Galway City
is a city steeped in history
Welcome to Galway City
Arty, bohemian Galway (Gaillimh) is one of Ireland's most engaging cities. Brightly painted pubs heave with live music, while restaurants and cafes offer front-row seats for observing buskers and street theatre. Remnants of the medieval town walls lie between shops selling handcrafted Claddagh rings, books and musical instruments, bridges arch over the salmon-stuffed River Corrib, and a long promenade leads to the seaside suburb of Salthill, on Galway Bay, the source of the area's famous oysters.
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Galway City activities
Galway to Cliffs of Moher Full-Day Trip with Admission Ticket
Leave Galway and head southwest on board your luxury coach in the direction of the world-famous Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Traveling along scenic coastal roads, your tour stops to visit cute fishing villages and historic sites as you go. First stop is in Kinvara, a pretty fishing village known for its star attraction – Dunguaire Castle. Stroll around it outside with your guide and hear tales of its impressive history that dates back to the 16th century.Continue your journey through Burren National Park – or simply ‘the Burren’ – and marvel at its utterly intriguing landscape, with rolling hills covered with limestone rocks. The park is home to numerous ancient monuments like the Poulnabrone Dolmen, which is said to be the most photographed Megalithic monument in the country, and the little-known Ballyalban Fairy Fort.Just outside the town of Kilfenora, stop and hop off your coach to see some Celtic crosses, and learn about their history and symbolism from your guide. The tiny coastal village of Doolin is nearby, and lunch takes place here, in one of the town’s legendary pubs -- Gus O'Connors -- that's famous for its traditional Irish music and great food.Your afternoon is spent at the stunning Cliffs of Moher, and it’s sure to be the highlight of your day. With approximately two hours to spend here at your leisure, walk around enjoying unforgettable views over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands. Featured in classic movies like The Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the cliffs are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perfect for a bracing walk with unforgettable scenery.Return to Galway via the coastal roads, enjoying one last break for a walk on the Burren.
Aran Islands, Cliffs of Moher Day Tour, Cruise from Galway
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, County ClareIreland's most visited natural attraction. Enjoy a walk along these spectacular cliffs and visit the environmentally friendly vistor centre.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Inis Oirr (Inisheer) LighthouseTake a leisurely walk on the island of Inisheer, hire a bike, or experience the island in a pony and trap. Duration: 2 hours
Connemara Tour from Galway Ross Errilly Friary, Kylemore Abbey
Leave Galway Coach Station and head north by luxury coach through the countryside of County Galway, in the west of Ireland. First stop is near the town of Headford visit Ross Errilly Friary – one of the best preserved Franciscan friaries in Ireland. Known locally as Ross Abbey, the medieval ruin is considered as a National Monument of Ireland, with atmospheric cloisters and medieval tombs just itching to be explored. After strolling around the ruin with your guide, hop back on your coach for the short trip to Cong village, where The Quiet Man featuring John Wayne, was filmed. With roughly 45 minutes at leisure here, you can perhaps retrace the steps of actors through the village, or maybe amble over to Cong Woods to see 11th-century Ashford Castle. Alternatively just relax with a coffee (own expense) on the banks of Lough Corrib – Ireland’s largest lake.Continue to County Connemara, traveling around Loch Na Fooey – an unspoiled glacier lake – and soak up sights of the region’s incredibly scenic countryside. Hear tales of life in Connemara from your guide and learn about the time-honored Irish traditions and customs that are still preserved in Gaelic-speaking Connemara today.Next stop is Kylemore Abbey – a majestic Benedictine abbey on the banks of Lake Kylemore. Steeped in history, the abbey is said to have been built as a romantic gift in the late 1800s, and later served as a refuge for Benedictine nuns who fled Belgium during World War I. Entry to Kylemore Abbey is at your own expense, and once inside you’ll have two hours to spend at leisure. Enjoy lunch (own expense), stroll around the abbey or perhaps take a look at its Victorian walled gardens. On the journey back to Galway, pass though the spectacular scenery of Connemara’s Inagh Valley, weaving alongside the Maam Turks Mountains and back around Lough Carrib. Arrive back to Galway in the early evening.
Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Dunguaire Castle Tour from Galway
Your journey to the Cliffs of Moher from Galway will bring you through the exposed, windswept landscapes of the Burren. Listen to your expert guide share the history and some interesting facts about this Western seaboard of Ireland. Exit the coach to explore the unique limestone terrain, jagged coastline and rare flora. Travelling South from Galway, you will visit the Dunguaire Castle, an iconic 1520’s castle with a 75 foot tower. This picturesque castle is seated along the Galway Bay in Kinvarra. You’ll spend 15-20 minutes at this photo opportunity.Your tour will then continue to the Aillwee Cave, a series of dramatic underground caverns and tunnels. You’ll have the option of a guided tour of the caves or visiting the Birds of Prey Experience. Not feeling adventurous? Spend time in the cafe, which offers many local food and coffee options. Following the Aillwee Caves, you’ll travel straight to the Cliffs of Moher over Corkscrew Hill. You’ll spend 90 minutes at the Cliffs - plenty of time to walk to trails to several lookout platforms. At the South Platform, you can discover the unique colony of seabirds who call the cliff’s edge home. Among the hillside is an eco-friendly visitor centre where you’ll find interactive exhibits, aerial tours and a virtual reality cliff face adventure!Surely you will have worked up an appetite from your adventure thus far, so we’ll travel to Doolin for lunch (not included). Following Doolin, we’ll travel back to Galway along the coastal route, offering plenty of photo opportunities!
Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey Tour from Galway
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden, Kylemore, County Galway, Western IrelandBuilt by Mitchell Henry in the 1860's, this magnificent castle of marble and limestone is a must-see in Connemara.Duration: 2 hoursStop At: Connemara National Park & Visitor Centre, Galway, County Galway, Western IrelandThe 3,000 hectares of bog, grassland and woodland are yours to explore and enjoy.Duration: 2 hours
4-Day South West Ireland Tour from Dublin
ItineraryDay 1: Day 1: Dublin - Connemara - GalwayStop At: Connemara National Park & Visitor Centre, Galway, County Galway, Western IrelandTo begin our amazing experience we depart Dublin and make our way to the West of Ireland and tour beautiful Connemara. On our way across the midlands of Ireland, we take a comfort stop for refreshments before arriving in the enchanting village of Cong. Famed by John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in the film Quiet Man, the village is home to Ashford castle, a regular haunt of the rich and famous and a wedding venue for a host of international stars. We have time to visit Cong Abbey before continuing our journey through the wilderness of Connemara. We enjoy the unique landscape, beautiful lakes, valleys and mountain scenery. Gaelic speaking, this area still maintains many of Ireland's traditional ways, however it was deserted during the dreadful famine times of 1845. to 1851. We arrive in Galway mid afternoon to ensure that we get the most out of this cultural city. We have time to explore the Spanish Arch and ramble around colorful shop street with its many street performers, seafood eateries, and quaint Irish bars with wonderful musicians. A great night of real Irish entertainment is always a highlight of Ireland's traditional music capital.Duration: 8 hoursNo meals included on this day.Accommodation included: Overnight in GalwayDay 2: Day 2: Galway - Burren - Doolin - Cliffs of Moher - DingleStop At: Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, County ClareToday you will have the wild Atlantic ocean by your side as we cruise down the West coast. See beautiful beaches, golden sand, maybe even a few dolphins and whales. Run around the lunar landscape of the Burren, the only place on earth where Alpine, Arctic and Mediterranean flowers grow side by side, and hear your guide tell inspiring tales of how our ancestors overcame the horrors of the great Potato Famine of 1845-49, sending over a million of our ancestors to the four corners of the globe and in particular Britain, North America, and Australia. We'll stop in the village of Doolin for lunch and maybe a pint before continuing to the nearby Cliffs of Moher. Over 700 ft tall, the cliffs are perhaps the most spectacular in Europe and are home to some of nature's most majestic birds including puffins and gannets. Afterwards, we'll cross the River Shannon in historic Limerick. Our last stop today is the beautiful heritage town of Adare with its fabulous thatched cottages, renowned for being regularly voted Ireland's tidiest town. We spend the night on the rural Dingle Peninsula.Duration: 8 hoursMeals included: • BreakfastAccommodation included: Overnight in Dingle PeninsulaDay 3: Day 3: Dingle - KillarneyStop At: Dingle Peninsula, County KerryToday we embark on the world famous Dingle Peninsula. We visit Ireland's longest beach at Inch, and then we take the short drive to Dingle, a charming Gaelic speaking fishing village. Famed in many films like Far and Away and Ryan's Daughter, Dingle is celebrated for having most pubs in Ireland for a town of its size, 52 pubs and 2000 people. We cannot forget Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi the Dolphin who we shall have time to visit in the early afternoon. Then it's off on a wonderful pleasant drive around Slea Head with amazing views of Sleeping Giant Island, the Blasket Islands, and Beehive Huts dating back to 2000 B.C. Regarded as the most beautiful Peninsula in the world by many photographic magazines, Slea Head has some of Ireland's most fabulous beaches and is definitely the highlight of Ireland's famed Wild Atlantic Way. This area is completely Gaelic speaking, and you may even get to hear some of the locals converse in this ancient language. Then it's back to Dingle where there is ample time for shopping in traditional arts and crafts stores, and some refreshments in one of the many colorful pubs with local musicians playing some mystic tunes. Tonight we stay in Killarney, Co. Kerry's premier town. Here we mix with the locals, and enjoy the characteristics of a genuine Irish county town, away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Pull up a stool by the fire or enjoy a relaxing post dinner stroll in the nearby National Park.Duration: 8 hoursMeals included: • BreakfastAccommodation included: Overnight in KillarneyDay 4: Day 4: Killarney - DublinStop At: Blarney Castle & Gardens, Blarney, County CorkThe day begins with a horse and cart ride through Killarney National Park (optional) or horseback ride through the park for the energetic and adventurous (optional). Afterwards, we'll regroup to cross the Cork and Kerry mountains, heading for the world renowned Blarney Castle. Enjoy plenty of time (2 hours) visiting the Castle where you can kiss the Blarney Stone if you wish (to receive the gift of eloquent speech also known as the gift of the gab). The beautiful gardens offer a chance to relax in the fresh air whilst those seeking last minute souvenirs can explore the excellent Blarney Woolen Mills, the world's largest Irish shop. After lunch we take a leisurely drive through the Golden Vale region, Ireland's finest agricultural land and home to some of the best livestock in the world. Before we reach Dublin, we'll pause at the Rock of Dunamase - a ruined castle perched high on a hill overlooking the province of Leinster - amazing photo opportunities and vistas await you. Arrive back in Dublin late afternoon in time for dinner reservations and evening entertainment.Duration: 8 hoursNo meals included on this day.No accommodation included on this day.