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Overtourism, inflation, and energy costs have negatively affected ticket prices at the world’s most significant tourist sites, with increases over recent years ranging from 60% to 100%

In our case, the variable prices established by the Ministry of Culture since April 1, depending on the visitor turnout at museum sites, have resulted in a sharp increase in ticket prices, with the regular entry fee to the Acropolis now costing 30 euros, for example.

Interestingly, the Louvre increased its standard ticket price from 12 to 22 euros, while Hagia Sophia reached 25 euros, provoking a strong reaction from Turks who accuse Erdoğan of extreme tourist exploitation of the monument.

Despite the skyrocketing prices at top museums and monuments around the world, tourists complain that they are unable to secure the much-desired ticket online that allows access, as online reservations sell out quickly, leading to long waiting times.

The only solution seems to be private tours, which double the already high cost, and single tourist passes, which are not valid in all countries—Greece being one of the exceptions.

In Greece
It has already been two years since the members of the Central Archaeological Council approved unanimously increases in ticket prices to archaeological sites and museums in our country, as proposed by the Ministry of Culture, while at the same time deeming the abolition of the unified ticket necessary. The final phase of the price increases and the definitive date for implementing the new prices was set for April 1, 2025, and now, according to the new pricing policy, the entrance fee to high-demand sites, such as the archaeological site of the Acropolis, is 30 euros for all visitors.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
According to this variable pricing logic, entry to archaeological sites and museums depends on demand, meaning the visitors to each site: apart from the Acropolis, which is at the top of demand, sites with attendance of over 200,000 people (like Ancient Olympia and Delphi) cost 20 euros, while sites and museums with attendance of 75,000 to 200,000 cost 15 euros, from 15,000 to 75,000 cost 10 euros, and those below 15,000 cost 5 euros (like the Byzantine Museum, although as a Legal Entity of Public Law, it may set its own pricing policy).

This means that the four state museums that changed legal status from purely public to NPDD (i.e., the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and the Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki) will be able to set their own prices and practices, much like the new Acropolis Museum, which has operated in this manner for years.

This means that museums will manage their resources at will and can have shops, thereby further boosting their revenues, in addition to the direct funding secured from ticket sales.

“The Acropolis Experience”: What It Is and What It Includes
However, this new regime does not allow for the logic of a unified ticket and the pass that we see functioning widely in various countries, which significantly raises costs for a tourist wishing to visit different museums and landmarks in our country.

However, in the case of the Acropolis, the variable prices depending on demand and times of the day are expected to help, at least as claimed by officials from the Ministry of Culture, to reduce queues and prevent visitors from entering during the morning hours, which especially in summer pose risks.

The ticket price for private VIP tours on the Sacred Rock will be increased, ranging from 145 to 5,000 euros. Indeed, reports indicate that a couple of Russians have already chosen the private evening tour with exclusive access, reaching this astronomical amount (5,000 euros), while similar tours have been booked for full moon nights in July and August.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
These personalized tours under the title “The Acropolis Experience” not only offer exclusive access to archaeologists during evening hours but also provide commemorative gifts to visitors. The price increase is seen by some travel agents as somewhat unavoidable since, according to a reputable study by McKinsey on behalf of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises, revenue per visitor in Greek monuments and tourist sites in previous years averaged just 6 euros compared to the European average of 19.7 euros.

However, agents are concerned that the unified ticket is being abolished but are being offered the opportunity for tourist packages that offer other conveniences and discounts even at such monuments and landmarks. Also, regarding free entries, the benefits for all EU citizens under 25 years old remain, and the number of free entrance Sundays for the winter season for all visitors has increased by one Sunday, meaning up to five additional free days each year.

63 Euros for a Private Room with the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
The world’s most visited museum could not remain unaffected by price increases, citing rising operational costs. It was indeed the first museum to announce a significant price increase, with the ticket rising to 22 euros from the previous 12, something inconceivable for the French who often visit and honor their museums. This change happened a few months before the 2024 Olympic Games, leading everyone to connect the museum’s new pricing policy with the anticipated increasing number of visitors from foreign countries.

Given that the Louvre’s collection includes over 35,000 exhibits covering 9,000 years of history, it is reasonable to expect its temporary exhibitions to be equally attractive. Consequently, the Louvre offers visitors a comprehensive experience that cannot be found in other museums, while avoiding queues by ensuring an audio tour, which automatically raises the price to 33 euros, not to mention hiring a personal guide who charges based on the hours and the rooms they wish to visit.

However, someone can make an online reservation for the 33-euro ticket while securing other parallel benefits, like a boat tour on the Seine! And if they have the creative idea to enjoy the room with the famous “Mona Lisa” alone and not with hordes of tourists standing for hours in front of Da Vinci’s famous painting, they are required to pay the somewhat steep price of 63 euros!

The French never run out of ideas. It’s just that one should contact their travel agent in time to see the combined packages available if they want to see the most famous attractions and landmarks in Paris (for example, at the Eiffel Tower, prices change depending on which floor you want to visit and what view you want to have!).

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
Paris: The Louvre Museum was the first to announce a large increase in the ticket price, with the ticket skyrocketing to 22 euros from the previous 12, something inconceivable for the French who often visit and honor their museums.

Vatican and Colosseum at 99 Euros
It is rare for someone to travel to Rome without visiting the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, along with the famous St. Peter’s Basilica, where they can admire Michelangelo’s “Pietà” and the Sistine Chapel (and not the “Sistine Chapel,” as it is often mistakenly referred to).

In this case, they must pay the combined fee of 99 euros, which may sound expensive, but it is worth it when considering that 40 euros must be paid just to see Michelangelo’s masterpieces up close in the Basilica, while if they want to see the impressive Vatican Museums, they need to pay 74.90 euros. As for a simple entry to the Colosseum, the impressive monument with the largest Roman arena ever built, it costs 16 euros, a fee that grants simultaneous entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
Rome: The impressive Colosseum monument, with the largest Roman arena ever built, is priced at 16 euros, a fee that ensures simultaneous entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Hagia Sophia: Expensive Conversion to a Mosque
While Recep Tayyip Erdoğan proclaimed to his fervent audience that he managed to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque, he was the first to introduce a significant increase in the ticket price due to uncontrolled inflation for entry to the space.

Given that priority for entry to the temple is not given to Turkish citizens but to tourists, there has been an increase in reactions that claim entry is not free as Erdoğan promised when he insisted that access to all mosques would be free for locals.

The queues of tourists in front of Hagia Sophia are so long, and the measures are so heightened that you rarely see a local waiting for a visit to the site. As for the now increased fee of 25 euros, it covers a simple visit to the temple, and if someone wants to have a guided tour, they then need to purchase the VIP ticket, which means they are forced to pay 47.5 euros.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
It should be noted that the unified ticket of 50 euros established by Turkey for visits to the top museums in Istanbul does not apply in the case of Hagia Sophia, which is exempt.

33.80 Euros for Sagrada Familia (Without the Candle!)
The impressive church built by Antoni Gaudí, apart from being one of Europe’s famous landmarks, is also an exquisite example of Catalan architecture and one of the places worth visiting in Spain.

Sagrada Familia is a miracle of art and is worth seeing not only from the outside with its intricate architecture and the highly impressive Nativity Facade but also inside, with the tall columns resembling trees and the beautiful stained glass creating an artistic illusion.

The only issue is that it is difficult for one to understand the symbolism and history of the magnificent building constructed by the new saint of the Catholic Church (Pope Francis recently gave the green light for Gaudí’s canonization) without an audio guide; this means that in this case, they have to pay the highest fee of 33.80 euros.

If, moreover, they want to avoid the queues, as it is difficult to secure access to enter the church without waiting for hours, they need to choose the skip-the-line guided tour ticket, which costs 47 euros.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
Barcelona: The visit to Sagrada Familia costs 33.80 euros, the impressive Gaudí church in Barcelona.

$57.90 for a Ticket to the Metropolitan in New York!
In one of the most expensive cities in the world, it is evident that a ticket is not a cheap affair—especially at its top museum, the Metropolitan Museum. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world, with 2 million works of art covering 5,000 years of human creation from a vast range of cultures (it is known that these include questionable collections of Greek antiquities).

Therefore, it is almost pointless to choose a simple $30 ticket without a guide, as it is nearly a certainty that there will be hours of waiting for simple access to the museum at any time of day. In addition, if someone wants to have a glimpse of at least some of the endless works of art, they need not only a guide but also to have at least three hours available, which is how long it takes to go through the most significant halls, with the cost reaching $57.90 (on offer, instead of the regular $60).

And that is if they make sure to book an available ticket online. From ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art to the Impressionists and representatives of abstract or postmodern art, the Metropolitan Museum (also known as the Met) covers a vast field of artistic movements, which justifies its expensive ticket.

If someone takes into account the highly significant and modern temporary exhibitions that take place on the ground floor, it becomes clear that visiting New York without visiting the Met is like passing through Athens without climbing to the Sacred Rock. There is, of course, always the unified ticket, which secures access to the most important museums in New York for around $80, but it is undoubtedly worthwhile.

From the Acropolis to the Colosseum: How Much Do Tickets Cost for Seven Monuments and Museums?
New York: The visit with a guide to the Metropolitan Museum of New York costs $57.90 (and even on offer).

British Museum: Free Entry with Expensive Exhibitions
One of the few places in the world that has secured free entry to its museums is Great Britain—at least the public ones, not the private ones. However, the tradition of free entry to museums established by Great Britain years ago is counterbalanced by the steep price one must pay to see any of the famous retrospective exhibitions often organized by the top museums, especially in London.

For example, Tate Modern usually hosts only large exhibitions, with ticket prices reaching 30 pounds. Given that the British Museum is under renovation, no one knows which of its halls, like the one with the Parthenon Sculptures, will continue to exist as they are, and which will be transformed to host temporary exhibitions with the corresponding fees, of course.

Among the most emblematic exhibits of the museum, apart from the Parthenon Sculptures, are the Rosetta Stone, which was key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, and the mummies, while the Great Court is an architectural masterpiece in itself.