About the Deals

By Avital Binshtock, Joe Fullman, Anna Brooke & Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

A lot of great bargains in this world don't withstand close scrutiny. Anyone who's ever "won" a free weekend at a North Carolina timeshare can attest to that. So how can people have a good time in a high-cost city without going broke? Our Free & Dirt Cheap series shows readers how to get the most out of a destination while spending the least. For each city, our expert writers give opinionated advice on the best no-cost and low-cost options for the visitor and resident alike.

For each of these seven destinations -- five in the U.S. and two in Europe -- we tell you how to eat for less, how to have a good time for next to nothing, and how to see lots with paying very little.