Footprint Ireland Handbook: The Travel Guide

This is a comprehensive guide which covers the must-see's and the off-the-beaten-track. The discussion covers the usual high traffic spots with greater detail, but also notes where to find an old style straight razor shave from times gone by, or where to locate old Viking Ruins or an obscure park. Identifies where the crowds will be, and where to find some solitude, and has numerous well defined maps. Defnitiely covers the in's and out's, lines, and provides enough detailed information concerning the well known sites to let you decide which are worthy of the wait. This is the best of many guides I have purchased.

In preparation for a trip to Ireland, I think I read every current guidebook out there. This was the only one I took with me. It is very thorough, well written and designed, and goes a several layers deeper than its competition.

While planning a return trip to Ireland, I looked a every current guidebook I could find. "Footprint Ireland" is the only one I will take with me on my trip. It is very comprehensive, provides clear descriptions without tourist hype, and includes the practical detail you need to make the best use of your time (ferry schedules, opening hours, etc.) It also provides good information on local walks, short and long, an important part of any successful Irish visit. By far and away, it has more helpful information, well presented with good design, than any other guide I found.

It's nice to find a travel guide with subjective (rather than gushing) descriptions of all manner of things ranging from cities to hotels to vegetarian specials. This guide is chock full of phone numbers and web sites and price guidelines and has proved to be a helpful (and fun)resource.