What’s open (and closed)? Opening hours and closing days by city

Paris is the classic trap: the Louvre closes on Tuesdays, while the Musée d’Orsay and many others close on Mondays (the Centre Pompidou is closed entirely for renovation until 2030). Plan your two big museum days around opposite ends of the week and you will not be caught out. The Eiffel Tower and most monuments open daily.

Many shops outside the big tourist zones close on Sundays and some on Monday mornings, and smaller restaurants shut between lunch and dinner. Bakeries and tourist-area shops are the reliable exceptions.

Worth knowing: The Louvre closes Tuesdays (not Mondays); the Orsay closes Mondays, while the Pompidou is shut for renovation until 2030. Split your museum days accordingly.

Source: Louvre: hours and admission

Plan things to do in Paris

London is easy: the major museums (the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate galleries, the Natural History Museum) open every day, and most are free. A few have one late-opening evening a week, handy for beating the crowds.

Shops open seven days, though large stores are limited to about six hours on Sundays under UK trading rules, so Sunday hours are shorter (often 11 or 12 to 5 or 6). Pubs and restaurants run daily.

Worth knowing: Almost everything opens daily; just note shorter Sunday hours for big shops and check for weekly late-night museum openings.

Source: Visit London (official tourism)

Plan things to do in London

In Rome the key quirk is the Vatican Museums, which close on Sundays (except the last Sunday of the month, when entry is free and very busy). Many Italian state museums close on Mondays, while the Colosseum, the Forum and St Peter’s Basilica open daily.

Smaller shops often shut for a midday break and on Sunday, and some close Monday mornings. Churches frequently close in the early afternoon, so see them in the morning or late afternoon.

Worth knowing: The Vatican Museums close on Sundays (bar the free last Sunday); many state museums close Mondays. The Colosseum opens daily.

Source: Vatican Museums: opening hours

Plan things to do in Rome

Many of Barcelona’s museums close on Mondays, including the Picasso Museum, though the big Gaudí sights (the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló) open daily. Check the Monday status of any indoor museum you are set on.

Spanish opening hours run late: many smaller shops close for a long afternoon break (roughly 2 to 5pm) and lunch and dinner are eaten late. Big stores and tourist-area shops stay open through the day.

Worth knowing: Museums often close Mondays, but the Gaudí landmarks open daily; expect a long afternoon shop break elsewhere.

Source: Barcelona Turisme (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Barcelona

Madrid’s big three art museums keep different schedules: the Prado opens daily, the Reina Sofía closes on Tuesdays, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza opens daily but with shorter hours on Mondays. Knowing this lets you see all three across a couple of days.

As across Spain, many smaller shops take a long midday break and meals run late, while department stores and tourist-area shops stay open all day. Some shops close on Sunday.

Worth knowing: The Prado opens daily, the Reina Sofía closes Tuesdays and the Thyssen runs shorter Monday hours; plan the art trio around that.

Source: Museo del Prado: visit

Plan things to do in Madrid

Good news in Amsterdam: the headline museums, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House, all open daily. Some smaller museums close on Mondays, so check those individually.

Shops open seven days a week, though some open later on Mondays (from around noon) and keep shorter Sunday hours. The city’s cafes and restaurants run daily.

Worth knowing: The big museums (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Anne Frank House) open daily; some smaller ones close Mondays, and shops open late on Mondays.

Source: I amsterdam (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Amsterdam

Most of Berlin’s big museums, including those on Museum Island, close on Mondays, so make Monday a day for the open-air history sites (the East Side Gallery, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, the Reichstag area) instead. Note that the Pergamonmuseum is closed entirely for renovation through 2026, with a partial reopening planned for 2027.

The bigger German quirk: shops close on Sundays almost everywhere, by law, with only stations, airports, bakeries and the like open. Stock up on Saturday, as Sunday is genuinely quiet.

Worth knowing: Museum Island museums mostly close Mondays, and crucially, shops are closed across Germany on Sundays, so plan groceries ahead.

Source: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Plan things to do in Berlin

Vienna’s headline museums open daily, including the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Belvedere and the Albertina, as do the big palaces such as Schönbrunn. A few smaller museums close on Mondays, so check those.

As in Germany, shops close on Sundays across Austria, with exceptions only at stations and the airport. The famous coffee houses, restaurants and the palaces stay open, so Sunday is for sightseeing rather than shopping.

Worth knowing: The major museums and palaces open daily; the real quirk is that shops shut across Austria on Sundays (coffee houses and palaces stay open).

Source: Vienna Tourist Board

Plan things to do in Vienna

In Prague, the open-air icons, Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the castle grounds, are always accessible, and Prague Castle’s main sights open daily. Some galleries and museums close on Mondays, so check those.

Shops and restaurants in the centre generally open seven days a week to serve tourists, with normal daytime and evening hours. There is no strict Sunday closing here.

Worth knowing: The bridge, squares and castle grounds are always open; some indoor museums close Mondays. Shops open daily in the centre.

Source: Prague City Tourism

Plan things to do in Prague

Many of Budapest’s museums close on Mondays, so use a Monday for the thermal baths (open daily), the riverside, Castle Hill and the views, none of which need a museum ticket.

Shops and restaurants in the centre generally open every day, and the famous ruin bars run late. There is no strict Sunday closure, though some smaller shops keep shorter Sunday hours.

Worth knowing: Museums often close Mondays, but the thermal baths open daily, making Monday a natural bath-and-views day.

Source: Budapest Info (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Budapest

Most of Lisbon’s museums and monuments close on Mondays, including the big ones in Belém (the Jerónimos Monastery, the Belém Tower) and the major art museums. A Monday is best spent on the viewpoints, the trams and the neighbourhoods.

Shops and restaurants otherwise keep flexible, tourist-friendly hours seven days a week, with the bakeries and cafes open from early. Some family-run places close on Sunday or Monday.

Worth knowing: The Belém monuments and most museums close Mondays; save Monday for viewpoints, trams and walking the districts.

Source: Visit Lisboa (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Lisbon

As in Lisbon, several of Porto’s museums and cultural sites close on Mondays. The icons that draw most visitors, the riverfront, the bridges, the Livraria Lello bookshop and the port cellars across the river, generally open daily.

Shops and restaurants keep ordinary, tourist-friendly hours through the week, with no strict Sunday closing in the centre.

Worth knowing: Some museums close Mondays, but the riverfront, the bridges and the port-wine cellars open daily.

Source: Visit Porto (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Porto

In Venice, some museums close on Mondays while others (including the Doge’s Palace and the Correr Museum on St Mark’s Square) open daily. St Mark’s Basilica restricts tourist visits on Sunday mornings and during services, so go on a weekday or in the afternoon.

Small shops may shut for a midday break, but the tourist core stays busy and open. Churches often close in the early afternoon.

Worth knowing: The Doge’s Palace opens daily; St Mark’s Basilica limits tourist entry during Sunday-morning services, so time it carefully.

Source: Venezia Unica (official city)

Plan things to do in Venice

Florence’s two essential museums, the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia (home to Michelangelo’s David), both close on Mondays, the single most important thing to know here. Book them for any other day and reserve ahead to skip the queues.

The Duomo complex and the open piazzas can be enjoyed on a Monday. Smaller shops may take a midday break, and some close on Sunday.

Worth knowing: The Uffizi and the Accademia both close Mondays; never plan your art day for a Monday in Florence.

Source: Uffizi Galleries: hours

Plan things to do in Florence

The Acropolis and most major archaeological sites in Athens open daily (with shorter winter hours), so the headline sight is rarely a problem. Some museums shift their closed day seasonally and a few close on Tuesdays, so check the specific museum.

Smaller shops keep traditional hours with a midday break on some days, and many close on Sunday, while tourist-area tavernas and shops stay open. The archaeological sites close earlier in winter than summer.

Worth knowing: The Acropolis opens daily but on shorter winter hours; check individual museums, some of which close on Tuesdays.

Source: This is Athens (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Athens

Dublin’s big draws open daily, including the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College with the Book of Kells; the National Museum of Ireland opens later on Mondays (afternoons only). Note that Dublin Castle is closed to visitors from May to the end of 2026.

Shops open seven days a week, with shorter Sunday hours, and the pubs run daily. There is no strict Sunday closing.

Worth knowing: The Guinness Storehouse, Trinity and the Book of Kells open daily; the National Museum opens Monday afternoons, and Dublin Castle is shut to visitors through the end of 2026.

Source: Visit Dublin (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Dublin

New York’s headline museums largely open daily, including MoMA, while the Metropolitan Museum closes on Wednesdays; a number of smaller museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays, so check any specific one. Most are open late one or two evenings a week.

Shops, restaurants and attractions run seven days with long hours, and the city genuinely does keep going late. Hours are rarely a constraint here.

Worth knowing: MoMA opens daily and the Met closes Wednesdays; some smaller museums close Mondays or Tuesdays, so confirm the one you want.

Source: NYC Tourism (official)

Plan things to do in New York City

Las Vegas runs around the clock. Casinos never close, and the resorts, restaurants, shops and shows operate every day, often late into the night. Opening hours are simply not a planning issue on the Strip.

A few standalone attractions and day-trip sights (museums, the Hoover Dam tours) keep regular daytime hours, so check those, but the core Vegas experience is 24/7.

Worth knowing: The Strip is effectively 24/7; only standalone attractions and day trips (like Hoover Dam) keep set daytime hours.

Source: Visit Las Vegas (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Las Vegas

Dubai’s malls, attractions and restaurants open daily and stay open late, with malls often running to midnight. Friday is the Islamic holy day: some venues open a little later on Friday and a few sites pause briefly around midday prayers, but tourist attractions generally run as normal.

The official weekend is now Saturday and Sunday, in line with global business, though some private venues still follow a Friday rhythm. Daytime in deep summer shifts indoors because of the heat, not closures.

Worth knowing: Almost everything opens daily and late; just expect slightly later Friday openings and brief pauses around midday prayers at some sites.

Source: Visit Dubai (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Dubai

Istanbul has two big ones to remember: Topkapı Palace closes on Tuesdays, and the Grand Bazaar closes on Sundays (and public holidays). Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are working mosques, open daily but closed to tourists during the five daily prayer times and especially around Friday midday prayers.

Shops in the bazaars keep long daily hours except the Grand Bazaar’s Sunday closure, while modern malls open daily and late. Plan mosque visits between prayer times.

Worth knowing: Topkapı Palace closes Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar closes Sundays; mosques close to visitors during prayer times.

Source: Türkiye Museums (official)

Plan things to do in Istanbul

Many of Tokyo’s museums close on Mondays, and the common rule is that if a Monday falls on a public holiday, they close the next day (Tuesday) instead. The temples, shrines, parks and shopping districts that anchor most Tokyo trips open daily.

Shops and department stores open seven days a week with long hours, and convenience stores never close. Restaurants vary, with some closing one day a week, so check a specific place you have your heart set on.

Worth knowing: Museums usually close Mondays (or the Tuesday after a holiday Monday); temples, shrines and shopping districts open daily.

Source: Go Tokyo (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Tokyo

As across much of Italy, many of Milan's museums close on Mondays, including the Pinacoteca di Brera and, crucially, the Last Supper. The Duomo, its rooftop and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II are open daily.

Use a Monday for the cathedral, the shopping arcade, the Navigli canals and the parks. Smaller shops may take a midday break, and some close on Sunday.

Worth knowing: Many museums and the Last Supper close Mondays; the Duomo and the Galleria stay open daily, so save indoor museums for another day.

Source: YesMilano (official tourism)

Plan things to do in Milan