“The Vermeer exhibition is definitively sold out. It is not possible to buy tickets via e-mail or by phone,” says the announcement on the Rijksmuseum website. If you failed to get a ticket for this blockbuster exhibition, don’t despair, however, as there are plenty of cities in Europe to experience world-class culture, very often for very little and sometimes for free. In Antwerp, for example, you can see four altar pieces by Peter Paul Rubens in the gothic cathedral. In St Bavo’s cathedral in Ghent, there is the sublime 15th-century polyptych altarpiece the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. In Vilnius, you can go to the opera for €10. And in Berlin, there’s a free lunchtime concert every Tuesday lunchtime in the foyer of the Berlin Philharmonic. So, we’d like to hear about your favourite cultural discoveries on a shoestring in Europe.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, will win a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on 15 May at 9am

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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