London leads the way in Europe when it comes to free activities

Access to the British Museum in London is free of charge. Access to the British Museum in London is free of charge. Image: Shutterstock

If you're avoiding the UK capital as a city-break idea because of the high cost of accommodation and transport, bear in mind that the cost of your escapade can be alleviated if you opt for free activities. In fact, London has been ranked as Europe's top destination for free things to do!

London almost always earns a place in cost-of-living rankings. In June, for example, the city ranked 8th in the list of the world's most expensive expatriate destinations, according to healthcare consultancy Mercer. The British capital even climbed six places in the space of a year. A ranking by New World Health also considered London to be one of the most expensive cities—the third most expensive on the planet! Even Numbeo's cost-of-living index confirmed London's reputation as an expensive place to visit, with a meteoric rise to ninth place.

And yet, while a city-break in London can cost a small fortune if you don't plan ahead to buy plane or Eurostar tickets, and especially if you don't book accommodation early enough, it also offers many unexpected surprises, such as free activities. In fact, a Europe-wide ranking by the vacation rental booking platform Holidu puts the city top of the list with the most free things to do on the Old Continent. Indeed, all museums operated by the British state are accessible free of charge. Such is the case of the British Museum and the Museum of London, for example.

But that's not all that's on offer. While this analysis lists 79 free visits, there are even more in Paris (94) and especially in Madrid (176). In fact, it's the events accessible without spending a single pound that give the British capital its leading status. It's well known that musicals in the West End Theatre district are not within everyone’s reach. But plenty of other concerts and shows are perfectly free, if the events listed on Eventbrite for March 2024 are anything to go by.

Other European destinations where the cost of a trip can be offset with a host of free outings are Paris, Madrid, Rome and Barcelona.