When planning a city trip, the modern traveler considers a variety of pros and cons: are the hotels up to standard? Where are the best places to eat? And what exactly can you do in the city?
A city’s artistic and cultural heritage plays a very important role in how potential tourists view it. Art, style and architecture influence booking decisions. As a result, European capitals are seeing an increasing number of new museums, galleries and traveling exhibitions. But when all is considered, which city comes out on top? Which are the art capitals of Europe?
The answer may lie in a recent study by posterXXL, a German company that specializes in personalized photo products. PosterXXL scored European cities based on factors such as the concentration of art galleries, the number of buildings designed by famous architects, the number of contemporary artists born in the city, and the number of art schools and art festivals. While the continent’s fashion capitals are on the list, some cities may offer some surprises — and inspire alternative artistic getaways.
10. Paris
The City of Light is a must-visit for lovers of art, style and architecture, and its mere appearance in the top 10 proves it has tough competition from other European cities. See the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the Louvre, discover impressionist wonders at the Musée de l’Orangerie, and wander the backstreets of the French capital to gaze up at architectural details that have been refined over the centuries.
Lyon makes it onto this list thanks to its diverse collection of artworks, from fine art to graffiti.
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9. Lyon
What makes Lyon unique is the diversity of its artworks. The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon displays historic works by early modern artists such as Gerard David, Peter Paul Rubens and Simon Vouet, as well as more contemporary pieces alongside a vast collection of Egyptian artefacts. Every autumn, Lyon bursts into colour for four weeks as the city hosts the Peinture Flèche festival, celebrating street art, graffiti and contemporary art.
8. Helsinki
Finland’s capital city doesn’t get as much attention for its artistic and cultural heritage as it should. It has several well-stocked galleries and museums, including the contemporary art museum Kiasma and the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, as well as architectural highlights such as the 20th-century Helsinki Central Station and the more modern Kamppi Chapel. Many of the highlights can be seen on a guided city tour. Contributing to the city’s ranking is the Helsinki Festival, the largest arts festival in Scandinavia, which takes place every summer.
