Deal or dud: The truth about Europe’s tourist cards

Deal or no deal? Most European cities these days offer tourist cards that provide one, two or three days’ unlimited entry to attractions and museums and complimentary rides on public transport. But are they really good value, or would you be better off going ad hoc?

The answer depends on what kind of sightseer you are. If you want to whiz around as many popular attractions as possible, getting only a quick overview, you’ll (maybe) extract your money’s worth.

The Lisbon Card for example costs €51 ($89) for 48 hours and, as its website claims, you could rattle around eight attractions which, on top of public transport, would cost €109.50 if totted up individually.

However, be wary of such enticements. You’ll have to hurry if you want to see all eight suggested sights – and do you want to, really?

If you’re the type of visitor who cares to linger, slowly appraise museum exhibits, chat to palace volunteers and take breaks in parks and cafes, then you simply won’t fit enough visits in to make your money back from a tourist card.

Do your homework before buying a card. Jot down the attractions you want to see and their individual costs and look if the value is there – or indeed if the places that you’re keen on are even included.

Be realistic about how much you can see in the timeframe, and consider how long it might take to get between sights too. Be aware when working out your schedule that reservations are still often required.

The Stockholm Pass costs SEK599 ($97) for 24 hours, but you could easily spend a half day just in the Vasa Museum, which costs only SEK195.

The Paris Museum Pass is €70 for 48 hours. However, individual entry to the Louvre is a maximum €32, the Musee d’Orsay €16, Versailles €25 – you’ve only broken even, and it’s hard to see how you could fit any more than those three into two days.

Others are worth it, though. The Istanbul Explorer Pass offers a two-attraction option for €75 which will score you a decent discount if you visit Topkapi Palace (€60) and Haghia Sofia (€35).

Tourist cards offered by official government tourism bodies are generally better value than those run commercially, which will offer discounts to dodgy attractions and restaurants and shops you’d be better off avoiding. Your cocktail isn’t “free” if you’ve paid for an overpriced dinner in a tourist trap.

Apart from cost, consider that a tourist card locks you into a merry-go-round of sightseeing that leaves you no time for spontaneity. On the other hand, you might visit an attraction that you would otherwise have skipped.

Some passes allow you to jump queues, which can be a big time saver worth a few extra euros. You’re saved from fiddling with ticket machines every time you want to ride a bus or train, too.