Ha'Penny Bridge is shown on the river Liffey in Dublin, Ireland on Monday, Feb. 16, 2009.
(Peter Morrison/AP Photo)
Ireland may bill itself as the land of "a hundred thousand welcomes." Too often, tourists come away feeling like the saying really refers to exorbitant prices.
It doesn't have to be like that. Much of the best that Dublin has to offer is either free or the cost of a pint of stout. With a weeklong St. Patrick's Festival full of free events around the corner — and recession hitting Ireland hard — Dublin's delights can be had at a discount, particularly if you're happy to live more like a real "Dub" than a jet-setter.
ST. PATRICK'S FESTIVAL: March 12-17 kicks off the Irish tourist season with an ever-growing list of street attractions, performances and cultural events, http://www.stpatricksfestival.ie/cms/events.html. The best freebie if you've got preteens in tow is the weekend-long Merrion Square funfair, featuring free access to bouncy castles and handouts of sausage rolls.
There's also March 17's two-mile parade, which, if the weather's fine, attracts a half-million spectators. Stake out your position before 10 a.m. for a clear view of the noontime promenade — and brace for boozy bedlam on the streets afterward. Favorite lookout points: O'Connell Street on the north side and College Green outside Trinity on the south.
GETTING AROUND: Dublin reserves much of its cramped road space for buses and taxis. Metered taxi fares for inner-city trips are $12-$20 (8-15 euros).
As you exit Dublin Airport, taxis are to the right, buses to the left. Taxis to the city center will cost at least $25 (20 euros), so they're cost-effective only for groups of three or more. Otherwise, take the dark-green, comfy Airlink buses, $7.60 (6 euros) one way.
Regular blue Dublin Buses, just $2 (1.55 euros), head straight into the city's working-class reality. Save more with a multi-day Dublin Bus pass from a machine at the airport bus stop. Adults can travel citywide for a week for $35 (26.50 euros), children for $12 (9 euros). Slightly higher-priced tickets include the city's two LUAS light-rail lines, and the DART commuter trains, ideal for day trips to coastal towns north and south. Dublin Bus also offers day-trip packages to major tourist centers outside Dublin, http://www.dublinbus.ie/sightseeing/.
To find out if your hotel is near a bus route, check here: http://www.dublinbus.ie/your—journey/hotel—index.asp.
The easiest way to get oriented in Dublin is with a hop-on, hop-off bus that stops at most of the important tourist sites for about $20 (15 euros).
The biggest mistake that car-loving Americans make is to study a map of Ireland, note that the country is 300 miles top to bottom, and think they can "do it" in a week. There's no surer way to ruin a short trip to the Emerald Isle.
CHEAP DIGS: Dublin is one of Europe's most compact capitals, with plenty to see and do by foot, so book a hotel or B&B in the urban heart. Dublin's inner north side — delineated by the River Liffey that cuts the city in two — is scruffier and less desirable to the image-conscious, but convenient on foot or by bus.
