1. Walk through Trinity College

Feel like a student again and check out the campus of Ireland’s most dignified university. The buildings are of stunning Georgian design, and when the sun’s out it’s a great spot for people watching. Hoards of guided groups come in, and many pay to check out the Book of Kells. But skip that hoopla, grab a cheap coffee at a campus cafe and take a seat outside with the students. It’s perfect for listening in on some juicy college gossip!

Take a breather in sunny St. Stephen’s Green. Photo: beamillion

2. Lunch at Stephen’s Green

St. Stephen’s Green is a beautiful, prim and proper garden that offers all the ingredients for a peaceful day in the park. The gorgeous gazebo, sparkling creek, and colorful collection of tulips will put you in the mood. There are many paths to follow, and it’s a great place to stop for a breather.

3. Busking and people watching at Temple Bar

There is no shortage of buskers who perform at Temple Bar throughout the day and early evening. From traditional folk and bluegrass to female soul and funky blues, it’s impossible to not run into musical talent on the Temple Bar streets. True, the area is a tourist trap, but your coins are well spent on the people who fill the streets with music. Take a seat on a nearby step and stay a while.

4. Walk of fame on O’Connell Street

A walk up and down this shopping street might be chaotic, but you can also learn about the city’s history from the street’s many statues. There’s the 400 foot Spire that serves as the city’s main meeting point, but also the bronze statue of Daniel O’Connell, the patriotic figure of Catholic Emancipation. James Larkin’s statue represents the ongoing presence of trade unions in Ireland, and just south sits the statue of writer James Joyce. Add Charles Parnell and Father Theobald Mathew into the mix, and you’ve got a great walk through Dublin’s history.

5. St. Patrick’s Park

Saint Patrick, the guy who brought Catholicism to Ireland, has a massive church made in his honor. While admission will cost you €5, the park surrounding the north side is free and gets lots of sun. Locals usually grab a paper or snack at the nearby Spar convenience store and let kids run around the family-friendly area. Pick a spot near the fountain or by the walls of the massive cathedral and kill some time before heading into Temple Bar.

BONUS: Saturday’s outdoor food market in Temple Bar from 10 am to 6 pm has some of the cheapest eats in town, fresh and locally brought to patrons hungry for a bite of baked goods, oysters, ciders and more.

The post 5 free ways to spend a sunny day in Dublin appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are a few of my favorite spots for art in Dublin, from the classics to the contemporary.

The Chester Beatty Library
Web site

Many first-time visitors to Dublin wander through the grounds of Dublin Castle, but don’t make it as far as the Chester Beatty Library. It’s tucked in the back of this complex, away from the main historic structure. This free museum has an impressive collection of Egyptian Papyrus texts, European medieval manuscripts, and temporary exhibitions too.

Currently a series of photographs of China from the late 19th century are on display through February 2012. The museum has a great rooftop space for lounging, and coffees at the Silk Road Café provide a burst of energy in the middle of a museum visit.

Monster Truck Gallery
Web site

The reputation of the Temple Bar neighborhood in Dublin is changing from a place where tourists buy overpriced pints of Guinness into the cultural quarter of the city. Much of this change can be attributed to new theaters, galleries, and markets.

One great example is the Monster Truck Gallery, a space for contemporary art that is especially interested in experimental new work. Here you can expect to see a representation of the Irish contemporary art scene.

The Doorway Gallery
Web site

A newcomer in Irish art is the Doorway Gallery. Two experienced curators from other Dublin galleries joined forces to open this space, devoted to exhibiting both painting and sculpture. From solo exhibitions featuring the work of a single artist to bigger shows featuring a range of artists, this exciting gallery always has something creative up its sleeve. With an incredibly central location on South Frederick Street, it is easy to pop in for a look around.

The National Gallery
Web site

An art-focused trip to Dublin should begin in the National Gallery. This free museum features an impressive collection of galleries showcasing artists from across Europe – but my advice is to focus on the Irish collections. Some of the more contemporary galleries in Dublin will take on new significance once you’ve seen the foundation of the local art scene, such as the impressive Jack B. Yeats collection.

Cheapos can bring the experience home with affordable postcards of Yeats’ famous works in the museum gift shop.

Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)
Web site

While the previous art options are located in the city center (and easily accessible by foot) the Irish Museum of Modern Art is located in Dublin 8, a short bus or tram ride away from the center. For this reason, devote a morning or afternoon to exploring IMMA’s permanent collection of work dating from the 1940s onwards or the temporary exhibitions, ranging from painting to sculpture to video to performance art.

Art galleries are one of the best ways for cheapos to keep activity costs down during a trip to Dublin, and each of these options will give you a chance to explore a new neighborhood too.

Also in our guide: Heading to Dublin and looking for affordable places to sleep? Our editors have hunted down the best cheap hotels in Dublin, all visited, inspected and photographed by our team. Read more in our Dublin guide.

The post Dublin: Favorite art galleries, from classical to contemporary appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Locals are thankful for any sunny days that they can get. An arsenal of indoor activities and strategies for dealing with the rain will come in handy during a trip to Dublin.

Tip: One thing I learned living in this city was never to leave home without an umbrella. Even if it looks sunny in the morning – if you leave your umbrella in the hotel you will almost certainly get drenched in a passing storm. Bring an umbrella everywhere and pack shoes that are comfortable for walking around on a wet day.

Once you have your packing list set, take a look at some of my favorite things to do in Dublin on a rainy day.

1. The Dublin Writers’ Museum and Hugh Lane Gallery

On a rainy day, you are going to want to choose a couple attractions that don’t require a ton of walking between them. Two of my favorite attractions in Dublin are right next door to each other. Start your day at the Dublin Writer’s Museum, a historic Georgian townhouse full of fascinating exhibits relating to Ireland’s best known writers.

Next door is the Hugh Lane Gallery, home to the recreated studio of Francis Bacon. The studio was recreated in the gallery just as it was found when the artist died. After checking out the temporary exhibitions, finish your day in the gallery’s cozy café for a pot of Irish tea.

2. Irish Film Institute and the Gallery of Photography

Too many visitors to Dublin only see one side of Temple Bar: the overpriced pubs full of tourists. The truth is, this old, cobbled section of Dublin is also known as the city’s cultural quarter. Skip the nightlife here and instead check out attractions during the day.

Start out by exploring the exhibitions at the Gallery of Photography. A short stroll away is the Irish Film Institute. Grab lunch here in the artsy café before checking out a foreign film. Afterwards, a bookstore called the Gutter Bookshop is nearby. For a sweet finish to the day, grab a table at the Queen of Tarts for dessert and coffee.

3. George’s Street Arcade

Shopping in Dublin is an easy way to get soaked on a rainy day – unless you head to George’s Street Arcade. This indoor market is full of interesting stalls and restaurants – all shielded by the rain. It’s the length of a city block and has many shopping choices for cheapos.

Browse the racks at vintage stores, make an impulse purchase on costume jewelry, or pick up affordable souvenirs like replicas of antique Guinness ads. There are also a few affordable restaurants in the arcade, including Honest to Goodness and Little Macs.

While there are many indoor activities for a rainy day in Dublin, the locals don’t let a little rain get in the way of their fun. With the right gear, a hike can be just as rewarding on a “soft day” as on a sunny one.

Also in our guide: If you’re planning a trip to Dublin now, check out our list of recommended cheap hotels in Dublin, all visited, verified and reviewed by the EuroCheapo editors. They’re all safe bets, rain or shine.

The post Dublin’s Rainy Days: What to do in Dublin when it rains appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here is some advice on how to skip Dublin’s tourist traps, and just as important, how to find the authentic experience within them.

Tourist Trap: Temple Bar
http://www.templebar.ie/

Temple Bar is the well-known historic neighborhood of Dublin that flanks the River Liffey on the south side. Its cobblestone alleys and street musicians can set a great atmosphere – if you know when to visit.

This neighborhood is home to a number of pubs (the Oliver St John Gogarty, the Quays Bar) that few Dubliners ever set foot in. The reasons are simple: pints here are overpriced compared to other areas of the city, and the pubs are typically full of tourists and rowdy bachelor parties.

Yet there’s another side of Temple Bar. The neighborhood is also known as Dublin’s cultural quarter, and it takes on another life during the day. Visit on a Saturday morning to nibble your way through the Temple Bar Food Market in Meeting House Square. Take in an exhibit at the Gallery of Photography next door, or if it’s a rainy day, join the locals in the IFI (Irish Film Institute) for a film or a pot of tea in the café.

Do: Visit Temple Bar during the day for its galleries, markets, and cafés.
Don’t: Fall into the trap of Temple Bar’s overpriced pubs at night.

Tourist Trap: Trinity College and the Book of Kells
http://www.tcd.ie/Library/bookofkells/

One of the top attractions in Dublin is Trinity College and the ancient Book of Kells. It is so popular that there is often a long line to get in and a hefty price tag attached to try and squeeze up to the pages of the Book of Kells in a dimly lit room before being shoved out by the next guy in line.

The Book of Kells exhibits closes daily at 5 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Sundays) so why not show up half an our before closing time? Not only will the aforementioned line by nonexistent, but the entry fee is also sliced in half. Then instead of seeing the Book of Kells and the incredible Long Room library with a crowd – you will have it all to yourself.

Do: Visit the Long Room Library and Book of Kells right before closing.
Don’t: Skip this worthwhile attraction or wait in the long line during the day.

Tourist Trap: Taxis

When visitors to Dublin hear that the capital city doesn’t have a subway system, some think they are going to be stuck taking expensive taxis. First of all – the city is quite small and manageable to be explored on foot – and second there are many affordable methods of public transportation to help you get around.

On a sunny day, nothing beats renting a Dublin Bike (“db” for short) and cycling around the city. There is also Dublin Bus, the LUAS trams, the DART train, and even the Hop On, Hop Off double decker bus that stops at 25 of the top tourist attractions in the city.

Do: Explore different parts of the city.
Don’t: Rely on expensive taxis to get around.

Not a trap

There are some attractions that people might suspect as tourist traps – such as the Guinness Storehouse – that are actually some of the best things to do in the city. Taking a first sip of a perfect pint on top of the 365-day a year brewery at sunset, and you’ll no longer think of calling such an important piece of Dublin history a tourist trap.

Your advice

Do you have any tourist trap advice to add to our list? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Also on EuroCheapo: Our editors inspect, review and photograph the best budget hotels in Dublin (some of which are in Temple Bar, but none of which are tourist traps!).

The post Dublin: Tourist traps in Dublin to avoid appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.