Galway travel guide
Tours, attractions, events and places to stay, picked by people who know the city.
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Main airport
- Shannon (SNN), about 2 hours by bus; or Dublin (DUB), about 2.5 hours by coach
- Time zone
- GMT, IST (UTC+1) in summer
- Paying for transport
- TFI Leap card or cash on city buses
A compact harbour city where the River Corrib meets Galway Bay, with the medieval lanes of the Latin Quarter running down to the Spanish Arch and the Salthill Promenade curving west along the bay. The centre is small and walkable from Eyre Square, and it is the natural base for day trips to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and the Aran Islands.
Most-booked tours
Ratings and prices from verified bookings.
ViatorCaherconnell Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations
1 hourFrom €28.50
ViatorGalway to Cliffs of Moher, Aillwee Cave & Dunguaire Castle Tour
8 hoursFrom €65
ViatorGalway Food Tours
2.5 hoursFrom €90
ViatorThe Dark History Tour of Galway City
1.5 hoursFrom €20
ViatorPrivate Cliffs of Moher Day Tour
8 hoursFrom €575
ViatorThe Welcome to Galway Walking Tour
1.3 hoursFrom €15
ViatorGalway to Aran Islands & Cliffs of Moher Day Tour & Cliffs Cruise
10 hoursFrom €84
ViatorMicil Distillery Experience 2 - Gin, Poitín and Whiskey
1 hourFrom €25
Top Galway attractions
The sights most visitors build a trip around.
Latin Quarter, Shop Street and Quay StreetFree
Free: Galway's busiest streets, medieval lanes and buskers
Spanish Arch and the Long WalkFree
Free: Galway's 16th-century gateway to the sea
Cliffs of Moher
Sea cliffs, O'Brien's Tower and Atlantic views, about 90 minutes from Galway
Tickets from €50Galway CathedralFree
Free: the green dome above the Corrib, dedicated in 1965
Salthill Promenade and Blackrock Diving TowerFree
Free: Galway's seafront walk to Blackrock and the kick-the-wall ritual
Galway City MuseumFree
Free: three floors of Galway history behind the Spanish Arch
What's on
Tickets via Ticketmaster and Tiqets. Updated nightly.
Where to stay
Pick a neighbourhood first. Each one suits a different kind of trip.
Latin Quarter
Medieval lanes, pubs with live music and the Spanish Arch on your doorstep10 places we rate
Eyre Square and the Station
Arriving by train or coach, day-trip departures and the Christmas market15 places we rate
West End
Lively local pubs and restaurants across the river, close to the Cathedral7 places we rate
Salthill
Sea views, the Prom and quieter evenings, a bus ride from the centre11 places we rate
Local guides
Plans and tips for getting the most out of Galway.
Christmas in Galway 2026: markets, concerts and opening hours
The Eyre Square Christmas market, carols at St Nicholas’, Elf Town and what is open over the holidays in Galway this winter.
Read the guide · 5 minDay trips from Galway: Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, Aran Islands and Kylemore
How to reach the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and the Aran Islands from Galway, by bus, ferry or car, with 2026 prices and winter hours.
Read the guide · 5 minFirst time in Galway: a 2-day itinerary
Two days in Galway: the Latin Quarter, Spanish Arch and Salthill on day one, then the Cathedral, museums and a night of music on day two, with costs and opening hours.
Read the guide · 5 minFree things to do in Galway
Fourteen free things to do in Galway, from the Spanish Arch and the city museum to the Cathedral, the Prom, free walking tours and the campus museums.
Read the guide · 4 minDay trips from Galway
Easy days out by train or coach.
- Cliffs of MoherAbout 90 minutes by road, or the 350 bus
- Aran Islands (Inis Mór)About 1.5 hours by shuttle bus and ferry
- Kylemore AbbeyAbout 1 hour 15 minutes by road
- Clifden and ConnemaraAbout 1.5 hours by road or Citylink coach
- The Burren and DoolinAbout 1.5 hours by road or the 350 bus
- Cong and Ashford CastleAbout 1 hour by road
Getting around
Walking
Galway's centre is small. Eyre Square, Ceannt railway station and the coach stops sit together at the top of the town, and Shop Street and Quay Street run downhill through the Latin Quarter to the Spanish Arch. Most visitors walk everywhere in the centre, and Galway City Council's flat 6km waterside walkway runs from the Spanish Arch across to the Claddagh and along the Salthill Promenade to Blackrock.
City buses
Most city routes start at Eyre Square, including Bus Éireann route 401 to Salthill, every 20 minutes daily. Pay with a TFI Leap card or cash; Leap fares are up to 30% cheaper than cash. With Leap, an adult Bus Éireann city fare is €1.35 for a short trip (up to 11 stages) or €1.55 for a longer one, and Galway City Direct adult fares are €1.35. Leap fares are capped at €3.80 a day and €16.80 for seven days on Bus Éireann city routes 401 to 409. Children aged 5 to 8 travel free with a Child Leap card. From January 2027 the National Transport Authority is introducing a flat Galway adult Leap fare of €1.70.
Trains and coaches
Galway Ceannt station, on Eyre Square, has direct trains to Dublin Heuston and services towards Limerick and Ennis. Citylink coaches use Galway Coach Station near Eyre Square for Dublin, Dublin Airport, Clifden and Cork. The Aran Island Ferries shuttle bus to Rossaveel leaves from Victoria Place, just off Eyre Square.
Airport transfers
Galway has no airport of its own. Shannon Airport is linked to Galway by Bus Éireann route 51, with 16 return services a day. From Dublin Airport, Citylink's Galway express services take about 2 hours 30 minutes at their fastest, and Aircoach also runs to Galway.