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Amsterdam rated among best European cities for adventures on a budget

Amsterdam rated among best European cities for adventures on a budget

While Amsterdam may be one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, the Dutch capital has been named the seventh-best European city for low-cost adventures by Holidu. With the large number of free activities in the city, enjoying a trip to Amsterdam on a budget is possible.

Ranking of popular European destinations for budget activities

Holidu looked at the 30 most popular cities in Europe for a holiday to determine which destinations are the best when it comes to free activities on offer to tourists. The ranking of a city was determined based on how many museums, tourist attractions, events and guided city tours could be accessed for free. 

The city that was rated the best to enjoy without spending any money was London with 96 museums, 1.222 events and 79 guided city tours that tourists could explore for free. Coming in second place is Paris and rounding out the top three is Madrid.

Amsterdam one of the best places in Europe for low-cost adventures

With how much the people in the Netherlands love to save, it should come as no surprise that a Dutch city made it to this list. Amsterdam’s 18 free museums, 721 free events and 49 free guided city tours earned the city seventh position in the ranking.

There are also other ways to save a buck on a trip to the Dutch capital. As everyone knows, the Netherlands is very bike-friendly and with how pricey Dutch public transport is, cycling can be a cheaper way to get around. Amsterdam is also considered the most walkable city in the world where visitors can enjoy a stroll along the canals on their way to their destinations and save money on transport costs. 

Eating out doesn’t have to cost you a pretty penny either. You don’t have to eat at Michelin-star restaurants, but can enjoy food from a pancake restaurant or market for a fraction of the cost. Planning a longer visit to Amsterdam will also be more budget-friendly outside of peak periods, like school holidays, as accommodation is often less expensive during off-peak seasons. 

Top 10 cities for a budget-friendly trip

According to Holidu, these are the best cities to visit for a low-cost outing:

  1. London, UK
  2. Paris, France
  3. Madrid, Spain
  4. Rome, Italy
  5. Barcelona, Spain
  6. Milan, Italy
  7. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  8. Prague, Czech Republic
  9. Lisbon, Portugal
  10. Berlin, Germany

To see the full ranking and find out more information about the methodology, visit the Holidu website.

Thumb image credit: irisphoto1 / Shutterstock.com

Simone Jacobs

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Simone Jacobs

Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the Univeristy of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working...

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Mandoist 12:35 | 20 October 2024

What visitors may not know is -- the Mayor doesn't want you here. So go spend (or save) your money elsewhere. However, fortunately for local businesses, her 3-year plan to divert tourists is not working very well.