5 free things to do in European cities

There's joy in trip-planning, but taking a walking tour on your first morning in a new city is a good way to avoid spending hours figuring out exactly what you want to do in the places you travel.

In just a couple of hours, you’ll figure out which landmarks are worth prioritising, what local dishes you should taste and where the neighbourhood’s best coffee spots are hidden.

The guides are usually locals who genuinely love their city. They’ll share the bizarre, gritty stories behind the monuments and fun facts about the local culture. They also adapt the tour to the group’s interests, making every walk unique and personal. And if you enjoy meeting other people when travelling, walking tours can easily foster connections with like-minded travellers.

Although these tours are technically ‘free’, it’s customary to tip the guide a small amount based on what you think the tour was worth. However, some local walking tour organisations (usually led by students) may inform you that no tip is required at all.

There are several pan-European networks offering free walking tours in many cities, but I recommend checking out local agencies first.

If you’re travelling slowly and want to truly understand the heartbeat of a place, consider stepping away from the tourist track entirely. Giving back through an organisation open to one-off volunteers is a fulfilling way to experience a city like a local, rather than just a visitor.

Look out for community gardens, local food kitchens, or language exchange meetups where locals want to practise English (or another language you speak) in exchange for teaching you their language.

Some youth hostels also partner with neighbourhood clean-up groups or cultural centres. Not only do you get to give back to the communities welcoming you on your journey, but you’ll also make fast friends with passionate locals who will tell you exactly where to find the best hidden spots in town.

Volunteering can often help you cut back on travel expenses, too. Some organisations offer free accommodation and food to volunteers in exchange for their service, blending your meaningful contribution with a budget-friendly journey.

The first time I travelled abroad solo was thanks to a volunteer programme by AIESEC. I spent 45 days teaching English to kids at summer camps in Trento, visiting the nearby cities of Verona, Milan and Venice on the weekends with an Interrail Italy Pass. My accommodation and food were covered by 3 local families, each one hosting me for 15 days.

Ten years and 16 European countries later, I still hold a soft spot for Italy thanks to that volunteer programme, which I’m blessed to relive every time I get a text from one of my old students or host parents—connections that felt fleeting in the moment but proved lifelong in the end.

A huge number of state-run museums across Europe open their doors completely for free, if you know when to visit. Many institutions offer dedicated "free admission days" or open their doors for free during late-night hours on specific weekdays.

Even better, some cities keep their permanent collections entirely free all year round. Before you pay full price for a ticket, spend five minutes checking the official website of the museum you're eyeing.

This list could get quite long, so I narrowed it down to some of Europe’s  most-visited museums, which are furthermore the ones people don’t expect to enter for free. Some of those museums recommend booking (free) reservations early in advance due to their popularity, so plan your visit ahead of time.

• The Louvre (Paris)

When: Free on the first Friday evening of every month after 18:00 (excluding July and August).

• The Prado Museum (Madrid)

When: Free every day during the last two hours of operation.

• The Vatican Museums (Vatican City)

When: Free on the last Sunday of every month between 9:00–12:30.

• Neue Nationalgalerie (Berlin)

When: Free on the first Thursday of every month from 16:00–20:00.

• Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Brussels)

When: Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of every month, starting at 13:00.

• National Museum of Poland (Warsaw)

When: Free every Tuesday.

• Leopold Museum (Vienna)

When: Free on the first Thursday of every month between 18:00–21:00.

• National Museum of Czechia (Prague)

When: Free on the second Sunday of every month.

• Nationalmuseum (Stockholm)

When: Free every Thursday evening between 17:00–20:00.

• Oslo City Museum (Oslo)

When: Free on the first Thursday of every month.

• The Miradouros in Lisbon.

Because Lisbon is built on hills, you’ll find incredible viewpoints (called “Miradouros” in Portuguese) spread out across the city, with Miradouro da Senhora do Monte being one of the classic favourites.

• Kastra or Ano poli, Thessaloniki.

As a local Thessalonian, I can assure you: there’s no other spot in Thessaloniki that can compete with the Kastra area when it comes to panoramic views. From the Trigonion Tower all the way to Heptapyrgion, this area is full of spaces overlooking the White Tower, the harbour and the city centre.

• Filopappou Hill, Athens.

Filopappou Hill offers what is probably the best free viewpoint in Athens that’s well worth the 20-minute walk. Rising directly opposite the Acropolis, this ancient sanctuary offers an eye-level perspective of the Parthenon that feels almost close enough to touch.

• Bunkers del Carmel, Barcelona.

Perched on top of Turó de la Rovira, Bunkers del Carmel offers what some locals consider the definitive view of Barcelona, looking straight down the Eixample district all the way to the Sagrada Família and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Calton Hill, Edinburgh.

While Arthur’s Seat is a more popular viewpoint, Calton Hill provides a similarly wide view of Edinburgh with significantly less physical effort. It takes just 5 minutes to walk up the stairs from Princes Street, rewarding travellers with a striking view of Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town and the sea.

If you want to catch top-notch melodies without spending a single cent, keep an eye out for these free music events:

• Free concerts in Amsterdam: On Wednesday afternoons (September to June) between 12:30–13:00, the Royal Concertgebouw hosts its own free lunch concerts. You can order your ticket online up to one week in advance.
• Foyer lunchtime concerts in Berlin: Every Wednesday at 13:00 (from September to June), musicians from the Berlin philharmonic orchestra or guest performers play a free 45-minute chamber concert right in the building's main foyer.
• Traditional Irish music in Galway: If your train route takes you to the west of Ireland, you’ve found yourself in the cradle of Irish folk music. Step into any lively neighbourhood pub around the city centre to find local masters playing the bodhrán (Irish drum), fiddles and uilleann pipes right from their booth—no cover charge required.
• Underground jazz in Krakow: Poland’s cultural capital hides its best secrets underground. The streets branching off the main market square (Rynek Główny) are packed with atmospheric basement bars. On many nights of the week, you can visit them and find professional jazz quartets playing intimate, free* sets into the early hours of the morning.

*Some venues may have a cover charge or minimum consumption.

• String quartets in Venice: The cafés in St Mark’s square are known for employing string quartets to enhance their diners’ experience with ambient music. If you want to skip the pricy touristy menus, you can bring a packed lunch to eat in the square while still enjoying the harmonious tunes from nearby cafés.