You’ve encountered them in nearly every major city you’ve visited, advertisements for them on the official tourism website, many unofficial sites, and throughout numerous travel blogs that include articles on activities in those locales. For a single price, these city passes or sightseeing passes available in Paris or Prague grant you access to a multitude of museums and attractions. They may also cover the local public transport system and offer discounts or guided tours.
Is it worth it or not?
The straightforward answer is that it hinges on how much sightseeing you plan to do. Typically, you need to fit in as much sightseeing as possible in a limited timeframe to make the deal worthwhile. Think “48 hours in __(insert city here)___” rather than “My leisurely week of easy-going sightseeing.”
Some of these attraction passes demand cramming in quite a bit, while others are more relaxed.
### What benefits come with that sightseeing pass?
It is essential to thoroughly examine what these sightseeing passes and city cards encompass to determine if they represent good value for you. Some are significantly more worthwhile than others, and in most instances, you need to be quite active over a short duration to truly benefit. This is because most (though not all) start a timer when you begin using them.
Typically, you purchase them for durations of 48 or 72 hours, though some offer options that start at 24 hours and extend to 96. This is excellent for a brief visit, but not as favorable if you’re renting an apartment as a digital nomad and prefer to see just one attraction every day or two over time.
The value assessment is heavily reliant on what the card covers. Would you have visited those attractions and utilized the extras regardless, or are you doing so merely to “get your money’s worth” because you hold the card? Do you look at the offerings and think, “Wow, that sounds exciting!” or do you glance over the list and say, “Meh?”
Certain cards provide a line-skipping option, which can be particularly advantageous in a bustling city like Paris. Some also feature unlimited local transport, which can simplify travel in a city where you might need a bus at one moment, a tram at another, and then a subway ride.
In some locations, several prominent attractions aren’t included in the package, even at a steep price. The **Istanbul Museum Pass**, for example, costs a substantial €105 and features some questionable itinerary stops in this captivating city. It does cover the Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam (a must-see?) but omits the Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce Palace, or the Byzantine-era Chora Church Museum shown above. Notably, the price has also more than doubled over a decade, despite the drastic depreciation of the Turkish lira.
I reported on this Cheapest Destinations Blog about the **[Prague Visitors Pass](https://www.cheapestdestinationsblog.com/2024/11/20/prague-visitor-pass/)**, which I utilized a couple of months ago. We were only in the city for three days, so we hurriedly experienced as much as we could before boarding a train to Budapest. With the pass, we managed to see a lot during that time, and it included public transportation. This enabled us to easily hop on a tram or subway to visit various places, including the cool Dox Museum located in a rising arts district.
That 48-hour pass costs roughly the same as the Istanbul one but offers many more benefits than just museum entries. We took a riverboat tour (with a complimentary Czech beer), participated in a Charles Bridge tour, and climbed to the top of an ancient astronomical observatory for spectacular views.
We ended up slightly ahead in terms of spending but gained significantly in convenience. Moreover, if we had been staying farther out and relied more on the metro or visited even one additional attraction, the benefits would have been substantial.
### Other instances of city attraction cards across Europe
I was among those longer-term visitors when I [was in Budapest](https://www.cheapestdestinationsblog.com/2025/05/27/day-trips-from-budapest/) recently, so we passed on the **Budapest Card in Hungary**. We preferred not to feel rushed to accomplish too much in a single day, and some attractions we hoped to see weren’t included anyway. Instead, we opted for a monthly transportation pass priced at just $23, eliminating the need for a card.
This pass is €63 for 72 hours as I write this and includes some sites we did visit, such as the National Gallery in the Budapest Castle complex and Memento Park, which was rather intriguing. Perhaps with the card, we would have chosen to enter St. Stephen’s Basilica rather than just admire it from the outside.