Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Begin Your Trip at
www.ricksteves.com
Atourtravelwebsite,you'lldiscoverawealthoffreeinformationonEuropeandes-
tinations, including fresh monthly news and helpful tips from thousands of fellow
travelers. You'll find my latest guidebook updates (
www.ricksteves.com/update
), a
monthlytravelenewsletter,mypersonaltravelblog,andmyfreeRickStevesAudio
Europe smartphone app (if you don't have a smartphone, you can access the same
content via podcasts). You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Our
online Travel Store
offers travel bags and accessories that I've designed
specifically to help you travel smarter and lighter. These include my popular bags
(rollingcarry-onandbackpackversions),moneybelts,totes,toiletrieskits,adapters,
other accessories, and a wide selection of guidebooks, planning maps, and DVDs.
Choosing the right
railpass
for your trip—amid hundreds of options—can drive
you nutty. Our website will help you find the perfect fit for your itinerary and your
budget.
Want to travel with greater efficiency and less stress? We organize
tours
with
more than three dozen itineraries and more than 600 departures reaching the best
destinations in this topic...and beyond. We offer a 14-day Ireland tour, as well as
multiple tours in nearby England, Wales, and Scotland. You'll enjoy great guides, a
fun bunch of travel partners (with small groups of generally around 24 to 28 travel-
ers), and plenty of room to spread out in a big, comfy bus. You'll find European ad-
ventures to fit every vacation length. For all the details, and to get our Tour Catalog
and a free Rick Steves Tour Experience DVD (filmed on location during an actual
tour), visit
www.ricksteves.com
or call the Tour Department at 425/608-4217.
If you're like most travelers, this topic is all you need. But if you're heading beyond my
recommended destinations, $50 for extra maps and books can be money well spent.
Racks of fine guidebooks are sold at bookstores throughout Ireland and in the US, and
each place you will visit has plenty of great little guidebooks to fill you in on local history.
Especially for several people traveling by car, the extra weight and expense are negligible.
Note that most of the following guidebooks are not updated annually; check the publica-
tion date before you buy.
For cultural and sightseeing background in bigger chunks, Michelin and Cadogan
guides to Ireland are good. The Lonely Planet and Let's Go books on Ireland are fine
budget-travel guides—Lonely Planet's guidebook is more thorough and informative;
Let's
Go Ireland
is youth-oriented, with good coverage of nightlife, hostels, and cheap trans-
portation deals. Also consider
Culture Shock: Ireland
and
Living Abroad in Ireland,
espe-
cially if you'll be in the Emerald Isle for an extended stay.
