Galway

A cultural city on Ireland's west coast, with the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren limestone landscape within a day's reach, and the Aran Islands and Connemara moorland close by.

Galway sits on Ireland's west coast at the mouth of the River Corrib. It is the liveliest city on the Wild Atlantic Way, and a stronghold of the Irish language and traditional music. In town you can cover on foot the colorful streets and traditional music pubs of the Latin Quarter, the Spanish Arch and Long Walk, the City Museum, the cathedral and the Salthill Promenade. With Galway as a base you can make several classic day trips: south into County Clare, passing Dunguaire Castle into the Burren limestone plateau (Poulnabrone Dolmen, Aillwee Cave), then on to Doolin for music, the Cliffs of Moher, and Lahinch for surfing; west by ferry to Inishmore in the Aran Islands for its cliff-top stone fort; northwest into the Connemara moorland to visit Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park, the Clifden Sky Road, Dog's Bay Beach and Killary Fjord; and north to Cong and Ashford Castle. The best season is May–Sep, when days are long and ferries and attractions are fully open; winters are windy and rainy, and some attractions shorten their hours. Getting there: from Dublin it's about 2.5 hours to Galway by train or bus; public transport to the surrounding sights is infrequent, so a rental car (driving on the left) or a day tour is recommended. Suggested stay: 3–5 days. Notes: the weather changes quickly, so always keep a windproof, waterproof jacket handy; never cross the barriers at the cliff edge.

Top sights

• Galway Latin Quarter – The pedestrian core of Galway's old town, lined with colorful shops, street performers, and traditional pubs. It's the heart of Irish music…
• Inis Mór & Dún Aonghasa – The largest of the Aran Islands. Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric stone fort on a cliff edge overlooking the Atlantic, and the island's stone-wa…
• Kylemore Abbey – A neo-Gothic castle at the foot of the mountains beside Connemara's lake, now a Benedictine abbey, with a Gothic chapel and Victorian walle…
• Spanish Arch & The Long Walk – The surviving arch of the city walls built in 1584; beside it, the Long Walk's row of colorful houses along the mouth of the Corrib is Galw…
• Galway City Museum – A free museum beside the Spanish Arch, telling Galway's history from the medieval 'Fourteen Tribes' to the present; the top floor overlooks…
• Galway Cathedral – A massive stone Catholic cathedral completed in 1965; its green dome is a landmark of Galway's skyline, and the interior mosaics and staine…
• Eyre Square – A green square in the heart of Galway beside the train and bus stations; it is the first stop for arrivals and the site of the Christmas ma…
• St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church – A medieval church begun in 1320, the largest medieval parish church still in use in Ireland; it is said that Columbus once prayed here.
• Salthill Promenade – A roughly 2 km seaside promenade along Galway Bay; at its end, the Blackrock Diving Tower is where locals jump into the sea all year round…
• Dunguaire Castle – A tower castle dating from 1520 on the shore of Kinvara Bay, reflected in the water like a painting; it is the most photogenic castle on th…
• Inis Oírr – The smallest of the Aran Islands and the closest to Doolin, with the stranded 'MV Plassy' shipwreck, O'Brien's Castle and stone-walled fiel…
• Connemara National Park – The core protected area of the Connemara wilderness; climbing Diamond Hill offers views over the Twelve Bens, the bay and Kylemore Lough. F…
• Killary Harbour – A fjord about 16 km long on the border of Galway and Mayo, flanked by the highest mountains in western Ireland; take a boat tour or hike al…
• Cong & Ashford Castle – A medieval village on the Mayo border with the ruins of Cong Abbey and the filming location of The Quiet Man; next door is the five-star ca…
• Ross Errilly Friary – One of Ireland's most completely preserved medieval Franciscan friaries, with the cloisters, kitchen and fishpond still clearly visible; fr…
• Dog's Bay – A horseshoe-shaped bay of white sand near Roundstone, made of shell fragments, with emerald-green water; often ranked among Ireland's most…
• Sky Road, Clifden – A scenic loop road about 11 km west of Clifden, the Connemara capital, with high viewpoints over Clifden Bay, the offshore islands and the…
• Lough Corrib – Ireland's second-largest lake, dotted with more than a hundred small islands; take a boat from Galway city or Cong to explore the lake and…

Where to eat

• Aniar – A Michelin-starred restaurant in Galway offering exclusively tasting menus that change daily based on local, seasonal i…
• McDonagh's – A family-run institution on Quay Street since 1902, and Galway's classic spot for fish and chips.
• Ard Bia at Nimmos – A popular eatery next to the Spanish Arch, serving brunch by day and local seafood and seasonal dishes by night.
• Kai – A seasonal eatery on Sea Road in the Westend, featured in the Michelin Guide; walk-ins only for lunch, reservations req…

Itineraries

• Classic Southern & Western Ireland Loop – A counter-clockwise road trip from Dublin around the southern half of the island, connecting Kilkenny, Kerry, Dingle, a…
• Ultimate Wild Atlantic Way – Drive the entire west coast from north to south, from Donegal to Kinsale, taking in sea cliffs, islands, and peninsulas.
• Northern Ireland & Northwest Loop – Head north from Dublin to Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, then loop back to Galway via Donegal and Mayo.
• Connemara & Mayo Coast – A short road trip from Galway looping through the Connemara wilderness, Killary Harbour, and Achill Island.
• Ireland Car-Free Rail & Bus – Connect Dublin, Galway, Killarney, and Cork using trains, buses, and day tours.