Every major travel publisher makes at least one Ireland guidebook. This article will help you determine which is the best for your trip.
Most companies make a book on Ireland as a whole, but the country’s territory and diversity make for enough material for a full guidebook on specific regions and cities like Dublin.
If you’re only going to go to one city in Ireland, getting a dedicated guidebook is a good idea. For example, Lonely Planet’s book on Dublin gives good in-depth coverage of the city and its surroundings.
If you will be visiting lots of places in Ireland, getting a larger guidebook like The Rough Guide to Ireland is a good idea. You can get the eBook version for your tablet, reader, or smartphone if you don’t want to carry a large book around with you when you are travelling.
Once you know what size book you need, shop around for one that fits your travel style. If you’re backpacking, Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide are some of the best Ireland guidebooks.
If you’re going upscale, look into the likes of the Wallpaper Guide to Dublin. It offers more high-end suggestions for Dublin hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and shopping.
If sightseeing is your main priority, consider picking up the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Ireland. There are photos and illustrations on every page, and the book is great for explaining the details of Ireland’s many historic castles and landmarks.
One last thing to keep in mind when looking for the best Ireland guidebooks: check the date the book was published. If it is more than a year old, don’t buy it. Things change so quickly in Ireland that an old book will be of little use to you now.