Oh gosh, what can I say about Galway? It is, surely, one of the most charming cities that I have ever visited and has a way of being modern but timely. You can definitely tell that the buildings are centuries years old but it also offers modern day stores and activities, the best of both worlds you can say.

My husband and I visited Ireland in October 2024. We spent 2.5 days in Galway, where the weather was a bit chilly, around mid to high 50^OF, and a bit rainy. But that didn’t stop us from having all the fun, so lace up your shoes and bring a raincoat cause we’re off to another adventure.

Getting to and around Ireland

My husband and I landed at Dublin Airport, where we immediately jumped into our rented car from Hertz, grabbed some breakfast, and started our 2.5 hours journey to Galway. *Queue our roadtrip playlist, starting with “Galway Girl” by Ed Sheeran.

Renting a car is the best way to explore Ireland and allows you to take your time discovering the unbeaten path. But if it’s not in your budget or you just don’t want to drive (who can blame you… I’m guilty of the same thing) then you can take a train or ferry from city to city and then ride the bus or taxi when you need to travel within the city. Since my husband and I were traveling to different locations around Ireland, having a vehicle was the most convenient option for us. Once we were in Galway, it was mostly walkable from there.

Tip: I highly recommend renting a car to make the most of your trip, however, keep in mind that Ireland drives on the left side of the road. We watched a quick video on Youtube, explaining the basic skills and knowledge needed to drive on the opposite side. It took about a day or two to really get used to, but afterwards it was easy peasy… at least that’s what my husband said, I’m just the passenger princess.

Things to do

Let’s start our journey at the Latin Quarter, where we’ll stroll down the cobblestone streets and shake our hips to the beat of the local buskers. It’s a great spot for a bite to eat or a quick drink at any of the restaurants, pubs, or cafes. We can’t forget about our local shops, who sells handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, and clothes! Be sure to pick up a locally made wool sweater to keep you warm! My husband wears his all the time when we travel anywhere cold; it’s definitely a great investment! Or are you looking for a smaller, more dainty investment? If so, stop by Claddagh Ring store to pick out a Claddagh Ring, a symbolic Irish jewelry with two hands embracing a crowned heart, representing love, friendship, and loyalty. Depending on where you place the ring on your hand, it can tell someone else your current relationship status.

While in the Latin Quarter, head on over to the Spanish Arch, Galway’s historic landmark dating back to pre-medieval times. Built in 1584, it was once used to house soldiers who watched for any threats and manned the cannons. Now it’s a great spot to watch where the river meets the sea.

After your relaxing break at the arches, learn about the history of Galway and Ireland at the Galway City Museum. This museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10-5pm and is free to enter. However, there is a suggested donation of 5 euros.

Lastly, don’t miss the chance to explore Latin Quarter in the evening, where the streets becomes even more alive with locals and visitors looking for their next adventure. We stopped by The Kings Head one evening, to enjoy some live music. They also offer food and drinks, and more seating upstairs. It was a very integrating experience to be able to sit side by side with other people, embracing each other’s company and sharing the love for live performances. I highly recommend stopping by a pub to experience this!

Now let’s go to the heart of Galway city, Eyre Square. Also known as John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. This area marks historic significance as it is where the former President made his speech in 1963, right before his assassination. Take a few minutes to observe the park’s art structure, nature, and the people.

Galway is an extremely walkable city, so don’t forget to explore Galway’s Westend. It’s another great neighborhood to explore that offers local pubs, restaurants, and store fronts. It’s something in the way that the twinkle lights hang from the buildings and shine at night, that makes you feel like you are in a dream. Definitely a great spot to just explore and to get lost in.

After wondering around the city, you may find yourself at the Galway Cathedral. The cathedral is free to enter, but has a suggested donation of 2 to 3 euros. Entry is permitted anytime throughout the day except during mass, which the times are displayed on the doors and on their website. Once you enter, take in the beauty of the stained glass and mosaic art presented around the church. Truly a breathtaking scene to take in.

Lastly, if you happen to visit Galway around Halloween, like we did, going to Macna’s Halloween Parade is a must! During our visit, we got to see the new display introducing Alf the newt. Every year offers a new theme, showcasing huge models and art, and performers dressed up for the spooky holiday. TIP: Be sure to get on the route early, so that you can get a spot in the front to see it all! This is definitely a must do if you are in the city during this holiday. I mean, how can you go to the origin place of Halloween and not experience this phenomenon?

Other things to do in Galway is catch the Galway’s market to get some fresh produce and check out the local products, as well as take a trip to Salthill Prom, which is a waterfront walkway. We weren’t able to fit these in our day but will surely be on our list for our next visit.

Where to eat & drink

Galway really exceeded our expectations with the rich history of this area, but we were even more impressed with the food and drink options that were offered. Anyone hungry? Or just me?

The first place I would recommend a visit to is The Dough Bros for some of the best pizza you’ll ever have. Seriously, it is in the top 3 pizzas I’ve ever tried. If you don’t trust me then consider their awards of Best Pizza in Ireland and #15 Best Pizza in The World. My husband and I could not get enough of this place, that we went back 3 times in our 2.5 days in Galway. There’s always a line outside the door but it doesn’t take that long to get a table and is definitely worth the wait. We tried their garlic bread, Hey Pesto, Curry Cheese, and Bro’s Marg, which everything was chef’s kiss! Our favorites were definitely the Curry Cheese and Bro’s Marg, with absolutely no complaint, 10/10 rating. The Curry Cheese gave an Indian flare to the pizza, with a flavorful curry sauce and soft potato slices on top. The Bro’s Marg pizza is a tasty margarita pizza made with soft dough and a crispy crust with fresh basils. Seriously, it’s so good, I would just go back to Galway for these pizzas; definitely a must try!!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive place to eat, then Hooked is a place to check out. But keep in mind, you get what you pay for. Their seafood menu offers everything you can think of in the sea. We tried the shrimp, grilled octopus, fish tacos, and the fish and chips. All of which was just okay, although I don’t recommend the grilled octopus. We left the restaurant full but not really impressed. We gave this place a 3/5.

Another inexpensive place to eat is Xi’an Street Food but this time it is worth the price. Stop by and order some Chinese food on a late night out or just for a quick bite to eat. Be sure to try their noodle dishes, as this is what they are known for. You can also find this food shop all over Ireland, including Dublin.

On the flip side, if you have it within your budget and the time, I would highly recommend reserving a table at Aniar. This is a Michelin starred restaurant located in Galway’s Westend that offers contemporary, Ireland sourced dishes. Even their furnitures and dinnerwares are made and sourced from Ireland; cool, right? When I mentioned having the time, I meant spacing out at least 2.5 to 3 hours for the full experience. Truly, the time flew by as we were introduced to the most delicious, beautiful, and thoughtful dishes. When we thought the next dish couldn’t beat the last, we were always wrong. The most impressional dish I had was the oyster ice cream. Yes, you read that correctly. A dish served on a wafer textured oyster shell, that also looked like a freshly shucked oyster. It even tasted like one too but in an ice cream form. The whole thing was edible. It’s so hard to explain and is something that you would have to experience to really understand. At the end of the night, we left Aniar speechless, full, and over the moon. It was one of the best dining experience we had and definitely the best restaurant we’ve ever been to.

Not ready to call it a night? Grab a mocktail at Buddah Bar. It’s open late and is just a nice place to hang out. They also offer food if you can catch the kitchen’s last call!

If you’re looking for some fresh bread and pasties to start your day, head over to Magpie Bakery, and get there early. Only open from Thursday to Sunday until 3pm, you have to stand in line bright and early or risk many of their pasties being sold out. We arrived about 30 mins after opening and stood in line for about 45 mins. When we reached the front of the line, some of the items were unavailable, but what we ordered was still amazing!! We had an almond croissant, cinnamon bun, chocolate chip cookie, and a baguette, because why not? Everything was so delicious, especially the chocolate chip cookie and cinnamon bun. We were so sad that we weren’t able to make it back another morning to get more pastries, and trust me, we definitely tried.

Need a little pick me up for the morning? Then check out Coffeewerk & Press. Their coffee was delicious and they offer seatings upstairs, where you can look through arts and books.

One of my favorite coffee and tea place that we visited was The Secret Garden. Pick from all sorts of tea to drink or one of their well crafted coffees. The Secret Garden offered a space for everyone to sit, chat, play games, and read books. It was a very welcoming and warm place to be in and I really enjoyed sipping my London Fog here. On the way out, we even bought some loose tea to take home, which are definitely some of the best teas I’ve tried. I highly recommend checking out this place.

Overall View

Galway has a special place in my heart because the people and the city were very welcoming. I really loved visiting this city and is probably in the top 5 places that I’ve visited. My favorite experiences were the Halloween Parade and eating all the pizzas at The Dough Bros. Galway had so much to offer but I think 3 full days in the city would have been perfect to explore it all.

I hope that you get the adventure of your lifetime! If you’ve been to Galway, let me know what you loved about it too!

As always, thanks for being here!

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