The Louvre in Paris

The Great Art Tour: Amsterdam, Florence and Paris

By Oscar Davis

Europe plays host to some major art galleries and a trip around a handful of cities should place you in the company of some pretty famous masterpieces.

If you’re interested in art, taking a detour of a gallery or town is a wonderful way of breaking up your travels.

Try a dip into these capitals for some of the best paintings, frescoes and a rather famous portrait.

Iconic Sunflowers

You could begin your journey at Amsterdam, an attractive city and home to Vincent Van Gogh, a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist, famous for – amongst other iconic works - his 'Sunflowers' painting.

A native of Amsterdam, Van Gogh has a whole museum dedicated to him. The Van Gogh Museum has more than 200 of his paintings on display, which trace his career in five sections:  the Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise.

If this isn’t enough to satisfy the culture vulture amongst you, The Rijksmuseum, or the National Museum, is the largest museum in the Netherlands and boasts an enviable collection of 17th-century Dutch masters, with twenty pieces by Rembrandt.  

The building itself is a site worth seeing, dating back to 1876 - it shows off decorative gothic and renaissance architecture.

The Stars of the Renaissance

Florence makes for another world class arts destination especially if you’re a fan of Renaissance art. For the stars of the Renaissance, check out The Academy Art Gallery, where you’ll find Michelangelo’s David, or try the Uffizi Museum, which was created by the famous Medici family.

Their vast collection includes Titian’s 'Flora' and works by Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, who was a native of Florence.

The city’s art isn’t just confined to museums and galleries; you can simply pop into one of Florence’s churches – of which there are many – and see some of the frescoes.

The Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore dates to the thirteenth-century and inside its Gothic interior you’ll find Dante and the Divine Comedy by Domenico di Michelino and the Detail of Last Judgement by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari.

A Vision in Itself

For more Da Vinci artwork, cruise over to Paris, a city that truly deserves its place in the line-up of Europe’s best art destinations. The Louvre Museum is a vision in itself and dates to the 12th- century. It was a monument before it became a museum and once-upon-a-time, served as the palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV.

The Mona Lisa dominates its Denon Wing and is the star attraction; however the museum has an abundance of other famed Renaissance pieces, including Raphael’s St Michael slaying the Dragon, works by Titian and more of Da Vinci’s handiwork.

The queues at the Louvre are unfortunately not a pretty sight, and if you intend on catching a glimpse of the Mona Lisa, it’s probably best not to take any chances – early risers should be rewarded with shorter lines.

Getting There

Getting a train from capital to capital is pretty easy and fun, and some gallery stops along the way will enrich and enlighten your travels.

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Keep travel insurance high on your list of things to do before you go. Go Travel has a list of different insurance packages you can pick from, depending on your holiday.

Oscar Davis is the editor of GoNOMAD Travel Picks.

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