Barcelona, Spain: Picasso Museum

Picasso spent his formative years (from the ages of 14 to 23) in Barcelona, and this museum, housed in a palace in the Old City is the best collection of his early works anywhere. By experiencing his youthful, realistic art, you can better understand his later more abstract periods and more fully appreciate his genius. Always restless, ever prolific, Picasso delved into many styles including Cubism and became the greatest artist of the 20th century. Barcelona is where it all began. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.