How to Spend 2 Days in Galway

Galway is a compact, walkable, and welcoming city—one well-suited to travelers on tight schedules. With two days, you can explore the traditional pubs and cobbled streets of the town center, as well as a few of the scenic locales in the surrounding countryside. Here’s how to best enjoy 48 hours in Galway.

Day 1: All Things Galway

**Morning:**Maximize your time with a morning sightseeing tour. Cruise by top sights such as Eyre Square, the Spanish Arch, and Salthill Promenade on a hop-on hop-off bus, making your own itinerary. For a more active experience, wander around town on foot (Wi-Fi will help you find your way) or by bike.

**Afternoon:**With the ocean and farms on its doorstep, it’s little wonder Galway’s dining scene is among Ireland’s best. Nibble your way through the city on a food tour. Alternatively, delve into the rapidly growing Irish whiskey scene with a tasting tour, or a visit to a local poitín and gin distillery.

**Night:**Experience Galway’s legendary nightlife. Enjoy some pub grub followed by a casual live music session in a city center bar, or get tickets for an Irish entertainment show that includes fiddlers, whistlers, pipers, singers, and award-winning Irish dancers.

Day 2: Beyond the City Limits

**Morning:**Some of Ireland’s most spectacular and rugged scenery is found just beyond Galway City in the region known as Connemara. Take a cruise around Killary Fjord, go sea kayaking along the Atlantic coast, and horseback ride along a picturesque sandy beach. 

**Afternoon:**From Connemara, drive south to see one of Ireland’s scenic must-sees: the Cliffs of Moher. Extending for miles along the coast of County Clare, these sheer cliffs rise up from the Atlantic swells. Travelers without cars can take half-day tours from Galway City.

**Night:**Cap off the night with an extra special evening experience: a medieval-style banquet in Dunguaire Castle on the edge of Galway Bay. As well as a multicourse feast of traditional foods, there’s also entertainment courtesy of singers, storytellers, and performers reading extracts from Irish literary luminaries.