6 sightseeing tips our experts use to spend less — but see more — on city breaks

City breaks can cost a fortune, but not with our expert tips that will help you save money while sightseeing.

You’ll find plenty of travel advice out there suggesting the best ways to save money on a city break. But those suggestions often come with a trade-off that means you’ll end up missing out — whether that’s giving up on convenience, skipping the best cultural attractions, or passing up on the chance to see events unique to the city you’re visiting.

For example, if you visited Rome and wanted to see the Colosseum, the GNAM Galleria Nazionale Arte Moderna, the Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella and the Museo nazionale Romano that would cost you €43 (£36) on top of already expensive flights and accommodation. 

But with one of our tips below, you could do the entire itinerary without spending a penny — if you know when to visit.

Read on to find out how to pay less, but see more on your next city break.

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1. Book your trip on the first weekend of the month

Many of Europe’s popular city break destinations offer free access to museums on the first Sunday of the month, making a sightseeing trip substantially cheaper if you book your trip to coincide.

For example, admission to Florence’s Uffizi and Accademia galleries is usually around €25 (£21) and €18 (£15), respectively. But you could visit both in a day for free and save over €42 (£35).

In Paris, you could visit the Musée du Louvre (usually €22), Musée d’Orsay (€16), the Musée Picasso (from €16), the Centre Pompidou (€18) among other tourist favourites for free on the first Sunday of the months. That’s a saving of €72 (£60).

And in Lisbon, you could easily visit the Fado Museum (€5) and the famous Tile Museum (from €8) in a day for free, saving you €13. 

Check for any timing restrictions at the venues you’re interested in — some only offer free admission in the morning or afternoon, and others might rerquire you to prebook a free ticket.

Planning a trip? Read our guide to find the best city breaks in Europe for 2025

2. Book walking tours directly

Skip third-party sites when booking a walking tour — you’ll usually get a better deal by booking directly with the organiser or tour guide. 

For example, one of our travel experts paid £2.50 per head for a walking tour via Booking.com in Bruges, only to find out it was a free walking tour by a local guide that you tip at the end. Had she cut out Booking.com, she would have saved £5.

Instead, Google local companies or use an index site to find a local tour guide and book directly.

3. Buy standby tickets for theatre and opera

If you’ve got the flexibility to turn up on the day to see an opera, theatre production or ballet, you can often nab cheaper late-release tickets. 

Sometimes, you’ll have a restricted view or need to stand, so it’s worth checking that you’re comfortable with the ticket conditions before committing. But it’s often a chance to experience a city's arts (not to mention the stunning architecture of many venues) at reduced prices.

For example, Vienna State Opera releases highly discounted Standing Room tickets from 10am on the day of a performance. You could get tickets for under €18 that could otherwise cost up to €220.

London’s National Theatre offers Friday Rush tickets from 1pm on the day of a performance for £10 instead of usual admission prices, which can reach triple digits. The same goes for London’s Royal Ballet Opera, but prices vary for its own Friday Rush.

Italy’s Teatro Alla Scala also regularly offers limited-view tickets for €10 and 25% off other last-minute tickets.

So, if a live theatre, ballet or opera venue catches your eye, check for last-minute ticket offers.

4. Book attractions and entertainment as a group

Theatres and other venues with live events often incentivise group bookings with discounts.  

For example, Opera de Paris offers the chance to buy 10 tickets to a show in advance with a 10% discount. 

Or, take London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which offers a 15% discount for groups of more than six, a 25% discount for groups of more than 10, and two free tickets for the organiser of groups of more than 12.

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5. Claim rewards if you arrived by train

Popular tourist cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London and Rome reward tourists for making greener choices when travelling to (and around) their chosen destination. So, if you arrive by train, for instance, by Eurostar, Eurail or Interrail, there’s a good chance you’re entitled to perks, including cheap or free admission to museums, discounted public transport, and even sweet treats and free coffees. Read our guide to cities rewarding travellers for taking the train and check your eligibility.

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6. Buy tickets to attractions on the right card

When buying tickets to an attraction or gallery, the card you use will impact the final price you pay. If you don’t pick a specialist travel credit or debit card, you could be stung by your card’s payment network exchange rate (usually 3%), plus any additional flat fees (which can be anywhere from 50p to upwards of £1.50). That can add up throughout a holiday. 

Always pay with a credit card that has a 0% non-sterling transaction fee. This will prevent extra charges from eating up your spending money.

Need help choosing a card? Read our guide to the best travel credit cards in 2025

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