CULTURE CALLING

Taking in a museum or gallery during a European jaunt is common practice, but why stop at just one or two? Basing your holiday around cultural offerings is a fine way to see somewhere different or bring new life into an already-visited city. It also unlocks your destination and its stories in a way that many visitors might not experience, as well as providing some surprises along the way. Plus, you might get to tick-off a bucket-list artwork.

With more than 30,000 museums spread across Europe (not including countless galleries dedicated to visual arts and other pursuits), there’s a lot of choice – and you can certainly map-out a personalised cultural trip, based on your interests. But don’t feel you need to be an art aficionado, as you’ll find museums covering a vast range of topics: chocolate, jazz, the Olympic Games and spying are just a few of the more surprising subjects alongside all that art.

For a little initial inspiration, we’ve picked four European cities that are particularly blessed with their selection of cultural venues, but which also hold plenty of other attractions. This means they’re all worthwhile standalone destinations, because you’ll need something to do once you’re galleried out.

We’re also aware that visiting these venues can rapidly burn through precious holiday funds. To help minimise those costs, we’ve put together some pointers on finding free and discounted entry to venues where possible, hopefully allowing for a worry-free cultural adventure.

CHEMNITZ, GERMANY

Heading to the 2025 European Capital of Culture is a fairly safe bet for a high-quality culture fix. And although you may not have heard of Chemnitz, having that award bestowed on it means that you soon will do.

Saxony’s third-largest city is bursting with arty goings-on and venues that blend the city’s industrial heritage with contemporary cultural leanings. Begin at Theaterplatz public square for the Chemnitz Opera House and the Kunstsammlungen am Theaterplatz, which boasts one of Germany’s largest public art collections – look out for works by influential expressionist painter and local hero Karl SchmidtRottluff. Meanwhile, Museum Gunzenhauser showcases a vast private collection of 20th-century art in a former bank.

Then there’s Kaßberg, a historic, handsome neighbourhood bulging with Art Nouveau buildings – essentially a giant, open-air and free architectural showcase. The official Chemnitz tourist portal (chemnitz.travel) offers suggested walking routes.

BILBAO, SPAIN

Spain’s big hitters like Barcelona and Madrid may seem the obvious picks for galleries and museums, but Bilbao, in the far north, offers its own pristine selection.

When the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened in 1997, it both highlighted and amplified the city’s artistic reputation with Frank Gehry’s industrial-sci-fi design. It’s still an unmissable visit and although not the cheapest (currently €15), it does feel like a genuine experience, and is cheaper than its New York counterpart’s $30 entry. You can also walk around the exterior for free, admiring the striking architecture and public works by starry names like Yves Klein and Jeff Koons.

ATHENS, GREECE

If you’re keen to top up the tan as well as soak up some art, the Greek capital has got you covered. Needless to say, it’s also got more than its fair share of ancient historical wonders. It’s still relatively cheap for a European capital, meaning that meals out, museums and other activities won’t break the bank.

For a city with so much history running through its veins, there are tons of choice in modern and future-facing cultural venues. Low-key galleries like The Breeder and Melas Martinos (both free) showcase contemporary Athenian and wider Greek talent, while Michael Werner’s Greek outpost (also free) exhibits big, global names. The National Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a broader range (entry is a reasonable €8), while the National Gallery offers historical and modern contributions through more than 20,000 works.

If you’re delving into ancient Athens, the Acropolis Museum (after the Acropolis itself, naturally) and the National Archaeological Museum are both highly rewarding.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Unsurprisingly for a city so architecturally accomplished, Vienna is an arts heavyweight. More than 100 museums showcase everything from dinosaur skeletons to Sigmund Freud’s possessions.

The MuseumsQuartier is a good place to start, with the cavernous mumok building (featuring contemporary works by everyone from Picasso to Yoko Ono) and Leopold Museum (for Austrian art), plus a few smaller, free spaces, such as MQ Art Box.

Free museums and galleries aren’t plentiful in Vienna, but one to seek out is the Wien Museum. Housed in an eye-catching building that retains its pre-renovation Brutalist touches, the museum investigates Vienna’s rich history.

One venue worth splashing out on is Belvedere Palace, with the world’s biggest collection of Viennese painter Gustav Klimt’s works, including The Kiss.