Enjoy a creamy pint of Guinness in traditional pubs
Dine & Drink
Galway and Barna offer a massive range of dining and drinking destinations for all tastes. Explore, discover and enjoy cosy, small and independent cafes to Michelin star restaurants and everything in between.
Here are just a few of our recommendations - don’t worry we send all of our guests a huge list of our favourites from Barna, Salthill and Galway:
O’Gradys On The Pier — The two-floor restaurant offers some of the best views of Galway Bay and an atmosphere that enhances any dining experience. More Info →
Twelve Pins Bar & Restaurant — Cosy and lively bar and casual restaurant in The Twelve Pins in Barna. Great staff serve a selection of beers, wines and cocktails plus they have an amazing pizzeria too. More Info →
The West Restaurant — We LOVE this place and recognition has come around…They just been awarded The Best Fine Dining Experience in a hotel setting at The National Restaurants Awards, May 2019. More Info →
Loam — Loam is a Michelin-starred restaurant and wine bar located just off Eyre Square in Galway city. More Info →
Natural Wonders
The Cliffs of Moher — Ireland’s most visited natural attraction with a magical vista that captures the hearts of up to one million visitors every year. Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point they stretch for 8 kilometres (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast of County Clare in the west of Ireland. More Info →
Connemara National Park & Kylemore Abbey — Situated in the West of Ireland in County Galway, Connemara National Park covers some 2,957 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands. Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, one of Ireland’s best-loved and most iconic tourist attractions and home to the Benedictine nuns since 1920. More Info →
The Wild Atlantic Way — Have you ever dreamed of embarking on a journey of discovery, to hidden places and secret worlds where all kinds of enchantments lie waiting for you? Well now you can, along the wildest, most captivating, coastal driving route in the world – Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way! The 2,500 km of driving route is ideal for driving, walking or cycling. More Info →
The magnificent Kylemore Abbey
Castles
Below is a list of the top 10 castles to be found in county Galway. There are loads of castles but these are some of our favourites:
Ardamullivan Castle
near Derry, County Galway
Ardamullivan Castle is situated on a rocky outcrop surrounded by trees, about 5 miles south of Gort The castle is a is a restored six storey tower house. Part of the original defensive wall remains. Read more >
Athenry Castle
near Athenry and Kingsland, County Galway
The castle is situated in the centre of the town of Athenry, 15 miles east of Galway in the west of Ireland. Athenry castle consists of a three-storey keep surrounded by a defensive curtain wall with two round towers. The keep was originally two. Read more >
Aughanure Castle
near Lough Corrib, County Galway
Aughanure Castle is situated 2 miles from the village of Oughterard, on the banks of the Drimneed River close to the shores of Lough Corrib. The Aughanure Castle site comprises of a well preserved tower house and circular watchtower with its stone... Read more >
Ballynahinch Castle
Connemara Mountains, County Galway
Ballynahinch Castle is 41 miles west of Galway between Roundstone and Recess. It is set in 450 acres of private woodland overlooking the Twelve Bens mountain range and the river Ballynahinch. The appearance is more that of a crenellated Victorian... Read more >
Dunguaire Castle
near Kinvara, County Galway
Read more >
Fiddaun Castle
Tubber, County Galway
Fiddaun Castle is a tower house situated between Lough Doo and Lough Aslaun, near the village of Tubber, about five miles south west of Gort. The most notable feature of this rectangular tower house is the remarkably well preserved inner bawn wall.... Read more >
Glinsk Castle
Glinsk, County Galway
Glinsk Castle is situated in the River Suck valley about 4 miles south east of Ballymoe and 4 miles north west of Creggs village in County Galway. The Castle is rectangular in plan with two square towers projecting from the southern side. It has... Read more >
Oliver Cromwell's Fort
Inishbofin, County Galway
Oliver Cromwell's Fort is located on Inishbofin Island about 5 miles off the Connemara coast in County Galway, Ireland. The fort is a star-shaped fort perched on a rocky headland on Inishbofin Island, a relatively small island about 5.5 km long and... Read more >
Portumna Castle
near Port Omna and Caher, County Galway
Read more >
Tyrone House
near Kilcolgan, County Galway
Tyrone House stands on an outcrop by the sea, about two miles from Kilcolgan village in Ireland’s County Galway. The structure is now a roofless and windowless ruin, made of blue-cut limestone, and stands three storeys high. Wild ivy covers its... Read more >
Beaches
Galway is an enviable city as it has an abundance of beautiful beaches close to the city, and some of the best beaches on the west coast of Ireland within its county. The closest beach to Galway is in Salthill, a short walk from the city centre along the promenade which starts in The Claddagh area. There are three separate beaches in Salthill which are very popular with visitors and residents during the summer and many of the more resilient locals continue their swimming all year round when the weather is less forgiving. The diving board at Blackrock at the end of the Salthill promenade is a magnet for swimmers and dares brave souls to test their mettle against the swirling Atlantic sea below. Salthill beach along with most of the larger beaches in the county are monitored by lifeguards from May to September. Below is our list of some but not all of the great beaches in Galway.
Dogs Bay / Gurteen Bay Beaches
Lying back to back, Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay are two of the most beautiful beaches in County Galway and probably in the West of Ireland. They are situated only 2 miles outside the picturesque village of Roundstone in Connemara, Co. Galway. Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay make up one of the finest stretches of coastline in Connemara, offering uncompromising views of Errisbeg and the surrounding countryside.
Dogs Bay is a spectacular horseshoe shaped bay with more than a mile long stretch of white sandy beach. Similar to Gurteen Bay, the sand is not comprised of traditional limestone but rather made entirely of fragments of seashells which give it a pure white colour.
Both beaches are well sheltered from currents and are considered safe for swimming and other watersports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. The are also wonderful destinations for walking.
Location: Roundstone, Co. Galway
Silver Strand Beach
Silverstrand has a safe, shallow, sandy beach of approximately 0.25km bounded on one side by a cliff and the other by rocks. It is particularly popular with and suitable for young families. It faces directly into Galway Bay giving spectacular views. There is a promenade with parking capacity for about 60 vehicles. It is suitable for swimming at low tide but the beach is largely covered during high tides. It is lifeguarded during the summer months. Only 2 miles from Salthill.
Location: Barna, Galway
Coral Beach Carraroe
Carraroe beach, which is also known as Trá an Dóilin is an area of great natural beauty. The beach is noted for its very fine coral. The beach is lifeguarded and has toilets throughout the bathing season. There are lots of little rock pools to explore along with good snorkling and is usually less busy that the city beaches.
Location: Carraroe, Co. Galway
Salthill Beach
The beach at Salthill is actually several small beaches separated by outcrops. Some of the beaches are sandy and some pebbly. It is located in Galway city and overlooking Galway Bay, a Special Area of Conservation. The beach is lifeguarded from mid-May to the end of September from 11 am to 7 pm. Salthill beach has been a blue flag beach and enormously popular in fine weather during the summer.
Location: Salthill, Galway City
Kilmurvey Beach
Kilmurvey Beach is a magnificent sandy beach with blue flag status on Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands. It is perfectly safe for swimming for those of all ages as there are no strong currents unlike some of the more hidden and inaccessible beaches. The white sand contrasts beautifully with the blue water on a sunny day. There are some perfect picnic spots on the dunes and toilets near the roads. When the tide is right you can jump off the old pier into the clear water.
Location: Inis Mor, Aran Islands, Co. Galway