Things to Do in Galway

Off the west coast of Ireland and beside Galway City, Galway Bay is a beautiful bay that has inspired many Irish legends and songs. You may have heard it sung in Arthur Colahan's Galway Bay or John Lennon’s Luck of the Irish. Yet the Atlantic coast of Ireland is a scenic, natural beauty that deserves to be seen with your own eyes. It’s also a magnet of authentic Irish and Celtic culture and has been called “the most Irish place in Ireland.”

Galway Bay is known for a few things in particular, including its morning dew and unique sailing culture, including a boat type called the Galway Hooker. As Galway was the center of maritime activity in western Ireland at the time, the Hooker boats were prominent in the mid-19th century. Many beaches dot the coastline that are accessible for swimming. Deep sea fishing, boating, and visiting the nearby Aran Islands are other popular activities on the bay.

A spectacular feat of Hiberno-Romanesque architecture, Galway Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, has a regal presence, perched on the banks of the River Corrib. The masterful building - the largest in the city and the last stone church to be built in Ireland - was constructed in 1965, revivifying the plot where one of the county’s most notorious jails once stood. Designed by J.J. Robinson and overseen by Bishop Michael Browne, the cathedral was built with locally sourced materials and workers, as well as featuring native Irish decorations and carving designs, bringing a uniquely all-Irish quality to the finished product.

The cathedral’s copper domed roof, visible for miles around, has become one of Galway’s most beloved landmarks, but it’s the resplendent interiors that visitors find most impressive.

Overlooking the famous Spanish Arch, the Galway City Museum has been devoted to preserving the history and heritage of Galway since it opened its doors in 1976. The award-winning building is worth a visit for the views from the roof deck alone – spanning the Claddagh, the River Corrib and Galway Bay, as well as the iconic Arch – but those looking to understand the city’s unique cultural roots will find plenty of intrigue inside.

Three floors of exhibitions focus on contemporary Galway and the importance of the Arts, medieval Galway, and the Claddagh village, featuring among them a collection of local artworks, historic photographs (including one of President John F Kennedy's 1963 visit), artifacts dating from Prehistoric and Medieval times and personal items chronicling the history of the people of Galway.

Designated as the National Aquarium of Ireland and the largest aquarium in the country, Galway Atlantaquaria is one of western Ireland’s most popular attractions. An incredible 170 saltwater and freshwater species inhabit the aquarium’s tanks, imaginatively designed to mimic their natural environments and showcasing Ireland’s incredible diversity of marine ecosystems. Seahorses, stingrays, eels, lobster and even sharks are among the highlights, as well as the world’s only White Skate on public display, lovingly nicknamed ‘Valentine’.

It’s not only the colorful sea creatures that draw in the crowds - the aquarium’s unique displays and hands-on approach has proven a hit with all ages. Visitors can help out at feeding time, delve into the waters inside a model submarine and visit the aquarium’s popular ‘touch tanks’ for the chance to hold starfish and spider crabs.

One of Ireland’s most unique and photogenic landscapes, stretching over 160 square km, the Burren, derived from the Gaelic word Boireann meaning ‘rocky place’, is one of the most visited attractions in the Shannon region. Aptly named, the karst topography is characterized by its unusual limestone formations, naturally sculpted through acidic erosion over thousands of years. The natural landscape is an otherworldly terrain - a giant jigsaw of rocks, made up of grikes (fissures) and clints (isolated rocks jutting from the surface), with pockets of lush greenery poking between the expanses of bare rock.

Located at 300 meters above sea level, the Burren lies close to the Atlantic Coastline and the towering Cliffs of Moher, offering incredible views both underfoot and out to sea. It’s not only the rocks that draw thousands of hikers and naturalists to the area, either – the contrasting green spaces are inhabited by around 700 different species of plants and ferns.

Renowned for their stark beauty and enduring Irish traditions, the enigmatic Aran Islands have long drawn fascination from their mainland neighbors, inspiring generations of Irish artists and writers with their idealistic way of life. A visit to the Aran Islands - three small, sparsely populated isles, overlooked by the immense Cliffs of Moher - is like stepping back in time. Here, Gaelic-speaking communities populate traditional farmhouses, local ladies make a living knitting traditional Aran sweaters, sold throughout Ireland, and cars are overlooked in favor of rickety pony traps and trusty bicycles.

Reachable by ferry or plane from Rosaveel, Galway or Doolin, and easily navigated on foot or bike, the islands harbor a number of attractions, including the remains of one of the world’s smallest churches and a 16th-century castle once used by Oliver Cromwell’s troops.