Dublin on a budget: 10 things to see and do for free in Ireland's capital city

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Dublin is certainly up there with New York and Tokyo as one of the world’s most expensive cities to visit, but you needn’t lose your shirt in the quest for interesting things to see and do.

There’s really no end to the free fun to be had all over the nation’s capital with museums, visitors centers, scenic attractions and tourists trails all yours for the taking. From birth places of the world famous to the haunts of James Joyce’s Leopold Bloom, the city of Dublin is a living museum in itself.

Here’s a quick list to help get you started and remember there’s many more attractions and activities where these came from.

 

 

1. National Museums of Ireland

No less than three National Museums are open free to visitors and they’re all Located centrally in Dublin. Each of them holds some priceless collections to boot. Visit the National Museum in Kildare Street for prehistoric, Celtic, Viking and Medieval History or the National Museum in Collins Barracks for arts, crafts, numismatics and the military history of Ireland. And don’t forget the unique Natural History Museum the “Dead Zoo.”

http://www.museum.ie/en/homepage.aspx

 

2. The National Gallery of Ireland

Although it’s not the Louvre, the National Gallery of Ireland does have its charms and when visiting Dublin art lovers should make some time for a leisurely stroll. Situated at Merrion Square near the home and birthplace of Oscar Wilde and close to the National Museum in Kildare Street it is not too out of the way. And the small but exquisite collection of renowned masterpieces, including an only recently discovered Caravaggio, will make the visit definitely worth your while.

http://www.nationalgallery.ie/

 

3. Phoenix Park

Exploring the whole of the Phoenix Park could take days, but a few hours walking here are enough for most visitors. You can see stately houses (including the residences of the Irish president Mary McAleese as well as the U.S. ambassador to Ireland), Ashtown Castle, wild deer, the Papal Cross, the Magazine Fort and on and on.

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