The Ateneum Museum in Helsinki. Photo by John Donges.

By Sarah Silbert—

In the costly city of Helsinki, opportunities to cut costs are always welcome. While finding a budget-friendly bed is possible, some hefty expenses (museums, meals, and nights on the town) are unavoidable.

If you’re planning a trip to the Finnish capital, chances are you’ll see the Helsinki Card advertised as a must-have for visitor discounts. But at a hefty €34 for a single day of visits, the tourist pass is a bit of an investment for cost-conscious Cheapos. So, is the Helsinki Card worth it?

What it offers

The Helsinki Card includes free admission to 40 museums (including the wonderful Ateneum and Kiasma art museums), as well as unlimited travel on Helsinki’s tram, bus, and ferry system. The card also offers a free city tour and discounts on day trips to nearby city of Tallinn in Estonia.

For those planning on sampling some traditional Finnish culture, the card also offers discounts at a number of restaurants—and even the city’s famous swimming hall and sauna.

Cost

Here are the 2010 prices for the Helsinki Card:

24-hour Helsinki Card costs €34 (€13 for children under 16).
48-hour card costs €45 (€16).
72-hour card costs €55 (€19).

Should you buy it?

There are a number of things to consider before deciding if the Helsinki Card is worth the euros.

Firstly, do you plan on hitting up lots of museums during your stay? Helsinki museums charge around €8—and can skyrocket up to €16 in the event of a special exhibition (such as the Picasso event currently showing at the Ateneum).

Not so fast! Even if museums are a top priority for you, note that many museums offer free admission of the first Wednesday of the month. If you plan to visit more than five museums, or your thirst for Finnish culture can’t be quenched in one Wednesday, the Helsinki Card is your best bet.

Also worth considering is how often you’ll use transportation. Helsinki is a small city, and most sights are within walking distance of one another. That said, there are a few notable exceptions located outside the city center. To reach the famous Sibelius Monument or the seaside ice-swimming Rastila camp site, you’ll need to take the tram or metro. If you’re staying in the center of town, however, there’s no need to step aboard at €2.50 a pop; the city is best explored on foot.

The bottom line

Ultimately, a realistic sense of what (and how much) you plan to see in Helsinki should inform your decision. Keep in mind that the Helsinki Card is really only worth the euros if your trip is jam-packed with sightseeing and museum-visiting.

Tip: If you do buy this tourist pass, make sure to do so online, as you’ll save €3. If you’re considering a jaunt to Tallinn or the island fortress of Suomenlinna (also covered by the card), purchase the two- or three-day Helsinki Card, so you’re able to take advantage of the card’s discounts at a more leisurely pace.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Inside the Pergamon Museum on Museum Insel. Photo by sunside.

By Susan Buzzelli—

Cheapos know that the best things in life are free, but sometimes a city’s best sights will cost you.

So that you know when it’s worth loosening those purse strings, here’s a guide to Berlin’s two most splurge-worthy museums complexes, the Museum Insel and the Kulturforum. And, of course, we’ll show you how to cut your costs.

Museum Insel: An art and architecture delight

A natural island nestled in the Spree, the Museum Insel (S-bahn: Hackescher Markt or Brandenburger Tor) consists of five museums housed in grandiose neoclassical buildings. You could save euros by simply strolling past the impressive exteriors, which feature columns, sculptures and double stone staircases, but it would be a shame to overlook the eight collections of artistic and archeological treasures located inside the Bode Museum, Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie, and the Neues Museum.

The Gemäldegalerie. Photo by stijn.

Get the most bang for your buck at the world-renowned Pergamon, which features the walls of Babylon and other priceless artifacts that German archeologists dug up in Turkey and the Middle East in the early 20th Century (when the “finders keepers” mentality ran amok).

The talk of Berlin, however, is the newly renovated Neues Museum. Minimalistic interiors designed by British architect David Chipperfield provide a backdrop for the city’s Egyptian and pre- and early history collections. Not to be missed: a magical bust of Nefertiti that gives Mona Lisa a run for her money.

Cheapo style: Many Museum Insel museums boast free admission on Thursday evenings, four hours before closing (unless the museum is hosting a special exhibit). Normal admission costs between €8-10. Go ahead and skip special exhibitions, which cost extra (usually about €3): they usually aren’t worth the money.

The Kulturforum: Major exhibits and priceless paintings

Nestled just west of Potsdamer Platz’s sky rises, the Kulturforum (S-bahn & U-bahn: Potsdamer Platz) is a cluster of museums, libraries, and performance centers built in the 1960s and still going strong.

The two highlights are the Neue Nationalgalerie, a boxy, glass-sheathed museum designed by Mies von der Rohe, and the adjoining Museums für Europäische Kunst (Museums of European Art), a trio of three museums under one low-slung roof.

The Neue Nationalgalerie

Not only is the Neue Nationalgalerie an icon of modernist architecture, but the permanent collection of modern artwork by Max Beckmann, Salvador Dali, and dozens of other angsty European artists is among the finest in Europe. It is the museum’s stellar special exhibits, however, that make it not-to-be-missed on our list despite the steep admission (€12). Skipping a visit to the Neue would be like passing on the MOMA in New York or the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

The Neue Nationalgalerie. Photo by Carolina Mendonça.

Museums für Europäische Kunst

If you aren’t into the exhibit at the Neue, pop next door to the Museums für Europäische Kunst, its exterior a mélange of historic and contemporary architecture. Its three museums, the Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery of Old Masters), Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts) and Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings) are often overlooked by tourists, but we think they’re well worth the price of admission.

With its amazing collection of European art—including works by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Goya, and Rubens—the Gemäldegalerie is especially worth the splurge. If you hate sharing museums with hordes of tourists, this is the place for you: as the city’s best kept secret, it’s rarely (if ever) crowded.

Cheapo style: Individual admission to the Kulturforum’s museums is usually about €8 (€4 with a student card). But for the same price, you can score a one-day ticket that covers the above-mentioned museums, as well as the Kunstbibliothek (Art Library) and the Musikinstrumenten-Museum (Music Instrument Museum). The pass doesn’t include admission to special exhibits. Like the Museum Insel museums, admission is usually free four hours before closing.

When the Neue has two special exhibits on tap, a combination ticket goes for €12. Most of the time, exhibits set up in the main, glass-lined hall because they’re small and easy to check out from the lobby. It’s the larger, basement-level exhibits that are (usually) worth the price.

For museum buffs: The three-day Museum Pass

Note: If you’re a major culture buff (and have the capacity to take in a lot of art and artifacts in 72 hours), you should spring for the three-day museum pass that covers all of the city’s government-run museums, which includes all of the above-mentioned museums and then some. It will set you back €19 (€8.50 for students), but it will end up saving you tons of money—as long as you do some major museum hopping. The pass, however, doesn’t include admission to special exhibits.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The hills of Fiesole. Photo by clickykbd.

By Marc Anani in Florence:

Florence—architectural empress, city of beauty, city of love. Florence—city of body jams, packed piazzas, and tourist traps. The hoards of keen tourists can be exhausting and if you’re like me, you just want a little patch of peace from time to time to re-sharpen your explorer senses.

Enter Fiesole, a charming village on Florence’s doorstep.

How Fiesole Came to Be

A former walled city founded by the Etruscan civilization in the 7th century BC, the city of Fiesole is best known as a Roman colony and military nemesis of its neighbor Florence.

Its altitude above the hills and strategic location for surveying the region’s rivers made it a prized jewel for conquerors, namely the Romans who eventually made Fiesole a colony in 90 BC. In the early Middle Ages, Fiesole was more powerful that Florence, and the two cities fought several wars. Over time, Florence won the city over, which led the rich residents of Renaissance Florence to build their villas in Fiesole.

How to Get There

Take public transit bus no. 7 from Florence for a short 20 minute ride up through twisting Tuscan roads. You can check bus schedules at ATAF.net.

For the brave wishing to save, there are trails leading downhill back to Florence. The tourist office just off Fiesole’s main square (Piazza Mino) where the bus drops you off will be able to give you more information about walking trails and things going on.

What To Do in Fiesole

One good reason for visiting Fiesole is to take in its awesome view of Florence. Its altitude of almost 1,000 feet will allow you to peer over Florence from either of Fiesole’s two peaks: the S. Francesco or the S. Apollinare. I recommend enjoying a picnic just below the San Francesco Monastery to take in Florence’s panorama. Pass by the Coop supermarket just off Piazza Mino for picnic supplies instead of sipping an overpriced soda at one of the cafés lining the piazza.

Be sure check out Fiesole’s Roman theatre, which hosts outdoor plays, films and concerts in the summer evenings. Access to the Roman theatre and adjoining archeological site will cost you around €6, which isn’t too expensive for the city’s main attractions.

Other attractions include the Cattedrale di San Romolo (the town’s Duomo), the Museo Bandini (whose collection includes pieces by Michelangelo) and the Museo Missionario Francescano Fiesole (below the San Francesco Monestary), where you’ll find more Etruscan and Roman archeological treasures.

Did you Know?

Herman Hesse, the Nobel Prize winning author of “Siddhartha” and “Steppenwolf” often spent time in Fiesole, as he felt inspired by both the Fiesolan countryside and its residents.

Useful Links

Fiesole Tourism Site
City of Fiesole Main Site
Fiesole Cultural Program

About the Author: Marc Anani is a fiction writer living in Tuscany.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Rent a bike for free in Madrid. Photo by sindandune.

By Cynthia Kane in Madrid–

Looking for things to do in Madrid that won’t put a hole in your wallet? If so, check out the following list of activities you can do for absolutely free!

Free Madrid walking tours

If you’ve just arrived in Madrid (or even if you’ve been here for a while but haven’t yet explored the city), take one of the two free Madrid walking tours offered daily at 11 AM and 3 PM. The tours are 3.5 hours long, and you’ll learn the history of the city, see the most popular sights, and uncover hidden treasures.

Note: Although the tour itself is free, tips are very much appreciated. For more information, visit the tour’s website.

Free bicycle rental

If you’re in the mood for some exercise or just want to take a nice stroll around town, head over to Juan Carlos I park to pick up a free bicycle. Yes, we said free! How does it work? Simply register for an electronic card at the tent next to the park’s first parking lot. And it gets better: The card offers you unlimited bike access for an entire year.

Parque Juan Carlos I, Avenida Manuel Azaña, Avenida Logroño, Via de Dublin s/n (Metro: Campo de las Naciones). Bike rental hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-1 PM, 4:30-7:30 PM. Sat, Sun, and holidays: 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM.

Free museums

Ready for a day of art but not for a hefty admission charge? Then take advantage of these free times at the city’s most popular museums:

Head over to the Museo del Prado (Paseo del Prado Metro: Banco de Espana) on Tuesday- Saturday from 6 PM – 8 PM or Sunday from 5 PM – 8 PM for free entrance.

If Dali and Picasso are more your style, then head to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia on Calle Santa Isabel, 52 (Metro: Atocha) on Saturdays for free admission from 10 AM – 2 PM.

For museums that are always free, check out the following:

CaixaForum. Paseo Prado, 36 (Metro: Atocha) Open daily 10 AM – 8 PM.

La Casa Encendida. Ronda de Valencia, 2 (Metro: Embajadores) Open daily 10 AM – 10 PM.

Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporanea. Calle Conde Duque, 9 (Metro: Noviciado). Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 AM – 2 PM, 5:30-9 PM, Sunday 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM.

Templo de Debod. Montana del Principe Pio (Metro: Plaza de España). Open Tuesday – Friday 10 AM – 2 PM, Saturday, Sunday 10 AM – 2 PM.

Free food!

Free food may sound too good to be true, but here in Madrid, if you order a drink, then olives, potato chips, or tasty tapas will be on their way! Some suggestions for great free food:

El Tigre. Calle Infantas, 30 (Metro: Gran Via)

Entretapas y Vinos. Calle Fuencarral, 93 (Metro: Tribunal)

La Bardemcilla. Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 47 (Metro: Chueca)

About the author: Cynthia Kane is the editor of MAPMagazine.com, a Madrid travel e-zine, written by native English-speaking Madrid experts.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Going up at the CaixaForum in Barcelona. Photo by Hector Milla.

By Regina W. Bryan

Cheap or even free is a great price in an expensive town like Barcelona. There are many museums in eastern Spain’s capital city, some with high entrance fees, such as Casa Batllo, and others with ocassional free admission. Let’s explore the latter.

1. CaixaForum

Funded by the Catalan bank, La Caixa, the CaixaForum museum offers rotating exhibitions by national and international artists. The last show I attended was the Mucha collection, which was fantastic. CaixaForum is free, open every day of the week, except holidays.

Caixa Forum Barcelona
Open: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Saturdays: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Av. Marquès de de Comillas, 6-8
08038 Barcelona
Tel. +34 93 476 86 00

2. Museu D’Història

There are several museums that form part of Barcelona’s history museum route. However, I recommend the Museu D’Historia at Plaça de Rei in the Gothic Quarter of the city. Here admission is €6.00 for adults and €4.00 for those under 25 or over 65. Admission is free on Sunday, after 3 PM.

Museu D’Història
Plaza del Rey (Plaça de Rei)
08002 Barcelona

3. Museu D’Arqueologia de Catalunya

This archaeology museum will please those intrigued by Barcelona’s Roman past. Set atop the city’s “mountain,” Montjuic, the Museu D’Arqueologia de Catalunya (”MAC”) offers history and a view. Plus, at just €3.00 per person for admission, the price is right.

MAC Barcelona
Passeig de Santa Madrona, 39-41
Parc de Montjuïc
08038 Barcelona

Final Tips: The “articketBCN,” free Sundays, and Montjuic de Nit

Finally, the best way to save if you love museums and plan to see many of them while in Barcelona is to buy the €20 “articketBCN“. This museum pass allows you to see several museums such as the MNAC, CCCB, MACBA and the Miró Museum within a certain period of time. Usually these larger museums charge about €8.00 for admission, so in the long run you’ll save big. Buy the art ticket at the admission counter of any museum or at the tourist information office at Plaça Catalunya.

Also, many museums in Barcelona are free on Sunday afternoons, so make sure to ask about this at the tourist information center when you visit.

And one more thing! This July 4th, 2009, ALL the museums atop Montjuic are free from 8 PM until 3 AM, for a cultural festival called Montjuic de Nit. Enjoy!

About the author: Regina W. Bryan is a Barcelona-based freelance writer and photographer. When not eating tapas and exploring Europe, she is tending her balcony veggie garden and practicing Catalan. For more of her thoughts on Spain, check: www.regwb.com and www.thespainscoop.com.

Popularity: 9% [?]