Art lovers rejoice! What are the most artistic cities in Europe?

Are you an art lover or artist?

Are you planning a trip? Are you going to move to a European city? Are you considering where to study art or are you just curious about which European cities have the most to offer artistically?

PosterXXL makes it easy for you

The company is one of the leading online distributors of personalized photographic products in Germany and has collected, analyzed and classified the most artistic cities in Europe, revealing which European cities are havens for artists and art aficionados.

They have been based on the number of art galleries, the number of buildings designed by famous architects, the number of art schools and art festivals, as well as the number of contemporary artists born in the city.

What are the most artistic cities in Europe?

Based on the five posterXXL categories, London ranks overall as the number 1 city.

The rest of the Top 5 destinations that stand out for art lovers are Amsterdam, Rome, Edinburgh and Oslo. Berlin just falls out of the Top 5 and, surprisingly, Paris only appears in 10th place. Milan, Helsinki and Lyon surpass the French capital. Madrid occupies the 11th position and Barcelona, ​​the 25th.

Here’s the full breakdown:

The best art galleries in Europe

1. London England)
2. Prague (Czech Republic)
3. Paris France)
4. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
5. Milano, Italy)

London tops posterXXL’s ranking of the best art galleries. It’s hard to argue, as the British excel when it comes to museums. From Turner to Van Gogh, the National Gallery is home to some of the world’s most famous paintings; the Design Museum is certainly worth your time, as are the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Not forgetting the Tate Modern, which houses numerous works of modern art.

Prague ranks second, with the National Gallery (Národní galerie Praha) and the Kampa Museum two of its most popular art destinations. Paris ranks third in the ranking, with the Pompidou Center standing out in the French capital, which houses the largest collection of modern art in Europe, the Orangerie Museum and, of course, the Louvre. Barcelona occupies the 8th position and Madrid, the 11th.

Notable architectural buildings

1. Cologne (Germany)
2. Helsinki (Finland)
3. Antwerp (Belgium)
4. Leeds (England)
5. Valencia Spain)

London falls to 12th place, surpassed by cities like Lyon, Glasgow and Valencia in the top cities for architecture. Colonia ranks number 1, standing out with buildings designed by famous architects, such as the imposing Central Mosque of Colonia or the Colonia Tower.

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Further north, Helsinki ranks second, with the university library or its national museum. Antwerp ranks third, with buildings like the modern Havenhuis or the imposing Antwerpen Centraal train station.

Seville is positioned in 6th place; Madrid, in the 14th; and Barcelona, ​​in the 21st.

Essential art festivals in Europe

1. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
2. Bremen (Germany)
3. Lyons (France)
4. London England)
5. Hanover (Germany)

Amsterdam wins the ranking of art festivals. Over 100 artists exhibit their work at This Art Fair and lovers of unconventional performance art and music get their money’s worth at the No Art Festival.

Bremen’s ArtFest, organized by Jacobs University students, and La Strada, which celebrates street art, earn the German city second place on the podium. The top 3 is completed by Lyon, which has a flourishing art scene, among which the Lyon Biennale stands out, which has established itself as an important event for contemporary art in France and Europe.

Within the Top 10, Germany takes the cake, with 4 of the 10 positions for the German country. Madrid remains in 11th position and Seville, in 25th.

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Best known European art schools

1. Rome Italy)
2. Oslo (Norway)
3. London England)
4. Turin (Italy)
5. Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Art schools are crucial for an arts metropolis to thrive. According to posterXXL’s conclusions, Rome ranks first with universities such as the University of Fine Arts of Rome (RUFA) or the Accademia delle arti Roma.

Oslo also offers great opportunities for young artists, with training centers such as the Oslo National Academy of Arts or the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. London ranks third, and remains one of the most popular destinations to study art and design. Choose: Royal College of Art, University of the Arts London, Goldsmiths University, Slade School of Fine Art or Imperial College London.

In the Top 10, France has the most in-demand art schools, with Toulouse, Paris, and Lyon. Seville occupies the 17th position; Las Palmas, 21st; Madrid, 22nd and Barcelona, ​​24th.

Birthplaces of famous contemporary artists

1. London England)
2. Paris France)
3. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
4. Vienna (Austria)
5. Berlin Germany)

London is at the top of posterXXL’s rankings when it comes to contemporary artists. The English city is the birthplace of numerous artists such as Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley, James Nares and Richard Hamilton.

Paris follows close behind, since the French capital has also produced some renowned contemporary artists, such as Sophie Calle, Christian Boltanski or Camille Henrot. Amsterdam ranks third in the ranking, with artists such as Saskia de Brau, Rob Scholte and Inez Van Lamsweerde, born in the Dutch city. Madrid occupies the 18th position.

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For more information, see the full posterXXL rating.