London is Europe's costliest city for cultural activities, according to a survey.

It is even pricier than Paris when it comes to tickets for such attractions as ballet and opera, the survey from Post Office Travel Money said.

The cost of culture is high in London despite some museums and art galleries being admission-free.

The survey looked at cultural costs in 12 major European cities. This was based on visits by two people to a museum, an art gallery, a heritage site, the ballet, the opera and a classical concert.

Best value was Warsaw in Poland where cultural trips cost just £70. The next-best value was Budapest (£80) followed by Prague (£93) and Dublin (£102).

London, at £256, was the most expensive, with tickets for two to the Royal Ballet £91 and opera setting a couple back £117.50.

In contrast, a visit by a couple to the National Ballet in Budapest cost just £15, while the Polish National Opera in Warsaw was only £20.

The only consolation for culture vultures visiting London was the fact that prices have come down since a similar survey was conducted five years ago. The London cultural package cost £326 in 2009 - more than 21% more than in 2014.

Culture prices in Rome (down 36.1%) and Vienna (down 27.3%) have fallen even more than those of London since 2009, while Amsterdam (up 37.3%) has experienced the highest rise.

Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: "While every city surveyed boasts world-class cultural attractions, prices vary dramatically. This means culture vultures can save hundreds of pounds by doing their homework before booking and swapping expensive cities for cheaper ones."