On July 5 of this year, Paris opened recreational facilities sure to make a visit during the season of sweltering summer heat a much more attractive proposition. The project to make the Seine swimmable, begun in earnest back in 2015 with the goal of having the waters suitably clean for the staging of the 2024 Summer Olympics, became a reality with the official opening of three sites that will remain accessible to the public through Aug. 31. The water quality is continuously monitored to ensure that a dip in the river, a practice barred for more than a century, poses little health risk. Online: tinyurl.com/3tpar7mc

This is the wonder of visiting one of Europe’s great capital cities: they’re ever changing and constantly offering new opportunities to residents and tourists alike. Here’s a look at just a few newly or soon-to-open leisure-time opportunities bound to make a return to a city known and loved feel as fresh and exciting as ever:

London: Many museums have vast holdings, yet woefully tight exhibition space. Seeking to tackle this problem is the V&A East Storehouse, opened at East Bank, a new cultural quarter in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in May of this year. The facility housing the massive collection of Victoria and Albert Museum in London aims to make visitors feel as if they’ve been granted a backstage pass to view the approximately 1.25 million objects the institution possesses. In addition to the Collections Hall filled with treasures and curiosities from around the world are six large-scale objects including a gilded wooden ceiling from a 15th-century palace in Spain and a gigantic stage cloth featuring an image from one of Picasso’s paintings. The facility’s “Order an Object” service allows all interested parties to search through the V&A’s online collection and book an appointment for a personal viewing of up to five objects that strike their fancy. The V&A East Storehouse is open every day of the week and admission is free. Online: vam.ac.uk/east

Prague: The public’s appreciation of his music made Prague a favorite city of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; a museum that opened in December 2024 explores the musical genius’ connection with its people and places. The Mozart Interactive Museum is described as an interactive exhibition area using cutting-edge technology to immerse visitors in the composer’s life, times and music. Experiences awaiting visitors include taking a harpsichord lesson from Mozart’s father or conducting the premiere of the Don Giovanni opera in Prague. The museum located at Karmelitská 267/33, Praha 1 is open daily; adult admission costs 390 Czech Koruna (about $18.34). Online: mozartmuseum.cz/en/home

Berlin: In May of this year, sampling the scrumptiousness of Berlin’s street food scene got that much easier with the launching of the KERB Food Hall in Potsdamer Platz. An idea born in London more than a decade ago is being applied to a centrally-located food hall supporting local talent and independent traders. A corner of what was once the IMAX cinema in the Sony Centre is now a place for sampling the fare of some dozen vendors, with tastes inspired by Japan, Korea, Mexico and beyond in the mix. Also debuting within this space is Pick & Cheese, a conveyor belt from which guests can choose from more than 20 cheeses made in small dairies in Germany and accompaniments ranging from chutneys to biscuits to sauerkraut. Online: kerbberlin.de

Lisbon: Mournful and expressive, Fado is a musical genre closely intertwined with Portuguese culture and identity. With the opening of Ah Amália – Living Experience, one of Fado’s most iconic singers now has a museum highlighting her life and times. Amália Rodrigues, born to humble roots on July 23, 1920, rose to fame early and became a leading figure and global ambassador for the genre. The first immersive museum dedicated to a Portuguese personality features high-tech and interactive content spread across eight rooms; the highlight of a visit is the chance to watch Amália perform as a life-size hologram. The museum at 8 Marvila-Lisbon is open daily; adult admission costs 20 euros. Online: ah-amalia.pt/en

Budapest: Long before the internet revolutionized trip planning, frequent travelers landing in a new town would reach for a hard copy of Time Out, a magazine featuring descriptions and reviews of landmarks, bars, restaurants and the cultural scene. What began in London back in 1968 is nowadays not only a source of information and inspiration; the brand operating in 333 cities in 59 countries is also a creator of Time Out Markets, aimed at bringing culinary and cultural experiences together under one roof. In addition to Europe’s Time Out Markets found in Lisbon and Porto, Portugal and Barcelona, Budapest is set to get its own version of such in the autumn of 2025. Occupying space in what was once a department store, the venue at Corvin Palace on Blaha Lujza Square will offer 12 kitchens, four bars, event space and seating for some 800 guests. Online: timeout.com/time-out-market-budapest