Affordable Europe: Dublin

Dubliners are quick to chat about anything, but if you need a surefire conversation starter, try the cost of living. Inflation soared during the late 1990's, pushing the price of staples like The Irish Times up to 1.60 euros ($1.98 at $1.24 to the euro) and a cup of coffee to well over 2 euros. Dinner and drinks at a decent restaurant can easily exceed 40 euros a person, and even 200-euro hotel rooms can seem like a bargain. Here are some ways to stretch your euro.

Where to Eat Cheaply

Italian wine bars have exploded in popularity, probably because they offer tasty dishes at affordable prices. The pioneering and reigning favorite is Dunne & Crescenzi (14 South Frederick Street, 353-1-677-3815), where friendly Italian waiters serve generous glasses of house wine for 3.50 euros and simple dishes like bruschetta for 5.90 and orecchiette with pesto for around 10 euros. Seek out the early-bird menus at many upscale restaurants; for about 30 euros, the same price as a typical entree, you can get a memorable three-course meal.

Lodging for Under 100 Euros

Almost none, unless you want to check into a youth hostel. One exception is the Comfort Inn (Great Denmark Street, 353-1-873-7700; www.comfortinndublin.com), where a basic room goes for 69 to 89 euros. But rates jump at busy times, as high as 199 euros on weekends and during major sporting events and concerts. Bargain hunters might also consider a short-term apartment from rental agencies like Premier Apartments (www.apartments-dublin.com), which has had places starting at 79 euros.

Best Deal on a Cultural Event

What Dublin theaters lack in big-budget productions, they make up for in top-notch acting and modest prices. Tickets rarely exceed 30 euros, and Saturday matinees are often less than 15 euros (check the back pages of The Irish Times). Lunchtime plays at Bewley's Cafe Theater (78 Grafton Street, 353-86-878-4001; www.bewleyscafetheatre.com) are reliably charming and cost 14 euros, including soup and a thick slice of brown bread.

Best Things to Do Free

June into September, free outdoor movies are shown in the Temple Bar cultural district (www.templebar.ie), along with the occasional circus and music concert. Tickets are required for some events and can be picked up at 12 East Essex Street. If you tire of crowds, hop on a northbound commuter train to Howth Head on Dublin Bay. (A round-trip ticket costs 3.50 euros.) The hilltop park offers gorgeous views of the city and the seaside cliffs. A 20-minute train ride in the opposite direction takes you to Dun Laoghaire, a harbor town that Anglophile history buffs still call by its British name, Kingstown. Stroll along the mile-long pier, where seals and porpoises surface occasionally, or along the waterfront to the stone tower where James Joyce set the opening of "Ulysses."

Best Money-Saving Tip

Avoid taxis and drink beer. Cabs are expensive (it costs nearly 4 euros just to flag one down), and bartenders charge as much as 3.60 euros for a stingy 35-milliliter shot of Jameson. Good walking shoes and a taste for Guinness will help protect your wallet.

(πηγή: www.iht.com, 23/4/2007)