So you are in Paris or Munich or Amsterdam or Rome on your study abroad program and you want to travel to Ireland during or after your program. But your budget is limited. Fear not, fellow cheapskate: you can do Ireland on the cheap.
Getting to Ireland
A good way to get to Ireland from any major city in Europe is to fly on Aer Lingus. Like RyanAir.com, it is a discount Irish airline. But unlike RyanAir.com, which mostly flies into and out of out-of-the-way airports, Aer Lingus flies into most major European cities. And they don’t make you pay for the in-flight toilet. If your schedule permits, fly in on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for the cheapest fares. A good, cheap flight: arrive on Thursday, depart on Tuesday. To get the cheapest fares, go at odd times (e.g., the 6:00 a.m. flight out of Dublin), don’t pay for luggage, and don’t reserve your seat in advance. If you purchase your ticket a month or two in advance, you can fly round trip for as little as €50 to €60. Ireland is experiencing hard times economically, and they want your tourist cash. So they make it cheap to come to Ireland.
Getting to Dublin
Once you arrive at the Dublin airport, go to the airport “coach park” and take the free Paddy Wagon bus into downtown Dublin. They leave every two hours, and you can’t miss them: they are emerald green with a gleeful leprechaun painted on the side. They will take you into the heart of Dublin, where their hostel is conveniently located. They have lots of information (for free, of course) about things to see and do in Dublin, including a city map. Visit the site linked above for full details and standard disclaimers.
Lodging in Dublin
There are a lot of hostels, B&Bs, and hotels in Dublin. For the cheapskate, I would recommend a hostel. Since the Paddy Wagon bus brought you in, why not consider the Paddy Palace "hostello" for your stay, where they drop you off? They are clean and you get breakfast, all for €12 to €20 per night.
Take a Tour of Dublin
There is a New Europe tour of Dublin that is fantastic. First of all, it is free (if they do a good job, they will happily accept tips). And you get a real Irish guide with a crisp Irish accent who knows and loves Dublin. And who is not much older than you are. Very good craic.
Visit the Tourist Office on O’Connell street. You can’t miss it: it is near the huge needle. They have a lot of information about what to see and do in Dublin
A must-see item in Dublin: walk through Trinity College. It is free to visit the campus, but if you want to see the Book of Kells and their amazing library, be prepared to fork over €10.
Eating in Dublin and Ireland
There are lots of stores (Spar, Dunnes, Tesco, etc.) in most cities where you can eat on the cheap. If you are taking a tour, we recommend buying a sandwich and a drink at one of these stores and taking them with you. Many stores offer a combo package: a sandwich, drink, chips, and dessert for less than €5. Most tours have arrangements with local restaurants at planned stops on your tour, but they aren’t necessarily cheap. Take your own food with you and avoid the whole issue. After you eat a big breakfast at the hostel.
Touring Ireland
Paddy Wagon also offers some of the cheapest tours of Ireland. Want to go to Galway? Belfast? Killarney? No problem. Paddy Wagon has a tour for that, plus a hostel when you get there. They have one-day, two-day, three-day, six-day, and ten-day tours all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. PaddyWagonTours.com offers some of the cheapest tours of the Emerald Isle you will find. No, this post is not bought and paid for by Paddy Wagon, but they are perhaps the cheapest way to see Ireland, and this article is about touring Ireland on the cheap.
Buy a Good Book
For the discriminating cheapskate, a good tour book is indispensable. We recommend the Rick Steve’s Ireland 2011. This book provides details about self-guided walking tours, plus offers a lot of good tips about things to see, where to eat and sleep, and how to get around.
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