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.

Once you’ve pounded the streets of London visiting museums and emptying your wallet at the shops, you’ll likely be in need of some fresh air. Cambridge makes for an ideal getaway from the hectic buzz of London and, best of all, it is easily doable in a day.

Getting to Cambridge from London

Fast trains leave from London Kings Cross to Cambridge twice an hour and the journey takes just 45 minutes. You can also catch the train from Liverpool Street Station, which takes 1 hour 10 minutes. For the best value train fare, travel off-peak (after 9:30 a.m). Book online.

As one of the world’s most famous and prestigious university towns, Cambridge has a sense of pride about it. The streets are clean and pretty much everything is aesthetically pleasing. The city has something for you year round, whether you plan to explore the great outdoors in the summer months or huddle up by an open fire in one of the city’s beautiful old pubs (of which there are about 119).

The Backs from Clare College.

That famous University…

Most visitors will want to explore Cambridge University‘s stunning buildings, which are dotted all over the city. Cheapos should be warned, many of the most famous colleges do charge to get inside, meaning that spending the day ducking in and out of University buildings could cost a small fortune.

My advice to travelers on a budget is to admire the fantastic architecture from the outside and get a feel for things by wandering around some of the free colleges as well. Trinity College is the largest in Cambridge and offers free admission. Thus, be sure to visit Trinity’s spacious courtyard and have a snoop at how these most privileged of students live. (It certainly doesn’t bear much resemblance to my university halls!)

If you are willing to spend to visit one building, King’s College is the place to do it (admission from £7.50). Head to the back entrance to gain access to the magnificently Gothic King’s College Chapel for Evensong.

The quirky and hobbit-like Round Church.

Alternatively, Clare College is just next door and visitors can explore the grounds at no cost at all. Stroll through the college and out into The Backs for a peaceful roam around the University gardens and along the River Cam.

Be warned that visitors aren’t allowed into the University buildings during the examination period from the end of April – mid June. However, you can still access the King’s College Chapel during this time.

Beyond the University make time to stop by the wonderfully quirky and hobbit-like Round Church. Also admire the view from Magdalene Bridge and have a look around the lively central market.

Punting in Cambridge

Popular with students, locals and tourists alike, punting along the River Cam comes highly recommended even during the chilly winter months. Grab a spot in one of the long wooden punts from £15 with a chauffeur. Alternatively, groups of up to six people can rent their own punt from £18 per hour and make their own way around.

Do be warned though Cheapos: If you haven’t been punting before, it is harder than it looks! Savings are to be had if you book online in advance.

Punting on the River Cam.

Eating and drinking

Mill Road is a favorite with students and is packed with affordable eateries serving up food from all around the world, from Brazil to Lebanon.

Alternatively, try one of Cambridge’s lively pubs, which are bursting with character day and night:

The Eagle (8 Benet Street) is a remarkable slice of traditional pub life, with multiple dining rooms lined with wood paneling. It is also famous for being the spot were Francis Crick and James Watson went to celebrate following their discovery of DNA in 1953.

The Castle Inn (36 Castle Street) is a really welcoming pub with open fires and lots of cozy corners. It’s a little bit off the main drag but well worth the walk.

If you’re feeling extravagant or celebrating a special occasion then The Cambridge Chop House is the place to do it. The menu is bursting with mouthwatering steaks, stews and perfectly cooked fish. You can even opt for squirrel if you’re feeling daring before jumping on the train back to London.

For more information on Cambridge see Visit Britain or the official Cambridge tourism website.

The post Cambridge: An easy and affordable day trip from London 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.