The Best Thing to Do in Ireland, According to Lonely Planet

Top of the morning to ya, Irish stereotypes! Famous guidebook publisher Lonely Planet has released its newest edition on Ireland, and guess what the number one thing is the writers recommend you see? The inside of a pub. That’s right, the pub was rated as the greatest experience in Ireland, beating out the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, castles, and many other historic and natural sites. It could be worse, we suppose, they could have put “the bottom of a pint of Guinness” as the can’t-miss attraction.

Rounding out the top ten things to see were: Dublin, Connemara, traditional music, Glendalough, Dingle, Galway City, hiking, Bru na Boinne and the Rock of Cashel. We would argue that making traditional music and pubs two separate activities is a bit redundant, as you can easily cross both off your list at the same time, by seeing a “trad session” in a pub.

Of course, the pub does play a vital role in Ireland, where it is not only a place to get drunk, but also a family-friendly place to gather, socialize, listen to traditional music, and to go for a good meal.

The newly updated guide goes beyond simply listing places to see and stay, and discusses Ireland’s recent economic downturn. If you’re planning a trip to the Emerald Isle, be sure to check out this 10th edition for fresh tips.

Still, if you only had an hour to spend in Ireland, would you spend it at a pub? What do you think should have been the number one spot on the list?

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