10 Best Things to Do in Galway in a Weekend

I have always wanted to explore more of the Emerald Isle since our first visit to Dublin back in 2014, and as I am spending most of this winter working here, I couldn’t resist a weekend break to Galway.

Galway, the jewel of Ireland’s west coast, offers a perfect blend of history, culture, nature and fun. The city is a vibrant hub of activity, from its medieval streets to the rugged beauty of the surrounding countryside. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or an extended stay, there are countless things to do in Galway, making your trip unforgettable.

With its colourful streets, lively festivals and picturesque scenery, Galway, known as Ireland’s capital of culture is a destination that will enchant you from the moment you arrive. Here are the best things to see and do in Galway, so you don’t miss a single highlight of this beautiful coastal city.

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Best things to do in Galway

Eyre Square

Eyre Square is the heart of the city and a great starting point for sightseeing and people-watching. Officially known as John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, this park has been a meeting place for locals and visitors for centuries and is still one of the most popular places to visit in Galway.

You can sit on a bench, watch street performers or explore the various statues and monuments that reflect Galway’s rich history. This is near Shop Street; the main pedestrian shopping area, where you can browse both high-end and boutique stores.

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Wander the Latin Quarter

I always think the best way to experience Galway is to stop trying so hard – and get lost on purpose. The Latin Quarter is perfect for this. Colourful shopfronts, street musicians and little side streets that beg to be explored – why rush it? Grab a coffee, poke your head into quirky shops, and let the city set the pace.

Quay Lane

You’ll inevitably find yourself strolling down Quay Lane in the Latin Quarter – you can’t miss it! It’s a colourful, lively pedestrian street lined with pubs, shops, cafes, restaurants and many talented musicians performing on various street corners.

It’s organised in a way so that only one artist plays at a time – either that or they’re far enough apart so both songs can’t be heard at the same time. You could spend hours exploring this street.

Soak Up Live Music Everywhere

Is it even Galway if there isn’t music drifting out of a pub door? One of my favourite things to do in Galway is simply to follow the sound of a fiddle or guitar and see where it leads. Tigh Neachtain is a fab pub, as well as the The Crane Bar and Tig Cóilí – you’ll stumble into something special almost every night.

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop

Galway is full of quaint second hand bookshops, but none of them quite compare to this little treasure. The rooms at Charlie Byrne’s are crammed with over 100,000 new, secondhand, old, discounted and out-of-print books. The shelves are lined with books from floor to ceiling, in every genre imaginable, and if you exit the shop at the back (inside the shopping complex), you’ll notice all the discounted books are displayed all around the back and sides of the building – it’s pretty spectacular (and very instagrammable too)!

Galway Market

Experience Galway’s bohemian spirit at the street market. You can’t miss it – they sell everything from fresh produce alongside, ready to eat meals, arts, crafts, cakes and clothing.

The Long Walk

Take a walk out of town, towards the Spanish Arch (two remaining arches from an old city wall) and you’ll see a couple of restaurants, followed by a row of colourful houses facing the waterfront. It’s a nice relaxing walk with a pretty view of the city over the water.

Walk the Salthill Prom

The locals swear by this walk – even when it’s windy, and honestly, I get it. The Salthill Prom is bracing, scenic, and wildly refreshing. Ever watched waves crash while questioning your life choices in a good way? Bonus points if you join in on the tradition of kicking the wall at the end.

Visit Galway City Museum

Galway City Museum is compact, free and surprisingly engaging. Ever wonder how a small city built such a strong cultural identity? This place connects the dots between history, art and modern Galway life. A great place to visit on a rainy day.

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Take a day trip to Connemara

Connemara is one of Ireland’s most iconic locations, a wild and mountainous expanse bordering the Wild Atlantic Way, are it’s one of the best things to do in Galway. Wild landscapes, endless skies and that feeling of being very small in the best possible way. Kylemore Abbey alone is worth the trip — trust me.

At the end of the day, the best things to do in Galway aren’t always about ticking boxes. Sometimes it’s about lingering a little longer than planned, striking up a conversation with a stranger or staying for ‘just one more song.’ And isn’t that kind of magic exactly what you hope to find when you travel?

Where to eat in Galway

The Lighthouse

This is a cute little cosy spot for a vegetarian/vegan lunch or brunch. The menu is quite limited and we weren’t blown away by the food – it was nice enough for a quick bite to eat, but the cafe is tiny and so all the tables are very tightly packed, making it extremely crammed and uncomfortable at times.

Jass went for the soup of the day and I had the hummus on rye with spiced sweet potato, tahini and seeds – it was lovely. The service was great and I would go back – just before midday next time though as their breakfast menu sounds a bit more appealing.

Cupán Tae

This quaint, homely little tea shop is the perfect spot to take a break from walking around all day and have afternoon tea. The vintage decor is designed to take you back in time and is reminiscent of a grandma’s house. It’s cozy, warm and inviting – just like a soothing cup of tea.

There is an entire menu dedicated to tea; with so much choice available, and a small selection of coffee and hot chocolate. I went for the ‘Truffle Kerfuffle’; a black tea with macadamia nuts, cocoa kernels and coconut chips. I had it without milk and it was nutty and sweet without being sickly sweet – simply delicious!

Jass went for the ‘Dreamy Creamy Galway tea’; a black tea that contains coffee beans and jasmine flowers. It’s meant to have a subtle coffee flavour, and though we couldn’t detect it, he loved it. I’m not a tea drinker, and so I much preferred my own one as it was that little bit sweeter.

We didn’t have afternoon tea as we weren’t hungry enough, but we did share a slice of coffee and walnut cake. The portion was huge but it was oh so good!

There’s also small shop at the back where they have all the loose leaf tea available to purchase.

Coffeewerk + Press

After all that tea, I needed a coffee! – I know what you’re thinking, but as I’m not usually a tea drinker, it makes me sleepy whenever I do. We found this cute spot on Quay Street which has a really unique concept, reminiscent of Scandinavian design.

The coffee shop, downstairs, make their own coffee which is available to buy, alongside postcards and prints by local artists, while upstairs is home to a little gallery and design shop with a few seats overlooking Quay Street. It’s a lovely place to sit and relax – and the coffee is pure perfection too!

Dough Bros

This popular hipster joint has a pretty cool concept and has an interesting story behind it. It started as a food truck, which turned into a pop-up restaurant and then this permanent restaurant complete with a huge wood-fired oven and industrial elements; tiles, upcycled furniture and music paraphernalia around the place. Their menu is innovative, brilliant for vegans and the pizza’s divine – with fresh, flavoursome toppings, delicious dips, perfect crusts, craft beers and a casual vibe, it’s one not to miss!

Trust me, it’d be a crime not to order the Garlic Firebread – it was up there with some of the best garlic bread I’ve ever had! This, dunked into the chilli mayo crust dip is a match made in heaven.

Jass went for The Tandoori; ‘San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Tandoori Chicken, Corn, Pickled Chilli, Mint and Cucumber Yoghurt, Coriander & Lime’, and I chose the Vegan Tandoori; ‘San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Violife Vegan Cheese, Tandoori roasted Cauliflower, Pickled Chilli, Corn, Mint and Cucumber Soy Yoghurt, Coriander & Lime’.

They were both delicious, but in all honesty, I was eyeing up the pizza the girl sat next to us had ordered; The Fun Guy – ‘a whack of oven roasted mushrooms, young buck blue cheese, garlic, on a cream, parmesan & mozzarella base’ – that had my name written all over it and the one I’d pick next time!

Take a food tour in Galway

Galway is a sneaky foodie destination, and there are two popular food tours in Galway. If you have some time during your visit, this is a fun way of experiencing all the local foods:

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Where to stay in Galway

We stayed at the Clayton Hotel, a contemporary 4* hotel in Galway and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

We intentionally chose a hotel with free parking, that isn’t in the city centre as this can work out to be very costly – particularly in Galway where parking is pretty extortionate anyway. It worked out well as this is only less than 4 miles away from the city centre (about a 10 minute drive).

Our room was incredibly spacious, clean and comfortable. Wifi speed was very decent, which was fab as we had to spend Friday working from the hotel. While we didn’t have breakfast in the hotel, there is the option to add this to your booking, and there’s also an independent coffee shop in the hotel lobby which serve great coffee.

We stayed in room 317 which looked out onto a dual carriageway, so it was pretty noisy throughout the day. There was also a lot of draught coming in through the windows which was pretty annoying, so I’d ask to stay in a different room next time.

It’s also worth noting that there is a swimming pool, sauna and steam room at this hotel, which is fab – if only we’d packed some swimwear for this trip! *insert face palm emoji*

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