Things to Do in Galway: the Spanish Arch and City Museum, Eyre Square, Salthill and Connemara

The Spanish Arch is one of the last pieces of the walls that fortified medieval Galway, and Galway City Museum sits just behind it. Start with the Spanish Arch and the museum, add a walk along the water to Salthill, and keep a day for Connemara.

At a glance

• Top sights to see first: Spanish Arch, Galway City Museum, Lynch’s Castle, Eyre Square
• Suggested length of visit: two days (Galway City, Galway Market, the Latin Quarter and the City Museum, then County Galway and Connemara)
• Museum address: Spanish Parade, Galway H91 CX5P
• Waterside walk: 3.7 miles (6 km) from the Spanish Arch to the Barna Road
• Island sailings: year-round from Rossaveel; seasonal from Galway City, March 26 to October 3, 2027

What are the best things to do in Galway?

The Spanish Arch and Galway City Museum

The Spanish Arch is one of the final remaining pieces of the walls that fortified Galway in medieval times. Galway City Museum stands just behind it, so the two fit into one stop.

The museum is at Spanish Parade, Galway H91 CX5P. The 3.7-mile (6 km) South Park and Claddagh walk also starts at the arch. Visit the museum first, then set off along the water.

Eyre Square and the medieval wall

The Eyre Square Centre contains a 60-meter (197 feet) stretch of medieval wall. Two original towers survive with it, Shoemaker’s Tower and Penrice’s Tower.

The Galway Tourist Train also passes Eyre Square. A Continental Christmas Market is held in the square during part of November and December each year, so winter visitors can see the wall and the stalls in one stop.

Lynch’s Castle and the Wonder Wander trails

Lynch’s Castle is a medieval fortified structure on Shop Street. The Wonder Wander trails highlight landmarks such as St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church and Browne Doorway.

The self-guided trails cover a walk of approximately 1.6 miles (2.5 km).

The Galway Tourist Train

The Galway Tourist Train passes Blakes Castle, St Nicholas’ Church, Eyre Square, Nora Barnacle’s House, the Hall of the Red Earl, Lynch’s Castle and Window, and the Famine Memorial.

That list works as a preview of the old town. Ride it early in a stay, note which stops catch your eye, and go back to those on foot.

Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill

Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill is Ireland’s National Aquarium.

Salthill is also where the waterside walk from the Spanish Arch passes along the promenade, on its way to Blackrock. Salthill Beach holds a Blue Flag if the weather allows a stroll on the sand.

The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren

The Cliffs of Moher have a Coastal Walk, and the Burren is listed among the places to see beyond the Cliffs. The Burren and Cliffs of Moher together form a UNESCO Global Geopark.

Seasonal cruises from Galway City to Inis Mór also return along the Cliffs of Moher. That is the way to see the cliffs without a separate trip.

The South Park and Claddagh walk

This walk is 3.7 miles (6 km) long and starts at the Spanish Arch. The route goes across to the Claddagh Basin, Nimmo’s Pier, South Park, Salthill Promenade and Blackrock. It finishes at the Driving Range on the Barna Road.

Because it links the old town to Salthill, it works as the thread of a day. Walk it one way and plan how you will get back.

When is the best time to visit Galway for sightseeing?

Winter and early spring in Galway are damp and short on sun. February has 14 rainy days, and March has 16 rainy days with about three hours of sun a day. April is milder, with highs of 55°F (13°C) and less rain than the months before it. The museum, the walls and the old-town trails all work as indoor or short outdoor stops, so a wet day can still be planned. A two-day itinerary covers the city first, then County Galway and Connemara.

Beaches and outdoor things to do in Galway

Dog’s Bay and Gurteen Beach lie back to back. Dog’s Bay has white sand made of crushed seashells, a horseshoe shape and about a mile (1.6 km) of Atlantic coastline. Trá an Dóilín (Carraroe Beach) has changing rooms and clear waters, and is lifeguarded during the bathing season. On the Aran Islands, Kilmurvey Beach has fossilised corals and sea urchins along the rocks. Closer to the city, Salthill Beach is a run of sandy and pebbled smaller beaches separated by rocky outcrops, and it has a Blue Flag. Ballyloughane Beach is in Renmore, and Silverstrand beach has a promenade.

For walks, the first open section of the Connemara Greenway is a 3.7-mile (6 km) stretch along the old railway line. The Diamond Hill loop in Connemara National Park takes around three hours, so start in the morning. Merlin Park Woods covers over 80 hectares (about 200 acres) and was donated to the city in 1946. Short city walks include the Lough Atalia walk way, 0.9 mile (1.4 km) from the Department of Defence Barracks in Renmore. The Silverstrand walk way runs 820 feet (250 meters) along the promenade, and the Ballyloughane walk way is 722 feet (220 meters) from the beach.

On the water, Killary Adventure Centre offers kayaking on Killary Fjord, one of just three glacial fjords in the country. A Killary Fjord Cruise lasts 90 minutes.

• Dog’s Bay: shell sand, horseshoe shape · for a long beach walk
• Trá an Dóilín: changing rooms, lifeguard in the bathing season · for a swim with facilities
• Salthill Beach: sandy and pebbled stretches, Blue Flag · for a seaside stop near the city

With facilities and a lifeguard in mind, choose Trá an Dóilín. For white sand, go to Dog’s Bay. For something close to town, Salthill is the one.

Day trips from Galway

Several trip ideas start from or pass through Galway. The ‘Galway and beyond’ trip lasts 3 days over 53 miles (85 km). ‘Ireland’s wild west’ lasts 2 days over 198 miles (318 km). ‘Bays and beaches of Mayo and Galway’ takes 4 days over 188 miles (302 km). A two-day Galway itinerary runs from the city, through Galway Market, the Latin Quarter and Galway City Museum, then into County Galway and Connemara.

• Galway and beyond: 3 days · 53 miles (85 km) · for a slower pace over a short distance
• Dublin to Galway: 3 days · 252 miles (405 km) · for arriving from the east
• Bays and beaches of Mayo and Galway: 4 days · 188 miles (302 km) · for beach time
• Wild Atlantic Way: 10 days · 771 miles (1,241 km) · for a long road trip

With only a weekend, take the two-day wild west idea. With a week or more, the Wild Atlantic Way has the space.

What to eat in Galway

Galway’s restaurants range widely. Aniar is a Michelin-starred restaurant in the city, and Oscar’s Seafood Bistro is on Dominick Street in the historic West End. The Pullman restaurant is housed in two original carriages of the Orient Express, Leona and Linda. In Salthill, Blackrock Cottage serves modern Irish cuisine in a renovated 1830s cottage.

For pubs and oysters, McDonagh’s is on Quay Street, and The King’s Head is an 800-year-old pub and bistro on High Street. Moran’s on the Weir sits beside the historic weir in Kilcolgan. Brigit’s Garden in Roscahill hosted a communal feast on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 6 p.m.

Things to do in Galway at night

Galway holds its big events in the warmer months and at Christmas. The Galway International Arts Festival ran July 13 to 26 in 2026. The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival ran September 25 to 27. Its Irish Oyster Opening Championships were livestreamed from 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 25, and the World Oyster Opening Championship on Saturday, September 26, at 2 p.m. Galway was also the European Capital of Culture in 2020. Check the dates for the next edition before booking.

In winter, the Galway City Christmas Market runs December 14 to 24 at St. Nicholas’s Market.

Things to do in Galway with kids

Children can pan for gold and gems at Glengowla Mines, a show mine built on historic lead and silver mining. Killary Sheep Farm is a traditional working farm with over 200 ewes and lambs. A Killary Fjord Cruise lasts 90 minutes, a manageable length for a boat trip. At Dog’s Bay, the sand is made of seashells.

Aran Island Ferries runs year-round sailings to all the islands from Rossaveel, plus seasonal departures from Galway City to Inis Mór and the Cliffs of Moher. The seasonal cruises from Galway City run March 26 to October 3, 2027.