and a charming terra cotta piece from the antiquities exhibits in the Sully wing.
Denon Wing
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.
Instead, head for the far end of the Denon wing and work your way back. You’ll pass several remarkable pieces, including:
The rich, deep-red walls of the Denon wing inspire Genna to match it with a recipe for Shrimp-Stuffed Salmon. When she serves the dish at a party, the consequences are devastating–and a pivotal moment in Love Among the Recipes. Here’s a link to a recipe for a similar dish on Jamie Oliver’s website.
La Grande Odalisque by Ingres
Your stroll through the French masterpieces in the Denon wing also takes you past La Grande Odalisque by Ingres. The enigmatic image of the nude courtesan plays a prominent role in Love Among the Recipes. In one of the final scenes of the novel, Genna matches the painting with a recipe for tagine–a warm and spicy Moroccan dish of lamb cooked with apricots and nuts. This recipe for Tagine and Couscous comes from Easy Peasy Foodie.
Greek, Roman, and Egyptian Antiquities
While perusing the fabulous collection of antiquities in the Sully wing, Genna comes across a small terra-cotta carving depicting a row of bakers:
Genna trailed past glass cases brimming with cooking pots and spear tips, wrought gold bracelets and bronze helmets. Her attention was arrested by a roughly hewn terra-cotta piece showing a row of figures seated at a bench, kneading what appeared to be dough. Thanks to her progress in French class, she easily deciphered the description. The object represented bakers making bread. The preparation of food was rarely represented in art, and almost never in the art of antiquity. Genna tried to imagine the artisan who had sculpted the little piece and for what reason. It was neither well-formed nor beautiful. A child with Plasticine could have done better. But at over 2,500 years old, the piece was remarkable.
Take virtual tours of the Louvre. Make sure to buy tickets to visit the Louvre in advance so you can skip the line-up. The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily except Tuesdays.
Quai Branly Museum
Also know as the Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, the Musée Quai Branly deserves a place on your Paris itinerary, particularly if you enjoy 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. Read more about the Musée du Quai Branly in my post Paris for Art Lovers: Cool Art Museums You May Not Know.
Genna visits the Branly with Becky, just after Becky inadvertently shares news of a seriously life-altering event. While prowling the dimly lit exhibits, Genna decides on a recipe for Chocolate Mousse. This one comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
Here’s what Genna writes:
No one who has gazed awestruck at an intricately carved exorcism mask from Sri Lanka or the complex geometric rugs woven by Berber tribeswomen could doubt that the objects on display in the Musée du Quai Branly represent human ingenuity in all its diverse glory. Intrepid visitors glide from the Congo to the Sahara, across India and around Polynesia, into the vast lands of Asia and on across the Pacific to the plains of North America and the secret jungles of Brazil. A delicately constructed chocolate mousse should explode with flavor with the same intensity so richly captured in the Branly’s dark passageways.
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 avoid lines.
Situated in the trendy Marais district, the Musée Picasso is close to the apartment Marsha buys in Love Among the Recipes. When Marsha takes Genna to see the apartment, Genna is bowled over by its size and elegance, while poor Marsha is distraught.
Genna pairs a recipe for bouillabaisse, the classic Mediterranean fish stew, with the museum devoted to the work of Picasso, who was born in Málaga on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Her decision to include bouillabaisse in her cookbook/guidebook prompts her to host a dinner party for the new friends she’s made in Paris. The events at this party lead to the climax of the novel.
The Picasso Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10.30 am to 6 pm and weekends from 9.30 am to 6 pm. The museum is popular, so buy tickets in advance.
When Genna visits the Musée Rodin, she is entranced by the many large and small versions of Rodin’s famous Kiss sculpture and by the sophisticated beauty of the museum and its grounds. She contemplates The Thinker, admires the sculptures in the sumptuously appointed chandeliered rooms, and comes up with crème brûlée to match with the museum. Here’s what she writes:
A silky crème brûlée topped with a sheen of caramelized sugar cracked open by one smart rap of the spoon made the perfect ending to a meal. It combined hard and soft together in one dish, like one of Rodin’s sculptures. The cold marble came alive with the heat generated by the two bodies wrapped around each other. What looked solid became malleable and alive.
The Musée Rodin is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6:30 pm. Buy tickets in advance and skip the lines.
Pompidou Centre
The fourth floor of the Pompidou Centre houses an incredible collection of early-to-mid-20th-century modern art. It’s one of my husband Gregg’s favorite art museums. As a painter, he loves admiring the work of the artists who have inspired him–from Max Ernst to Matisse to Pollock.
Buy tickets to the Pompidou Centre in advance to avoid line-ups, open every day except Tuesdays from 11 am to 8 pm.
Stravinsky Fountain, Centre Pompidou
Adjacent to the Pompidou Centre is one of the most striking and fun fountains I’ve ever seen. Created by Niki de Saint Phalle, the Stravinsky fountain was a huge favorite with my daughter, Julia, when she was a child.
Immediately before her rose the whimsical Stravinsky Fountain—a favorite of her children on their family trip to Paris. Sixteen sculptures, including a treble clef, a pair of swollen red lips, and various brightly painted amorphous shapes, rotated, swiveled, and shot water at odd angles. Genna defied anyone to stand next to Niki de Saint Phalle’s extraordinary creation on a hot summer’s day and not smile.
The quirky, colorful cheeriness of the Stravinsky Fountain inspires Genna to pair it with a scrumptious fruit flan that she describes as: Slices of yellow peaches, green kiwis, and creamy white pears, glistening blueberries, and rosy-red strawberries and raspberries and cherries would be arranged in perfect spirals on top of a custard filling spread over a crunchy sugar crust, the whole creation bathed in a glaze of equal parts sherry and Cointreau.
The Jardin des Plantes in the 5th arrondissement is a marvelous place to spend an afternoon. If you enjoy prowling through natural history museums (as I do), then allocate a day to explore the Gallery of Evolution, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, and the Gallery of Botany.
Le Jardin des Plantes is open from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, with most of the galleries opening at 10 am.
Luxembourg Gardens
The Luxembourg Gardens holds a special place in the hearts of my family. We spent many happy hours at the awesome playground when our daughter was young, and in recent years have always enjoyed strolling through its shaded walkways and lounging by the round pool.
Genna also has very positive associations with the Luxembourg Gardens and goes there with her daughter, Becky. The variety of facilities within the gardens inspire Genna to create a recipe for pot-au-feu.
Monet’s Garden at Giverny
An hour outside Paris is Giverny and the house that artist Claude Monet lived in for several decades. The garden he created–depicted in many of his paintings–attracts millions of visitors every year.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits Giverny with Bill Turner. The first glimmer of romance is sparked amid the leafy green walkways and dreamy views of water-lily-studded ponds. While gazing over one of these ponds, Genna decides on a light and fluffy asparagus soufflé. This recipe comes from Simply Recipes.
Parc Buttes Chaumont
This wonderful neighborhood park in the 19th arrondissement is the fifth largest park in Paris and almost completely bypassed by tourists. Wander several kilometers of pathways and admire the evocative Temple de la Sibylle perched on a cliff overlooking the lower garden.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs the park–a favorite with families–with a family-friendly recipe for Chicken & 40 Cloves of Garlic that she serves to an appreciative Monsieur Leblanc, her landlord. This version comes from Jo Cooks.
Parc de la Villette
This massive park, also in the 19th arrondissement, is full of interesting things to see and do. It’s home to one of the largest concentrations of cultural venues in Paris, including the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Europe’s largest science museum; three major concert venues, including the Philharmonie de Paris; and La Géode, an Omnimax theater. Also in the park are ten themed gardens, including the Jardin du Dragon, along with 26 follies–large, bright red metal sculptures.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits Parc de la Villette with Pierre Leblanc and later tells him she’s pairing the park with a Pork Terrine with Roasted Red Peppers and Hazelnuts. Here’s an excerpt from her conversation with Pierre:
“A layered terrine of pork pâté with roasted red peppers and a layer or two of nuts all pressed into a perfect rectangle. When you cut the terrine into thick slices, all the layers are exposed.”
“Like the structures of the park in nature.”
“Exactly!” Genna put down her fork and grinned at Pierre. “You are an amazing inspiration, Pierre. That’s the second good connection I’ve made, thanks to you.”
This delightful park in the 8th arrondissement contains a number of interesting follies, including a miniature ancient Egyptian pyramid, a Roman colonnade, antique statues, a pond full of water lilies, a Dutch windmill, a minaret, and an enchanted grotto. Far off the tourist path, the Parc Monceau is the perfect place for an after-lunch stroll.
The Paris Métro is efficient, fast, and cheap. You can’t beat it as the quickest way to cross the city when you don’t want to take a taxi driven by a French driver with a death wish. If you have more time to get where you’re going, take busses so that you can watch the passing parade of Parisian sights and people. But if you’re in a hurry, descend to the Métro, check your route on the illuminated maps, and enjoy the ride.
While waiting in the Métro, Genna is struck by its relationship to the humble pissaladière, a pizza-like flatbread criss-crossed with anchovies and studded with olives. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Île de la Cité
Before fire devastated Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019, one of my favorite things to do on a warm evening was to stroll around the magical Île de la Cité. Repairs to the cathedral are progressing, but we likely won’t see the cathedral in all its floodlit glory for quite some time.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs Île de la Cité with Rainbow Trout as a result of a tip from the irascible but kind-hearted and seriously committed foodie, Monsieur Leblanc. The recipe is from Dinner with Julie.
L’Opéra Bastille
I was fortunate to see a performance of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung at L’Opéra Bastille a few years ago. A remarkable structure, the opera house in the Place de la Bastille in the 12th arrondissement was inaugurated in 1989 and is the home of the Paris National Opera.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna is inspired by the wrapped and layered exterior of the opera house to create a recipe for veal cutlets in parchment (Escalopes de veau en papillote).
Les Halles
Back in the day (and as recently as 1971), Les Halles was Paris’s central fresh-food market. Now, the market is part of a massive underground shopping mall. Les Halles is usually an area I traverse through long tunnels when changing lines at the Châtelet–Les Halles Métro stop. It’s one of the largest underground stations in the world that connects three of five RER lines and five of the sixteen Métro lines.
Thanks once again to the refined palate of Monsieur Leblanc, Genna pairs Les Halles with a recipe for Rabbit in Mustard Sauce.
Montmartre
Montmartre overlooks Paris atop a large hill in the 18th arrondisement. It’s dominated by the ice-cream-cone domes of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur and includes plenty of charming cafés and an artsy atmosphere. However, each time I’ve visited, the crowds have been intense and so I usually haven’t stayed long. On the other hand, the views across the Paris skyline from Sacré-Cœur are magnificent, and I do remember our daughter at the age of nine enjoying the carousel at the base of the basilica.
The Place du Tertre teems with sidewalk cafés, street artists, locals, and tourists. At the beginning of the 20th century, the area was home to many famous painters, including Picasso and Modigliani. The home and studio of Renoir and Suzanne Valadon are also nearby.
The lively and cheerful area is a perfect match for macarons–the crispy, chewy, gloriously colorful confections that take pride of place in every French patisserie. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Place de la Concorde
The busy Place de la Concorde symbolizes monumental Paris. Stand in the middle of it and you can see many of the most famous sites in Paris, from the giant Ferris wheel to the Egyptian obelisk to the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Genna chooses the elegant French cookies called madeleines to pair with the Place de la Concorde.
Tuileries Gardens
After trudging through the Louvre in search of great art, nothing beats taking some “me” time in one of the metal chairs arranged around fountains in the Tuileries Gardens. The flower beds overflow with color, the crowds swish past, and all is right with the world.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna and Bill relax in the Tuileries before heading across the river to the Right Bank and Bill’s posh hotel on the Rue Saint-Honoré. Before they leave the gardens, Genna matches the Tuileries Gardens with Salade Niçoise, a hearty salad brimming with fresh anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, tuna, tomatoes, and potatoes. As Genna says, “every bite is a new combination of salty and crunchy.” This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Versailles
Versailles, the sumptuous palace of French kings and queens, is worth the day trip from Paris, but arrive early to avoid the crowds! Tour the palace first and then spend the rest of your time wandering around the grounds. You can easily walk all day and not come close to exploring all 2,000-plus acres of what is considered the world’s largest royal domain.
I find the interior of Versailles too over the top and opulent for my taste, but it is worth seeing. I remember experiencing terrible claustrophobia trapped in a heaving mass of tourists in the famous Hall of Mirrors, which is why I suggest getting to the palace as soon as it opens. Outside the palace, the grounds and fountains are truly spectacular. Schedule your visit on a day when the fountains are playing. Check the Versailles website for times.
Genna visits Versailles with Pierre Leblanc, and together they come up with Caesar Salad as the perfect dish to pair with the royal residence. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Book your tickets well in advance and skip the line for the Palace of Versailles. The Palace is open every day except Monday from 9 am.
Have you read Love Among the Recipes? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Cathedrals are pretty thick on the ground in Europe compared to where I come from. In fact, massive stone edifices with slender columns soaring heavenward and sparkling stained glass are pretty must non-existent.
We have our fair share of churches but nothing like the ancient piles that rise from the piazzas and town squares of every major city in Europe—and plenty of not-so-major ones.
Map of the Best Cathedrals in Europe
The map below shows the locations of the Best Cathedrals in Europe mentioned in this post. Click a number to read more about the location.
I visit cathedrals to revel in the history and the art and to imagine the incredible skill and dedication required to build them so long ago. When I study just how complex these ancient structures are, I marvel anew at the ingenuity of humanity.
For this post, I’ve chosen my 8 favorite cathedrals in Europe. To be clear, not all of them are actually cathedrals, which is a specific ecclesiastical term. I’ve thrown in a basilica, a couple of abbeys, and one plain old chapel (which is anything but plain!).
I’ve left out several of the biggies, like St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and Cologne Cathedral in Germany, that you might expect to see on a list of best cathedrals in Europe. But my aim here is to share the places that over the years have touched me the most and that I revisit every chance I get.
My choices are located in England, France, Spain, and Italy.
Durham Cathedral in Durham, England
I’ll start with my favorite cathedral in the world–the queen of all cathedrals, in my opinion. Durham Cathedral (#1) is a massive Norman pile situated on top of a bluff overlooking the River Wear.
Unlike most cathedrals in northern Europe built in the Gothic style, Durham Cathedral dates from Norman times. Instead of slender columns and vaulted ceilings, Durham Cathedral has massive round columns and solid round arches and is one of the world’s foremost examples of Norman architecture.
Why I Love Durham Cathedral
I adore Durham Cathedral!
In fact, I love it so much that back in the mists of my past, I chose to go to Durham University for a year simply because I wanted to live in the shadow of its cathedral. I have many fond memories of visiting the cathedral, sitting quietly in the nave, and sometimes hearing the organ soar.
Good times!
I’m not alone in considering Durham Cathedral a must-see. Bill Bryson, one of my favorite travel writers, also loves Durham Cathedral. For a time, he was even a Chancellor of Durham University.
“Why, it’s wonderful – a perfect little city – and I kept thinking: ‘Why did no-one tell me about this?’ I knew, of course, that it had a fine Norman cathedral but I had no idea that it was so splendid. I couldn’t believe that not once in twenty years had anyone said to me, ‘You’ve never been to Durham? Good God, man, you must go at once! Please – take my car’.”
Durham Cathedral Highlights
The Anglo-Saxon cathedral on the site dates from 995. However, construction of Durham Cathedral as we know it today began in 1093, making it one of England’s oldest cathedrals. Highlights of the cathedral include:
Norman Pillars
These massive carved pillars (6.6 meters round and 6.6 meters high) are one of my favorite things about Durham Cathedral. They hold up the gorgeous round arches that mark Durham Cathedral as a Norman cathedral rather than a Gothic cathedral like most of the other cathedrals in England, including York Minster and Westminster Abbey.
Shrine of St. Cuthbert
The best loved saint in the north of England is St. Cuthbert. He lived as a monk, a bishop, and finally a hermit on Lindisfarne and was proclaimed a saint in 698. His shrine is located within the cathedral.
Tomb of the Venerable Bede
The Venerable Bede was a monk who lived in the 7th and 8th centuries and is regarded as the greatest Anglo-Saxon scholar. He was declared “venerable” in 836 and canonized in 1899. His bones were brought to Durham in 1022 and eventually entombed in the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral.
Open Treasure Exhibition
Various exhibitions showcasing medieval art and artifacts are featured. Check the website for up-to-date information.
Stained Glass
Enjoy the number and variety of stained-glass windows in Durham Cathedral–from medieval to modern, the most recent installed in 2010.
You’ll find plenty of things to enjoy at Durham Cathedral. After touring it, stroll down to the River Wear so you can admire the iconic view of the cathedral. When I was a student at Durham University, I spent many hours walking alongside the river and admiring views of the cathedral.
For more information about opening times, check the Durham Cathedral website.
Practical Information for Visiting Durham
Durham is located between York and Newcastle in the northeast of England. You can see it from the train. In fact, my first glimpse of Durham Cathedral was from the train when we passed it on my epic BritRail journey around Britain when I was eighteen. I knew then that I had to return!
I recommend staying a day or two in Durham to enjoy the cathedral and the lovely town of Durham and to explore the surrounding countryside. Click below for accommodation options in Durham.
The spire of Salisbury Cathedral (#2) rising above the bucolic Wiltshire countryside is the quintessential English view. Stay a night to also enjoy the charming town of Salisbury. It makes a great home base for exploring the area that includes Stonehenge just 9 miles to the north.
Salisbury Cathedral Highlights
The ornate 13th-century cathedral built in the Gothic style is not as old as Durham Cathedral and includes a graceful 123-meter spire and a 14th- century clock that still works. Apart from the beauty of the cathedral itself, the big draw for history buffs is the display of an original copy of the Magna Carta from 1215.
After touring the cathedral, linger in the 80-acre Cathedral Close–the largest in Britain. Notable highlights include:.
Arundells
The home of former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath houses collections of his sailing and musical memorabilia in addition to oriental and European ceramics, paintings, political cartoons, and more.
Mompresson House
This National Trust property is an 18th-century townhouse in the heart of Cathedral Close. Check out the notable plaster work, an elegant carved oak staircase, period furniture, and even a collection of 18th-century drinking glasses.
The Salisbury Museum
This fine museum houses archeological collections from the region, including the Stonehenge Gallery and displays of pre-historic, Roman, Saxon, and medieval artifacts.
Practical Information for Visiting Salisbury
Salisbury is located in Wiltshire about 100 kilometers southwest of London. The train journey from Waterloo Station takes about 90 minutes.
I recommend staying at least one night in Salisbury so you can enjoy the town and explore nearby Stonehenge and Old Sarum to the north. The bus to Stonehenge takes 30 minutes from Salisbury, or you can take a tour from London. Here are options.
Click below for accommodation options in Salisbury. We stayed in a bed-and-breakfast within walking distance of the Cathedral–a good choice if you’re not traveling by car.
It’s crowded, you must buy the audio tour, and you can only go in one direction when you tour the abbey, but OMG, it’s worth it. I never tire of visiting Westminster Abbey (#3). The history of this place coupled with the always fascinating Poet’s Corner make it a must-see every time I visit London, which is as often as I can manage!
The last time I visited Westminster Abbey, I was extremely fortunate to be taken into a chapel not accessible to the public to view the tombs of John Philip Kemble and Sarah Siddons. They were the two greatest actors of the early 19th century who also make an appearance in my 3rd novel, The Muse of Fire.
I asked an attendant where the tombs were when I couldn’t find them in Poet’s Corner. She directed me to one of the abbey’s clerics who took me to the side chapel where women were arranging flowers. I could look at the 2 tombs, both decorated with large marble sculptures of the famous actors. However, I wasn’t allowed to take pictures. Still, it was a thrill to pay my respects to 2 people with whom I’d spent a lot of time while writing The Muse of Fire.
One very good thing about having to tour Westminster Abbey with the audio guide clamped to your ear is that the noise level is very low. People are too busy listening to the audioguide to talk. As a result, even with the abbey heaving with people, you still feel something of the spiritual atmosphere of a church that has played an outsized role in British history since 1066.
Before you visit, take a virtual tour to get your bearings.
Westminster Abbey Highlights
The audio tour is extremely thorough so you’ll get a lot of information about what you’re seeing as you shuffle around the abbey.
Coronation Chair
View where the kings and queens of England have been crowned for over 700 years. Under the chair is the Stone of Scone brought by Kind Edward I from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in 1295. The stone was stolen on Christmas Day in 1950. For an entertaining movie about the theft, see The Stone of Destiny.
Pyx Chamber
One of the oldest surviving parts of Westminster Abbey, the Pyx Chamber is a low vaulted room off the East Cloister that was built about 1070. You really get a feel for the incredible antiquity of the abbey in this chamber.
Royal Tombs
Westminster Abbey contains the mortal remains of 30 kings and queens, starting with King Edward the Confessor. As you tour the abbey, you’ll pass the tombs of such major figures as Edward I, Richard II, Henry VII, Queen Elizabeth I, and Charles II. Walking around the tombs is like taking a trip through English history.
Cloisters
I always enjoy walking around cloisters at cathedrals. The ones at Westminster Abbey enclose a green space with a central fountain commemorating Capability Brown, the famous landscape gardener and architect from the 18th century.
Poet’s Corner
This area is a must-visit for artsy travelers. I could spend all day here looking for the tombs of over 100 of England’s greatest writers and poets, including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Geoffrey Chaucer, C. S. Lewis, and composers such as George Frederick Handel.
Other Tombs and Memorials
Over 3,300 tombs and memorials are scattered throughout Westminster Abbey. If you’re looking for a particular person and can’t find them on the regular tour (and you know a memorial to them exists in the abbey), ask an attendant. If the tomb is accessible, you may be allowed to view it even if it is not in an area open to the public.
Check out the Westminster Abbey website to buy tickets.
Practical Information for Visiting London
London is enormous, so allocate at least 5 days to visit it and preferably a week. You won’t run out of things to see and do in London.
Here are London-based tours to consider, particularly if you are short on time.
When I visit London, I choose the most central accommodation I can find. Yes, you can find cheaper (and drearier) accommodation farther from the center, but you’ll spend more time and money commuting.
The last time I was in London, I stayed at the Cavendish Hotel near Green Park and within walking distance of the theaters in London’s West End. The location was perfect. I very rarely needed to take a tube, mostly relying on either busses or walking.
Click below for accommodation options in central London.
If you have not yet visited Sainte-Chapelle (#4) in Paris, put it at the top of your list. It’s truly one of the city’s marvels–which is saying something in Paris. Every time I visit the City of Light, I make make time to pop into Sainte- Chapelle.
What’s So Special About Sainte-Chapelle?
Two words: stained glass. The walls enclosing the top floor of the 2-storey chapel are virtually all glass. Very slender columns separate the soaring stained glass windows.
Pictures can’t capture the incredible light and beauty of Sainte-Chapelle. Arranged across 15 windows, each 15 metres high, the stained-glass panes depict 1,113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
The chapel was built over a period of just 7 years–an incredibly fast pace for the time and why the chapel’s architecture is so harmonious.
For information about opening times, check the Sainte-Chapelle website.
Attend a Concert at Sainte-Chapelle
One of the best ways to enjoy Sainte-Chapelle is to attend a concert there. We’ve done so several times and have always been transported. It’s a wonderful artsy experience to listen to Bach, Vivaldi, and other 18th- century masters while bathed in the colored light filtering through the stained glass.
Lean your head back and look up at the star-spangled ceiling.
Purchase tickets in advance for concerts at Sainte-Chapelle. The ClassicTic website is a reliable place to find tickets.
Practical Information for Visiting Sainte- Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle is located on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris. Since the chapel is located within the precincts of the Palais de Justice, you need to go through a security screening before you can enter Sainte-Chapelle. Visit early in the day or wait until the evening and combine your visit with a concert.
While on the Île de la Cité, you’ll pass by Notre Dame Cathedral–a heartbreaking site as a result of the fire that devastated it in 2019. Repairs are underway, so hopefully one day you’ll be able to tour it again.
Here’s the Île de la Cité showing Notre Dame Cathedral before the fire. The spire in the center of the picture is Sainte-Chapelle.
Paris deserves at least 4 days to tour and preferably a week. I’ve stayed a month at a time and have never run out of things to see and do.
Here are Paris-based tours to consider, particularly if you are short on time.
Staying in Paris
When I visit Paris, I choose the most central accommodation I can find. Cheaper accommodation is available on the Périphérique, but the neighborhoods can be souless, and you’ll spend more time commuting to central Paris.
See my suggestions about where to stay in Paris or click below for other accommodation options in central Paris.
Chartres makes a great day trip from Paris or a stop on the way to tour the Loire Valley.
Considered one of the most beautiful in France, Chartres Cathedral (#5) is also one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The cathedral dominates the delightful small town of Chartres.
Chartres Cathedral has it all: graceful spires, pointed arches, flying buttresses, and magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows. The intensity of your visit is heightened by the fact that no direct light enters the building. All light is filtered through the stained glass, so your enjoyment of the remarkable interior of the cathedral has an other-worldly feel.
At the center of the cathedral is a maze of 290 meters that the faithful used to follow on their knees. Ouch.
Read more about the cathedral on the Chartres Cathedral website, including information about opening times and history.
Practical Information for Visiting Chartres
Chartres is located about an hour’s drive or train ride southwest of Paris. If you decide to make Chartres an overnight stop on the way farther west to visit the châteaux in the Loire Valley, here are accommodation options:
I confess that I did not visit the Sagrada Familia (#6) until my 3rd and most recent trip to Barcelona. The first time I was 21 and intimidated by seeing phalanxes of helmeted soldiers close in around me in the Plaza Catalunya. This was during the Franco years in the 1970s. On my second visit, I’d failed to get tickets ahead of time. The line of people who did not have the foresight to book ahead stretched around the building, and so I passed.
Finally, 3rd time lucky! I purchased my ticket to the Sagrada Familia online and well in advance of my visit and happily breezed past the long line-ups of very hot tourists on a day when the temperature hovered around a very humid 35 degrees.
Even with a ticket, make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your entry time. You’ll still queue but not for as long as will the poor souls who didn’t plan ahead. When I visited at 3 pm, people were being told that the next entrance time was at 6.
The Sagrada Familia was started in the 1880s and is not yet finished. Cranes arch across the towers, and you’ll hear hammers pounding. After visiting the interior, take a leisurely walk around the building to admire the intricate sculptures encrusting the walls like artsy barnacles.
What’s Special About the Sagrada Familia?
At your scheduled time, if you’re not taking a tour, join the hordes trudging around the perimeter of the basilica to the entrance for ticket holders, and pick up an audio guide (included in the ticket price and very informative) as you enter.
Then prepare to be blown away!
The interior of the Sagrada Familia is like nowhere else on earth. Abstract patterns in blues, golds, greens, and reds bounce the Barcelona sun across faces, walls, t-shirts, and floors.
High above, star-shaped openings punch the roof to let the sun stream in like bolts of pure light.
Take your time exploring the Sagrada Familia. I suggest grabbing a pew and just sitting, listening to the audio guide and letting the beauty of the place soak in.
Regardless of your religious convictions, you can’t help but appreciate the magnificence of the architecture as a fitting celebration of spirit. You may never want to leave.
To book tickets, go directly to the Sagrada Familia website.
Practical Information for Visiting Barcelona
For more information about what to do and see in Barcelona, check out my post on Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Trendy Barcelona. In addition to my suggestions, here are tours to consider.
I recommend staying at least 2 days and 3 nights in Barcelona. Check out my suggestions for where to stay in Barcelona.
Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy
I singled out the Basilica of San Vitale (#7) in Ravenna for this post, but when you go to Ravenna, you definitely want to visit all the churches and mausoleums containing the Byzantine mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries.
Start at the Basilica of San Vitale, which contains the most famous mosaics, including those showing the Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora.
When you arrive at the Basilica San Vitale, buy your combination ticket for all 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites in central Ravenna.
The combination ticket is also available at a few other locations, including the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Neonian Baptistry, and the Archbishop’s Chapel. Basically, buy your ticket at the first site you visit.
The sites are almost all within walking distance of each other and you’ll need a full day to see them all, with a long break to enjoy lunch in the lovely Piazza del Popolo in the center of Ravenna.
What’s Special about Basilica San Vitale
I’ve known about the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, particularly the ones in San Vitale, ever since I studied art history at university.
Seeing pictures of the mosaics in books was impressive enough, but the real mosaics take your breath away. You’ll also end up with a sore neck within a few minutes of entering San Vitale. Be warned and pace yourself. When you visit San Vitale, and indeed all the Byzantine sites in Ravenna, you spend a lot of time looking up.
But the pain is worth it. Built in 525, the Basilica San Vitale is by far the oldest of the cathedrals presented in this post and one of the oldest in Christendom. And yet its mosaics look like they were made yesterday. It’s almost impossible to believe they are getting on for 1,500 years old.
What also struck me was the modernity of many of the decorative elements surrounding the figurative mosaics. You’ll also see many details from the natural world, such as birds, flowers, and small animals.
Practical Information for Visiting Ravenna
Ravenna is located about 145 kilometers (a 2-hour drive) south of Venice and 85 kilometers due east of Bologna on the Adriatic Sea. The city makes a great stop either on your way to or from Venice.
I recommend staying at least a night in Ravenna so you have plenty of time to tour both the Basilica San Vitale and the other World Heritage sites containing Byzantine mosaics. Check out my suggestions for where to stay in Ravenna.
Siena Cathedral in Siena, Italy
Siena Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta) (#8) has so much to offer that you’ll need the better part of a day to explore and appreciate it and the adjacent museum.
Chock full of fabulous art, much of it from the 14th century (my favorite century for art!), Siena Cathedral is my top pick for best medieval cathedral in Italy.
To start with, the exterior of the cathedral is stunning, with its black and white striped tower and super ornate facade. Dating from the 12th century, the cathedral is a masterpiece of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Siena Cathedral Highlights
The interior of the cathedral is just as stunning (maybe even more so) than its exterior. Here are the highlights of Siena Cathedral and the adjoining museum.
Cathedral Floor
You’ll spend a lot of time looking down when you’re inside Siena Cathedral. In fact, its floor is the most interesting floor I’ve ever seen in a cathedral. Giorgio Vasari, who wrote the famous round-up of artists called Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects in the 16th century, considered the floor in Siena Cathedral the “most beautiful…, largest and most magnificent floor ever made.”
He got that right. The floor consists of 56 inlay panels created between the 14th and 19th centuries. All of the artists who worked on the floor were Sienese, except for Pinturicchio who was from Umbria. The panels represent the sibyls, scenes from the Old Testament, allegories, and virtues, and remarkably, most are still in their original state.
Piccolomini Library
I confess that I had not heard of the Piccolomini Library, which is a sad admission for a lover of medieval and Renaisannce art. But there you go, and I’ve now discovered the error of my ways.
The library is to the left of the nave when you enter the cathedral. You might need to line up to get in.
Between 1503 and 1508, Pinturicchio covered the walls and ceiling of the library with scenes celebrating the life and work of Pope Pius II. You’ll be amazed by the atmospheric landscapes, the splendid costumes of the figures, and the rich, enamelled palette. The colors look like they were applied yesterday. The frescoes truly are a wonder.
Gate of Heaven
Recently, the cathedral began to allow people to tour a series of rooms at the top of the cathedral. You can walk above the nave to admire views both inside and outside the cathedral. It looks pretty cool (I haven’t done it yet!).
Museo dell’Opera
Not all museums attached to cathedrals are worth visiting, but the Museo dell’Opera is. The museum houses numerous masterpieces. My favorite (and the biggest draw) is the Maestà altarpiece by Duccio di Buoninsegna (usually referred to as Duccio).
Duccio painted Mary and Jesus (Maestà means a madonna and child) in the early 14th century for the cathedral’s altarpiece. He is considered one of the greatest Italian painters of the late medieval period and is credited with created the paintings styles of the Sienese school.
The Duccio altarpiece is housed is quite a large room, suitably darkened and climate controlled and equipped with chairs so you can sit and contemplate this miraculous work for as long as you want.
Duccio’s altarpiece is close to my heart because I feature it in my novel The Towers of Tuscanyabout a fictional woman painter in 14th century Italy who spent some time in Siena.
The museum also includes sculptures by Donatello, Pisano, and Jacopo della Quercia, a treasury that exhibits fabulous works by goldsmiths and jewelers, and a very rare collection of illuminated manuscripts.
I was in 7th heaven in this museum.
Practical Information for Visiting Siena
Siena is located about an hour south of Florence and 2 hours north of Rome in beautiful Tuscany. To read more about Tuscany (one of my all-time favorite places to visit in Italy), see my post on Tuscany and Umbria.
Here are other tour options in Siena and the surrounding countryside.
I recommend staying at least 2 nights in Siena to give you ample time to explore this wonderful city and to just relax in the Campo. Check out my suggestions for where to stay in Siena.
Summary
You can’t go far in Europe without coming across cathedrals and churches with historical significance. Every village has a stone church, its steeple rising above the surrounding countryside, the style changing from region to region.
If you enjoy learning about the building of the great Gothic cathedrals in Europe, then pick up copies of Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge Series. The three extraordinary novels chart the course of the fictional Kingsbridge Cathedral through four centuries. A prequel to The Pillars of the Earth is coming in September, 2020.
Do you have a favorite European cathedral or church you’d like to share with other Artsy Travelers?
Prehistory sites abound in Europe and I go out of my way to visit them–the older the better.
In Europe, you’ll find breathtaking cave paintings, soaring menhirs, mysterious dolmens, logic-defying stone alignments, and compelling archeological museums.
I get a kick out of visiting prehistoric sites built by fellow humans thousands of years before recorded history. Peering at shapes drawn on cave walls by artists who lived and loved so long ago gives me a peculiar thrill. I feel connected to the creative spirit that makes us human.
Prehistory Sites Featured in this Post
For this post, I’ve chosen seven of my favorite prehistoric sites, but these are by no means the only ones. You’ll find hundreds more scattered around the British Isles and western Europe, particularly the western edges of Brittany and the Dordogne in France, southern Spain, and the Alentejo region of Portugal.
Location of Prehistory Sites
I’ve presented the prehistoric sites from north to south and west to east. Start at Newgrange in Ireland, head south to Portugal and Spain, go north again through the Dordogne in France, and end in Brittany.
I barely scratch the surface, but that’s great news if you can’t get enough of wandering around these ancient sites. Here’s a map of Europe showing the seven prehistory sites featured in this post. The number assigned to each site corresponds with the number on the map below.
A visit to Newgrange (#1 on the map) in the Boyne Valley in Ireland is a must for prehistory lovers. Located about 40 minutes north of Dublin near the town of Drogheda, Newgrange is a revelation. At over 5,200 years old, it predates Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
Classified as a passage tomb, Newgrange is considered a place of “astrological, spiritual, religious, and ceremonial importance.”
I was blown away. Even crowded with tourists, the place exuded an energetic and spiritual pull.
Who were the people who conceived and built the tomb all those millennia ago? As a result of its precise construction, a beam of light at dawn at the winter solstice penetrates the roof-box above the passage entrance and travels up the 19-meter passage to dramatically illuminate the central chamber.
Each year, people enter a lottery to witness the sunrise one morning from December 18 to December 23rd. Wouldn’t it be amazing to be chosen?
Visiting the Newgrange Prehistory Site
When you visit Newgrange, go first to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre to pick up your tickets (book in advance). The excellent exhibits explore the seasonal nature of Stone Age society, the monument building process, and the significance of the ceremonies associated with the monuments.
From the Visitor Centre, a shuttle bus transports you to the Newgrange and Knowth monuments. You can’t enter Knowth, but at Newgrange you’re led into the tomb on a tour. When I visited, we filed into the central chamber through the narrow passageway. The lights were doused for several seconds. In the total darkness of the enclosed space, I easily imagined myself shivering in the pre-dawn chill 5000 years ago as I waited for the sun to return at the winter solstice.
Then, light meant to represent the rising sun shone through the roof-box. For a few glorious minutes, I witnessed the magic of the light slowly extending from the floor at the base of the roof-box along the passageway to the rear of the chamber.
More Information about Newgrange
Check the Newgrange website for information about pre-purchasing tickets for the full tour that includes the Newgrange chamber. Walk-in tickets are limited, so them online as soon as you know your travel plans.
Here’s a tour that includes Newgrange and Hill of Tara, the seat of power of the Irish High Kings.
#2: Avebury, England
I first visited Avebury (#2) when I was eighteen and attending Reading University in Berkshire, about an hour’s drive east toward London.
Located in Wiltshire in southwest England, Avebury consists of a massive bank and ditch enclosing an area of 28.5 acres. Within its boundaries is the largest stone circle in Britain. At one time consisting of 100 stones, the large circle in turn encloses two smaller stone circles.
The stones encircle an area that includes part of Avebury village. The site was built and altered over several centuries from 2850 BC and 2200 BC.
I like visiting Avebury because, unlike at Stonehenge, you can wander freely around the stones. While the stones themselves are not as large and impressive as those of Stonehenge, Avebury’s location in the bucolic English countryside provides much more scope for the imagination.
Visiting Avebury
Managed by the National Trust, Avebury is open during daylight hours. While you’re there, pay a visit to Avebury Manor which dates from the 12th century and in the 1930s was the home of Alexander Keiller, an archeologist who did extensive work on the Avebury Stone Circle. The Alexander Keiller Museum includes prehistoric finds from Avebury and other monuments in the area.
Here are some tours to Stonehenge that also take you through the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.
Other Prehistoric Sites in Southern England
This area of southern England includes many wonderful prehistoric sites, including Stonehenge and Silbury Hill. One of my other favorite places is White Horse Hill near Uffington in Oxfordshire. The white horse is one of several figures cut by Bronze Age people into the chalk downs of the area.
#3: Almendres Cromlech near Évora, Portugal
The Alentejo region of Portugal, notably around Évora, is a treasure trove of megalithic sites. In fact, the area is considered the most important area for megaliths on the Iberian Peninsula.
Most of the megaliths are standing stones that date from the Early Neolithic period (5500-4500 BC). Megaliths abound in the fields around Évora: more than 10 megalithic enclosures, 100 isolated menhirs, 800 dolmens and 450 megalithic settlements. Wow!
Head west from Évora to the Almendres Cromlech (Cromeleque dos Almendres), a megalithic complex reputed to be one of the world’s oldest—over 2,000 years older than Stonehenge.
More than 100 standing stones bristle down a hillside. Wander among them at will, take pictures, and commune with the ancestral forces. Whenever we’ve visited, the place has been virtually deserted.
Visiting Almendres Cromlech
Follow the road signs to the site from the small village of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe. Not far from the Almendres megaliths is the Almendres Menhir which was erected to mark the sunrise in the summer solstice
Spend an afternoon driving around the area to see evidence of a civilization that flourished millenia ago.
#4: Cueva de la Pileta near Ronda, Spain
The Cueva de la Pileta is the only cave art site we’ve visited in Spain. We’re big cave art fans and one day plan to visit the ‘queen’ of the cave art sites–the Cave of Altamira in northern Spain near the charming town of Santillana del Mar. Featured there are charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of animals and human hands.
The paintings in the Cueva de la Pileta are not nearly as extensive as those in Altamira or Lascaux (see below), but still worth a visit if you’re traveling near Ronda and you have a car. We learned about the caves from the owner of the beautiful little hotel we stayed at in the countryside near Ronda (see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks).
The hour-long tour in the dimly lit cave took us past paintings and drawings that are at least 30,000 years old. None of the paintings is as colorful and fully formed as you’ll see in Lascaux in France, but their incredible antiquity is awesome.
The tour group is small, the footing rough, and the experience very authentic. Our guide conducted the tour in Spanish and English.
Visiting Cueva de La Pileta
You must get reservations before you visit the cave. Check the website for more information. To make reservations, call 666 74 17 75. After parking along the road, you walk up a steep, rough pathway to the cave entrance. Bring warm clothes to wear inside the cave even if the weather is hot outside. After an hour inside the cave, you’ll be chilly.
The charming town of Ronda in fabulous Andalusia is not far from the caves. Stop here for a meal and to enjoy the sunset over the surrounding countryside.
These tours take you to Ronda and around the gorgeous White Towns of Andalusia.
#5: Lascaux, Dordogne, France
Probably the most famous prehistoric site in Europe, if not the world, is the Cave of Lascaux near the town of Montignac in the Dordogne region of France. You can’t visit the original cave, but you can visit Lascaux IV, which is a replica of 90% of the paintings found in the original cave.
Until we visited, we thought that seeing a replica wouldn’t be worth the trip. We were wrong! The 40-minute guided tour was wonderful and highly recommended. The unparalleled energy and beauty of the paintings is awe-inspiring.
Visiting Lascaux
For more information about visiting Lascaux, check out my post about visiting and enjoying spectacular Lascaux IV.
Other Prehistory Sites Near Lascaux
The area around Lascaux is teeming with prehistory. South of Montignac is Les Eyzies where you’ll find the wonderful Musée National de Préhistoire. Start your exploration here to discover the rich paleolithic heritage of the Vézère Valley, also known as the European “Valley of Man.”
Not far from Les Eyzies is the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume where you can view over 800 engravings and drawings of prehistoric horses, bison, aurochs, lions, reindeer, and more.
The Font-de-Gaume is one of the few extensive prehistoric caves still open to the public. Check online for information and to buy tickets. Admission is limited so make sure to buy tickets well in advance.
A virtual tour of the Font-de-Gaume is also available.
Known as the island of ancient stones, tiny Gavrinis is located in the Gulf of Morbihan, renowned as one of the largest and most beautiful bodies of water in France.
In an area brimming with ancient burial sites, stone alignments, and other Neolithic sites, the burial chamber at Gavrinis is considered one of the most interesting.
The Neolithic structure on the island of Gavrinis consists of a tumulus (earth mound) that covers a cairn (stone mound) that in turn covers a dolmen within which is the stone burial chamber. At Winter Solstice, the sun shines down the passageway and hits the back wall.
What makes Gavrinis unique are the swirling patterns and symbols cut deep into 23 of the 29 rock slabs that form the 24-meter passageway leading to the burial chamber. The designs were cut into the stone over 5,500 years ago (3,500 BC) by some very artistic and amazing people.
Who were the artists who created these carvings and why did they make them? You’ll find out on the 90-minute guided tour (including the boat trip) required to view the burial chamber.
The carved patterns are startling in their modernity—zigzag lines, swirls, lozenges, and circles. Some of the shapes appear to be non-abstract objects, such as axes and horns.
Visiting Gavrinis
The island is accessible by a guided tour from the small town of Larmor-Baden. The boat trip across the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Morbihan makes the 90-minute tour especially enjoyable.
Check the Brittany Tourism site for more information about touring Gavrinis.
#7: Carnac, Brittany
After visiting Gavrinis, head a little farther north to enjoy one of the most remarkable–and largest–stone alignments in Europe. Over 3,000 standing stones march across the fields near Carnac.
Gregg still remembers fondly the morning a friendly farmer opened a gate to let him wander at will through a section of the stone alignments. Gregg didn’t know at the time that the farmer was doing him a favor and that normally, the area is off limits to tourists.
Visiting Carnac
Because it’s famous, Carnac can get crowded and attracts tour busses. Fortunately, you’ll find many other standing stones, tumuli, and dolmen throughout Brittany. Most of the time, these sites are deserted so you can commune in solitude with the spirits of the ancients.
Other Prehistory Sites in the Carnac Area
Other prehistory highlights in the area include Barnenez, one of the oldest man-made structures in the world, and the megaliths at Locmariaquer.
Conclusion
I never tire of seeking out prehistory sites and marveling at the intelligence that created them. So little is known about the why and the how of these incredible iterations of the creativity and drive of early humans.
As I mentioned, my list only barely scratches the surface of all the prehistoric sites scattered around Europe. As you travel, be on the lookout for stone circles, ancient caves, dolmens, and ancient burial sites.
I’ve often discovered new prehistoric sites when I wasn’t even looking for them. Check at the local tourist offices and ask your bed-and-breakfast hosts about local sites. We’d never heard of the Cueva de la Pileta until told about it by the host of the Hotel Cortijo-las-Piletas where we were staying.
I also remember stumbling across the Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick in England’s Lake District because I saw a sign pointing to it and, on a whim, followed it. What a magical place!
I’ll leave you with a picture of a site that is high on my list of next-sees–the standing stones of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis in the far north of Scotland.
Do you have ancient sites you’d like to tell other Artsy Travelers about? Please leave comments below and let us know about them.
Here are some more posts on Artsy Traveler about recommended sightseeing in Europe: