While the Irish (and music fans) recognized Glen Hansard from the popular Irish band the Frames, the two main actors were largely unknown to wider audiences. The film was shot for an incredible €130,000 and won an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Original Song, “Falling Slowly.”

In the backdrop of the success of the film and the moving music that the real-life couple (now split up) made together, is Dublin itself. One of the most memorable scenes of the film is Hansard alone, with his guitar, on Grafton Street at night. He is playing seemingly to no one, and then, “girl” (Marketa Irglova) shows up.

The film captures something true about life in Dublin, and at the same time, depicts some of my favorite places in the city. If you want to retrace the footsteps of these two characters, all you have to do is visit a few key sights. In some of them, don’t be surprised to hear musicians, or buskers, playing for a few coins.

1. Grafton Street

The pedestrian shopping area of Dublin’s south side, Grafton Street is often considered the heart of the city. It also has a reputation for quality street performers, and many of the same musicians/bands play at the same time in the same place each day.

In the film, several scenes take place on Grafton Street, both in Glen Hansard playing his songs, and bumping into “girl” later on in the film. Memorably, there’s also the scene where a junkie attempts to steal his guitar case full of coins, resulting in a chase to nearby St. Stephen’s Green.

2. Walton’s

http://www.waltons.ie/

Viewers are introduced to the Academy Award-winning song, “Falling Slowly” in Walton’s, Dublin’s music store. This legendary Dublin music shop on Georges Street is where the two musicians sit down at a piano and discover their shared love of music. This spot also happens to be located on one of the prettiest streets in Dublin’s south side.

3. Killiney Hill

After the all-night recording session that results in some incredible musical collaboration between the two, the musicians all get in the car to listen to their new album. They drive south, to one of Dublin’s most scenic places, Killiney Hill.

In the film, you can see guy and girl looking out to the Irish Sea, with the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain behind them. This is one of my favorite places in Dublin for a picnic or a hike. You don’t need a car to get here – hop on the DART train to Dalkey and it’s a 10-minute walk away. (Read our guide to Dublin day trips for more information.)

4. Mountjoy Square

“Girl” lives in a lovely Georgian square in Dublin with the signature bright color doors. There are several parts of the city known for Georgian architecture, but this specific spot is Mountjoy Square, on the north side of the River Liffey. While it isn’t as immaculately maintained as say Merrion Square on the south side, it is still a beautiful spot to visit.

If you’re planning a trip to Dublin, watch “Once” carefully before you go. Seeing these places with your own eyes might bring new context to a favorite film.

Also in our guide: If you’re planning your trip to Dublin right now, you should swing by our reviews of budget hotels in Dublin at least, well, Once! Our editors have visited, inspected and reviewed affordable hotels all over town and have selected only the very best. Read more in our Dublin guide.

The post Once in Dublin: Movie locations from the movie “Once” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

While a handful of the more established galleries (for example C/O Berlin, Sammlung Boros, and Sammlung Hoffmann) charge admission for the privilege of perusing their high-profile exhibitions, the vast majority of galleries are free to visit. As can be expected, some prestigious spots are as pretentious as they come, but most are casual affairs that you can pop in and out of on a whim, without fretting about your wardrobe or your cheapo bank account.

Touring the galleries of Mitte

Most (but certainly not all) of the city’s art galleries—from the upscale to the funky–roost in the central district of Mitte. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, gallery-owners based in Charlottenburg, the tony district in the western part of town that once dominated the city’s art scene, decamped to the “newer,” edgier side of the city to take advantage of its avant garde spaces, low rents, and international buzz factor.

Start a tour of the district’s gallery scene at the eastern end of Auguststrasse. Since many of the galleries lined up on this quiet street are window-lined, you can check out the artwork on display inside as you stroll past. At the western end of August Strasse, you’ll hit heavily-touristed Oranienburger Strasse, where the famous squatters/art commune (which has occupied a bombed-out department store since the fall of the wall) hovers above the corner of Chausse Strasse. You can explore the graffitied warren of studios and exhibition rooms comprising Kunsthaus Tacheles for free.

To catch a few more galleries, head back east along Linienstrasse, an elegant, café- and boutique-lined street that runs parallel to Auguststrasse. Be sure to admire the costumes on display in Wunderkind Vintage, a gorgeous space on the corner of Tucholskystrasse that is best described as a “gallery to fashion.” Turn right onto Tucholsky, where you’ll find a few more galleries. At Oranienburger Strasse, you can hop on a tram to Rosenthaler Platz.

From this bustling square, head east along gritty Torstrasse for a couple of blocks to check out the handful of innovative galleries and designer boutiques nestled on the southern side of the street. Double back to Rosenthaler Platz and walk north on Brunnenstrasse. (If you need a coffee break first, stop at one of the cafes on Weinbergsweg.) On the stretch of the wide street between Invalidenstrasse and Bernauer Strasse, you’ll find a smattering of youthful and unpretentious galleries. End your tour at the Bernauer Strasse U-bahn station.

Look for openings

As you explore the gallery scene, look out for fliers advertising upcoming openings. Catching a “vernissage” means the opportunity to mix and mingle with Berlin’s multicultural art scenesters, as well as score a free beer or wine.

For a more complete overview of the city’s gallery-filled hoods, download a copy of Kunstmagazin Berlin and check out their map and corresponding list of galleries.

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With that “point” in mind, here’s a walking tour of the Cimetière de Montmartre, with just a dash of tawdry gossip for fun. Shall we dance?

5e division

Le dieu de la danse and dance master for Louis XVI, Gaetan Vestris was first to drop the mask during performances, and rely on expressive good looks alone. Vanity-inspired innovation? “There are but three great men in Europe—the king of Prussia, Voltaire and I,” was his favorite boast. Son Auguste Vestris (Le dieu II) reigned over the Paris Opera for decades, where he busted a sissonne (flying) move and made the folk favorite gavotte his own.

22e division

Marie Taglioni’s appearance in her father’s “La Sylphide” marked the arrival of the Romantics. Though she wasn’t the first to dance en pointe or don the muslin skirt (skimming the ankle much to the delight of every binocular-carrying dandy!), she’s the one who made it her own. Taglioni’s popularity launched her name into the lingo: the verb Taglioniser (to be slender and graceful). And most coveted coiffeur? À la syphide!

29e division

Riots erupted in Milan when Fanny Cerrito took the stage to challenge rival Taglioni. According to her choreographer husband, Arthur Saint-Leon, Cerrito was clearly the winner. “Taglioni’s leg encompassed a great deal of attention; Cerrito’s leg magnified excitement.”

31e division

Famed terpsichorean Louise Weber, a.k.a. La Goulue (the Glutton) was Queen of the Can Can and a favorite muse of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. She earned her moniker for nipping drinks from her audience while distracting them with her pantaloons and little pet goat. “When I see my behind in these paintings, I find it beautiful!” she once quipped.

3e division

Poet and dance critic Théophile Gàutier wrote “Giselle” for dancer Carlotta Grisi after falling hard for her. Though the affair was short-lived, all was not lost. Gáutier married her sister instead, and thus literature entered the world of ballet.

22e division

Though limelight stage lighting had the advantage of being a lot brighter than oil, it still wasn’t hazard-free. Taglioni protégé Emma Livry refused to soak her gauzy costume in fire-proofing because she abhorred the discoloring and feared it would weigh her down, but then tripped over a limelight, and set herself on fire. And now here she is!

4e division

“The dancer is an excuse to paint pretty fabric and depict movement,” wrote Edgar Degas, who painted his beloved petits rats (ballerinas in training) for nearly fifty years. He’s buried here and many Parisians and tourists alike pay homage to him by leaving flowers. Bonus: Check out his paintings and sculptures at the Musée d’Orsay.

The tomb of the Degas (de Gas) family

Intersection 8e 9e + 11e

Courtier Paul Poiret (Le Magnifique) not only draped favorite client Isadora Duncan in diaphanous chitons made of Dijon-colored chiffon, but also performed with her at his infamous Ballets Russes-inspired, tented backyard fêtes.

22e division

“Our children would be dancing geniuses,” Isadora Duncan mused to Ballets Russes Vaslav Nijinsky by way of a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, he turned her down, because—rumor has it—he didn’t want his children dancing like her! When asked the secret to his airy, floating leaps, he would say only, “You have just to go up and then pause a little up there.”

Still feel like dancing? At the Cimetière du Pere Lachaise, you’ll find still more: Jane Avril, Isadora Duncan, Loïe Fuller, Cléo de Mérode, and Alwin Nikolais (to name but a few) await you.

Looking for a guided walking tour? Check out our post on free guided tours in Paris.

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The release of the movie “Angels and Demons” is set to do for Rome what “The Da Vinci Code” did for Paris—bring a lot more Dan Brown fans to town! But while Rome is currently afire with pricey “Angels and Demons”-inspired guided tours, you can visit most of the sights featured in the film for free.

Here are six sights, featured in the film, that are easy to get to and free to visit:

1. The Ecstasy of St. Teresa

This provocative sculpture by Bernini holds court in the Santa Maria della Vittoria church. Works by Bernini are featured prominently in “Angels and Demons,” and throughout Rome, where it’s hard to imagine the cityscape without the indelible mark of the painter, sculptor, and architect.

Where to go: Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Just off Via Nazionale.

2. Fountain of Four Rivers

The striking and imposing “Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi,” sculpted in 1651 by Bernini, is the setting for a scene in which Dr Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) saves a cardinal from drowning. The fountain is an excellent example of the dramatic flourishes of the “High Baroque” period. Toss a penny in the fountain and make a wish for good luck.

Where to go: The fountain is located in the center of Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome.

3. Chigi Chapel

The Chigi Chapel was designed by Renaissance painter and architect Raphael, although it was finished in 1520, nearly a hundred years after his death, by Bernini. The chapel is tucked inside the Santa Maria del Popolo church in Piazza del Popolo. The Chigi Chapel houses the famous Chigi pyramidal wall tomb, and the Bernini sculpture “Habakkuk and the Angel,” which factors into Brown’s book.

Where to go: Santa Maria del Popolo church in Piazza del Popolo (Metro Flaminio)

4. Pantheon

The Pantheon, that wonder of ancient architecture, is referred to as the “oldest church in Rome” by Dr. Langdon in “Angels and Demons.” Constructed in 125 AD, the Pantheon was originally dedicated to the worship of all gods, or “pan theos.” In 609, the building was consecrated as a Christian church by Pope Boniface IV. Today, the Pantheon represents the best-preserved ancient building in Rome, and is filled with sculptures, tombs (including Raphael’s), and incredibly-preserved details.

Where to go: Piazza della Rotunda. Open daily, admission free.

5. Ponte and Castel Sant’Angelo

The magnificent Ponte Sant’Angelo (pictured above), constructed in 136 AD by Emperor Hadrian, leads travelers past its Bernini sculptures over the Tiber River and to the Castel Sant’Angelo and Vatican City.

The Castel Sant’Angelo is an imposing sight, and was built by Hadrian as a tomb for himself, his family, and subsequent Emperors. The building has been used for many purposes since, including a fortress, castle, and today, museum. The Castel plays a crucial part in “Angels and Demons.”

Where to go: Take bus #40 from Termini to Castel Sant’Angelo

6. St. Peter’s Square

The dramatic first murder in “Angels and Demons” takes place in St. Peter’s Square, crowded with visitors.

The square, located directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, is another of Bernini’s Roman masterpieces, designed to give the faithful a massive gathering space where every visitor could see the Pope and receive his blessing.

The square, replete with colonnade and obelisk, was constructed between 1656 and 1667, and can accommodate more than 300,000 people.

Where to go: Bus 40 or 64, or Metro Ottaviano.

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While tours through travel agencies could cost you anywhere from €10-20 or more, there are a slew of easy-to-navigate walking tours available for free on-line.

Free Mozart walking tour-

Our favorite walking tour comes courtesy of the Vienna Tourism Board. Retracing the Footsteps of a Genius: A Mozart Walk, is available for free as a downloadable PDF file.

The tour kicks off at The House of the Teutonic Order, where Wolfgang got his start after leaving Salzburg for the big city. The trek continues with visits to mainstays like Mozart’s deathplace at 8 Rauhensteingrasse, a building which now houses a department store, and the memorial to Mozart in Burggarten. Make sure you snap some photos of the noble sculpture of Amadeus here, especially if you visit during warmer months when the floral landscape is in full treble-clef bloom!

The Vienna Tourism Board’s tour ends with an optional second tour (also available in the PDF format) of Schonbrunn and its surroundings.

South of the Ring Vienna tour-

And, if you still can’t get enough of Mozart’s Vienna, try Frommer’s “South of the Ring” tour. This walk, while not all about Amadeus himself, does pass some of his old haunts and eventually leads you to Freihaus and the Theater an der Wien, where Mozart’s “Magic Flute” first premiered.

Also see: Our recommended budget hotels in Vienna.

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