BerlinGetty Images
6. Berlin
Berlin is a contemporary art lover’s dream. A long weekend – or an entire week, if you’ve got the stamina – can be wiled away just in the German capital’s spectacular galleries and museums. The open-air East Side Gallery houses the largest continuous section of the Berlin Wall. At the same time, showrooms such as König Galerie and BQ Berlin are home to changing, eclectic exhibitions curated to excite Berliners and international design lovers alike.
5. Oslo
Just as Norway’s capital heads into a dark, chilly winter, it suddenly lights up again, as Fjord Oslo transforms Harbour Promenade into an outdoor exhibition of light. At the end of summer, the annual Oslo Art Weekend welcomes a contemporary art programme to the city full of pop-up events and exhibitions. While art festivals are a big thing in Oslo, there are highlights year-round; the city is home to The National Museum of Art in Norway, among many other curious collections.
4. Edinburgh
PosterXXL’s investigations rank the Scottish capital in fourth place – and it’s the first of two UK cities in the top five. The National Galleries of Scotland is a collection of galleries in the very heart of Edinburgh; Modern One, Modern Two, National, and Portrait. These halls (and vaults) house more than 120,000 paintings and artefacts, including works by Vincent Van Gogh and John Singer Sargent. Thanks to a history dating back thousands of years, Edinburgh’s architecture is unmatched – amble around the castle’s fortress, check out the regal Palace of Holyroodhouse, and look down on the cityscape from Arthur’s Seat on a clear day.
RomeGetty Images
3. Rome
Rome is a culture vulture’s dream. The imposing Colosseum, fascinating ruins at every turn, and some of the most captivating religious architecture in the world, thanks to thousands of years of settlements. There’s so much to see in the Italian capital, in fact, that it’s easy to forget how well its galleries capture the contemporary art scene. MAXXI, the National Museum of 21st Century Art, is one such hotspot, holding thousands of works across 27,000 square metres of gallery space. Rome Art Week arrives in the city again this October, featuring over 170 exhibitions, and more than 170 open studios from up-and-coming and established artists.
2. Amsterdam
Scooping silver is the Venice of the North. An afternoon amble along the uncountable canals makes it clear how arty Amsterdam’s residents are, so it’s little surprise that this charming city only just misses the top spot. Contemporary artists that call the city their birthplace include Saskia de Brau, Rob Scholte and Inez Van Lamsweerde – creatives inspired by myriad galleries, museums and art festivals, perhaps. Only got a few days? Be sure to check out the Rijksmuseum, home to the country’s most extensive collection of art and artefacts, and the Van Gogh Museum, where the permanent collection consists of around 700 works by the notorious artist.