3 days in Galway

Day by day

1. Day 1: Latin Quarter and Shop Street and Spanish Arch

   Latin Quarter and Shop Street, Spanish Arch and Galway City Museum, then Traditional music sessions in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Latin Quarter and Shop Street

      The pedestrian spine of Shop Street, High Street and Quay Street runs from Eyre Square down to the river past medieval merchants' houses, colourful shopfronts and street performers.

   2. Late morning

      Spanish Arch

      Buy fish and chips on Quay Street and eat them on the river wall here at sunset.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Galway Bay oysters

      Seafood bars and pubs in the Latin Quarter and around Clarinbridge and Kilcolgan on the bay south of the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Galway City Museum

      Beside the Spanish Arch, the free city museum covers Galway's history from medieval walled town to modern city, with displays on the sea, a traditional Galway hooker sailing boat and exhibitions on the city's archaeology.

   5. Evening

      Traditional music sessions

      Sessions are not performances; sit nearby, keep conversation low during tunes and buy a drink rather than standing around.

2. Day 2: Galway Cathedral and Salmon Weir Bridge and the River Corrib

   Galway Cathedral, Salmon Weir Bridge and the River Corrib and St Nicholas' Collegiate Church, then Latin Quarter in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Galway Cathedral

      Visit outside service times and look for the mosaic that includes President John F. Kennedy.

   2. Late morning

      Salmon Weir Bridge and the River Corrib

      The bridge between the cathedral and the courthouse crosses the fast-flowing Corrib just below the salmon weir.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Seafood chowder

      Most pubs and seafood restaurants on Quay Street, Dominick Street and in Salthill.

   4. Afternoon

      St Nicholas' Collegiate Church

      Visit on a Saturday morning and combine it with the Galway Market, which sets up on the lanes around the church.

   5. Evening

      Latin Quarter

      Quay Street, Cross Street and High Street hold the city's best-known pubs, including Tigh Neachtain, the Quays and Tig Cóilí, with music most nights.

3. Day 3: Galway Market and Lynch's Castle

   Galway Market, Lynch's Castle and Hall of the Red Earl, then West End in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Galway Market

      On Church Lane beside St Nicholas' Church, the weekend market sells local cheese, organic vegetables, crafts and street food such as crêpes, curries and oysters.

   2. Late morning

      Lynch's Castle

      Walk round the corner to Market Street to see the Lynch Memorial Window and its legend of a mayor who hanged his own son.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish and chips

      Chippers on Quay Street and in the Latin Quarter; eat them by the Spanish Arch.

   4. Afternoon

      Hall of the Red Earl

      On Druid Lane, the excavated foundations of a 13th-century hall built by the de Burgo family, the Anglo-Norman founders of Galway, are displayed under a glass-fronted building with finds from the dig.

   5. Evening

      West End

      Dominick Street and around have the Crane Bar's upstairs sessions, small gig venues and a younger crowd.

If it rains

• Swap in Galway Atlantaquarium (Salthill): Combine it with the playground and promenade nearby for a full rainy-morning plan with kids.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Latin Quarter keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Eyre Square ($$) suits first-timers, budget and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 9–11 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.5 hours in December to 17 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Galway
• 2 days in Galway
• 5 days in Galway

Questions travellers ask