Dublin is an expensive city, no doubt about it. Fortunately, many sights are free of charge. True to say some are in the open air, but when it rains it is usually only a shower.
The 2007 Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living survey has revealed that Dublin is the 16th expensive city in the world and ranks number 10 on the list of most expensive European cities after Moscow, London, Copenhagen, Geneve, Zurich, Oslo, Milan, St Petersburg and Paris.
Still it is possible to see Dublin on a budget.
Ryanair has budget flight from many European cities. If booked way in advance they cost next to nothing.
Dublin Airport is 10 km to the north east of Dublin. Take bus 16A (€1,90) , the Airlink bus is €6) which will drop you in O'Connell Street, jouney time one hour. The Airlink bus takes 30 mins and sets you back €6.
The Tourist Information Desk is at 14 O'Connell Street, pick up a free city map. But don't book your accommodation here as they charge €4 booking fee.
An average meal is between €10 – 20, beer and wine €3 – 6, coffee and tea €2 – 3. Therefore it is a good idea to eat a full Irish breakfast especially since it is included in your room price.
Full Irish breakfast consists of cereal (corn flakes and the like), orange juice (from a carton), fried egg, two rashers of bacon, two sausages, three mushrooms, one tomato, hash, black and white pudding, tea (or coffee). It takes some time before this is digested but it will give you lots of energy that lasts well into the afternoon.
All hotels have waterboilers and complementary tea and coffee in the room. Cup-a Soup and cup noodles can be bought in the supermarket, pour on boiling water and your budget meal is ready.
Accommodation will be the largest part of your budget. There are three hostels near O'Connel Street: An Oige Dublin International, 61 Mountjoy Street Abbey Court Hostel, 29 Bachelor's Walk Marlborough Hostel, 81 Malbourough Street
Neither of these suited us. Marlborough had only 4-8 bed dorms, An Oige has single and double rooms (€52) and also dorms. This seemed a good option, but the double rooms were booked.
See my 'tips section' for information on acommodation
Favourite spots:
10 BUDGET TIPS
1. TRINITY COLLEGE The grounds of the university are free to wander about, but most tourists come to see the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript dating from 800 AD. The book contains the four gospels of the New Testament written in Latin. It is on display in the Old Library but admission is €8 (in 2007). Go to the library bookshop and browse the paperback edition free of charge.
2. BANK OF IRELAND The round building opposite Trinity College used to be the Houses of Parliament. Parliament consisted of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Commons is now a hall used for money transactions. The House of Lords is still as grand as in the old days with its oak woodwork and Waterford crystal chandelier Two wall tapestries depict the Battle of the Boyne and the Siege of Derry, two great Protestant victories over Catholic Ireland. Visits are welcome during banking hours, but this sight is not pushed as a tourist attraction. Simply ask the porter.
What's really great:
3. SUNLIGHT CHAMBERS Sunlight Chambers is the building at the corner of Paliament Street and Wellington Quay. It is Italian in architecture, with overhanging eaves, a tiled roof and arcaded windows and was the Dublin office of Lord Lever. Sunlight is a brand of soap manufactured by the Lever brothers (now Unilever). The striking feature of the building is the multi-coloured double frieze which depicts men dirtying their clothes and women washing them (using Sunlight soap, without doubt)
4. GRAFTON STREET This is Dublin's pedestrianised main shopping street. Listen to the buskers and do some people watching. At number 78 is Bewley's Oriental Café. The aroma of freshly roasted coffee is hard to resist and so are the sticky buns. Climb to the first floor to a tiny museum displaying old photos,teapots and other memorabilia that tell the history of the coffee, tea and chocolate trade in Ireland.
Sights:
5. MERRION SQUARE Three sides of this elegant square are lined with Georgian houses. They look uniform and sober but at a closer look they are all different especially their front doors. They are painted red, yellow or black, have fanlights, ornate doorknockers and foot scrapers to remove mud from gentlemen's shoes before venturing indoors. Plaques next to the doors indicate that some illustrious men lived in the square: at number 1, Oscar Wilde, 52 W.B. Yeats, 84 Daniel O'Connell. The fourth side of the square is the frontage of Leinster House, Ireland's parliament. The Merrion Square side was made to look like a country house whereas the entrance in Kildare Street looks like a town house.
Accommodations:
6. MUSEUMS Several museums are free and an excellent way to spend a rainy afternoon provided it is not a Monday because they will be closed on that day.
* National Museum, Kildare Street Gold objects from the Bronze and Iron Age (a bit of a contradiction, but the objects are real gold)
* Natural History Museum, Merrion Square Crammed with skeletons, stuffed animals and all sorts of Irish wildife.
* Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Parnell Square French impressionists and 20th century Irish Art
* Chester Beatty Library and Gallery of Oriental Art, Yard, Dublin castle, Dame Street Rare books, miniature paintings, clay tablets and costumes from the Middle East and Far East
* Dublin Civic Museum, William Street South Artefacts from Viking Dublin to the head from the Nelson statue in O'Connell Street, toppled by the IRA in 1966
* National Gallery, Merrion Square West Irish art and every every major school of Europe
see tips section for more museum info
Nightlife:
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Hangouts:
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Restaurants:
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