Galway, Ireland
A Complete Guide For Your Visit
Table of Contents
Easily one of my favorite cities in Ireland, Galway is bursting with color, live music and traditional Irish pubs on every corner.
If you’re visiting for the first time, you can easily just wander the streets and find all sorts of cozy, cute spots.
After three trips to Galway, I have finally put together a guide highlighting my favorite restaurants, hotels and activities.
So here are my top tips for Galway. Although definitely leave time to simply wander and get lost!
My childhood best friend and photographer, Emilee Elofson, joined me for my 2023 Ireland Group Trip. Some of her photos are included below! You can check out her work here.
Where to Stay
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing accommodation in Galway, Ireland.
- You’ll want to stay in Eyre Square or the Latin Quarter. It’s a super walkable city so to get the most out of your trip, be within walking distance of the fun.
- Most hotels in Ireland do not have AC. If this is important to you and you’re traveling in summer months like July or August, you may want to specifically vet out a hotel with AC.
- Galway is known for its live music. And I highly suggest you go to some hotels for their bands like Skeffington Arms Hotel, it’s always a lively party! They do music 7 nights a week til 2am. However their hotel doesn’t have AC so if you sleep with the windows open, you’ll be hearing the party downstairs until 2am.
- Book in advance. It’s a popular destination and places sell out!
My Galway Hotel Recommendations:
Eyre Square Hotel
I like this hotel because of its great location! Literally right in Eyre Square so you can easily walk to everything. The breakfast is good and the bar is fun without being so noisy.
Harbour Hotel
This hotel boasts a great location, great amenities and great air conditioning. If you’re visiting in the summer months and worried about Ireland’s lack of AC, you will love this hotel, ha!
Also within walking distance of everything with sleek modern rooms.
Budget option: Galway City Hostel
This adorable, bright colored hostel is perfectly located in Eyre Square. You can walk to everything, the reviews are great and the rooms are clean! Winner of “Best Hostel in Ireland’ . And they run daily tours to Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and The Aran Islands.
Best Time Of Year To Visit Galway
Spring, summer and fall are all great times to visit!
July through October: you’ll find a full calendar of events! There will be a lot going on in the city. There will be more crowds but also more live music, markets, art exhibits etc .
20% of the population is students. So when I visited in May, the students weren’t back yet and the town was generally quieter.
If you want less people around and better prices, go during spring for shoulder season.
If you want a buzzing city with an extra lot going on, I suggest summer through fall.
Where to Eat in Galway
If you love seafood, you’ll love Galway! There are many great places for fish & chips or oysters.
As with most of Ireland, kitchens close surprisingly early. Like in Dublin, it can be hard to find food after 9:30pm. So plan on an earlier dinner and some late night snacks after the pub!
Historic Fish & Chips + Oysters: McDonaghs
Michelin Starred restaurant located in Galway’s West End: Aniar
Great for larger groups, central location & over 800 years old: The King’s Head Pub
You may be surprised to see how early food places close around all of Ireland. Post-pub crawl or clubbing, you might struggle to find some late night, post-pub eats.
In Eyre Square: SuperMacs *open until 3am, while this isn’t an example of fine culinary dining by any means, I have seen many people wandering after bar close trying to find food. Here you can get Papa John’s pizza, fried chicken, chips, subs etc. So if you plan to have a late night, it’s worth noting even though it’s just cheap eats!
when we had dinner at the King’s Head Pub!
Best Bars in Galway
For being a small city, Galway is stacked with Irish pubs every couple of feet! On a single block in the Latin Quarter, you’ll pass several.
Here are a few of my favorites for live music but truly you can wander into any pub in Galway and have an amazing experience.
The Quays
For almost 400 years, this place has been a staple in Galway. And it has won all sorts of awards for its live music.
Best Live Entertainment Pub 2022 – Bar of the Year Awards
The Louis Fitzgerald Group was awarded best pub and hotel group in Ireland 2019
Live Music Venue of the Year 2017 & Best Music Pub 2018 & 2019
Basically if you’re coming to Galway, you need to see at least one band play at The Quays. Often a lively dance floor forms as well. Some bands will be more traditionally Irish while others will play a lot of recent covers. Either way, you’re certain to see some fantastic musicians!
The Skeff Bar
Located inside The Skeffington Arms Hotel, this bar in Eyre Square has great live music 7 nights a week! Even when I’ve been there on a Monday, the dance floor is lively and the band is great. Definitely recommend seeing at least one band play here! Take special note of the fun Harry Potter-esk moving portraits on the wall!
The Front Door Pub
Late nights out in Galway usually end here! They have live music, great parties, multiple bars on different floors and eventually it switches to a DJ. It’s always a great time here and makes for the perfect ending if you’re bar hopping in Galway.
Taaffes Bar
This is a traditional Irish music bar! It’s less of a “pub crawl and dance’ vibe than the others. It’s smaller with very traditional bands. But a very cool experience and a great place to begin your evening.
Here is their current music schedule:
Live Music Daily
Monday – Thursday 5.30pm & 9.30pm
Friday and Saturday 5.30pm & 10pm
Sunday 5.30pm & 9pm
What to Do in Galway
If you love live music and Irish pubs, you will love Galway, Ireland.
However there are plenty of non-pub related activities to fill the day as well!
Tribe Tours Walking Tour
I definitely recommend joining the free walking tour with Tribe Tours. If you like history, this informative 90 minute tour is a great little introduction to the city. It starts in Eyre Square right in front of Skeffington Arms Hotel.
Tribe Tours Pub Crawl
Tribe Tours also arranges a super fun pub crawl with games. It goes to 3 pubs + a late night venue with a shot at each place.
You can easily do a pub crawl around Galway by yourself but it’s fun to have a guide, games, new locations and the chance to meet other travelers!
If you’re coming as a group, you can also reach out to them to arrange private pub crawls or walking tours for your group.
Read: 10 TIPS FOR A ROAD TRIP IN IRELAND
Galway City Museum: Free of charge!
This little museum is located down by the Spanish Arch at the end of the Latin Quarter. We didn’t spend a lot of time here but it is interesting. I especially enjoyed the historic photos and section on the Claddagh rings and ancient clans.
Enjoy the buskers
The Latin Quarter is bursting with music and it’s absolutely incredible to just walk around and take it all in, enjoying the music.
The buskers here are often absolutely fantastic. Have some small bills ready to tip because these musicians deserve it!
Get a travel tattoo at Galway Tattoos
Located right next to the King’s Head Pub in the heart of the Latin Quarter, this great little tattoo shop always takes walk-ins. (Cash only though.)
As Galway is always a stop on my Ireland group trips, this has turned into a fun tradition! People on my trips often opt for a small travel tattoo here on a day out exploring.
Best Shopping in Galway
Claddagh Rings
If you haven’t already heard about Irish Claddagh rings, I’m surprised. They have been popular all around the world for the last 200 years or so.
The two hands on the Claddagh ring represent friendship. The heart signifies love, and the crown is a symbol of loyalty. Together, these virtues form the perfect relationship: one based on friendship, love, and loyalty. You can see the design below.
A Claddagh ring can be worn by anyone – single, engaged, or married people. However, your relationship status will dictate how you wear the ring.
1. Single: Wear the ring on the right hand with the heart facing outward from your body
2. In a Relationship: Wear the ring on the right hand with the heart facing inwards
3. Engagement: Wear the ring on the lift hand on the third finger with the heart pointing outwards
4. Wedding ring: Wear the ring on the lift hand on the third finger with the heart pointing inwards
It may sound silly but this is widely accepted around the world. In multiple countries, I have had strangers comment on my ring and acknowledge my relationship status! I’m dating someone so I wear mine with the heart facing inwards. For anyone single wearing a Claddagh, you have the heart facing out so it’s open and ready to receive.
You can read more about Thomas Dillon’s Claddagh Rings here.
There is also a small Claddagh rings exhibit inside the historic shop, Thomas Dillon’s.
Aran Wool Sweaters
Galway is a great place to shop for those traditional Irish wool Aran sweaters.
They are incredibly high quality, warm and make for the perfect souvenir or gift. If you have Irish heritage, you can even find the certain stitch associated with your family name or clan.
I recommend checking out these two shops:
- Aran Islands Knitwear: Galway Woollen Market
- Weavers of Ireland Galway
at the Cliffs of Moher in 2023
Things to Do Nearby
Galway is perfectly situated near a ton of amazing sites! It’s truly one of my favorite regions of Ireland.
In just a short drive you can easily be to castles, the countryside and beautiful scenic roads.
Dunguarie, Castle
Located just 35 minutes away from Galway, this beautiful castle is right en route to the Cliffs of Moher.
If you’re visiting from April to October, you can even book to attend a medieval style banquet inside the castle.
Otherwise, you can tour inside the castle during the day. Just check the opening hours & days ahead of time! Even if you visit when the castle itself is closed, you can get great pictures from the outside and still walk around the castle grounds.
Cliffs of Moher
Roughly 2 hours from Galway, this iconic destination cannot be missed on a trip to Ireland! Stop in Doolin for lunch and enjoy the scenic (although scary!) drive on the tiny countryside Irish roads.
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey is an absolutely gorgeous destination and not to be missed on any Ireland road trip!
It’s near enough to Galway to visit the day before you arrive. It will take you roughly 90 minutes to get there (perhaps longer depending on traffic. rain, etc.) but it’s worth the visit!
More on Ireland:
- 10 TIPS FOR A ROAD TRIP IN IRELAND
- 20 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOUR TRIP TO DUBLIN
- IRELAND GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS: 2022
- ULTIMATE IRELAND GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS – MAY 2023
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