Galway, Ireland – Quick Getaway

Our last stop before departing the Emerald Isle was the lovable city of Galway. It was a recurring conversation throughout our five weeks in Ireland for Galway to be highly praised and recommended by locals and fellow tourists/ Workaway friends alike. Between its easy walkability, music-filled cobblestone streets, and surprisingly delicious eats, it did not disappoint!

Getting There

While the bus and train system in Ireland is well connected, we found them to be overly expensive. Even short routes were costing us upwards of 30 euros. If you are travelling solo, the buses/trains may still be your best option, but we decided to rent a car for a few days as the price for two bus tickets was roughly the same as the car rental with gas.

As we were coming from Valentia Island, we rented our car from Kerry airport. This seems to be a good hub for picking up a car in this region. If you fly directly into either Dublin or Shannon Airport, you will probably find a good deal from there as well. The best part of renting a car is the freedom it allows you, but be forewarned that most of the roads in Ireland are extremely narrow and at times a bit harrowing. Driving on the left side of the road also takes a bit of getting used to. If you’re in hurry, keep in mind there might be a little “cow traffic”.

Tip: If you book through a site like Expedia, you may be allowed to book your rental without accepting the basic insurances. As we use the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, our rental insurance is usually covered. Unfortunately, we didn’t learn until the pick-up counter that in Ireland you must either purchase the insurance or provide a letter stating proof of coverage from your credit card company. We ended up shelling out an extra 100 euros on the spot to take the car. Don’t be like us.

Where to Stay in Galway

There are plenty of hotels right in town to choose from, but Matt and I usually opt for an Airbnb if we are staying somewhere for more than 1 or 2 nights. Long term travel means we are on a budget and having our own kitchen to prepare a few meals saves us a lot of money!

If you have never booked with Airbnb before, use this link here to sign up and save a little cash on your first stay.

We stayed in a cute little house about a 20 minute walk outside of the city center. This is good option if you aren’t a late-night partier and want to escape the noise. It also meant we were close to several nearby Lidl stores to do our inexpensive shopping. The best parts of this stay were the adorable pup who demanded plenty of cuddles, and the sweet host who provided her own delicious granola for breakfast. These are the small touches a hotel just can’t provide.

Cheap Eats in Galway

Matt and I love to eat and sample the local foods wherever we go. Unfortunately, we don’t have a huge budget during our long term travel. To satisfy our needs AND our wallets, we turn to the cheap eats. We had our fair share of meat and potato dishes during our stay in Valentia Island so we weren’t in search of Guinness stew or shepherd’s pie. Instead we sought after spicy tacos and local creamy ice-cream.

Vocho

This quirky little restaurant caught our eye as we were walking through the East Village of Galway. It is situated inside a shipping container and pumping out some of Galway’s best burritos and tacos. The smell of Mexican spices floating through the air was enough to lure us inside. They offer up good sized portions at reasonable prices. Matt and I shared a taco platter and were full for hours afterward.

Location : 19 Forster Street Galway

Xi’An Street Food

We read about this place online and knew we had to seek it out. Strong, spicy flavors and soy sauce had been missing from our diets for far too long. With a 6 euro noodle box on offer, this was the perfect place to grab a snack to share. If you aren’t eating on a budget, spring for their hand-pulled noodles which seem to be the star at this place. The line to order was long but we were entertained during our wait by the chef proficiently stretching his noodles in plain sight. We grabbed our chopsticks to-go and enjoyed our noodle box in the nearby park.

Location : 9 Quay Street, Galway City

The Chili Shack

If there was one place we contemplated returning to, it was this one. A low-key joint serving up big flavors. Did you just hear Guy Fieri’s voice when you read that? I did. Anyway, even he would be impressed. For not a lot of money we filled the big voids in our bellies. The chili cheese dogs and chicken wings were what we ordered but the burgers seemed to be a popular choice as well. Pop in for a quick lunch to cure that Guinness hangover.

Location : 19 Abbeygate Street Upper, Galway

Murphy’s Ice Cream

Not exactly cheap as far as ice-cream is concerned, but it is truly among the best. Even Conde Nast agrees according to the signage posted on the storefront. Originating in Dingle, Murphy’s has branched out to several Irish cities, including Galway. With every lick it becomes abundantly clear just how much passion goes into their product. We loved that you are able to sample as many flavors as you would like while waiting in line. They also allow you to fill your cone or cup with as many different flavors as you would wish – paying by size, not by scoop. After much deliberation we settled on the Dingle Sea Salt, Irish Brown Bread, Caramel Honeycomb, and Apple Balsamic. Good luck picking just one.

Location : 12 High Street, Galway

Whiskey Flights and Craft Brews

At some point during our 5 weeks in Ireland we began to experience Guinness fatigue. Blasphemy, I know. We still love the beer that passes for breakfast and it will make more regular appearances in our home kitchen, but we needed something a bit more… hoppy. Luckily we found our place in Galway.

The Salt House

In search of an IPA, a porter, or maybe even a sour? With no Guinness, Carlsberg, or Heineken in sight, this place is a nice reprieve from all the other corner pubs that start to blend together. The Salt House is one of many homes to the Galway Bay Brewery beers, of which we tried plenty. With 21 different brews on tap this is a good hangout for any beer lover.

Location : Raven Terrace, Galway

Garavan’s Bar

What is Ireland without Whiskey? It would be entirely too easy to stick to a Jameson neat (believe me I drank my fair share), but we wanted to experiment with a few different labels. There is no better place to do this than at Garavan’s Bar where several different whiskey flights are offered. Ranging from budget to high-end, there is something for everyone. Each flight is served with a high-quality packet of tasting notes and an amicable waiter to give a brief description of what you’ve ordered.

Location : 46 William Street, Galway

Day Trips from Galway

Cliffs of Moher

It is probably a given that the Cliffs of Moher is going to appear in your Irish itinerary, and it should be. It is nature at her best. Unfortunately, it is on everyone else’s itinerary too. To park on site, expect to pay 8 euros per person and then be situated among the masses. Good luck getting your picture without someone else’s extended selfie-arm protruding into your background.

We opted to make the short drive down to nearby Doolin where we parked for free. From there, you can access the coastal walk up the cliffs. If you choose this path, wear good shoes as it is quite a long hike. Though time consuming it is well worth the extra effort in our opinion. Our views along the way were our favorite part of this day and mostly, we were alone.

Grab a quick lunch at Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin before you begin the coastal walk to keep the tummy growls at bay. They had an affordable soup and sandwich combo with an excellent homemade carrot ginger soup.

Dingle Peninsula

If you have a little extra time, why not explore the Dingle Peninsula? It is a bit further from Galway, but absolutely worth the drive. Dingle offered up some of the most amazing views on our Irish adventure. It was on the advice of a couple we met at our cooking school in Morocco that we made the decision to check it out and we couldn’t be happier that we did.

When we stopped off in Dingle Town for lunch, we happened across the best fish and chips of our lives! Yes, even better than London. Just a little shack with a very long line. If you want a quick bite in Dingle, look no further than Dingle Ahoy! Fish & Chips. The batter on the fresh catch of the day was certainly worth raving about.

Another recommendation while in Dingle is to hit up The Little Cheese Shop on your way home for the evening. We picked up a few different cheeses made from the milk of local Kerry cows. In addition to a variety of cheeses, you can also buy local artisan jams, cured meats, and snacks.

We loved our short stay in Galway and if we are lucky enough, one day we will find ourselves there again. If not for another round of whiskey at Garavan’s or a walk around the Galway Bay, maybe just for another dose of that contagious Irish craic.

Sláinte friends,

Megan + Matt