Dublin Wants to Buy You a Pint (or a Cuppa)

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

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Live the dream (stereotype?) of visiting Ireland and having a long chat with a local over a drink in a cozy pub. Dublin has launched a program to lock in their reputation as the “City of a Thousand Welcomes” and it has been wildly successful so far. (Probably due to the free drink involved.) If you’re visiting Ireland, a friendly local will take you out for a pint or a cup of tea at one of Dublin’s three finest bars.

Even the Mayor of Dublin’s gotten in on the act, inviting Boris Johnson (London’s Mayor) over for a pint on him. The non-profit service’s goal is to attract tourists, enforce the public image of Irish hospitality, and even encourage national pride amongst the Irish.

All you have to do to get a free drink and a drinking buddy is sign up on City of a Thousand Welcome’s website and pick a date and time for a real Irish welcome. Neither the tourist Ambassador nor the tourist have to pay for the drink—the pair is given vouchers for a free drink from the sponsors of the concept.

Worried about meeting up with a complete stranger? Never fear! Read the FAQ on the website, one of which asks: “Is it safe? How do tourists know that they won’t be welcomed by a lunatic?” (which is really everyone’s concern when they disembark in a new country) and the reply, which states that all Ambassadors are subject to police vetting.

Would you sign up for this service if you were planning a trip to Dublin? Tell us in the comments!

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