Lisbon is a city full of fabulous museums and botanical gardens… with entrance fees. However, Parque Eduardo VII, in central Lisbon, is a happy, freebie exception.

The Parque Eduardo

Named after King Edward VII of Britain (following his 1903 visit to Portugal), the park boasts two greenhouses (”estufas”) filled with tropical plants. These beauties sit atop a hill on the park’s west side garden, also known as the “Estufa Fria.” While entrance to the greenhouses isn’t free, the view is. Feast your eyes on the city panorama, stretching out to the River Tagus! (If you don’t mind shelling out a little cash, the greenhouses only charges €1.20 for admission.)

The rest of the park is filled with neatly-trimmed hedges, winding paths, plentiful flowers, and a pretty lake. Some scattered statues and pillars celebrate Portugal’s 1974 Revolution, and a sports pavilion on the park’s eastern side hosts concerts, as well as Lisbon’s annual book fair.

Visiting the park

The Parque Eduardo VII is open daily from dawn till dusk. Take either the Marquês de Pombal or the Parque metro. We also have enjoyed walking to the park from downtown Lisbon, strolling up the tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade and taking in the town.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Photo by Taz Nelson

With a total circumference of over seven miles, the Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed park in Europe. Now it’s neatly serviced by the LUAS green line, and still boasts totally free entry. There’s no reason anyone visiting Dublin should overlook this urban playground.

The mix of sports fields, polo grounds, gardens, and valleys means that there’s something for everyone at Phoenix Park. Even if you’re not dazzled by the landscape, a quick trip to the Zoo, a glimpse of the Aras an Uachtarain—the Irish President’s house—or a turn about Ashtown Castle will make even the most minute trip worthwhile.

Just make sure you keep your eyes open for stray Frisbees, soccer balls, bikes and kites as the Park can get almost as crowded as the city on sunny days!

Popularity: 10% [?]

Photograph by Mike Kirwan

Ah, springtime in Paris…

Paris comes alive in the spring, a time when the city thaws out from the doldrums of gray winters.

Parisian boutiques roll out daring new designs, restaurants update their menus to include fresh legumes ripe for the season, and locals trade in their husky scarves for leaner neck wraps.

We’ve already told you about UNESCO’s secret Paris garden. While Paris itself goes through a bit of a rebirth, so too do the city’s parks, and none more so than the Parc Floral de Paris. Contained within the enormous Bois de Vincennes, the Parc Floral de Paris is a vast aggregation of 3000 manicured plant varieties set around a tranquil, artificial lake. Best of all, visitors can literally enmesh themselves amongst the flowers on small grass pathways that maze through the Versailles-worthy gardens. Homemade picnics are encouraged. The park’s amphitheater hosts a wide array of events all year, including the annual jazz festival.

The Parc Floral de Paris is a world class botanical garden and perhaps one of the city’s best kept secrets. Aside from the summer’s jazz festival the park doesn’t attract wide swaths of tourists. Their absence makes for a nice respite from the hoards of springtime visitors throughout the center of the city.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Photograph by snatched

We admit, living like a Cheapo in Paris is not always easy. Trust us, we know.

Here are three tried-and-true tips for saving euros in Paris. They’ll be old hat for some, but nonetheless bear repeating.

Eat in a park. If it’s nice out, always take your lunch in a manicured park. No matter where you are in Paris you will be in walking distance of both a boulangerie and a park. Put the two together et voila! romantic lunch on the cheap.

Drink early. If you’re going to drink, start doing so before the sun goes down. Once happy hour ends you’ll find yourself paying €10 for one measly pint. Even the poshest bars in Paris slice their cocktail prices in half in the late afternoon.

Eat off mealtime. Take advantage of special Sunday brunch or afternoon menus. The über-trendy Le Kong, with stunning views of the Pont Neuf and Seine-side Paris, offers a special menu from noon to 6 p.m., complete with hearty salads for €12.50 and a €9 omelette. Pas mal, eh?

So, to recap: eat lunch in the park, get drinks in the afternoon, and dine in the finest restaurants when nobody is there. Your bank account will thank you.

Popularity: 4% [?]