Galway is a great little stop on your Ireland itinerary.
Whether you’re stopping in Galway to see the Cliffs of Moher, or looking to spend a few days exploring the city.
Here are the top 15 things to do in Galway.
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
Is One Day Enough To Explore Galway City
Absolutely, Galway is a small city – much smaller than Dublin.
There are some museums and historical sites to see, but it’s small enough that you’ll be able to see it all in one day.
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Is Galway City Walkable?
Yes! Everything is in walking distance.
We had a centrally located hotel (on the harbour) and didn’t have to take out our car the entire time we were in Galway. Check out the Harbour Hotel on Booking.com here.
There is a hop on hop off bus if you prefer not to drive but not have to walk everywhere. See tickets on Viator here.
Pro Tip: Before You Get To Galway, Listen to The Real Galway Girl…
There is one thing you have to do before you even arrive in Galway…
That’s to listen to the REAL Galway Girl song. And I’m sorry to say that this is not the Ed Sheeran version. It’s way better!
And I’m also sorry that this song will quickly become your theme song for your Ireland road trip!
The original song is The Galway Girl by Steve Earle and recorded with Sharon Shannon.
But I actually like the one by the Kilkennys better!
Some key points of interest in Galway are brought up throughout the song that are fun to see in person!
P.S. Be Ready For Rain In Galway
If you’re spending the day in Galway city, be prepared for rain.
Galway is one of the rainiest counties in Ireland – it gets about 4 times more rain than Dublin a year (2 800 mm rainfall vs. 680 mm – find out more here.)!
Although there are a few things to do in Galway that are indoors, there are still quite a few things to see outside.
So make sure to either have a rain jacket or umbrella, and some good waterproof shoes to get around (I love my Columbia hiking boots for this, see them on Amazon here!).
Rain Gear For Galway City
Top Things To Do In Galway Ireland
Here are the top things to do in Galway whether you’re here for a day or a week!
1. Go On A Walking Tour In Galway Ireland
If you’ve been to my blog before, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of walking tours (if they’re free they’re even better!).
A walking tour is the perfect way to get your bearings on any new city, learn some of the history, and even a bit of culture.
We went on the Tribes Free Walking tour in Galway and would recommend it (check it out here)!
They took you to all the main spots around Galway city and even some hidden gems I didn’t know about!
Plus I appreciated that our guide was conscious of the rain and kept trying to find us a dry spot to stand under at each stop!
If you don’t have time for a walking tour, you’ll want to make sure you at least walk by the Spanish Arch and Eyre Square.
Galway Walking Tour With Viator
For more organized Galway tours, click here.
2. What To Do In Galway – Go On The Long Walk
Don’t worry, I’m not actually setting you up for a long walk here.
The Long Walk is not long at all, only about 314m – taking you about 5 minutes to walk!
This is just what they call the walk along the river next to the beautifully coloured homes, which might be one of the most photographed places in Galway city.
The Long Walk also referenced in The Galway Girl, the first line of the song is “Well, I took a stroll on the old long walk”!.
3. Nimmos Pier (Views & Dolphin Spotting)
Nimmo’s Pier isn’t much. But it’s where you get the best view of the the Long Walk from across the water.
And if you walk far enough, you’ll also get to see some neat shipwrecked and abandoned boats.
Or, you might get really lucky and spot the local dolphin that’s become somewhat of a celebrity around here (named Nimmo of course).
He even has his own instagram account – check it out here.
4. Riverside Soundwalk
If you continue The Long Walk past the Spanish Arch, you’ll reach the Wolfe Tone Bridge.
This is the start of the Riverside Soundwalk – which also isn’t very long.
The walk takes you along the River Corrib from Wolfe Tone Bridge, to the O’Brien Bridge and ends at the Salmon Weir Bridge.
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5. Galway Cathedral (Or Saint Nicholas Church)
At the end of the Riverside Soundwalk, you’ll reach the Salmon Weir Bridge.
Across from the bridge is the Galway Cathedral. Don’t let this gorgeous cathedral fool you, it’s not historical like most others in Ireland.
Construction only finished in 1965, but it’s still an impressive structure!
If you do want to see a more historical church, check out Saint Nicholas Church in the city centre which dates back to the 1200s.
6. What To Do In Galway: Enjoy The Galway Market
If you’re able to, check out the local Galway market next to Saint Nicholas Chruch.
Don’t worry, it’s a regular market selling local products (which make great souvenirs!).
It’s actually a pretty historical market, having started in 1484!
The market is every Thursday to Sunday in the summer, but year round on Saturday. Saturday is also the largest day for the market bringing the most local vendors and food!
See the updated schedule here.
7. Stroll Through Galway University (& Maybe Enjoy Some Art!)
Galway University is just outside the city centre passed the Galway Cathedral (don’t worry, it’s still close enough to walk to).
The University is a beautiful ivy covered stone building that transports you back in time!
There are also might be an art exhibit when you’re visiting that you can check out. We were able to escape the rain here and see some up and coming artists work!
Find out more here.
Galway Tours With Viator
Galway to the Cliffs of Moher & Aran Islands →
Galway to Connemara (with Leenane Village and Kylemore Abbey) →
For more organized Galway tours, click here.
8. Learn About The Legend Of The Claddagh Rings
The Claddagh Ring (as you’ll learn) is an important piece of jewellery that comes from Galway Ireland.
There’s a completely free 10 minute movie to watch in the Claddagh ring visitors centre (at the Claddagh Jewellers in the centre of town).
The film takes you through the history and the meaning of the ring.
P.S. Claddagh rings also make great souvenirs for you or a loved one!
P.S.S. This is also a great thing to do in Galway if you’re looking for a place to escape the rain for a bit.
9. Nora Barnacle’s Childhood Home (James Joyce’s Wife)
This is quite possibly the funniest tour we did in Galway city, but it was worth it!
You’ll get to visit the childhood home of Nora Barnacle.
You might be asking, who is that? Well, Nora Barnacle was the wife of prominent Irish author James Joyce.
He wrote some of the most influential stories of the 20th century including The Dubliners, and Ulysses.
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Nora was the muse for his novels. She was also very controversial in 1940s Ireland, having had two children out of wedlock.
The tour and visit is quite short as it’s a very small house. But even if you aren’t a James Joyce fan, it’s interesting to learn about, and see how families lived in the early 1900s.
P.S. There’s a really nice mural of both of them in Galway city centre (5 Merchants Rd).
10. Try Supermacs (The McDonalds Of Ireland)
Supermac’s is the local Irish fast food chain. But, if you’re going to try it anywhere in Ireland, it has to be in Galway because this is where it’s from.
Now, you’re not getting gourmet food here, it’s fast food remember.
This might be a good spot for a quick lunch, but probably an even better spot to come after having a few pints!
We tried the chicken nuggets and couldn’t really complain. They were on par with fast food chicken nugget.
The fries though could have been better. They were more like soggy mash potatoes with a curry sauce.
P.S. interested in the Galway food scene? Book a walking food tour, like this one on Viator (don’t worry beer is on the menu, you’re in Ireland after all!).
11. Stop For A Photo Op With The Galway Girl
The Galway Girl is minding her own business sitting on a bench on Quay Street.
So, you have to take a photo with her when you see her!
More Statues In Galway City
There are a few other statues to spot in Galway like the Statue of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde.
Or the Pádraic Ó Conaire Statue in Eyre Square, which is actually a replica… I’ll tell you where to find the original soon, don’t worry!
12. Galway City Museum … Skippable Unless Raining
The Galway City Museum has three exhibits: geography and archeology, the history of Ireland, and finally a very random science exhibit.
This wasn’t my favourite museum and I would only recommend going to the Galway City Museum for two reasons.
First, if you need to escape the rain.
And second, this is where you can find the ORIGINAL Pádraic Ó Conaire Statue (P.S. Pádraic Ó Conaire is a famous Irish writer).
The Pádraic Ó Conaire Statue was originally built in stone in Eyre Square. Unfortunately, locals thought it was funny to keep knocking off his head and hiding it throughout the park (it’s stone).
Eventually, the city replaced the stone statue with a brass statue and brought the original to the museum.
The nice part is that the museum is completely free, so you can go check it out and see if it’s for you!
Plus, the Pádraic Ó Conaire statue is right at the entrance of the museum, so you don’t even have to walk far to see it.
13. Try The Best Guinness In Galway At Taaffes
It’s a fact that Guinness just tastes better in Ireland.
But, apparently, Guinness also tastes different depending on the bar that you go to.
Now, I don’t know how true that is, but I can confirm it is definitely better in Ireland.
So, whether or not you like Guinness, you have to try Guinness in Ireland.
But we also scouted the best Guinness in Galway and that was at Taaffes Bar.
Even if you still aren’t a fan of Irish Guinness, Taaffes is worth checking out for a classic Irish Pub with live music.
14. Escape The Tourist At Salthill
If you’re interested in seeing a bit more of a local side of Galway, head to Salthill.
Which, by the way, is also featured in The Galway Girl… “And I knew right then I’d be takin’ a whirl’Round the salthill prom with a Galway girl“.
If you’re visiting on an actual nice day, you can head here to walk along the beach at low tide, or even the Salthill prom.
But, if it’s not you can still come here for lunch or dinner. There are tons of restaurant options here (that aren’t just pubs). And they all felt more local than touristy. Plus, you still get wicked ocean views, even on a bad day!
Some popular spots for dinner include the Black Cat or Papa Rich for Thai.
We ended up at Roberta’s just because everything else was full. So make sure to make a reservation in advance if you’re interested in eating anywhere here.
It is still walking distance from Galway city centre, but it’s on the further side. We did this walk in the pouring rain, so if we can do it you can to!
15. Learn How To Irish Dance
I actually really wanted to do this, but they were already sold out.
Instead of watching a show, learn how to Irish dance yourself.
Check the schedule and availability here.
But, if you still want to go to an Irish dancing show, apparently the best place is actually in Galway! Check it out tickets for Trad on the Prom here (which is in Salthill by the way!).
Bonus! Day Trip To The Cliffs Of Moher
Galway is one of the best places to stay if you want to visit the famous Cliffs of Moher.
It’s only an hour and a half drive away (instead of being 3 hours from Dublin).
So you can easily visit the Cliffs in a half day or full day trip from Galway.
Read my full review on visiting the Cliffs of Moher.
Viator Tours To The Cliffs Of Moher Galway
Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, & Poulnabrone Dolmen from Galway →
Cliffs of Moher (with cruise) & Aran Islands from Galway →
For more organized Ireland Cliffs of Moher Tours, click here.
Need A Place To Stay In Galway?
Galway is pretty small, so you can’t go wrong with the location.
We opted to stay on the harbour front at the Harbour Hotel (see it on Booking.com). We had an attic room with skylights for our windows making it really cozy! Check updated prices and availability here.
One of the most popular places to stay in Galway though is the Galmont Hotel & Spa (see it on Booking.com). It’s a bit further outside the city centre, but offers a gorgeous terrace, modern rooms, and of course, spa amenities. Check updated prices and availability here.
For a more budget friendly option in the city centre, we also looked at booking the Snug Townhouse (see it on Booking.com). They pack a lot in those tiny rooms! But, how much time are you really spending in the room anyway!? Check updated prices and availability here.
Click here for more hotel options in Galway, Ireland
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Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API