OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
Thank you GoodReads Angel for correcting the title of this travel guide!!
Hello Goodreads- could someone please correct the title of this book? It is Lonely Planet Ireland, although Lonel Ireland has a certain plaintive ring to it. But this kind of silliness bugs the crap out of me. Just sayin'
ANYWAY. Embarking upon fourth journey to Ireland in September. Buying this travel guide wasn't really necessary- we know where we will be for most our our stay: hiking the Ring of Kerry. Our lodging is already arranged and our route mapped out. But this proved an irresistible addition to the coffee table as we anticipate our adventure.
The problem with buying a travel guide AFTER you've planned (most of) your trip is that you begin to doubt your choices. It's like a menu that's been left on the table after the waiter has turned in your dinner order. Oh, but why didn't we decide on Donegal and Sligo? And we always said our next trip would be to Northern Ireland, to Co. Antrim and Belfast. Perhaps we should have hiked the wilds of Burren... How delicious to have such doubts when we know that Co. Kerry will be magical. And we do have several days at the end of our hike to spend SOMEWHERE. Considering a return to Galway, or perhaps an exploration of Kinsale, or maybe a cruise through C. Clare...
I haven't purchased a Lonely Planet guide in some time- we've been using Rough Guides for recent trips to Europe. But I'm a sucker for pretty pictures and colored fonts. The maps are well-done and in reviewing information given for places I know, the advice seems spot-on.
Doolin, perhaps we'll spend some time in Doolin- we can walk from there to the Cliffs of Moher. Then there are the yurts on Cape Clear Island, ferry ride from Baltimore....Bantry? Brendan's never been to Bantry....
Me la he leído de cabo a rabo. He organizado con ella dos viajes a Irlanda ya y, si hay un tercero, la volveré a utilizar. Lo mejor, que dice la verdad. Si algo no merece la pena visitarlo, te lo dicen alto y claro (y de manera bastante poética para ser honestos, también igual de bruta a veces). Algunas de las mejores descripciones rezan: "X pueblo no es más que un punto en la carretera / el resto del año está más bien muerto / tiene aire decadente y descuidado". Vamos, que si no tienes que ir a un sitio, te queda más que claro, no te venden oro donde no hay ni musgo (y eso que en Irlanda hay de sobra).
although this was an e book it was really hard to use. Did give some good ideas but a lot of stuff is outdated and no longer exists. Lonely Planet needs to add reader input in real time to its recommendations.
Lonely Planet consistently writes the best travel guides for my kind of travel--budget-conscious (but sometimes ready to splurge on the right experience ), informed, and as local as possible.
Più che letto, "vissuto" durante un mese on the road lungo l'Irlanda. La Lonely Planet non delude mai, la conosciamo tutti e tutti l'apprezziamo.
Suggerisce itinerari, tiene conto di diverse tipologie di budget e va a suggerirti anche posti bizzarri e inusuali (un esempio su tutti, mi ha fatto scovare un pub a Fethard che è anche agenzia di pompe funebri).
C'è un però: diciamo che non tutti gli indirizzi e le informazioni sono aggiornate: la mia versione è datata 2012 e non ho creduto ci sarebbero stati dei problemi, che un annetto e mezzo facesse la differenza; ma qualcosa di non più aggiornato c'era. Un paio di bed and breakfast chiusi o ristoranti inesistenti. E per chi viaggia on the road, come me, e si gira isole con villaggi di pescatori che già offrono poche sistemazioni, è essenziale. Quindi il consiglio è di comprare SEMPRE l'ultima edizione uscita. Ché alla fine son sempre 28 euro +_+
This book has been an indispensable companion on our trip through Ireland.
Unfortunately, this 2022 edition was updated during the pandemic and some information is outdated. For example, the National Leprechaun museum in Dublin has moved several blocks down the road. The guide alleges that tickets to Brú na Bóinne are only allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be booked in advance via the website. This is incorrect.
Until Lonely Planet brings out another updated edition, double check all info on the relevant websites.
Also, if you are interested in Neolithic sites, check dedicated websites or buy a dedicated book. We saw several amazing passage tombs, portal tombs and stone circles that are not mentioned in the LP.
I love digging into my Lonely Planet guide and thinking through the next journey.
Once again, I am amazed at how much info is packed into a LP guidebook. Without the heads up from LP, I would have missed the World Championships Irish Dance Championships that will be happening the weekend I will be in Dublin.
For all those travelers out there still planning with a Google search, give it up!
This travel guide is thorough, while telling information a planner should consider before traveling. There are great insights and cautionary tales. Ireland sounds like a beautiful area to visit, and a traveler is properly told why it is so green, (plan for rain). Enjoy the people, the history, the food and beverages. Be safe.
Very helpful - insider information invaluable for me, as I'm a first time traveller to Ireland. Looking forward to my trip, with all the great tips I used to plan my itinerary.
I only wanted to read the section on Dublin for my upcoming travels, which was helpful but overwhelming. Great book if you plan on traveling around a lot of Ireland. I'll pick it up again before my next trip over there. :)
I always buy a Lonely Planet guide any time I’m going away and I devour it before I go. This guide was great for my trip to Ireland, it had even been updated to mention how COVID might affect certain attractions and areas which was helpful too.
Especially helpful re: veg food in Dublin and places to see in Belfast. Stayed at a recommended B&B in Dublin (Grafton Guesthouse) for a week in late November 2017 and it was excellent.
Yup, I read the whole dang thing to prep for my trip! Quite informative. Will allow me to travel without being lost and confused. Especially good tips on how to about tourist trap or time suckers!