Locations linked to Vincent van Gogh in Belgium

Info panels about Vincent van Gogh in Belgium in an outdoor setting.

After painting during the last five years in the Netherlands, Van Gogh moved to Antwerp in 1886. It wasn’t his first time in Belgium. He spent some time in Brussels a few years before. And have also lived for two years preaching among the coal miners in Borinage region between 1878 and 1880. I’ve spent a few days exploring those places, and have created this guide with locations related to life and work of Van Gogh in Belgium, to help you do the same.

Visiting Kröller-Müller Museum (how to get there & some other useful tips)

Visiting Kröller-Müller Museum

If I would be writing a list of five best museums in the Netherlands, Kröller-Müller Museum would definitely have a place on it. Located in a beautiful Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo and being home to the second largest collection of Van Gogh’s work in the world, it’s a museum that shouldn’t be missed. Here is a short guide for visiting the Kröller-Müller Museum, with the best ways of travelling there and some other useful tips.

Locations linked to Vincent van Gogh in the Netherlands

View on the church where Van Gogh's father worked

Although Vincent has spent a lot of time outside his home country, there are many places related to Van Gogh in the Netherlands. He was born there and has spent his childhood years in the south of the country. This is also where he lived during the first half of his painting career. The Netherlands is home to two museums with the most significant collections of his work, as well.

I have spent a weekend in Brabant exploring some places related to Van Gogh’s life during my project “Follow the footsteps of Van Gogh“. Here are some places I have visited, together with my recommendations for the best museums with Van Gogh’s paintings in the Netherlands.

Colourful history of Istria: Medieval frescoes in Istria

Istrian frescoes in Beram

Istria is famous for its Roman heritage, numerous charming little towns, truffles and delicious wines. However, the largest Croatian peninsula is also home to some fantastic medieval wall paintings. Frescoes in Istria have fascinating history, many different subjects and they can be found at the most unusual hidden places.
Exploring them feels like being on a memorable trip back to history. And all of that while taking the unbeaten paths, strolling through old cobbled streets and meeting locals living there.

Places linked to Vincent van Gogh (the Netherlands, Belgium and France)

Backpack, book about Van Gogh and the photographs

Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous painters in the world. During his short ten-years-long career, he made around 1,800 artworks. However, he wasn’t only an artist. He lived in four different countries and was one of the first modern travellers back in 1880s. After working as a museum guide at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam for three years, I knew his paintings exhibited there by heart. But, I started to feel the wanderlust for visiting those places depicted on van Gogh’s paintings, as well. So, in spring 2019 I set on a train in Amsterdam, and during the next two weeks visited and explored locations linked to van Gogh in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

First World War in Flanders: Visiting Hooge Crater Museum

First World War in Flanders: Entrance to the Hooge Crater museum

Have you ever been to some of the First World War trenches? Or do you have an idea what the ‘trench art’ is? Although I’m not a huge First World War enthusiast, spending a weekend in Ypres definitely sparked an interest to learn more about that dark period of the world’s history. And we decided to explore it more by visiting Hooge Crater Museum, one of the most interesting First World War museums in Flanders.

The Best Museums in Paris

Young people in the museum

Being home to some of the most famous artworks, everyone should visit some of the best museums in Paris. The French capital is a true City of Art. So many famous artists lived there. And so many art styles were founded there, as well. However, with almost 130 museums, it’s home to, it could be a bit hard to pick up the best museum in Paris to visit, for the first time visitors. That’s why here is your complete guide with all tips and tricks that will help you navigate your way through some of the best museums in Paris.

10 things you didn’t know about the Rijksmuseum

Where to see Rembrandt paintings in Amsterdam

Have you watched the ‘Night at the Museum’ movie? Well, if you’ll spend a night in the Rijksmuseum, you’ll also be accompanied by some fascinating characters. Dutch navy admirals, 17th-century children drinking, smoking a pipe and eating stroopwafels, a lady reading a love letter that obviously isn’t from her husband or a mother looking for lice in her daughter’s hair. Opened back in 1885, Rijksmuseum, the Dutch Royal Museum, was filled with controversies from the very beginning. Here are just some of them – 10 things you didn’t know about the Rijksmuseum.