Artist Journey

Van Gogh's Journey

Follow in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh across Europe

6 locations

Vincent van Gogh's short but intense artistic life took him from the Netherlands through Belgium and France. In just 10 years, he created over 900 paintings, many inspired by the specific places he lived. Today, you can follow his journey and see where masterpieces like Starry Night, Sunflowers, and Cafe Terrace at Night were created.

The Journey

6 stops

Groot-Zundert, Netherlands

Birthplace•1853-1869•Age 0-16

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in this small village in the southern Netherlands. His father was a Protestant minister. The family home no longer exists, but a reconstruction stands on the original site.

Why it matters: Birthplace and childhood home. Vincent's early exposure to the Dutch countryside would influence his later landscape paintings.

The Hague, Netherlands

Lived & Worked•1869-1873, 1881-1883•Age 16-20, 28-30

Vincent first came to The Hague at 16 to work for Goupil & Cie, an art dealership. He returned years later to study art seriously, living with a woman named Sien and her children while developing his drawing skills.

Why it matters: Vincent's first exposure to the art world as a dealer. His second stay marked his serious commitment to becoming an artist.

What to See Here(2 places)

Mauritshuis

museum

Houses works by Vermeer and Rembrandt that influenced Vincent

Get tickets

Former Goupil & Cie Location

landmark

Where teenage Vincent worked as an art dealer

Plaats 14

Masterpieces Created Here(1 works)

Sorrow

1882

Paris, France

Lived & Worked•1886-1888•Age 33-35

Vincent moved to Paris to live with his brother Theo, an art dealer. Here he encountered Impressionism for the first time, met Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, and Pissarro, and his palette transformed from dark Dutch tones to vibrant colors.

Why it matters: A pivotal transformation. Vincent created over 200 paintings here and developed the bold, colorful style we know today.

What to See Here(4 places)

Musee d'Orsay

museum

Houses several Van Gogh paintings from this period

Get tickets

Montmartre

neighborhood

Where Vincent lived with Theo and painted the windmills and cabarets

54 Rue Lepic

landmark

The apartment building where Vincent and Theo lived (plaque on building)

Le Moulin de la Galette

landmark

The windmill Vincent painted multiple times, still standing

Masterpieces Created Here(2 works)

Le Moulin de la Galette

1886

Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat

1887

Arles, France

Must Visit

Lived & Worked•1888-1889•Age 35-36

Seeking stronger light and color, Vincent moved south to Arles in February 1888. In just 15 months, he created over 300 paintings including some of his most famous works. He rented the Yellow House, dreaming of an artists' colony. Paul Gauguin's visit ended with Vincent's mental breakdown and the infamous ear incident.

Why it matters: His most prolific and iconic period. The Sunflowers, Cafe Terrace at Night, The Bedroom, and The Yellow House were all painted here.

What to See Here(5 places)

Fondation Vincent van Gogh

museum

Contemporary art museum dedicated to Van Gogh's legacy in Arles

35 Rue du Docteur Fanton

Get tickets

Cafe Van Gogh (Cafe Terrace)

landmark

The actual cafe from Cafe Terrace at Night. Still operating, painted yellow

Place du Forum

The cafe still looks remarkably like the painting. Best visited at night.

Yellow House Site

landmark

The Yellow House was destroyed in WWII, but a plaque marks the location

Place Lamartine

Arles Hospital

landmark

Where Vincent was treated after cutting his ear. The courtyard garden he painted is preserved.

Langlois Bridge

landmark

A reconstruction of the drawbridge Vincent painted multiple times

Masterpieces Created Here(6 works)

Sunflowers

1888

The Yellow House

1888

Cafe Terrace at Night

1888

Sadly, no original Van Gogh paintings remain in Arles. They are spread across museums worldwide.

Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France

Must Visit

Lived & Worked•1889-1890•Age 36-37

After his breakdown in Arles, Vincent voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum. Despite his mental struggles, he created 150 paintings here including The Starry Night, his most famous work. He painted the view from his window, the asylum garden, and the surrounding olive groves.

Why it matters: Created The Starry Night and some of his most emotionally intense works. A period of incredible productivity despite severe mental illness.

What to See Here(2 places)

Saint-Paul-de-Mausole

museum

The asylum where Vincent stayed. His room is recreated, and you can see the exact view he painted in Starry Night.

Chemin de Saint-Paul

The monastery is still a psychiatric facility, with part open as a museum.

Get tickets

Van Gogh Walking Trail

trail

Self-guided walk through Saint-Remy with 21 stops showing reproductions of Van Gogh's paintings at the locations where they were painted.

Masterpieces Created Here(4 works)

The Starry Night

1889

Irises

1889

The Olive Trees

1889

Auvers-sur-Oise, France

Must Visit

Final Resting Place•1890•Age 37

Vincent spent his final 70 days in this village north of Paris, under the care of Dr. Gachet. Despite his deteriorating mental state, he painted at a furious pace, roughly one painting per day, creating 80 works including Wheatfield with Crows and Church at Auvers. On July 27, 1890, he shot himself in a wheat field and died two days later. He is buried here alongside his brother Theo.

Why it matters: His final and most poignant chapter. The church, wheat fields, and Dr. Gachet's house remain much as Vincent painted them.

What to See Here(5 places)

Auberge Ravoux

museum

The inn where Vincent rented a tiny attic room for 3.50 francs a day. The room where he died is preserved exactly as it was.

Place de la Mairie

The room is tiny and deeply moving. Advance booking recommended.

Get tickets

Church at Auvers

landmark

The church Vincent painted, instantly recognizable. The painting is at the Musee d'Orsay; the church looks nearly identical today.

Rue Daubigny

Van Gogh's Grave

landmark

Vincent and Theo are buried side by side. The graves are covered with ivy, as Vincent often painted.

Cimetiere d'Auvers-sur-Oise

Wheat Fields

landmark

The fields above the town where Vincent painted his final works and where he shot himself. Walking trails available.

Dr. Gachet's House

museum

Home of the doctor who cared for Vincent. Now a museum.

Limited opening hours, check before visiting.

Masterpieces Created Here(3 works)

The Church at Auvers

1890

Wheatfield with Crows

1890

Portrait of Dr. Gachet

Suggested Itineraries

3 options

Dutch Origins

2 days

Explore Van Gogh's birthplace and the world's best collection of his work

Groot-Zundert

The Hague

Recommended

Provence Trail

3-4 days

Follow Van Gogh through the south of France where he created his most famous works

Arles

Saint-Remy-de-Provence

The Complete Journey

7-10 days

A comprehensive trip through Van Gogh's entire life journey

Saint-Remy-de-Provence

Auvers-sur-Oise

Life Timeline

9 events

1853

Born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands

1869

Begins work at Goupil & Cie art dealers, The Hague

1880

Decides to become an artist at age 27

1886

Moves to Paris, discovers Impressionism

1888

Arrives in Arles, begins most prolific period

1888

Gauguin visits; Vincent cuts his ear

1889

Enters Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum; paints Starry Night

1890

Moves to Auvers-sur-Oise

1890

Dies July 29 at age 37

Van Gogh's Journey

The Journey

Groot-Zundert, Netherlands

What to See Here(2 places)

Van Gogh House (Reconstruction)

Van Gogh Church

The Hague, Netherlands

What to See Here(2 places)

Mauritshuis

Former Goupil & Cie Location

Masterpieces Created Here(1 works)

Sorrow

Paris, France

What to See Here(4 places)

Musee d'Orsay

Montmartre

54 Rue Lepic

Le Moulin de la Galette

Masterpieces Created Here(2 works)

Le Moulin de la Galette

Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat

Arles, France

What to See Here(5 places)

Fondation Vincent van Gogh

Cafe Van Gogh (Cafe Terrace)

Yellow House Site

Arles Hospital

Langlois Bridge

Masterpieces Created Here(6 works)

Sunflowers

The Yellow House

Cafe Terrace at Night

Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France

What to See Here(2 places)

Saint-Paul-de-Mausole

Van Gogh Walking Trail

Masterpieces Created Here(4 works)

The Starry Night

Irises

The Olive Trees

Auvers-sur-Oise, France

What to See Here(5 places)

Auberge Ravoux

Church at Auvers

Van Gogh's Grave

Wheat Fields

Dr. Gachet's House

Masterpieces Created Here(3 works)

The Church at Auvers

Wheatfield with Crows

Portrait of Dr. Gachet

Suggested Itineraries

Dutch Origins

Provence Trail

The Complete Journey

Where to See Van Gogh's Work Today

Van Gogh Museum

Kroller-Muller Museum

Musee d'Orsay

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Life Timeline

Explore Vincent van Gogh's Works

Bedroom in Arles

The Night Cafe

Starry Night Over the Rhône

Wheat Field with Cypresses