Small though it may be, Galway boasts a growing reputation (both in Ireland and abroad) as one of the best places to enjoy good music, good food and good craic, as well as the obligatory pints of Guinness. Ed Sheeran had it right: it has charm in spades.
Situated on Ireland’s beautiful west coast, this tiny city is within spitting distance of iconic landmarks like the Cliffs of Moher. Even better, it’s less than an hour’s flight from most major UK airports, including London, making it the perfect location for a weekend break.
Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours there.
Day One
You’ve arrived, the weather is holding up (hopefully) and it’s time to get stuck into the city. First thing’s first: a food tour is one of the best ways to explore Galway and its burgeoning foodie scene.
Led by Galway Food Tours (a daytime food tour costs £71 each, while a whiskey tour costs £88; galwayfoodtours.com), you’ll be tasting your way through the city’s best patisserie, truffles and coffee before heading to local haunt McCambridges for some charcuterie and Irish spirits – then a whole host of Galway’s best seafood at some of its best local restaurants. Ever wondered how good fish chowder can be? The answer is (if you go to Rúibín, which features on the tour): very.
If you still have room for lunch after that, then a trip to the Farmer’s Market (which runs on Saturdays and Sundays; galwaymarket.com) is a must, if only to sample the local wares, which includes delicious small-batch honey from the Cliffs of Moher.
After that, kick back by exploring some of the city’s cultural scene. In addition to a gorgeous little gallery above the excellent coffee shop Coffeewerk + Press, Kenny’s Art Gallery, Vanda Art Gallery and the Galway International Arts Festival Gallery (the festival itself is held every year and attracts artists from around the world) are all located within a stone’s throw of each other. And for those more into their history, the Galway City Museum (admission free; galwaycitymuseum.ie) is located by the city’s most famous tourist sites, the Spanish Arch and Long Walk.
By the time dinner’s rolled around, you’ve probably worked up an appetite – take a look at some of our recommendations for where to go below, but Sophie’s at The Dean (thedean.ie), Kai (kairestaurant.ie) and Cava Bodega (cavarestaurant.ie) are all good options.
To round things off, a trip to some of Galway’s musical venues is simply a must. The city is famed for its traditional Irish music and many of the pubs on and around Quay Street boast live performances that often go on until the late hours.
Of particular note is Taaffes, which serves one of the best pints of Guinness in the city, as well as providing a location to watch hurling or Irish football matches with the locals. From 5.30pm onwards, it also plays host to an ever-changing rota of musicians — and when that wraps up at around ten, move aross the street to the Tigh Cóilí pub to continue the party until midnight.
If you’d rather stay in one place all night, then try The Quays, a little further down Quay street. Sip on your pints (if Guinness isn’t your thing, then always ask for what’s on tap: many of these pubs boast their own specially-brewed microbrewery beers) and while away the hours in good company.
Day Two
Work off that hangover with a bike tour of the city. With a hefty electric bike under you, you’ll be taken on a speed tour of Galway (we went with WeWheel, who were excellent; tours start from £41.50 each; wewheel.com) — which is by far the most efficient way to see the entire area with a local guide who can explain its every nook and cranny. For the less bike-friendly, there are also hop-on, hop-off bus tours of the city that can be booked online.
Though the touristy core of the city is on one side of the Corrib river, Claddagh village and Salthill on the other are still well worth exploring and offer a glimpse into its local side– as well as some gorgeous views of the bay.
If you don’t fancy a tour, then it’s still worth making the trek down past the Long Walk and across to Blackrock Diving Tower (which also features on the tour). Built in the 60s, it’s become an emblem of the area and features gorgeous views of the bay — if you’re feeling brave, you can even take a dip alongside the locals.
Whatever you end up doing, head to toastie mecca Meltd (meltd.ie) afterwards to grab a delicious lunch and peruse the history of the famous Claddagh Ring at the Claddagh Ring Museum. Tucked at the back of the Claddagh and Celtic Jewellery shop, it’s a fascinating look into the history of this iconic bit of jewellery — which is emblazoned across the signage of many of Galway’s shops.
With all that sorted, it’s time to pack your bags and pay a visit to the Galway City Distillery for some excellent local gin (served with a variety of seasonal, botanical tonics) before you head back to the airport. Sláinte!
Where to eat
If you’re after dinner with a view, then one of the top spots is Sophie’s at The Dean. Situated on the third floor with wraparound glass walls, it offers one of the best panoramas of the city (plus an outside terrace for sunny days) while you enjoy the local fish, steak and a really good pizza menu before kicking back with some of their cocktails.
For those wanting to eat slightly closer to the centre, then why not try local stalwarts such as Rúibín (ruibin.ie) or Éan (eangalway.com)? If you go to Éan for one thing, do it for the squid on toast, the restaurant’s signature dish, made using its in-demand sourdough loaves (queues for these stretch around the door at opening time). Rúibín, by contrast, is run by husband-and-wife team Richie and Alice Jary and spotlights local ingredients in its dishes. The dish to try here is the seafood chowder, which is almost criminally good.
For something a bit different, then Cava Bodega (cavarestaurant.ie) is the place to go. With multiple Michelin nods to its name, it serves Spanish tapas, paired with a mouth-watering wine and sherry menu that will make those patatas bravas go down a treat. Booking is essential: when we went, guests were still arriving well after 10pm.
And finally, for fine dining you can’t get better than Kai (kairestaurant.ie). Named after the Maori word for food, it’s run by New Zealander Jess and local Dave Murph, whose focus is on organic, local produce that changes with the seasons. The price point is high, but the dishes are excellent: any menu that includes Irish crab and scallop ceviche has our vote.
Where to stay
Galway has several good options for the weekend traveller, but the best has to be The Dean (thedean.ie/galway). The newest and trendiest of the city’s hotels, The Dean is located a five-minute walk from the centre of the city and has everything a city breaker could possibly want.
This includes a gym, boxing classes and fitness classes, a jacuzzi-style pool and sauna, and even better, multiple restaurants to cater for all dietary options. These include the aforementioned Sophie’s and also Elephant and Castle (thedean.ie), which is heaving at weekends and delivers New York vibes and a seriously good burger. Oh, and there’s a traditional bar too if you wanted to enjoy a Guinness or whiskey before heading up to your rooms.
The rooms themselves are also great: packed with colourful, quirky artwork and décor—there’s charm in bucket-loads. With prices for a double room starting from around £123 a night, it’s also surprisingly affordable, especially when you consider that jacuzzi.
If The Dean is full (or indeed not your thing), then do try the Jury’s Inn Hotel (leonardohotels.co.uk), located just down the road on Quay Street. The location is great (with views of the bay) and while the rooms are rather cheap and cheerful, they also only cost between £115-150 a night, which makes it a good spot for travelling on a budget.
For a more boujie vibes, why not check out Salthill Hotel (salthillhotel.com)? With rooms starting from £245 a night, it’s not cheap, but it’s located across the river in Salthill and also boasts gorgeous views of the bay from its seafront location, as well as a pool and a seriously classy looking bar.
How to get there
The closest airport to Galway is Shannon, which is located a good hour’s drive from the city (passengers flying into Dublin should be able to get there by bus or train, but it’s a two-and-a-half hour trip).
Return flights to Shannon from Heathrow start from £107 with Aer Lingus, and from £33 from London Gatwick, returning to Stansted with Aer Lingus.
