Everyone learns about the best European cities to visit for art like London and Rome, but here are some unexpected places that are just as amazing.
Europe is a treasure trove of grand architecture, incredible paintings, and ageless sculptures, and many of its most significant cities are overflowing with remarkable art museums. Paris, London, Amsterdam, Florence, Vienna, and Rome are considered the best European cities to check out for art enthusiasts. Everyone dreams of appreciating the masterpieces in the Louvre, van Gogh’s popular Starry Night, and the perfectly painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
However beyond these popular destinations, there are numerous lesser-known cities that also work as magnificent showcases of Europe’s abundant artistic heritage. Our specialists have actually curated a few of their preferred locations that every art enthusiast should also check out on their Europe getaway.
1. Milan, Italy
Need to go to: Pinacoteca di Brera, La Triennale
Pinacoteca di Brera Milan may be popular for its fashion labels, however it’s a growing historical and contemporary art hub too. Architectural marvels aside, its most renowned museum is the Pinacoteca di Brera, where to name a few masterpieces, you can discover Mantegna’s Lamentation.
This city has no dearth of gorgeous masterpieces, from Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pieta in Sforza Castle to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Dinner at the former convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Milan’s museums and galleries are also known for their excellent modern art, and La Triennale is among our top suggestions.
2. Athens, Greece
Should go to: Museum of Cycladic Art, Benaki Museum
< img width="3904" height=" 1757 "src="https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_70,f_auto,w_3904,h_1757,c_fit/enchanting-web/2025/04/Benaki-museum-Athens.jpg"alt ="5 Surprise Gems in Europe for Art Lovers "/ > Benaki Museum The Greek capital, is loaded with iconic ancient monuments and spectacular artifacts, however it also boasts lesser-known creative treasures that are equally captivating. You can appreciate an extraordinary collection of early Bronze Age statues and ceramics at the Museum of Cycladic Art.
Enter the Benaki Museum for Byzantine and Islamic art exhibits, and Kantakouzenos Museum to browse a very fascinating collection of paintings, including works by Chagall and Picasso. Street art is essential to Athenian life, and you can see some splendid work of arts in the Psirri and Exarcheia neighborhoods.
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3. Bilbao, Spain
Must visit: Museum of Fine Arts, Guggenheim Bilbao
Guggenheim Bilbao Though the Guggenheim Bilbao will not surprisingly top your list of places to visit for art, this Basque city is also home to a number of acclaimed arts organizations. The historic Museum of Arts of Bilbao and the vibrant Bilbao La Vieja area are main to the city’s cultural scene.
We also suggest exploring the Azkuna Zentroa, a striking arts center designed by Philippe Starck that was when a white wine warehouse, and Sala Rekalde, a converted garage that has ended up being a popular avant-garde space for modern art.
4. Munich, Germany
Must check out: Residence Museum, Alte Pinakothek
Munich Residence Museum< img width ="1200" height="675" alt ="5 Hidden Gems in Europe for Art Lovers" src ="https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_70,f_auto,w_1200,h_675,c_fill,g_face/enchanting-web/2025/04/Horse-statue-at-the-Quater-near-the-Pinakotheken-Museum-Munich-Germany-Europe.jpg"/ > Alte Pinakothek Art Museum Munich, a historical center of Germany’s art and culture, has more than 80 museums. A number of them lie in the well known Kunstareal art district, and there is something for everyone! We suggest beginning at the Munich House, which houses the grand Home Museum. Alte Pinakothek has an exceptional collection of art work from the 14th-18th centuries, while Neue Pinakothek showcases creative work of arts from the 19th-century. You ought to also go to Pinakothek der Moderne, Germany’s biggest modern art museum, and the Haus der Kunst, which checks out the remarkable history of contemporary art.
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5. Dublin, Ireland
Should check out: National Gallery of Ireland, Hugh Lane Gallery
National Gallery of Ireland The Irish Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Ireland, with their impressive collections, are outstanding starting points for checking out the Irish capital’s dynamic arts scene. At Hugh Lane Gallery, you can see Francis Bacon’s London studio, protected in its raw, disorderly state.
Dublin Castle also houses a variety of interesting museums like the Chester Beatty Library and the Garda Museum. While delighting in conventional art, we also suggest exploring Dublin’s evocative street art. The eye-catching exterior of Blooms Hotel in the Temple Bar neighborhood, and Drury Street and Grafton Street are hotbeds of regional creative creativity.
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Image Credits: Pinacoteca di Brera– Dimitris Vetsikas, Benaki Museum– Genny Dimitrakopoulou, National Gallery of Ireland– Juliet Furst