The 10 Best European Cities for Free Attractions

Traveling to different countries is quite expensive, with plane tickets and hotel reservations adding up quickly. Europe, in particular, is one of the more expensive continents to visit. Fortunately, the travel booking site Vacation has done research to help tourists ease the pressure on their wallets. If you're planning a trip to Europe, these cities offer the most attractions and free activities.

To come up with the list below, researchers looked at the most visited European cities in 2023. Holidu then scoured sites like Tripadvisor to find free things to do in each city and divided the activities into categories, including museums , events and guided tours. Each location was ranked based on the total number of free offers across all categories.

The best European city to visit on a budget is London, England. The British capital has more than 1,200 free events, from festivals to boat races. And while there are plenty of paid tours in the historic city, you can join nearly 80 for free. The Natural History Museum, Westminster Cathedral (but not the Abbey), and the Horizon 22 observation deck are some other free sites for tourists.

Paris, France is another popular choice for thrifty travelers. When the survey was carried out in February 2024, the City of Lights had 30 free museums, 685 free events and 94 free guided tours. And of course, the city's famous architecture, including Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe, costs nothing to admire.

In third place is the Spanish capital, Madrid. Entrance to Madrid's Matadero Museum is free, which hosts concerts and art exhibitions on the site of a old slaughterhouse. If you prefer nature, visit El Retiro Park, one of the largest in the city. Madrid also offered 227 free events and 176 free guided tours at the time of the survey.

Check out the 10 best cities in Europe for free attractions below:

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