National Geographic Traveler: Ireland

by Christopher Somerville

The National Geographic Traveler guidebooks are in tune with the growing trend toward experiential travel. Each book provides inspiring photography, insider tips, and expert advice for a more authentic, enriching experience of the destination. These books serve a readership of active, discerning travelers, and supply information, historical context, and cultural interpretation not available online.

History and culture based tourism is experiencing an unprecedented boom and Ireland is a destination that is rich in both. Tower after tower, the Irish Anglo-Norman castles stud the island. They are the calling card of the country's ancient culture and turning the pages of this guide, readers will discover them, one by one, in the company of Christopher Somerville, one of the U.K.'s most famous travel narrators. The guide covers all of the regions of Ireland including the cosmopolitan capital city of Dublin, the charming hills of Wicklow and the limestone plateau in Burren. It covers Northern Ireland as well, beginning with the lively city of Belfast and continuing on to Ulster, Derry and a number of other significant historical destinations. Every page offers useful advice about how to get around and about the best way to visit each location. Images in the guide include 170 photographs, more than 20 maps and the three-dimensional drawings that illustrate the intricate architectural structures of Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol, which was once a prison but is now a museum. With suggestions from local experts, visitors can dive into Irish culture through firsthand experiences such as learning traditional Irish dancing in Galway, taking Irish language lessons in Ennis, or helping volunteers to restore Ireland's raised bogs.

Genres: Travel, Ireland, Nonfiction, Reference

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Christopher Somerville is a travel writer & 'Walking Correspondent' of The Times. His long-running ‘A Good Walk’ series appears every Saturday in the Times Weekend section. He has written some 40 books, many about his travels on foot in various parts of the world

Reviews

[Emily Hauptmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed a dozen books on Ireland from the library and the 2021 version of this book was my favorite. There are so many beautiful hand drawn illustrations.. that always makes me happy. But also the way people visit Ireland means a lot of city hopping and the layout of this book makes it more manageable. the only things I think could be improved are a few of the photos are clearly outdated and the spine of the book has already started to come apart. A travel guide should be able to withstand a lot of use and this one just honestly didn’t physically hold up very well.

[Pooja Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

More information on Ireland as a country than as a travel guide.

[Jodi]

This is one of the most terribly written things I've ever attempted to read. I really want to finish as this is where we're now hoping to go for our honeymoon, but it had been a struggle to get through.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures, but the actual information is scarce and largely better-suited for armchair travel than actual practical use.

[Rod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures, a few cool walks, and some good info. Frommer's had far more useful info for planning a trip.

[Ruth Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am ready for my vacation.

[Elanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aggiornata, concisa e pratica. Meno approfondita della guida Touring Club dal punto di vista culturale.

[Ceilidhchaos · Rating 3 out of 5]

missing some information on important archaeological sites. otherwise great book. no information on open hours.