Galway

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Quick Facts

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Coordinates

• Latitude: 53.279918
• Longitude: -9.064611

On Travellerspoint

• 3 Galway Apartments
• 20 Galway Guesthouses
• 12 Galway Hostels
• 5 Galway Hotels

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Introduction

galway

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Galway is the capital of the West of Ireland and has experienced somewhat of a revival in recent years, making it a popular destination for travellers visiting Ireland. A small, cozy coastal city with roots dating back to the thirteenth century, it is also a lively city known for its nightlife, specifically the live music scene which often consists of impromptu music sessions in the city centre pubs. Clubs and restaurants are also abundant.

The city centre is currently closed to traffic, allowing for a much more enjoyable experience when visiting the narrow shopping streets. The numerous old buildings clustered closely together remain testimony of the history of this quaint little Irish getaway. Centrally located in the city centre lies John F. Kennedy Park, or Eyre Square as the locals still refer to it.

Sights and Activities

Galway is a city that many visit for the vibe. Taking a walk through the city center, weaving in and out of shops, turning down small cobblestone alleys, and listening to the ever changing soundscape as you walk past the many street musicians is probably the best way to take it in. If it is raining and you don't care to get wet, you can dodge the rain in a pub, an art gallery, or a cafe. Here are some interesting places, and a couple of sights:

• Eyre Square

The main square of Galway, in the warmer months its lovely to sit in this square and people-watch, draw, read, or just hang out.

• The Spanish Arch

This arch used to be part of the old Galway City walls. Spanish merchants used to trade with the irish here, hence its name.

• The Claddagh

A neighbourhood with an interesting history, and with some nice quays to wander about. There's a path that you can follow nearby that will take you all the way down the coast to Salthill, a very pretty walk.

• Lynch's Castle

This is actually an AIB bank now, but it used to be a castle in the 16th century. It's been heavily altered.

Events and Festivals

A number of Internationally renowned festivals are held in or near Galway throughout the year.

• Galway Arts Festival

A colourful affair, with lots of art exhibits, musical and comedy acts, plays, performance art, and street performers! The entire city comes to life in a wonderful tribute to the arts.
_July

• Galway Racing Festival

_{Summer, Fall, and October}

• Galway International Oyster Festival

_September

Weather

Due to the strong influence of the Gulf Stream, Galway escapes extreme temperature shifts, with the temperature generally ranging between 2 °C and 19 °C and any temperature under 0 or above 30 °C being rare. Galway gets an evenly distributed average of 1147 mm of precipitation^[1].

Summer is generally considered to be the best time to visit, with long summer days giving you the feeling of a never ending day.

Getting There

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

Bus Eireann runs express routes from Galway to Dublin and Cork (via Limerick), however you can get pretty much anywhere from Galway using their bus system. Check out their website for details.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Boat

Trips to the Aran Islands, three small islands just off the coast, can be arranged in Galway

Eat

There are plenty of good restaurants and cafes to visit while in Galway! Here's just a few:

Cafe's

• Cobblestone Cafe

This is probably my favourite cafe in Galway. It is tiny and all exists in one room (even the kitchen), and the owner Kate is the kind of lovely person who will remember you even after 4 months of not seeing you. The scones are delicious, and the tea is strong!
_{Kirwan's Lane}

• Goya's Fine Foods

Can be crowded, but it has really delicious desserts and baked goods.
_{2 Kirwan's Lane}

• Mocha Beans

An irish chain, it has expensive but good coffee, and good sandwiches and wraps. There are multiple locations in Galway.
_{Edward Square, Forster St}

You can also go to many of the pubs for coffee. For Canadians, you can get Tim Horton's coffee at the Spar in the city center.

Restaurants

• McDonaghs

This place has won awards for its fish and chips! If you want seafood, this is the place to go. It is divided into two sections, a seafood restaurant, and a fish and chips bar. Please do not confuse it with McDonalds (the names sound similar).
_{22 Quay st, Galway}

• Kappa Sushi

Galway's only sushi restaurant!
_{Middle St, Galway}

• Food for Thought

A wonderful, affordable vegetarian restaurant, with home-cooked meals and friendly staff! Can get busy around mealtimes.
_{5 Lower Abbeygate Street, Galway}

• Zatsuma Creperie

Surprisingly delicious crepe concoctions! I have yet to figure out how to eat them, but the crepes sure are tasty!
_{27 Shop St, Galway}

• Monroe's Tavern

Also a cozy pub, this place apparently has excellent pizza!
_{Dominick St, Galway}

Drink

Galway has more than enough pubs to suit anybody's tastes! Here are a couple of personal favourites:

• Roisin Dubh

Excellent entertainment. This bar is where all the best bands play! Some shows require tickets, but you can always just sit and drink outside the stage-area and listen to the music from there!
_{Dominick St., Galway}

• Tigh Neachtains

I saw my first real Irish Session at this blue pub on the corner of Quay St, High St, and Cross St! Its small but always packed with locals, and has this cool compartment-like seating.
_{Cross Street, Galway City}

• The Quays

I've been to this pub many times, mainly because it was so close to where I work! It has interesting decorations and sometimes has some wicked bands playing. Also a giant screen for watching matches.
_{Quay St, Galway}

• The Blue Note

This bar has a pretty unique vibe, awesome music, and a chilled atmosphere!
_{Sea Road, Galway}

• Sheridan's on the Dock's

A pub that's right by the water (surprise surprise), its small and friendly! They also serve platters of food, if you have a group of people!
_{New Docks, Galway}

If you'd like to try a good local beer, Galway Hooker beer happens to be very tasty, and is locally brewed! (Keep in mind, a Galway Hooker is not a woman with a questionable profession, but actually a kind of boat that the area is famous for.)

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Sleep

Budget

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Upscale