If you’re looking for an authentic Irish experience- Galway is the place for you! It has small town charm with big(ger) city amenities, making it the perfect landing spot for a day in Ireland. Galway is an easy 2.5-3 hour drive from Dublin (most of which are on highways), making it an easy add-on. We landed in Dublin early in the morning and made our way out to Galway immediately after picking up the rental car. We spent the entire day exploring, spent the night just outside of the city center, and then make our way back to Dublin the next day. Here’s how to spend one day in Galway!
Grab morning coffee at Coffeewerk + Press
Start your busy day in Galway with caffeine- you’ll need it! Located right in the center of town in the Latin Quarter is Coffeewerk + Press. It’s an adorable little shop that drew me in from the moment I saw it. I ordered a hot mocha and it was one of the best I had on the entire Eurotrip! Plus, the baristas will make latte art on top, which is just begging to hit your Instagram stories. The shop also sells adorable postcards and prints from local Irish artists. My friend picked up a few prints for her niece which outlined colors and numbers in Irish that she wanted to get framed. The shop is pretty small, but do have a few small tables and chairs outside so you can sip and watch the city slowly wake up.
Stroll and shop around the Latin Quarter
After the caffeine hits, spend your morning strolling around the quaint Latin Quarter. These streets are car-free and are lined with shops, restaurants, and pubs. Most shops open between 9 and 10 am, so you can be first in the door for shopping! You’ll find everything from authentic wool sweaters, to Claddagh rings, and don’t be surprised to run into a handful of street performers with guitars. High Street and Mainguard Street have a few bakeries, so you can grab a pastry or sandwich for breakfast to fuel the rest of your day!
Road trip to the Cliffs of Moher
Alright, while not technically in Galway, no trip to the West Coast of Ireland is complete without a stop at the Cliffs of Moher! If you have a rental car, it’s an easy (and scenic) hour and a half drive along the coast. If not, there are countless tours you can book that will handle all the logistics and transportation for you!
We chose to park at the Cliffs of Moher Experience. The €12 entry fee per person covered parking and also gave you access to amenities such as restrooms, shops, and information booths. For a first time visitor, it was great. It had large, paved, well-marked walking paths and had access to great views. If you wanted, you could even continue on past the main paths onto more rugged, unmanaged trails. You’ll have to walk past many warning signs, but as long as you stay on the paths you should be more than fine.
It did feel a bit touristy, which took away from the experience a bit. I was more hoping for rugged terrain that we could explore on our own, but paying the admission fee, walking through a visitor complex, and following a clear-cut paved path let me down a bit. However, the cliffs are incredible and I’d recommend walking out as far out onto the paths as you have time for to get the best views!
Read More: 6 Tips for Visiting the Cliffs of Moher
Unethical pro tip: The entry fee of €12 per person is taken when parking the car, so if you wanted to save some money, let your passengers out first and then just have one person pay for parking. There were no ticket checks to get into the viewing areas, but take this unethical tip at your own risk!
Stop at The Burren
On your drive back up to Galway, a stop at The Burren is a must! While certainly different terrain than the cliffs, the undeveloped terrain is exactly what I was craving in Ireland! These cliffs are rugged, rocky, and make you feel like you’re in another world. If you’ve ever seen Frozen, I got major “Kristoff’s family” vibes here (if you know, you know).
Along R477, there are many small areas to pull the car over and get out to enjoy the scenery. We pulled our car over right around here. It was really fun to walk out onto the moon-like rocks and catch the Atlantic Ocean crashing beneath. It’s a great opportunity to take in some pictures and the fresh salty air!
Read More: A Chubby Girl’s Guide to Visiting the Cliffs of Moher
Irish Grub at Paddy Burkes in Clarinbridge
Along the drive back up to Galway, stop for some fuel at Patty Burkes in the town of Clarinbridge. Located only about 20 minutes outside of Galway, it was a perfect place to stop and grab a bite (and also mentally rest- driving on the left side of the road is mentally exhausting!). While it’s certainly one of many along the drive, this traditional Irish pub restaurant scratched us right where we itched. The building was old and covered with wood. The small features like the wood-burning stove right in the center really made us feel like we made the right decision. The bar was filled with locals grabbing a pint after work and the waiters couldn’t have been more friendly. They spotted our American accents from a mile away and were very interested in what we were doing on our trip. The food was solid and hearty too!
Pints and Live Irish Music at Taaffes Bar
After a full day of exploring Galway and Clare County, reward yourself with a pint back in the Latin Quarter! Taaffes Bar was recommended to us by almost everyone we came across- and for a good reason! Each night they have live bands that play authentic Irish music. It was such a blast to watch and I couldn’t help but dance a bit. It’s so upbeat and fun! They have two music showings: 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm. We made it back for the later show and when we got in the place was already packed. If you’re looking for seats, a place at the bar, or even a view of the band you will want to get there early!
Ice Cream at Murphy’s
No sweeter way to end your one day in Galway by grabbing ice cream at Murphy’s! Located just down the street from Taaffes, Murphy’s ice cream was so good, and the perfect end to a long day. I opted for one scoop of sea salt and one scoop of honeycomb. They were both phenomenal! The honeycomb reminded me of Van Leeuwen’s ice cream from New York City (made me miss the city a bit!). The sea salt ice cream though really stole the show. To make this, they harvest fresh sea salt directly from the Atlantic Ocean! I was shocked to learn this, but all the workers confirmed that they get barrels of real sea water from the town of Dingle (located in Kerry County, Ireland). They will then strain and clean the salt and use it for their ice cream. So cool, and you could tell it was fresh!
Stay at the Galway Bay Hotel
When looking for a place to stay in Galway, we needed something close to the city but also offered free parking for our rental car. The Galway Bay Hotel was the perfect landing spot! From the moment we walked in, the staff was overwhelmingly welcoming and were so kind. They helped us navigate our way into town via bus, took our breakfast reservations, and gave us lots of tips and recommendations, most of which ended up in this post! Breakfast the next morning was in a large, gorgeous dining room and had the widest assortment of both hot and cold options. We left stuffed!
It couldn’t have been easier to get into town from the hotel either. Directly across the street from the hotel (next to the beach) was a bus stop for the #401 bus. This route takes you directly into the center of town in about 10 minutes. Simply pay your driver the €1,60 fare in coins and you are on your way!
But my favorite part was the views! It’s located right across the street from Ladies Beach and the views we got of the sunrise after breakfast were unmatched. That alone made the entire stay worth it!
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