Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon

Lisbon is home to some truly world-class museums, including the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, which is one of the best. Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, a wealthy Armenian oil magnate who bequeathed his priceless hoard to the Portuguese nation upon his death in 1955, left the museum with 6,000 pieces, all of which belonged to one man: Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian.

Simply put, this is one of Europe's finest art collections. The exhibits span over 4,000 years, from classical and oriental Antiquity to early twentieth-century European art. No other museum has such a diverse collection of art from around the world, and visitors can spend hours poring over treasures like the 11 Roman medallions discovered in Egypt, 16th-century illustrated manuscripts, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Turner masterpieces, Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture, and Rene Lalique's Art Nouveau jewelry.

The museum is surrounded by lush gardens, which are ideal for picnics, especially in the summer.

• Location: Lisbon