Hello,
I’ve been very lucky to go to Galway several times, so I thought I would post a Galway travel post. Actually, I’m going to four posts since they are long. These are my opinions, I’m sure others will have a different take.
First off, I don’t have any good accommodation recommendations, I have found Airbnb or B&B’s generally cheaper than hotels there, at least in summer, but I could be wrong. Some hostels are cheaper than others. I do think that staying within walking distance of the downtown is worth extra money, there’s not tons of sights in Galway but it’s a great small compact city to walk in and become immersed. We often stay in Donegan Court Apartments in the West End, but that is just because it’s paid for by my employer, which again explains why I have been very lucky to go to Galway several times! You are no longer in the West End when you cross the bridge over the River Corrib when you are walking into Galway City, a five minute walk. We will be there again this summer the last half of July, so if you go there during that time period, give me a shout out!
Since we are there for an extended period, we almost always eat out for lunch, not dinner, to stretch our dollars. Less expensive at lunch in many places, and just as good. There are some good stores and markets, including the farmer’s market on the weekend to buy things to cook during the week, if your accommodation allows for that. Also note that I don’t drink coffee, but there are lots of coffee places in Galway, and the West End where we stay. Gourmet Tart and Urban Grind just to name two in the West End, there are more, I’m just not someone to ask about coffee.
Most of the pubs in Galway also serve food and it is pretty good. It’s not all Irish food, the Galway food scene is eclectic and diverse. In Galway, many but not all pubs have music at some point during the day or night, often free. There are a lot of pubs that will have traditional Irish music, but there are others that have a variety of other music. I love the traditional Irish music because it’s unique and spirited, and creates a sense of community. Most pubs close by midnight, but some stay open later. The music is usually over before midnight, 11:30-ish.
Things to do
For many, Galway is a place to stay as they do day trips to Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands and other sites. But there are still some things to see there. Start your visit with an informative walking tour, found online, there are several, some are free, just tip them at the end. Galway has hundreds of years of history. Go to the Galway Museum near the Spanish Arch near Galway Bay, it’s compact and interesting and it is free. Closed Sunday and Monday. Visit the beautiful Galway Cathedral (built a few decades ago), and St. Nicolas’ Church (built a few centuries ago). Stroll through the University of Galway, northwest of downtown. Hang out and people watch at Eyre Square, the main park in Galway where JFK visited in 1963. But my favorite thing to do by far in Galway is just to walk down to Nimmo’s Pier, which is not a pier per se, it’s just a long strip of land in the Galway Bay. The area and the water looks different every day. Tons of swans and other birds, dolphins swimming, the occasional seal, it’s just beautiful and peaceful. And maybe you will meet Jason, a local who is there almost every day and takes amazing photographs of the Bay.