K&A’s Adventures in:
Galway/Aran Islands
Galway/Aran Islands is a wonderful place that truly incapsulates the pure magic of Ireland.
I have been to Galway/Aran Islands multiple times. My first time was in 2005. Despite all the other places we have seen since 2005, Galway and the Aran Islands remain at the top of our favorites list. Galway is an amazing town that somehow manages to keep up with the ever-changing times while maintaining a solid footing in the best of Ireland’s past. You will find friendly pubs, amazing trad music, delicious food and perfectly poured Guinness. Don’t waste your time trying to find all of this in Dublin. Don’t get me wrong, Dublin is a cool city but it is a basic big city with an Irish accent. We love a layover in Dublin and would take it over most US cities but Ireland has so much more to offer than Dublin. See our Dublin section for our fun suggestions and wish list for our next trip.
I have flown into Shannon and Dublin airports and both are easily accessed via the bus. I have used the Dublin bus several times and it is easy to include a quick visit around Dublin before heading west to Galway. The bus is comfortable and allows you a great view of the Irish country side. It really is the greenest place on earth. If you look closely, you might even see some sheep goofing off in the random ravines and pastures.
Arriving in Galway is easy and the town is super walkable. We always walk from the bus station to either our Airbnb, hotel, or hostel. Best case scenario we are able to spend at least two nights in Galway and two nights on the Aran Islands.
Pro-Tip: Spend at least a night on the Aran Islands. The Aran Islands are much like a cruise location. You will miss out on the true unique beauty of the islands if you don’t stay overnight. By staying overnight, you can enjoy a delicious Irish breakfast and be climbing up Dun Aohghasa before the first ferry docks. This experience alone is worth the night on the island.
We spend most of our time wondering around Galway. Click here to see a map of our favortie spots. We love hopping in and out of pubs along the way but our absolute favorite pub to settle in is Tigh Chóilí. Tigh Chóilí has it all. Their trad music is spectacular and you are always surrounded by amazing locals, including the owners. If you go early in the morning the local elders will be coming into the bar for their tea and gossip session. We love to grab a morning pint and enjoy the banter. Whatever time of day you are able to swing by it is always worth it. It does get crowded at night and for the trad sessions but grab a pint and enjoy soaking in a truly local pub experience. If you are there when it is less crowded be prepared for some friendly ribbing from the bartenders. They are hilarious and love playing jokes on regulars and tourists alike.
Sunset by the Spanish arches is beautiful and a great place for a picnic. It will get crowded on nice days. Keep your eyes peeled for kayakers riding done the River Corrib. You can follow a path along the river and watch the kayakers drop in.
Salthill Prom is a fun walk from Galway. We like to follow the coast and always have a couple yummy beers and snacks along for the adventure. If you are visiting in warmer weather, we absolutely recommend taking your bathing suit and join in with the locals as they jump into the ocean from the Prom. We haven’t been during warm weather/summer but this is top on our Galway bucket list.
The Aran Islands are amazing and shouldn’t be missed. We have spent time on Inis Mor. The ferry ride over is easy and affordable. If you are there in the spring and summer you can catch a ferry from Galway City but if you are traveling in the off season you need to catch a bus in Galway to your ferry. We buy our roundtrip ticket in Galway at the Aran Island Ferry office. Your ferry ticket will include your bus transfer. The bus takes around 45min and is along the coast. The ferry is a passenger ferry with no auto option. The ferry also takes about 45min and is beautiful.
The ferry dock on Inis Mor provides easy access to the island. We rent our bikes from Aran Islands Bike Hire. They are located right next to the ferry. Once you have your bike, it is time to enjoy exploring the island. The island is easy to navigate and extremely bike friendly. Our first stop is usually Joe Watty’s pub and Seafood Bar. We typically become frequent visitors here. They have tasty food, great beer, delicious Irish Coffee, and great bartenders. Our house Irish Coffee recipe comes from our favorite bartender, Helena, at this bar. We have enjoyed all the food from here and recommend asking what their freshest seafood of the day is and going with that. Our favorites include the seafood chowder, brown bread, mussels, and the desserts! We love to pop in and out for snacks and beer throughout the day and we usually pick one night to have dinner there. We also make sure to visit the other pubs on the island. They are delicious and each provide a unique pub feel.
If you are lucky enough to be at Joe Watty’s during their slow season, you might even get a chance to play some darts. I was lucky enough to play darts with a local fisherman and a local handyman. The fisherman let me think I had a chance of beating him until the very end when he crushed me. I did end up getting second and winning 40 euros. I’m not sure the local handyman will ever be able to live down losing to me, the American girl that had never really played darts, but man what a cool fucking experience! It was one of our best nights ever in a bar and the reason we have (and always will have) a dart board in our living room.
PRO-TIP: Take the first ferry of the day but don’t go to Dun Aohghasa till your second day. Let everyone on your ferry rush to fit in all the sites, while you check into your BnB, do a quick shopping trip at the Spar, and grab a pint. Pick up your favorite picnic snacks and head to the Seal Colony Viewpoint and/or beach for a nice lunch. The next morning wake up early and time it so that you are at Dun Aohghasa right when it opens. You will be able to start your hike and avoid the ferry crowds. In the off season, you will most likely have it fully to yourself. This is precisely what happened to us in December 2017 and it was magical. This experience alone is worth the night on the island.
The Worm Hole is an adventure that shouldn’t be missed. You need to visit at low tide and we got our tidal info from the amazing Helena who is now at Teach Nan Phaidi. It is a scavenger hunt of sorts. You have to take a stroll down a road that almost feels like a private driveway and then weave your way through fields of rocks searching for the marked rocks that lead you to breathtaking views along the coast and to the grand prize: The Worm Hole!! I’m purposely not giving extensive instructions because I believe that the adventure of finding your way, along with several wrong turns is a large part of the magic behind the worm hole. Our first time there, we had it all to ourselves and the second time we saw two or three other people. I have included several pics to help give you an idea of what your adventure will look like.
I also believe that there are tours that will take you there but I highly recommend avoiding them and setting out on your own to have a truly epic worm hole experience.
