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    Galway

    Ireland

    Galway

    City

    With around 86,000 inhabitants, Galway is the largest city on the west coast and was European Capital of Culture in 2020.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
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    9. Galway
    With around 86,000 inhabitants, Galway is the largest city on the west coast and was European Capital of Culture in 2020. Life revolves around the Latin Quarter near Quay Street, with pubs, street music, and small shops; on the riverbank stands the Spanish Arch, a remnant of the medieval city wall, right next to it the Galway City Museum.Eyre Square marks the center of the new town, and to the west, the Salthill promenade stretches about two kilometers along Galway Bay. The city is a starting point for Connemara and the Aran Islands, with year-round ferries departing from Rossaveal, located about 37 kilometers away.

    Sights in Galway

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Spanish Arch

    1Spanish Arch

    One of two surviving arches of the old city wall on the east bank of the Corrib Estuary, partially destroyed by the tsunami following the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Adjacent to it, the Long Walk promenade with its colourful houses begins.
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    Galway Cathedral

    2Galway Cathedral

    Opened in 1965, the Cathedral on the site of the old city prison is considered Europe's last great stone cathedral. Its dome is over 44 meters high.
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    Eyre Square

    3Eyre Square

    The central square was gifted to the city in 1710 by Mayor Edward Eyre. Following John F. Kennedy's visit in 1963, the green space is officially named John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.
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    Galway City Museum

    4Galway City Museum

    The City Museum, opened in 2007 directly next to the Spanish Arch, features medieval stonework, the ceremonial city sword, and the city's staff of office.
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    Salthill Promenade

    5Salthill Promenade

    The approximately two-kilometre-long promenade on Galway Bay in the suburb of Salthill was established in 1856. By the water stands the Blackrock Diving Tower, built in 1953, where people traditionally swim at Christmas.
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    Restaurants in Galway

    1

    Ard Bia at Nimmos

    Café-restaurant with Irish cuisine right at the Spanish Arch, overlooking the Corrib Estuary. Popular for brunch and dinner.
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    2

    Dela

    Restaurant with Irish cuisine, brunch and vegetarian dishes on Dominick Street in the Westend, on the other side of the Corrib.
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    3

    The Dough Bros

    Pizzeria with creative wood-fired pizzas and craft beer in a rustic central locale.
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    Nightlife

    1

    Coili's House

    Pub with live music in the Latin Quarter, right in the evening buzz of the Old Town.
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    2

    O'Connell's Bar

    Irish Pub on Eyre Square in the New Town center.
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    3

    O'Connor's Famous Pub

    Traditional pub in the seaside resort of Salthill on Galway Bay, just outside the centre.
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    Accommodations in Galway

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    Campgrounds in Galway

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    Nearby

    The Burren in the north of County Clare is a karst landscape of grey limestone pavements, where rare plants bloom in spring between the fissures. Together with the Cliffs of Moher, it has formed a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2011; the Burren National Park, founded in 1991, covers approximately 1,500 hectares.The most famous monument is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb from the Neolithic period, where archaeologists found the remains of over 30 people. The coastal village of Doolin is known for traditional music in its pubs and as a port for seasonal ferries to the Aran Islands.

    The West is the heartland of the Wild Atlantic Way: In County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher plunge up to 214 metres into the Atlantic, behind which lies the karst landscape of the Burren. Galway is the West Coast's liveliest city and a gateway to the Aran Islands and the mountains and bogs of Connemara.Further north in County Mayo are the Georgian town of Westport, the pilgrimage mountain Croagh Patrick and Achill, Ireland's largest island. In parts of Connemara, on the Aran Islands and on Achill, Irish is still an everyday language.
    Cliffs of Moher

    Cliffs of Moher

    The Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast of County Clare reach a height of 214 meters north of O'Brien's Tower and are Ireland's most visited natural attraction. From the viewing platforms, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Aran Islands; seabirds breed on the rock ledges, including puffins in early summer.The Cliffs of Moher Experience, whose visitor center is built into the hillside, is open daily; the ticket includes parking and is cheaper online. The coastal path is only partially accessible in 2026: The southern section towards Hag's Head is completely closed; the visitor center cannot be reached from Doolin. Around the visitor center, about 3.5 km of path is open. Boat tours from Doolin offer a different perspective.
    Aran Islands

    Aran Islands

    The three Aran Islands Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, and Inis Oírr lie off Galway Bay and are, with stone walls, barren limestone fields, and small villages, a piece of original Ireland. Most of the approximately 1,350 inhabitants speak Irish as their everyday language.On the largest island, Inis Mór, the stone fort Dún Aonghasa is perched approx. 100 meters above the Atlantic, right on the cliff edge. The ferry from Rossaveal, west of Galway, operates year-round and takes about 40 minutes; from Doolin, there are seasonal connections from April to October. On Inis Oírr, the wreck of the Plassey lies on the shore.
    Connemara

    Connemara

    Connemara in the west of County Galway is a landscape of moors, lakes, and the Twelve Bens mountain ranges. Founded in 1980 near Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans approximately 2,000 hectares; from the visitor centre, an approximately seven-kilometre circular trail leads up the 442-meter-high Diamond Hill with views of the coast and islands.On a lake shore stands Kylemore Abbey, a castle built from 1867, where Benedictine nuns have resided since 1920, complete with a neo-Gothic chapel and Victorian garden. Clifden is the main town, offering the roughly eleven-kilometre Sky Road along the coast.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Unsplash, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI