24 hours in Downtown Las Vegas: The original Sin City

10am: Hit the Neon Boneyard

Stick to the Strip, and you'll be missing the real heart of Las Vegas. The area around Fremont Street (DTLV) is the historic centre of the city, and there's no better place to delve into days gone by than at the Neon Museum. Home to the classic neon signs of yore, the outdoor 'Boneyard' is filled with letterings from old casinos, motels and stores.

How: $19/€16; neonmuseum.org

2pm: Take a punt on SlotZilla

It wouldn't be Vegas without a bit of showmanship. So make sure your stomach is empty, your nerves are solid, and head over to the Fremont Street Experience to fly above the city on a Zipline. You'll zoom over Fremont Street, from either 77ft up on the Zipline, or 114ft on the Zoomline, which takes you 1,750ft at a speed of 40 miles an hour as you fly, Superman style, facing the action below. There's a $5 discount before 6pm.

How: $25/€21 or $45/€38; vegasexperience.com

5pm: Make the Mob Museum

Delve into the seedy underbelly of Sin City with a visit to the Mob Museum. You'll learn all about the Mafia in Vegas, how organised crime shaped the city, and get the inside scoop on (often gruesome) gangster deaths. "Whether you like it or not, this is American history," they say. Afterwards, stroll down Stewart Avenue and take in some amazing street art - this whole district is teeming with stunning murals.

How: $19.95/€17 (a combo ticket with the Neon Museum costs $32/€27); themobmuseum.org

8pm: Do a Dive bar

The novelty of drinking for free in a casino quickly wears thin (as does your wallet). Instead, head to the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas, Atomic Liquors. Named after the cocktails punters used to drink while watching nuclear blasts from the nearby Atomic Test Site, the joint was also frequented by the Rat Pack and Barbra Streisand.

How: atomic.vegas

Do it

Fly to Vegas (indirect) with Aer Lingus from €248 each way (aerlingus.com). See also visitlasvegas.com.

More: