GALWAY, IRELAND
Galway is a small town in western Ireland known for being one of the country’s cultural hubs. Not only was it named a European Capital of Culture in 2020, but it is also home to the International Arts Festival which takes place over two weeks every July. In addition to this, Galway is a gateway to the Irish countryside. Tourists come from across the globe to see Connemara and the Cliffs of Moher. Ed Sheeran’s hit “Galway Girl” certainly hasn’t detracted tourists either!
Attractions:
Cliffs of Moher: Located 90 minutes southwest of Galway, these seaside cliffs are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ireland. The salty breeze off the Atlantic Ocean paired with the breathtaking views make this very easy to believe. Most hostels offer guided van tours for €15-€20 (transport and entrance included). Want to visit without a tour group? Public buses run to and from the cliffs four times daily (round-trip tickets cost €31.20). The site is open from 8:00am-9:00pm and costs €10 to enter. If these cliffs look familiar, it’s probably because they’re featured in The Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!
Connemara: This gorgeous region in western Ireland is another tourist hotspot. The 90-minute drive from Galway is arguably just as scenic as the national park itself featuring mountains, bogs, hills, and plains! Similar to the Cliffs of Moher, most hostels will offer guided van tours of the region for €15-€20. These tours generally include a stop at Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine monastery housed in a Victorian-style castle. Entrance costs €12.
Free Walking Tour: Every morning at 11:00am, Tribes offers a 90-minute walking tour of town. The tour meets at Eyre Square and hits highlights such as Lynch’s Castle and Spanish Arch. In high season (April-September), tours run at 2:00pm as well.
The Long Walk: A perfect place to start your morning with a cuppa! This charming stroll alongside Galway Harbor allows you to take in the multi-colored houses sitting picturesquely on the water. You wouldn’t know by its name but the path takes no more than ten minutes to walk!
Barna Woods: This secluded, forested area 4 miles (7km) outside town is the perfect place for a quick hike. To get here from Eyre Square, take the 412 bus to Cappagh Road (20-30 minutes; €2.30). On weekdays, the bus picks up every 30 minutes from 8:00am-5:30pm. When planning, keep in mind the last bus running back to town departs from Cappagh Road at 5:00pm.
Other attractions include: Galway Cathedral, Salthill Beach, Legend of the Claddagh Ring, and Galway Christmas Market.
Accommodation:
Galway City Hostel: GCH walked away from the “2020 Hostelworld.com Awards” highly-decorated. They won “Best Hostel in Galway”, “Best Hostel in Ireland”, and “2nd Most Popular Hostel in the World for Solo Travelers”. The cherry on top is that it’s located across the street from Eyre Square which is two minutes walking from both the bus and train station!
Transportation:
Galway’s main train station is Galway (Ceannt) Railway Station; all trains below leave from here. The main bus station is Galway Bus Station; all buses below leave from here.
Dublin is 2.5 hours by train from Galway and costs €18; trains leave 10 times daily. The bus ride is 3.5 hours and costs €15; buses leave 12 times daily.
Cork is 4.5 hours by train from Galway (indirect; via Portarlington) and costs €21; trains leave 3 times daily at 9:30am, 3:15pm, and 7:20pm. The bus ride is 4.5 hours and costs €19; buses leave 9 times daily.
Belfast, Northern Ireland is 5.5 hours by train from Galway (indirect; via Dublin) and costs €37; trains leave 10 times daily. The bus ride is 6 hours (indirect; via Dublin) and costs €26; buses leave 12 times daily.
The closest airport to Galway is Shannon International Airport (SNN), which is 85km (53 miles) south. The bus connecting SNN to Galway is 1 hour and 50 minutes and costs €18; buses leave every hour from 7:55am-8:55pm.
