Posts Tagged ‘ireland travel’
Ireland on a Budget
Ireland is extremely friendly to travelers and has a number of completely free day trips for you to take in. We will concentrate our conversation on a few locations, as Ireland is vast and spread between Northern and Southern Ireland.
Dublin
You can get a free walking tour of Dublin for your iPod from VisitDublin. The 12 guides also offer maps for you to print and take as you go. Much less expensive than paying for a tour, and you have the freedom to go at your own pace, lengthening time at the places you’d like to view longer.
A walking tour of Dublin is not complete without tours through famous garden grounds in Phoenix Park, which is the largest green space in Europe. The National Botanical Gardens are additionally free to visitors. Because Dublin weather is moderate year round, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of the parks no matter when you travel. A whole day of family fun for zero dollars.
Speaking of zero dollars, all of Ireland’s National Museums are free to the public. The list includes the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art.
Belfast
A walking tour of Belfast will reveal the complexity of its residential quarters. Similar to townships or neighborhoods, the quarters each have their own theme. For example, Queen’s Quarter is famous for its student-friendly living complete with universities and museums.
St. Anne’s Cathedral is open to the public for sweeping views of the Roman architecture. The cathedral has a rich history to provide plenty of opportunities to dive into Irish culture. The new “Spire of Hope” is 100 meters tall and a feat of modern engineering placed marvelously with the antiquity of St. Anne’s.
Complete your Belfast tour with a trip to St. George’s Market. This location boasts year-round Friday farmer’s markets since 1604. The history of the landscape mixed with the jazz and music of the modern culture set in a picturesque Victorian neighborhood. Fridays and Saturdays are both great days to visit, and the market will not disappoint in terms of culture and fun.
Quick Tips
There are a few sites in Ireland which are not offered for free to the public. If you are looking for ways to save, try the Ireland Visitor Discount Pass, which reduces prices to historic scenes throughout Ireland. You can print a pass from the Culture and Heritage Ireland site and enjoy the discounts year round.
Dublin has a similar discount offer, called The Dublin Pass, which comes at a small fee of $20 each day. This pass then admits you to over 30 attractions. The pass is sold in blocks up to 6 days, and you will be required to have one for each person.
The Heritage Card will get you in free to any site maintained by the Office of Public Works. The price varies, but it is around $30, and you will make up those discounts likely in the first day of usage.
