I spent my University years living with Irish people, who kept insisting I come over to visit them in Mayo, something I wish I did more, as Ireland is such an amazing place with friendly people and captivating sights, with all its emerald fields, wild cliffs, and packed pubs.
Ireland might not seem like the cheapest destination in Europe, especially if you’ve ever drunk in Dublin (wow the beer is pricey), but if you know where to look and how to travel around, you can stretch your budget quite comfortably.
This isn’t a luxury guide filled with five-star hotels and fancy tours, albeit I do love a bit of luxury now I’m in my late thirties. This is the scrappy, real, slightly muddy, and wonderfully unpredictable side of Ireland.
Travelling Without Breaking The Bank
Transportation is usually what eats up the majority of costs when you head to a new country. Well, if you plan on travelling around. It’s not like you’re visiting South East Asia and can stay on overnight coaches for £1. But in Ireland, with a bit of careful planning, you can get around for a fraction of what you’d expect.
If you’re visiting the big cities, such as Dublin, Cork or Galway, then long distance buses like Citylink, Aircoach, or Bus Éireann can cost as little as €10–15 if you book them early. For even cheaper options, try FlixBus, which now connects smaller towns on their routes, or you can also hop on community-run bus lines, but I can’t tell you what those are like from personal experience.
Another great option is to use a Leap Card. The TFI Leap Card is reusable, while you pre-pay for your travel and it’s valid for multiple transport modes including buses, trains, trams and some commercial operators. You just top it up at the start and then can tap away, while it will work out the best price for your journey, or you can pay for a set period, such as a monthly travel pass.
I mean, if you want to embrace the 60’s, you could try hitchhiking. My old Uni mate does this regularly on the way to festivals, but I’ve never been brave enough to give it a try.
Cycling also works perfectly, plus it allows you to look out at the sights and take any route you fancy that day, rather than being stuck to the limitations of bus or train routes. Many towns in Ireland offer bike rentals for a few euros a day, such as DublinBikes in the capital. Of course, that one is limited to staying within the city rather than travelling around the country. At least you can feel good about your carbon footprint and the calorie burning if you do rent the bike over a car or train.
Where To Stay
Alright, I love a cosy bed with lavishly soft pillows and a nice breakfast in the morning, but you really don’t have to be fancy.
Staying in hostels during my travels has been some of the best fun I’ve ever had. I have done this in countries across the world, including at home in Brighton while waiting to move home. You get the chance to mingle with other people travelling in the community area, allowing you to make friends who you can enjoy a few drinks with that evening or adventure out together during the day.
Prices for hostels are very low, generally around €15–20 per night, sometimes including breakfast and almost always with free Wi-Fi.
In Dublin, there are a few good options, such as Latroupe Jacobs, Generator and Gardiner House Hostel. If you head over to Cork, then you should check out Sheila’s hostel as a great low cost option, or you might want to stay at the amazingly named Bru Bar & Hostel, which gets pretty wild at times, so only ideal if you plan on drinking and staying up.
In Galway, you’ll find Woodquay hostel, which has a nice atmosphere, or Galway City Hostel with identical prices and high ratings, while being very central.
If you don’t mind mosquitos and fancy bringing a sleeping bag and tent then you could look into camping and glamping spots. Ok, maybe not glamping if on a tight budget, as some of those options are more than a 5 star hotel! But camping has and always will be a great option if you’re working to a small budget. This also offers you the chance to get in touch with nature and cook outside.
Back in my youth, I also used to use Couchsurfing. I would always stress caution, as you don’t know truly if you’re meeting who it says or what the scenario is, as I’ve been messed around before. But I’ve also met some great people and it has been nice meeting people in a new city while also not costing me a penny.
Food Costs
Whether it’s a Boxty, Colcannon, Champ, a full Irish breakfast or a stew, Irish food is amazing, but also it doesn’t have to cost much either. I mean, when you look at those meals, they’re largely made up of basic low-cost ingredients, meaning the prices can drop quite low if you search around.
As mentioned earlier, you can find places to stay which include breakfast, removing one aspect of your costs.
You can also raid some supermarkets for their meal deal offers, or even head there in the evening to pick up some options from the reduced section. The food won’t be past it’s date, while you can often get a sandwich for 10 cents! The hard part is cooking facilities if staying in a hotel, but if you’re in a hostel then you should have access to a kitchen, as most offer this amenity.
In fact, hostels will often have left over food available, which I used to make the most of in my travelling days.
One great option if you want luxury without a huge cost is to check the prices of a carvery. Some aren’t too pricey and you can go up multiple times for the side dishes, meaning plenty of potatoes, carrots and parsnips to fill you up.
Low Cost Activities
Well you’re not going to travel all the way over to Ireland and not try anything! You want to embrace every experience possible while there.
Walking along the cliff paths is also amazing, something I love doing along the South Coast of the UK. You could do the Howth cliff walk in Dublin, the Bray to Greystones walk in Wicklow or Westport Greenway walk in Mayp, all are free and offer stunning views.
Inevitably, museums are a brilliant option, as many are free, but remember they survive on donations which you should really give, even if it’s not huge.
Start with the National Museum of Ireland, which has free admission and beautifully curated exhibits on archaeology, natural history, and design. Then you might also want to check the National Gallery of Ireland, as well as Chester Beatty library while you’re in Dublin.
You could also check out the Spanish Arch & Galway City street buskers for a truly historic spot.
Depending on what time of year you arrive, there may be a festival taking place, which can include street shows, parades and live events.
If you want to try winning some money and seeing if it can fund the whole trip, then you could try €1 deposit casino Ireland sites, where a single euro can stretch the night’s fun.
Just remember the golden rule: keep it light. Online gaming, like travel itself, is about the experience, not the outcome. The joy is in trying something new while you’re far from home.
After a long day of hiking, visiting plenty of attractions and sights, as well as eating absolutely everything possible, most backpackers just want to relax and recover. Maybe you’ll be sitting in the hostel lounge, the rain tapping against the window, your phone in hand, and that familiar travel buzz still in your veins.
Some grab a deck of cards and play with their new found mates, some join a pub quiz at a local pub to test out their knowledge, while others may just want to watch sunset. Whatever you pick, I hope you have an amazing holiday in Ireland!