I will be traveling from Westport to Galway, for 2 days, then on to Doolin. I have heard mixed things about Galway. I plan to go to the Aran Islands during this stop. Is it worthwhile to stay in Galway or would it be better to stay somewhere else? I have had it suggested Clifden or Conmerra. But are these to far out to visit the Aran Islands?
Thank you for your advice.
I have the same issues with Galway, and have elected to stay in nearby Salthill, just a seven minute drive away, but apparently much quieter. A bit closer to the Rossaveal ferries to the Aran Islands, too.
If you have a car, then staying a bit outside of town should be easy. Clifden is about an hour's drive away. If you're relying on public transport, then you might need the shuttle bus that departs from Galway to the Rossaveel ferry dock. I particularly enjoyed Galway's July arts festival, but crowds coming to an event you're not attending are less fun.
If you plan to drive to Rossaveel from Clifden, you would be wise to add more travel time. ViaMichelin shows it as about an hour's drive, but I generally add about 25% to their time estimates. When we did that drive a few years ago, it seemed even longer that that, but that might just have been us. I didn't really time it, and I know we stopped to take pictures along the way a couple of times. You will need to be aware of the ferry times, too, so that you don't just miss it. Salthill might be a better alternative if your goal is to be near the ferry, but Clifden is a cute little town.
