6 Art-Filled Days in Germany by Train

Arriving in Frankfurt, the country’s banking capital, you’ll notice art everywhere. From the timber-framed houses of Frankfurt’s New Old Town (the carefully reconstructed district where historical facades recreate the charm of the pre-war city) to the extraordinary skyscrapers of “Mainhattan,” impressive architecture and design fill the city like nowhere else. It’s no wonder that it was named the World Design Capital for 2026.

Take a walk along the Museum Embankment, lined with 39 distinctive museums, including the Städel Museum with a collection spanning more than 700 years of art history. Contemporary art fans will adore the Schirn Kunsthalle. Those eager to learn more about the New Frankfurt movement (also known as Frankfurt Bauhaus) will enjoy the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). Round out the museum-filled day with a trip to the Jewish Museum to explore Jewish life since the Enlightenment and a contemplative look at the history of Jewish communities in Europe.

Hungry? For lunch, tuck into a plate of eggs and potatoes made with the famous Grüne Soße (literally “green sauce,” made using green herbs), paired with a refreshing glass of Apfelwein, Frankfurt’s beloved local cider. Then, head to the pedestrianized high street, where international brands meet local boutiques, featuring clothing and souvenir stores.

Start with a short suburban train ride north to Wiesbaden, also a 2026 Design Capital as part of the metropolitan Frankfurt region, and visit the Museum Reinhard Ernst. It’s an abstract art lover’s dream named after a Wiesbaden entrepreneur and art collector. Featuring the world’s largest private collection of Helen Frankenthaler paintings, as well as works by Frank Stella, Lee Krasner, Friedel Dzubas, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, and Adolph Gottlieb—among many others. The all-abstract collection focuses on U.S. abstract expressionism.

Continue your tour of Wiesbaden by exploring Culture Route 65, which features a range of museums and cultural institutions, including the Kunstverein Bellevue-Saal and the Museum Wiesbaden. Or take the art nouveau walking tour, which guides you through Rheingauviertel, a district filled with buildings dating to the turn of the 20th century. One of the most important art nouveau cities, Wiesbaden has a stunning architectural heritage that’s a pleasure to behold around nearly every corner.

For an in-depth look at art nouveau, step inside the Museum Wiesbaden. The south wing houses an extensive collection of 19th-century Jugendstil art, said to represent aesthetic harmony while portraying mysterious symbolism and mythologies.

Close out the day with an hour-long train ride to Cologne, with its numerous breweries serving up small glasses of Kölsch (ask a local why they joke it’s “the only language you can drink”). Pair them with a plate of Heaven and Earth, the local delicacy made of potatoes, stewed apples, and blood sausages.

Cologne hosts the annual Art Cologne, a week-long gathering of the biggest names in the contemporary art scene, and galleries for every taste fill the city. Begin with a street art tour of the young and lively Ehrenfeld creative district. Or stroll through the Gerling Quarter, an inner-city neighborhood with dozens of galleries.

Follow the Roman ruins to the Museum Ludwig, a leading collection of modern and contemporary art. With galleries dedicated to pop art and German expressionism, the museum boasts the third-largest collection of Picassos alongside works by Andy Warhol, local artist Max Ernst, and numerous German artists who were exiled during the 1930s. It will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026 with events and exhibitions to honor the extraordinary institution.

When you’ve got your fill of art for the day, walk over to the magnificent Gothic cathedral for a quiet break before hopping a regional train for the 40-minute ride to Düsseldorf, where you’ll spend the night.

In Düsseldorf, the internationally renowned collection of modern and post-war art at Kunstsammlung NRW features paintings by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, and Piet Mondrian. The museum also has an impressive selection of works by Marc Chagall that thematically trace his biography.

Spread across two locations, the state-owned galleries of the K20 and K21 museums provide hours of enjoyment with their notable array of exhibits featuring 20th- and 21st-century art. Start at the K20, located just off the pedestrianized shopping street, and see the unique architecture of the Kö-Bogen, a shopping mall designed by Daniel Libeskind, as you make your way to the K21.

Stop at Immermann Strasse, where you’ll find the Little Tokyo neighborhood, when you’ve worked up an appetite. With one of the largest Japanese communities outside of Japan, Düsseldorf offers wonderfully authentic ramen and sushi.

If you’re still in the mood for more art, consider extending your trip by a day and head north on a 30-minute train journey to Essen, which houses the contemporary art museum, Folkwang, where admission is always free. Redesigned by star architect David Chipperfield, it’s one of the most celebrated art museums in Germany thanks to its collection of classical modern art.

Then, head over to the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen. It’s located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Zollverein, a remarkable industrial artifact that’s been converted into a cultural playground.

After a morning fast train to Leipzig, you’ll land in one of Germany’s hottest art spots. Home to many of the country’s up-and-coming artists, Leipzig also immerses you in history. Step into Halle 14 or the digital art center, Kunstkraftwerk, before heading to the Spinnerei Art Site, a converted cotton spinning mill that’s now the center of Leipzig’s art world. With 14 galleries and more than 100 artists’ studios, restaurants, and small handicraft stores, the Spinnerei represents artists from the New Leipzig School of Painting (Neue Leipziger Schule), including Neo Rauch.

Grassi, one of the largest museum complexes in Germany, is in Leipzig. Try the Grassi Museum of Applied Arts, which focuses on design and features rotating exhibitions on arts and crafts, design, photography, and architecture. Or visit the Grassi Museum of Ethnography or the Grassi Museum of Musical Instruments if that’s more your speed.

With one of the oldest civic collections in Germany, the Museum of Fine Arts has masterpieces spanning the 15th to the 21st century, appealing to those most interested in historical works. With more than 75,000 square feet, the distinctive architecture houses a collection that offers new perspectives on paintings, sculptures, and the city.

You made it! No whirlwind tour of Germany’s art scene is complete without a visit to Berlin. Shake off the hour-long train ride from Leipzig with a tour through the galleries of Mitte. At the corner of Reinhardstraße and Albrechtstraße lies the Sammlung Boros in Berlin, a former high-rise bunker that feels like a secret hideaway. This center for contemporary art features an inspiring collection of sculptures, spatial installations, and light art.

Royal lovers might trade the Boros for a trip to the Charlottenburg district, where the grand setting of the Charlottenburg Palace’s Old Palace invites exploration of baroque masterpieces. Or head to Potsdam, on the city’s outskirts, to take in the New Palace, learn about beauty throughout history with the permanent exhibition Return of the Paintings, and see two newly restored works by Artemisia Gentileschi. Whatever museum you choose, you can’t go wrong in Berlin or Potsdam, where art and history meet on every street corner.