Things to Do this Summer in Galway
Come hail, rain or shine - heres our List of Things to Do in Galway this Summer
If you are planning a Summer Staycation in Galway we've put together a list of some of the Top Things to Do this Summer in Galway
As Ireland slowly reopens to an uncertain future we can be assured of one thing that family and spending quality time with loved ones will never be taken for granted again. Over the past few months we had to depend on technology to stay in touch as we all yearned for the days when we can pack up and explore the Irish countryside.
salthill
Salthill is just outside the city but undoubtably one of the most popular places to spend a sunny day thanks to its promenade and numerous sandy beaches. The promenade covers approximately 3km of coastline, overlooking Galway Bay. This is an ideal area for jogging, rollerblading or just out for a relaxing stroll. The hills of County Clare are visible across the Bay on a clear day and benches are provided along the seafront. Blackrock diving tower is one of Galway’s most iconic locations, always a popular location during the Galway summer. Salthill has many great bars and restaurants as well as several tourist attractions like Micil Distillary which is definitely worth a visit, the Galway Atlantaquaria and the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden.
Barna Woods
There’s no doubt that going for a walk has countless benefits and Galway is absolutely blessed with countless fabulous walking routes. Getting back to nature has health and wellbeing benefits which is fantastic that you can do this in beautiful surroundings. Barna Woods is very close to Galway City on the Barna Road and is popular with tourists and locals alike for walks all year round, whether its during the summer and the sunlight filters through the leaves of the majestic trees or the autumnal vibes with a cocaphony of colour as the leaves carpet the ground.
Aran Islands
A daytrip to the Aran Islands is a must during a stay in Galway. The Aran Islands offer visitors a glimpse into a way of life that has long since disappeared from most of the world. Filled with traditional Irish culture, the islands offer breath-taking scenery, ecclesiastical ruins and world-renowned stone forts. Aran Island Ferries provide top class and regular trips to the Islands so check out their timetable to find the sailing that suits you when they return in August.
Galway Bay Golf
“Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.” This is a pretty accurate description but this has done nothing to diminish its popularity. The West of Ireland is blessed with a proliferation of great courses including the beautiful Galway Bay Golf Resort, the Christy O Connor Jnr designed links course is a golfer’s dream. If you have the clubs in the back of the car just log onto the Galway Bay Golf Resort Website, book your tee time, and enjoy the stunning views and the lovingly manicured greens.
Visit Connemara
Connemara is Irish landscape at its most dramatic. With soaring mountains, scattered loughs and an intricate coastline, this remote part of Galway is a world away from the trappings of urban life. Two mountain ranges dominate the area – the rugged Maumturks and the cluster of quartzite peaks known as the Twelve Bens. Between them, they offer up some of the most challenging and exciting hill walking in the country. Connemara National Park, near Letterfrack, is the perfect place to start exploring. Encompassing almost 3,000 hectares of mountain, bog and woodland, the Park’s visitor centre is the ideal spot to start your 7km walk up the 400m high Diamond Hill – the undisputed highlight of the Park. Gravel footpaths and wooden boardwalks ease your passage over the bog as you approach the mountains.
Galway City
Galway is rightly famed for its, wonderful pubs, restaurants, shops and festivals but it’s the city itself which has a unique atmosphere that blends together all the best elements of its people. It’s impossible to walk through the streets without sensing it. Both an outpost facing west towards the Americas and a gateway to Europe, Galway stands at a pivotal vantage point on the West Coast of Ireland. Galway’s historic Spanish Arch, the remainder of a centuries-old bastion, is a reminder of the city’s multi-cultural, multi-lingual history and present-day character where imagination, commerce and the arts flourish.
