Seeing the top sights in Europe鈥檚 big cities can be intense. Here you are in Paris, at last, just to find that it鈥檚 hot, it鈥檚 crowded, and that your dream of having a quiet moment with the Mona Lisa is shared by about six million people every year.
The mission of my most recent trip to Europe was to find peace and tranquillity in big cities that, in many ways, feel overrun with tourists. And it鈥檚 surprisingly easy to do.
Many travellers stick to the most famous sights 鈥� and I don鈥檛 blame them; everyone鈥檚 vacation time is limited, and the sights are famous for a reason. But cities such as Rome, Florence and Vienna have a number of attractions where you can enjoy an equally thrilling artistic encounter without the overwhelming crowds.
In Rome 鈥� the 鈥淓ternal City鈥� 鈥� you can spend what feels like an eternity waiting in line with your fellow tourists at the most crowded spots. Fortunately, Rome has plenty of extremely rewarding sights that are cool, quiet and give an intimate peek at an amazing ancient world.
Most clamour to see the famed sites of ancient ruins, especially the Colosseum and Forum, and often neglect the treasures tucked indoors. The relatively empty National Museum of Rome, for example, houses the world鈥檚 greatest collection of ancient Roman art, including busts of emperors and one of the finest Roman copies of Classical Greece鈥檚 long-revered Discus Thrower statue. And just a few minutes鈥� walk from the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Museums hold more of ancient Rome鈥檚 most impressive art. Highlights include an equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous representation of an ancient wounded warrior (the Dying Gaul), and a bronze statue depicting legendary she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, the infants who became the founders of Rome. But even in peak season, you might well find yourself alone with the wonders of the ancient world, wondering: 鈥淲here is everyone?鈥�
A 10-minute stroll from Rome鈥檚 overcrowded Colosseum is a free-standing ruin of nearly equal vastness 鈥� the impressive Baths of Caracalla. This sight is dramatic, in part because nothing was built around or on top of it 鈥� and few people visit it. Today, if you bring a fertile imagination, it鈥檚 a wonderful place to picture Rome at its zenith.
The same goes for Florence, where visitors cram into the three most famous sights (the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery and Duomo), leaving other museums and galleries 鈥� which would be big聽hits in a lesser city 鈥� essentially empty.
On my last trip to Florence, I聽visited the Hospital of the Innocents, just a few minutes away from the mobbed Accademia, where Michelangelo鈥檚 David stands surrounded by adoring fans. Designed in the 15th century by Filippo Brunelleschi, and considered by many the first Renaissance building, the hospital typifies the new (at the time) esthetic of calm balance and symmetry. With its mission to care for orphans, the hospital was also an important symbol of the increasingly humanistic outlook of Renaissance Florence. Now a museum, it houses terra-cotta medallions by Luca della Robbia and other magnificent artwork. But on my last visit it was almost empty 鈥� I聽shared it only with a group of school children on a field trip.
Vienna is home to an outsize proportion of world-famous artworks, especially at the big-name Kunsthistorisches Museum and Belvedere Palace. But on each visit, I also like to make time for the much quieter Albertina Museum, which takes up a far-flung corner of the city centre鈥檚 extensive Hofburg Palace complex. This laid-back museum has a remarkable collection of minor works by major artists, including sketches, woodcuts and watercolours. As the exhibits rotate, at one time you might see Claude Monet鈥檚 water lilies and Edgar Degas鈥� dancers, at another time there might be Edvard Munch鈥檚 moody landscapes and Gustav Klimt鈥檚 eerie femme fatales. On a recent trip, I enjoyed quality time alone here with some of my favourite artists.
Even in St. Petersburg, where one blockbuster sight stands above them all 鈥� the world-famous Hermitage Museum 鈥� you can find peace in the massive museum鈥檚 Impressionist section, located in a building across the square from the main galleries.
With a staggering three million works of art housed in a series of mostly interconnected buildings, the Hermitage can be a zoo. But its incredible Impressionist (and Post-Impressionist) collection stands alone in the nearby General Staff Building. Most visitors head straight into the Winter Palace and wind their way through the adjoining palaces in a route that can become overwhelming. Savvy travellers buy their ticket at the Impressionist galleries (where it鈥檚 almost always less crowded), see this collection first, then head for the highlights in the main complex.
Great art often hides in less-famous sights. Throughout my travels, I have noticed that huge crowds don鈥檛 always gravitate to the most enjoyable locations. There are countless amazing places you can have all to yourself. If you do your homework, you鈥檒l know about attractions where peace and elegance trump crowds and chaos.
Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
