Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Dublin (City Guide)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this guide and the Rick Steves book to plan my trip to Dublin. Both were very helpful, but I left Rick's book at home because Lonely Planet has GLBT info in it and has better maps. I used the maps a lot, both to find my way and also to get back on track when I got lost. A lot of the prices for things quoted in the book had gone up, but that's to be expected. I highly recommend both Dublin and this guidebook.

My wife and I just got back from Ireland and had a great time, in part because of this book. The guesthouse we stayed in, several of the restaurants we visited, and more than a couple of the sites we saw were drawn from its pages. I'm happy to report that its guidance was uniformly spot on. We tend to enjoy simply being in a place, doing things in a low key way and deciding what to do next as we take our time wandering around. This guide was perfect for that, easy to whip out of a bag over lunch or on a street corner, though I suspect that it would be useful for those who prefer to set down itineraries, too.

For what it's worth, this has been our experience with other Lonely Planet guides as well (including those for Ireland and Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks).

As the other reviewers have said, this is a great guidebook. I used it to plan a three-day visit recently. The hotel I chose was exactly as described, and a good choice. Unlike some guidebooks, it has great maps. There are six detailed colored maps in the back of the book, a map of the Dublin Area Regional Transit trains, and numerous smaller maps inside (e.g., maps of walking tours, of Trinity College, of cathedrals). The book is chock-full of interesting and useful info on all the sights of Dublin. In addition, if you want to do day trips out of Dublin, don't assume you need a different all-Ireland guide - there is a section on "excursions" you can do in a day, and instructions on how to get there (public transport, car, organized tour). I will say that one of the tours I took wasn't quite how it was described, but I should probably take that up with the tour company. A few tips: a) for a breathtaking coastal walk, go to Howth. Malahide, another coastal town, wasn't worth the time for me. b) Glendalough is a beautiful park with two big lakes, and to me was worth more time than the organized tour I chose allotted for it.

This sweet, compact guide measures only 7" x 3", but packs a wallop in the info department! Went to Dublin last year, and out of 8 city guides I looked at, this was the ONLY one who had info on Bram Stoker (Dracula's author); his house in an historic landmark, and the author also leads you to his beautiful birth residence!

I really found the book useful, but I wish it had a method to highlight "must see" things better. I was in Dublin for a very short trip and had difficulty combing through the book to figure out what I should prioritize for my limited time. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased the Ireland guide, rather than Dublin, so it would have been easier for me to pick out the key things to see. On second thought, I might not have had the great, detailed maps if I had done that, so maybe I went the right route!

I've had great experiences with Lonely Planet guides in general, though I also love Let's Go. They don't have as many out there, but I buy the Let's Go version if it's available - better info for people on a budget, and lots of great "off the beaten path" suggestions.

We only spent two days in Dublin, and I used this book so much it ended up dog-eared! Great informational guide, and also loved the little insightful bits in the greyed boxes. Purposely left it behind for another tourist to use... hope they did the same!

I already own the Lonely Planet guide for Ireland, but thought I might be able to use one more specific to Dublin as I would be spending more time there than I have in the past. If you are ONLY going to spend time in Dublin, this is a good book, but if you will be visiting Ireland "at large", I recommend the book that covers the country. I didn't find anything new in the Dublin guide. Also, there were a couple of MINOR mistakes that didn't interfere with my enjoyment. One example is that the map included has two of the sculptures in St. Stephen's Green reversed (Countess Markiewicz and The Three Fates). Overall, this is a great guide, and I ALWAYS travel with Lonely Planet as my guide.

Covers the basics well, does not cover more indepth information, such as whom to contact for a private tour. Had to purchase yet another 'guide' book for more informtion.

Top knotch !! Our trip to Dublin will be great thanks to this book !!!