IF there’s ever a time to sink a pint of Guinness, it’s got to be today, which is St Patrick’s Day.
You’ll likely find the best pour in its birthplace of Ireland, but there are plenty of bars all over the world pulling stouts for punters.
Sophie Swietochowski shares her pick of unlikely destinations to pick up a Guinness, along with some holiday deals for those who are tempted.
NEPAL
THE aptly named Irish Pub is not only in one of the most off-grid locations in this list — being in the small town of Namche Bazaar — it’s also one of the highest boozers in the world.
Many claim it’s the most difficult pub to reach because of its position in the gateway to Mount Everest.
OK, it may be a two-day hike to get there but it’s well worth it for the views — and at least you can reward yourself with a well-deserved pint at the end.
GO: NEPAL
Return flight from Heathrow to Kathmandu via Doha start at £880.
See qatarairways. com.
Rooms at Hotel Khangri cost from £41 per night.
See expedia.co.uk.
NORWAY
ON Paddy’s Day, punters sink Guinness like its medicine, so what could be a more fitting setting than a 19th-century pharmacy?
Svanen, in the Norwegian capital Oslo, ranks 32 in the 50 Best Bars in the world list, with its traditional glass medicine cabinets, marble columns and black and white tiled floors still intact.
You’d be hard pushed to find a quirkier joint for sipping the dark stuff.
GO: NORWAY
Seven nights’ B&B at the 3H Scandic Fornebu is from £409pp including flights from Stansted on April 8.
Luggage and transfers not included (loveholidays.com).
JAMAICA
RICK’S Cafe has to be one of the most spectacular spots to enjoy a pint, with sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea that are best enjoyed at sunset.
The bar-cum-restaurant in the town of Negril has become a popular spot for cliff jumpers thanks to its hilltop perch, 35ft above a clear and perfectly blue ocean.
A pint of Guinness will set you back a fiver.
GO: JAMAICA
Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Riu Negril is from £1,264pp including flights from London Gatwick on May 4 with 23kg hold luggage and transfers.
See tui.co.uk.
THE FAROE ISLANDS
THIS collection of volcanic islands, floating in the sea between the UK, Norway and Iceland, are so unspoilt that it’s hard to picture a bar here being anything more than a few tables and a weathered gent serving only the local poison.
But the Irish Pub (again) is a little more than that.
Located in the capital Torshavn, this charming spot offers lovely views of the harbour.
You may even spot seals, whales and dolphins, too.
GO: THE FAROE ISLANDS
Seven nights’ room-only at the 4H Hotel Foroyar is from £902pp including flights from Heathrow on May 4.
See expedia.co.uk.
ICELAND
IT may be better known for attracting geography enthusiasts than stout-loving stags, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t places serving the black stuff in the Land of Fire and Ice.
Den Danske Kro is a lively spot in capital Reykjavik with Danish-style furnishings and a wide selection of beers on tap — including the Irish favourite for £9.
GO: ICELAND
Seven nights’ B&B at the 4H Reykjavik Lights Hotel is from £705pp including flights from Manchester on April 22 with 23kg hold luggage and transfers.
Price also includes two excursions: Hunt For The Northern Lights and Golden Circle tour. See tui.co.uk.
CZECH REPUBLIC
IN capital Prague, pints are poured with a side serving of history.
Its Old Town dates back more than 1,000 years and is dominated by the Baroque Church of St Nicholas and the dramatic Kinsky Palace.
And just off the square you’ll find Waxy Malone’s.
A pour of Guinness here will set you back around a fiver.
GO: CZECH REPUBLIC
Three nights’ B&B at 4H Plaza Prague Hotel starts at £200pp including flights from Gatwick on May 31 with hand luggage only.
See tui.co.uk.