Comparison · Dublin vs Galway · Ireland
Dublin vs Galway
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Dublin for Guinness and Pubs and live trad music; choose Galway for Traditional music, Latin Quarter and free sights. Galway is generally less expensive, and the two are about 186 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 186 km
- Less expensive
- Galway
- Best time for Dublin
- May–September
- Best time for Galway
- May–June and September
Side by side
| Dublin | Galway | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Ireland | Ireland |
| Known for | Guinness, Pubs and live trad music and Book of Kells | Traditional music, Latin Quarter and Galway Bay oysters |
| Best time to visit | May–September | May–June and September |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $200–$350 | $170–$300 |
| Cost level | Expensive | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 20°C (68°F) | July, 19°C (66°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 8°C (46°F) | January, 9°C (48°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 9 | 12 |
| Day trips in our guide | 7 | 6 |
| Beaches | Sandymount Strand | Salthill beaches |
| Airports | DUB | SNN, DUB, NOC |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Dublin for…
Guinness and Pubs and live trad music. Dublin is a compact, walkable capital split by the River Liffey, with Trinity College, Grafton Street and the Georgian squares on the south side and O'Connell Street and the Docklands to the north and east. The Book of Kells, the national museums, Dublin…
Choose Galway for…
Traditional music, Latin Quarter and free sights. Galway is a small, walkable harbour city on Galway Bay in the west of Ireland, where the River Corrib runs past the Spanish Arch into the sea. Its pedestrian Latin Quarter of Shop Street, Quay Street and Cross Street is lined with medieval stone buildings…
Top sights compared
| # | Dublin | Galway |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity College and the Book of Kells | Latin Quarter and Shop Street |
| 2 | Guinness Storehouse | Spanish Arch |
| 3 | Kilmainham Gaol | Galway City Museum |
| 4 | National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology | Galway Cathedral |
| 5 | National Gallery of Ireland | St Nicholas' Collegiate Church |
Food compared
| Dublin | Galway |
|---|---|
| Full Irish breakfast | Galway Bay oysters |
| Irish stew | Seafood chowder |
| Dublin coddle | Fish and chips |
| Soda bread | Irish brown bread |
Which is cheaper?
Galway is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $170–$300 per person there, against $200–$350 in Dublin (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Galway on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Dublin and Galway are about 186 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Dublin and 4 in Galway.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Dublin or Galway cheaper?
Galway is usually less expensive: about $170–$300 a day mid-range against $200–$350 (estimates).
+Is Dublin or Galway better for a first trip?
Pick Dublin for Guinness and Pubs and live trad music, or Galway for Traditional music, Latin Quarter and free sights.
+How far is Dublin from Galway?
About 186 km in a straight line.