3 Days in Galway: What I Did, What I Loved & What I’d Do Again
Galway was the final stop of my summer Europe trip, and I honestly think it came at the perfect time.
After traveling through Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Dublin, and Northern Ireland, I was ready for somewhere that felt a little slower. I still wanted to explore and see as much as I could, obviously, but Galway ended up being one of those places where simply walking around and seeing where I ended up was half the fun.
I had about three days in Galway, including one full-day trip to the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher. It ended up being a really good amount of time for a first visit. Here is exactly how I spent it!
Day 1: Dublin to Galway + Exploring the City
I took the train from Dublin to Galway and arrived around 2:00 PM.
I was staying at HYDE Hotel, and I got VERY lucky because my room was already ready when I arrived. There is truly nothing better than arriving somewhere after a travel day and realizing you don't have to drag your luggage around for another three hours. The hotel was LOVELY! A great big and clean room, and it even had a little balcony I wasn’t expecting. The staff was super friendly and professional. It also had AC and amenities (which we know are not a given in European hotels!).
HYDE Hotel and other hotels in Galway!
I dropped everything off and pretty much immediately headed back out to explore. And I covered a surprising amount of Galway that first afternoon! I wandered through the Latin Quarter, walked around the city center, made my way over to the Long Walk, and mostly just let myself explore without having a super strict plan. This was actually one of my favorite things about Galway. The center is really walkable, so I never felt like I needed to figure out transportation or carefully map out every stop. I could just walk. It was also an IDEAL time for using my Kodak PixPro camera! I mean, look at these photos!
For dinner, I went to The Dough Bros, which had been on my list, and then obviously dinner needed dessert. So I stopped at Murphy's Ice Cream. An excellent first-night combination, if you ask me. Also, both totally live up to the hype!
FIELD NOTE: If you arrive in Galway in the afternoon, don't write off that first day! I was surprised by how much I was able to see just by walking around for a few hours. I wouldn't schedule a major activity, but I would absolutely give yourself time to explore.
Day 2: Aran Islands + Cliffs of Moher
This was my BIG Galway day! I booked a full-day Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher tour through Viator, and this ended up being one of the highlights of my time in Ireland. If you know me, you know I love using Viator when I travel. It is easy to book, I love how you don’t need to charge your card right away, and I LOVE how you can see (and how it is basically built on) real customer reviews.
Our driver was also our guide, which I loved. Throughout the day, he shared information about the places we were passing, pointed out landmarks, and gave us context that I definitely wouldn't have gotten if I had just figured out transportation on my own.
First Stop: The Aran Islands
We visited Inis Oírr, the smallest of the three Aran Islands. And it RAINED. Because...Ireland. But we made the most of it!
I actually think imperfect weather is just part of traveling. You're probably not going to get perfect blue skies every single day of a trip, especially in Ireland, and you can't let that ruin the experience. I ended up in a little café and shared a table with a lovely family who were visiting from the mainland for a children’s “Gaelic Football” match. Apparently it is different from regular football (ie soccer!) They actually invited me to watch, but I had to catch the ferry.
And this brings me to one of the biggest reasons I was glad I chose this particular tour…
Seeing the Cliffs of Moher From the Water
On the ferry back, we got to see the Cliffs of Moher FROM BELOW. This was a HUGE highlight.
Most of the photos you see of the Cliffs of Moher are obviously taken from the top, so getting to see them first from the water gave me a completely different perspective on how massive they actually are. If you're comparing different Cliffs of Moher tours from Galway, I would specifically look at whether seeing the cliffs from the water is included. For me, that was one of the things that made the full-day tour so worth it.
There is ONE thing I would prepare for, though. Motion sickness. The ferry can be rough. If you're someone who gets motion sick, this is absolutely something I would plan for ahead of time. I needed motion sickness medication and was very glad I had it with me. Honestly, two of the handiest products I had during ALL of my summer travels were meclazine (ie NON-DROWSY Dramamine) and pressure point bands! Could they be a placebo? Sure! But a placebo still works! All of the staff on the ferry are super inviting and accommodating, though! So not to worry. I also went on a particularly rainy day.
Related Field Note: [Five Niche Travel Products I Actually Used on My Summer Travels]
Lunch in Doolin
After the ferry, we stopped in Doolin and had lunch at a local pub. This was another reason I liked doing the full-day tour. It wasn't just Aran Islands, Cliffs, done. There were little pieces throughout the day that let us experience more of the area. After lunch, it was time to head to the top of the cliffs.
And Somehow, the Sun Came Out
Remember how I said it had been rainy? Well, somehow, the weather decided to cooperate at EXACTLY the right moment. By the time we reached the top of the Cliffs of Moher, the sun came out. It genuinely felt like we had gotten so lucky. After seeing the cliffs from below on the ferry, we were now standing at the top looking out over the water. Getting both perspectives in the same day was probably my favorite part of the entire tour. And honestly, the rain earlier made me appreciate that little bit of sunshine even more. We actually got REALLY lucky though, because literally the SECOND we got on the bus, DOWNPOUR and WIND GALORE!
The Drive Back to Galway
Even the drive back didn't feel like wasted time. Our driver continued pointing out different locations and landmarks along the way, so I felt like I was still seeing and learning things even when we were technically just getting from one place to another. This is one of the reasons I sometimes LOVE booking a guided day trip when I'm somewhere new. Could I research everything myself? Sure. But there is something completely different about having someone local say, "Look over there," and suddenly you're learning about something you never would have known to Google.
By the time we got back to Galway, it had been a very full day. I ended up having an amazing dinner right at my hotel, which was honestly exactly what I wanted after being out all day. No additional adventure required.
Lunch in Doolin
After the ferry, we stopped in Doolin and had lunch at a local pub. This was another reason I liked doing the full-day tour. It wasn't just Aran Islands, Cliffs, done. There were little pieces throughout the day that let us experience more of the area. After lunch, it was time to head to the top of the cliffs.
And Somehow, the Sun Came Out
Remember how I said it had been rainy? Well, somehow, the weather decided to cooperate at EXACTLY the right moment. By the time we reached the top of the Cliffs of Moher, the sun came out. It genuinely felt like we had gotten so lucky. After seeing the cliffs from below on the ferry, we were now standing at the top looking out over the water. Getting both perspectives in the same day was probably my favorite part of the entire tour. And honestly, the rain earlier made me appreciate that little bit of sunshine even more. We actually got REALLY lucky though, because literally the SECOND we got on the bus, DOWNPOUR and WIND GALORE!
The Drive Back to Galway
Even the drive back didn't feel like wasted time. Our driver continued pointing out different locations and landmarks along the way, so I felt like I was still seeing and learning things even when we were technically just getting from one place to another. This is one of the reasons I sometimes LOVE booking a guided day trip when I'm somewhere new. Could I research everything myself? Sure. But there is something completely different about having someone local say, "Look over there," and suddenly you're learning about something you never would have known to Google.
By the time we got back to Galway, it had been a very full day. I ended up having an amazing dinner right at my hotel, which was honestly exactly what I wanted after being out all day. No additional adventure required.
Day 3: More Galway
For my final day, I went back to one of my favorite activities: walking. I had already seen a surprising amount of Galway on my first afternoon, so I didn't feel like I had a giant checklist hanging over me. I could go back to areas I liked, wander into shops, stop when something looked interesting, and just enjoy actually being there. And I think that's something I would recommend when planning Galway. Don't schedule every second. There are absolutely things worth booking, especially if you want to get outside the city and see places like the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher. But Galway itself was one of those places I enjoyed most when I wasn't following an itinerary.
Was Three Days in Galway Enough?
For me, yes. Especially because I was adding Galway onto a larger Ireland trip. Arriving around 2:00 PM still gave me a substantial first afternoon; I had an entire day dedicated to the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher, and then I had another day to explore Galway. If you wanted to take several different day trips from Galway, I would stay longer. But for a first visit, I felt like I got a really nice mix of the city and the surrounding area.
What I'd Absolutely Do Again
I would take the train from Dublin again. I would stay somewhere central and walkable. I would leave part of my itinerary completely open for wandering. And I would 100% book a day trip that included both the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher again. Seeing the cliffs from the ferry and then later standing on top of them made that experience especially memorable. Just bring the motion sickness meds.
Seriously.
Planning Your Own Galway Adventure?
If you're putting together a Galway trip, these are the three places I'd start:
Where to stay: HYDE Hotel or browse other hotels in Galway!
Tour I booked: The Aran Islands + Cliffs of Moher Tour
Some of my favorite travel products!
And maybe leave a little blank space on your itinerary. You never know what you'll find when you just start walking.
The Drive Back to Galway
Even the drive back didn't feel like wasted time. Our driver continued pointing out different locations and landmarks along the way, so I felt like I was still seeing and learning things even when we were technically just getting from one place to another. This is one of the reasons I sometimes LOVE booking a guided day trip when I'm somewhere new. Could I research everything myself? Sure. But there is something completely different about having someone local say, "Look over there," and suddenly you're learning about something you never would have known to Google.
By the time we got back to Galway, it had been a very full day. I ended up having an amazing dinner right at my hotel, which was honestly exactly what I wanted after being out all day. No additional adventure required.
Lunch in Doolin
After the ferry, we stopped in Doolin and had lunch at a local pub. This was another reason I liked doing the full-day tour. It wasn't just Aran Islands, Cliffs, done. There were little pieces throughout the day that let us experience more of the area. After lunch, it was time to head to the top of the cliffs.
And Somehow, the Sun Came Out
Remember how I said it had been rainy? Well, somehow, the weather decided to cooperate at EXACTLY the right moment. By the time we reached the top of the Cliffs of Moher, the sun came out. It genuinely felt like we had gotten so lucky. After seeing the cliffs from below on the ferry, we were now standing at the top looking out over the water. Getting both perspectives in the same day was probably my favorite part of the entire tour. And honestly, the rain earlier made me appreciate that little bit of sunshine even more. We actually got REALLY lucky though, because literally the SECOND we got on the bus, DOWNPOUR and WIND GALORE!
The Drive Back to Galway
Even the drive back didn't feel like wasted time. Our driver continued pointing out different locations and landmarks along the way, so I felt like I was still seeing and learning things even when we were technically just getting from one place to another. This is one of the reasons I sometimes LOVE booking a guided day trip when I'm somewhere new. Could I research everything myself? Sure. But there is something completely different about having someone local say, "Look over there," and suddenly you're learning about something you never would have known to Google.
By the time we got back to Galway, it had been a very full day. I ended up having an amazing dinner right at my hotel, which was honestly exactly what I wanted after being out all day. No additional adventure required.
Day 3: More Galway
For my final day, I went back to one of my favorite activities: walking. I had already seen a surprising amount of Galway on my first afternoon, so I didn't feel like I had a giant checklist hanging over me. I could go back to areas I liked, wander into shops, stop when something looked interesting, and just enjoy actually being there. And I think that's something I would recommend when planning Galway. Don't schedule every second. There are absolutely things worth booking, especially if you want to get outside the city and see places like the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher. But Galway itself was one of those places I enjoyed most when I wasn't following an itinerary.
Was Three Days in Galway Enough?
For me, yes. Especially because I was adding Galway onto a larger Ireland trip. Arriving around 2:00 PM still gave me a substantial first afternoon; I had an entire day dedicated to the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher, and then I had another day to explore Galway. If you wanted to take several different day trips from Galway, I would stay longer. But for a first visit, I felt like I got a really nice mix of the city and the surrounding area.
What I'd Absolutely Do Again
I would take the train from Dublin again. I would stay somewhere central and walkable. I would leave part of my itinerary completely open for wandering. And I would 100% book a day trip that included both the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher again. Seeing the cliffs from the ferry and then later standing on top of them made that experience especially memorable. Just bring the motion sickness meds.
Seriously.
Planning Your Own Galway Adventure?
If you're putting together a Galway trip, these are the three places I'd start:
Where to stay: HYDE Hotel or browse other hotels in Galway!
Tour I booked: The Aran Islands + Cliffs of Moher Tour
Some of my favorite travel products!
…And maybe leave a little blank space on your itinerary. You never know what you'll find when you just start walking.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase or book through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.