Ireland

This is an outstanding guide in a brilliant series; I only wish I'd found it before I'd wasted my money on the Rough Guides and Lonely Planet books. It's so dense with information and it's all so well-presented that it's an entertaining read even if you're just staying at home. All the practical information is there, in detail -- from general information to the little quirks and inconveniences that could mean the difference between feeling uncomfortable and feeling like you're on vacation. I'll never go anywhere again without the accompanying Eyewitness Travel Guide.Of course, visit the tourist centers for the most up-to-date maps, phone numbers, and such. But for everything else, travel with confidence that you've got an encyclopedia of info that fits in your pocket.

I bought 5 tour books before I left on vacation and THIS was the book I refered to the most - it never left my bag. It is comprehensive and broad in scope - I would never have visted some of the sights I DID see in Ireland without the promptings of this author and the stunning photos, and I would have missed wonderful things. I even used a few of the dining and pub recommendations and was consistantly pleased with what I found. I used another, excellent book to locate B & B's but for touring Ireland, NOTHING surpassed this book. Also, the pictures are so wonderful that it makes a great "keepsake" after the trip. Highly Recommend.

I used this book for as my baseline for planning my week long trip to Ireland. The book is so well organized, it makes it easy to plot a course in Ireland and then to decide what to see while you are travelling from Point A to Point B. The beautiful photography and bird's eye view drawings give the reader an idea where to expect the greatest highlights. There are also very detailed descriptions, explanations, and historical narritaves. The book makes most of the guided tours at historical sights unnecessary. Often there was more information in the book than there was available on site. And the extra knowledge helped us greatly in avoiding most of the "tourist traps".(Helpful hint: Blarney castle was the biggest tourist trap/dissapointment on our trip. It that was the only castle in Ireland you saw, it would be OK. But you can find better castles along the side of just about any country road. And these castles won't have cheezy giftshops, entrance fees, photographer fees, electricity, repairs using modern technology, or 2 hour long lines.)Even if you are not planning a trip to Ireland, the book is still very interesting and informative just to get an idea of all the treasures that await you on the Green Isle.I promise this book will be the "Bible" of your journey to Ireland.

I have been to Ireland now several times leading groups of university students, and I always recommend this book to them. Not only does it have a wealth of information, but the drawings and diagrams of the sites that they visit are of immeasurable help in appreciating and understanding the places that we do visit. Since we travel quite rapidly on this course, this is invaluable as a planner and as a reference. And at first, I only bought it for myself!!