Galway: top attractions & road trip guide
Galway is a city on Ireland's west coast at the mouth of the River Corrib, where it meets Galway Bay. Its medieval Latin Quarter of narrow streets, the Spanish Arch, and a lively arts and music scene have made it one of Ireland's most visited cities, and its proximity to the Aran Islands and Connemara has long tied it to Irish-speaking coastal culture.
Galway is the natural staging point for the Wild Atlantic Way, with the Cliffs of Moher under an hour's drive south and the mountains and boglands of Connemara stretching west. The compact city centre is pedestrian-friendly, so most visitors park once and explore on foot before setting out on narrow coastal roads, remembering that driving in Ireland is on the left.
Top attractions
Cliffs of Moher
Sea cliffs rising up to 214 metres above the Atlantic in County Clare, about an hour south of Galway, among Ireland's most visited natural landmarks.
Galway Cathedral
A 20th-century Catholic cathedral completed in 1965, built on the site of a former prison and notable for its combination of Renaissance, Romanesque, and Gothic styles.
Latin Quarter
Galway's medieval core of narrow pedestrian streets, lined with shops, pubs, and buskers, built along the original layout of the walled town.
Spanish Arch
A 16th-century riverside arch that once protected the city's quayside, named for its association with Spanish trading ships that historically docked nearby.
Connemara National Park
A protected area of bogland, heath, and mountains west of Galway, including the Twelve Bens range and a herd of native Connemara ponies.
Eyre Square
Galway's central plaza, granted to the city in 1631, now a public park surrounded by shops and serving as the traditional starting point for city walks.
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