Galway Travel Guide
Galway sits on the beautiful west coast of Ireland and is one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s quite scenic and the people are friendly and very welcoming to visitors. There are plenty of things to see and do to keep busy but also ways to just take it easy and relax. Don’t make the mistake we did on our first visit and only stay two nights! I’d recommend at least four (if not more) to take advantage of being able to fully see Galway as well as all the places you can go on day trips.
ARRIVAL
While there isn’t an airport in Galway, you can fly to Ireland from the states to either Dublin or Shannon. Once in Dublin you can take the Airlink bus to the Hueston Train Station and then take a train from there to Galway. Shannon is similar except you’ll take the bus from the Shannon Airport to the Limerick Train station and then ride from Limerick to Galway. Travel time will be about the same from either airport - 30 minutes to an hour on the bus around 2 hours on the train. If you’re up in Northern Ireland you can take the train from Belfast to Dublin and then to Galway. While the train system isn’t very extensive throughout the country they, and all the buses we took, had WiFi which was great as travelers.
Alternatively you can rent a car from either airport and drive. You’ll likely pay for parking in Galway and have to drive on the opposite side of the street, but it does give you a lot of flexibility with your travels if you’re planning on taking day trips. However, once in Galway you won’t need a car. They have an inner city bus system and the main sites are easily walkable.
STAY
During our first stay in Galway we were at a European hotel chain, a Jury’s Inn. This past trip we stayed at an Airbnb. They were on opposite sides of the famous Latin Quarter area but both were in great locations within easy walking distance of just about everything. If you get the right room at the Jury’s Inn, you can have a view of the Corrib River flowing into Galway Bay.
Aside from those options, there are several hotels and dozens of Airbnbs to choose from in the area. If you don’t have a car the ideal locations will be around the Latin Quarter or Eyre Square. West Galway is a good area too, it’s still close to the Latin Quarter but a bit further of a walk to the train/bus station.
You can read more about how I decide on what Airbnb to stay in the beginning of this blog post.
The Jury’s Inn is in a great location - where the Latin Quarter meets the River Corrib. Some rooms come with views of Galway Bay.
SEE
Galway itself has plenty to explore. Within Galway itself the River Corrib runs through it to Galway Bay. There are sidewalks along the river and all around the area by the bay. It’s an expansive green space where you can go for a stroll, a jog or ride a bike. You’ll see locals out walking their dogs or fishing and if the weather is nice, you can pack a picnic lunch to enjoy. Right where the river comes to an end by the bay, the Latin Quarter area begins. Here you’ll find a pedestrian only area filled with shops, pubs and restaurants. On the outskirts of that side of the Latin Quarter you’ll find the Spanish Arch, the St Nicholas Collegiate Church, and Galway Cathedral. The Spanish Arch was built in 1584 and what is there are remnants of walls that protected the town. St. Nicholas Church, finished in 1320, was visited by Christopher Columbus prior to his voyage to America. Galway Cathedral is an active church with a beautiful interior. Visitors are welcome but just be sure to check the mass schedule so you don’t interrupt a service. At the opposite end of the Latin Quarter sits Eyre Square. Like the Latin Quarter you’ll find plenty of restaurants, pubs and shopping around the square. The square itself holds markets and festivals throughout the year including the Christmas Market that we went for.
Views during the walk along Galway Bay
DAY TRIPS
Galway is in a great location for day trips and there is a lot to see in the area. You can find tour groups that will take you places, rent a car or take a train or bus. In addition to the two I describe below, you can visit the towns of Shannon or Tullamore (home of my husband’s favorite whiskey - Tullamore DEW), the Aran Islands, Connemara National Park or just take a drive along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Probably the most popular day trip is to see is the Cliffs of Moher. We don’t care for large tour groups so we were going to rent a car until we talked to a couple in a pub and found out how easy it was to take the bus. It was far cheaper than any tour group or car rental (not to mention we didn’t have to drive on the opposite side of some seriously narrow roads). Just match up the bus schedule to the Cliff opening times to determine how long you’d like to go. We walked to the bus station the day we wanted to go, bought our tickets inside the station and had the bus driver punch it as we got on (you can also buy your ticket directly from the driver). The majority of the bus will likely be getting off at the Cliffs so don’t worry about missing your stop. The bus goes through the nearest town, Doolin, just before it arrives at the cliffs. There are three stops in this small town but has a few pubs and trail access to the cliffs. If you want to take one of those trails but are unsure of the stop, just ask your bus driver. If you hike to the cliffs from Doolin you can take the bus back from the cliffs to Galway. Or vice versa - take the bus to the Cliffs, hike down to Doolin and take the bus to Galway from there (had we planned better with our time I would have liked to have done this and then went to a pub in Doolin). At the cliffs there is a visitor center with a cafe and shop and several trails around the area. Whether you just walk around the tops of the cliffs or take a longer trail, wear shoes with good traction that you don’t mind getting muddy. And wear lots of layers. We knew it would be cold and dressed for it but it was much colder than we expected it to be. We both ended up with wind burnt faces even though we were outside for about an hour and a half.
The stunning Cliffs of Moher are an extremely popular day trip from Galway.
Another day trip we took was to Limerick. This time we took the train. It was a little over 2 hours and a great way to see another town in Ireland. You can buy your train tickets ahead of time or just at the station that day. Limerick, like other Irish towns, is easily walkable. The Shannon River is basically a direct shot from the train station and you can walk along the river and take in the sites as you head towards King John’s Castle. The castle was commissioned by King John (of Robin Hood fame) but despite that, he never visited it. You can though for only 12 euro. The tour includes some exhibits and history but the best part is when you can climb up the towers. Up there you’ll have expansive views of the Shannon River, Limerick and the surrounding countryside.
O’Connell Street is the main street in Limerick with dozens of restaurants, shops and pubs. On one of the side streets off O’Connell we ate at Bella Italia Restaurant. It was a great little Italian place with good pizza and pasta. If you need a drink while waiting on your train, check out the Charlie St. George Pub across the street from the station. It was full of locals when we went as it’s one of the oldest pubs in Limerick. Everyone was friendly and it was a great place for an Irish beer until it was time to catch our train.
Limerick (and King John’s Castle which offers these views) is a short train ride from Galway.
FOOD & DRINK
It’s hard to go wrong in the Latin Quarter area of Galway in terms of food and drink. There is also just about every type of cuisine you could possibly want. We had Chinese at Xi’an Street Food, Spanish tapas at Sangria and Mexican at Vocho. If you’re looking for more traditional Irish options in the Latin Quarter area check out (in order of my preference): The Pie Maker, McDonagh’s, 1520, The King’s Head, and Tig Coili. Good options outside the Latin Quarter area are An Pucan and Monroe’s. An Pucan is off Eyre Square and very close to the train/bus station. Monroe’s is across the River Corrib in West Galway. When you’re in need of coffee and breakfast check out the Grind Coffee & Food Hub a couple blocks from the Latin Quarter towards the bay or Cafe Express (two locations, one is at Erye Square near the train/bus station).
If you’re just looking for a drink you can sit at the bar at any of the traditional spots listed above or check out Freeny’s in the Latin Quarter for a local vibe or head across the river to the West End to The Salt House for some Galway Bay Brewery craft beer (which is all REALLY good).
Monroe’s Pub sits just across the Corrib River in West Galway and is a great option for good food, good beer and local music.