Save money and things to do for free in 20 European

Cities.

LONDON

Eat for cheap in London's pubs

As eating out in London can be expensive at the best of times, if you're withsomebody else and are about to get something to eat, keep an eye out fortraditional English pubs doing 'two for one' deals.

With these promotions you can get two meals for as little as £6.95.

All of Paris' big museums are free on the first Sunday of the month.

This includes the Louvre, Museé d'Orsay, Museé Picasso, Museé National d'Art

Moderne, Museé de l'Histoire de France and Museé Rodin.

Other municipal museums such as Museé de l'Histoire de Paris and Crypte

Arhcéologique de Notre Dame are free every Sunday morning between 10am-1pm.

PARIS

Barcelona - Save money on public transport

A single journey on Barcelona's metro/bus network costs €1.30. As you may need to usepublic transport a lot during your stay, rather than paying for single journeys, buy an allday card for €5.50.

BARCELONA

Rome - Pay nothing into the Vatican Museum

No, we're not trying to instigate a revolt against admission charges into the Vatican'snumber one tourist attraction! We're just letting you know that if you happen to be in Romeon the last Sunday of the month you can save yourself €13 as this is when one of Rome's

number one attractions is free. Get there early though.

ROME

Dublin - Take advantage of 'early bird' specials

You may think that eating out in a restaurant is beyond the budget of a backpacker, but

thanks to 'early bird' specials, it isn't. You can avail of these specials between 5pm and

8pm (approximately) and, costing anything between €12 and €25, they comprise anything

up to four courses. Two of the city's best are in Afsana on Temple Lane in Temple Bar

(four courses for €13) and Atlantic on Suffolk St at the bottom of Grafton St (starter and

main for €15.95).

DUBLIN

Amsterdam - Catch free concerts

The Boekmanzaal, which is part of the Muziektheater (Opera House), hosts free concertsevery Tuesday afternoon at 12.30pm (September to May). Performed by eitherNetherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of the Netherlands Opera, or theNetherlands Ballet Orchestra, they shouldn't be missed. And every Wednesday afternoon(Sept-June) you can catch a free concert in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw which is locatedat Concertgebouwplein 2-6. The concerts take place at 12.30pm and doors open at12.15pm.

AMSTERDAM

Venice - Stock up on cheap wine

Due to the amount of walking required from you in Venice, a large bottle of water will beattached to your hand for the most part of each day there. Rather than throw them away,bring them to one of the numerous wine shops around the city where you can get them filled with sumptuous wine for as little as €2.10 per litre. You'll find them on Campo Santa Margherita, Fondamenta dei Ormeisini and Calle de la Bissa, just minutes from Rialto Bridge.

VENICE

Prague - Visit a museum for free

Some of Prague's main museums are free on certain days. This includes the National Museum on the first Monday of every month, most of the main galleries on the first Tuesday of every month, and the Prague City Museum on the first Thursday of every month.

PRAGUE

Visit two of Madrid's top museums for free

If you are visiting Madrid on the weekend and you plan on visiting both the Reina Sofia and Prado art galleries, good news - the Reina Sofia gallery is free on Saturdays after 2.30pm and all day Sunday, while the Prado is free all day Sunday also.

MADRID

Berlin - Save money on Museuminsel

If you plan on visiting any of Berlin's National Museums, leave your visit until Thursdayevenings (after 2pm) when they are all free. There are 16 in total. This includes all themuseums on Museumsinsel, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Tiergarten, and theMuseum of Indian Art on Taku Strasse.

BERLIN

Florence - Enjoy the best view in Florence

Located just 20 minutes walk from the Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo affordsvisitors the best views of Tuscany's capital. Every day hundreds converge on this large

square to take in the vistas. The sunsets are unforgettable.

Siena – Catch the Palio July 2 & August 16

Piazza del Campo changes into a medieval horse race track, and you will be swept away by the celebrations and festivities. Do not miss out on the Palio if you are in the area. Wemean it. This is a must see and be.

FLORENCE - SIENA

Vienna - Get cheap tickets for the opera

You don't need to be a member of Vienna's elite to enjoy a night at the opera. The hoipolloi can enjoy such masterpieces as 'La Traviata' also for as little as €3.50 (if you don'tmind standing). To get these tickets, line up at the opera house about two hours beforethe performance at the 'standing tickets' sign on the right side of the building. The Operahouse is closed in July and August for the summer season.

Check out the Rathausplatz and their free open-air film festivalEnjoy the full programme, a splendorous celebration of tradition and the contemporary, ofopera, operetta, classical and modern dance, jazz, pop and world music as well as an

enchanting kids-special. (End of June to the end of August)

VIENNA

Munich - Catch the 'Glockenspiel'

Every day at 11am and 12 noon, hundreds gather in Munich's illustrious Marienplatz and gaze at the New Town Hall to catch the 'Glockenspiel,' a 15-minute show where 32 life-sized figures perform the traditional 'Cooper's Dance.' After five minutes, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about, but it's nice to catch it if you're in the vicinity at the time

MUNICH

Edinburgh - Enjoy cheaper food, just for being a backpacker!

The proprietors of 'The Last Drop' pub in the Grassmarket must have been backpackers in a previous life: To help those travelling on a budget they have been kind enough to slash all main courses on their menu costing £6.50 to a mere £3.50. These include haggis and pasta dishes. To avail yourself of this offer simply arrive before 9pm and prove to them

that you're a backpacker. Your hostel key/card should do it. 

EDINBURGH

Budapest - Get money back when you leave the baths

Entrance to Budapest's baths can cost anything up to 2,500HUF. But in many baths (namely the Gellert Baths and Szechenyi Baths) you receive money back if you leave within a certain amount of time. So if you pay 2,300HUF into the Szechenyi Baths, leave within 2 hours and you will receive 700HUF on the way out. Simple! 

BUDAPEST

Athens - Buy the 'Acropolis ticket'

Entrance to Athens' number one attraction the Acropolis is €12. But the price of the Acropolis Ticket is €12 also. The difference between the two? The Acropolis Ticket also grants you entrance to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient and Roman Agoras and Keramikos Cemetery. Worth investing in, obviously.

ATHENS

Nice - Stroll along Promenade des Anglais

In 1822 a group of people from Nice's English colony pooled together to make a seaside path to stroll along. As a result, Promenade des Anglais was born. Today, Nice's famous path is the perfect place to weave in and out of joggers, rollerbladers, tourists and sunworshippers either coming or going to the beach.

NICE

Milan - Visit Milan's modern art gallery

Housed in a building where Napoleon once lived, Milan's Galleria d'Arte Moderna on Via Palestro is one of the city's most intriguing galleries and, since it's free to get in, is well worth visiting. Located at the foot of Giardini Pubblici, it is home to some of Italy's best

modern art.

MILAN

Brussels - Embark on city walks

Brussels' city centre streets are where you will find two of its best attributes - comic art andArt Nouveau buildings. Visit the city's tourist office at Hotel de Ville in the Grand Place andrequest either the comic art walk or Art Nouveau walk. Then simply lose yourself for the afternoon, admiring the sights along the way at no cost whatsoever.

BRUSSELS

Valencia - Visit Valencia's free attractions

If you're broke, take note of Valencia's free attractions. These include Museo de Ciencias Naturales, a science museum in Jardines del Real, La Lonja across from Mercado Central which is a Unesco World Heritage site, and Museo de Bella Artes, Valencia's fine arts

museum on Calle San Pío.

VALENCIA

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May 2009 – Information Subject to change