Geysers spring to life, tectonic plates meet, and Iceland's otherworldly landscape captures the imagination on a day's drive along the Golden Circle. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Twentieth-century artists broke new ground — and all the rules — at a furious pace, boldly exploring anguish, joy, abstraction, and unbridled whimsy. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The Impressionists fled the studio for the great outdoors, and with bold brushstrokes made light, color, and shadow the true stars of their canvases. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Baroque excesses were countered by the Revolution, the Enlightenment, and a stern, no-frills art that celebrated a new age of science and reason. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The "Michelangelo of Baroque," Bernini made Rome his gallery, showcasing his creations from the finest statues to his design of St. Peter's Square. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Paintings evolved to appear more life-like, thanks to Giotto's early exploration of 3-D, Masaccio's mastery of depth, and the realism of Fra Angelico. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The Renaissance master sculpted "David" and the "Pietà," painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and designed the majestic dome of St. Peter's Basilica. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Art in service to religion was joined by a new aesthetic, reflected in grand city halls and fanciful tapestries celebrating life's earthly pleasures. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The artistic works and relics that filled the churches of the Middle Ages carried messages that packed a religious, political, and emotional punch. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Ancient Rome's imposing structures were marked by their practical design, nods to Greek style, and colossal scale, while its grand statues stood tall. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Exquisite, realistic mosaics adorned ancient Roman homes, along with colorful frescoes that give a peek into domestic life in the great civilization. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Athens' Parthenon, with its clever design aspects and organic beauty, is among the temples that trumpet the sophistication of the ancient Greek world. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Europe's love affair with art reaches back to its prehistoric societies, and the artifacts they left behind give us a glimpse into their way of life. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

In the ornate, dramatic churches of Austria, elements of art, architecture, and music work in harmony — with a style bold enough to reach the heavens. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Hunting hounds, manicured grounds, and a mini theme park celebrating the genius of Da Vinci are a few of the amenities at France's grand residences. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The museums of Rome house the treasures of one of the world's great civilizations, from anonymous scenes of everyday life to breathtaking masterworks. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

From Cornwall to the Adriatic, diners have an appetite for meals starring locally caught fish and shellfish — some humble, some chic, all delicious. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Delight in the mastery of titans Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and ponder the resilience of Anne Frank and her compatriots who lived under Nazi occupation. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The Reformation ushered a new Protestant ambiance into Germany’s places of worship — one conveying strength, humanism, and a more natural spirit. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Sophisticated cave paintings and Roman engineering achievements in today’s France reveal ancient standards of living that went beyond mere survival. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

From the world’s oldest globe to reminders both mundane and dark of postwar Communism, Germany has preserved its rich and sometimes turbulent history. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Spain's great houses of worship showcase magnificent art and architecture in an array of styles, from Moorish majesty to the singular Sagrada Família. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

These man-made marvels have stood as part of Britain’s geographic – and spiritual – landscape for thousands of years, their quiet allure undiminished. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The rise of humanism — and of art for art's sake — is on full display in the grand palaces of Florence and Venice, monuments to the rich and powerful. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.