Dún Aonghasa
Dún Aonghasa is one of the largest prehistoric stone forts in Europe and stands guard over Inis Mór on the edge of a 100-metre sheer cliff drop.
Mima Foto / Stocksy United
County Galway
County Galway's exuberant namesake city is a swirl of colourful shop-lined streets filled with buskers and performance artists, enticing old pubs that hum with trad music sessions throughout the year, and an increasingly sophisticated food scene that celebrates local produce.
Some of Ireland's most picturesque scenery fans out from Galway's city limits, particularly along the breathtaking Connemara Peninsula. Tiny roads wander along a coastline studded with islands, dazzling white sandy beaches and intriguing villages; the interior shelters heath-strewn boglands, glassy lakes, looming mountains and isolated valleys. In the county's east, towns with medieval remains give way to rolling farmland.
Offshore, the wild and beautiful eroded swathes of the Aran Islands possess a desolate and windswept yet entrancing aura, and offer a glimpse into Irish life of centuries past.
Explore County Galway
- Dún Aonghasa
Dún Aonghasa is one of the largest prehistoric stone forts in Europe and stands guard over Inis Mór on the edge of a 100-metre sheer cliff drop.
- Aughnanure Castle
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…
- Connemara National Park
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
- Galway City Museum
Exhibits at this modern, three-floor museum engagingly convey the city's archaeological, political, cultural and social history. Look out for an iconic…
- KKylemore Abbey
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
- Spanish Arch
The Spanish Arch is thought to be an extension of Galway's medieval city walls, designed to protect ships moored at the nearby quay while they unloaded…
- DDunguaire Castle
Erected around 1520 by the O'Hynes clan, Dunguaire Castle sits on the fringes of Kinvara on the former site of the 6th-century royal palace of Guaire…
- PPatrick Pearse's Cottage
Pádraig Pearse (Patrick Pearse; 1879–1916) wrote some of his short stories and plays on the shore of a remote lake in this small thatched cottage, which…
- DDún Dúchathair
Many locals pick this ruined ancient fort, dating from the Iron Age or early medieval period, as their favourite Inishmore historic sight. It's…
Latest Stories from County Galway
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout County Galway.
- See
Dún Aonghasa
Dún Aonghasa is one of the largest prehistoric stone forts in Europe and stands guard over Inis Mór on the edge of a 100-metre sheer cliff drop.
- See
Aughnanure Castle
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…
- See
Connemara National Park
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
- See
Galway City Museum
Exhibits at this modern, three-floor museum engagingly convey the city's archaeological, political, cultural and social history. Look out for an iconic…
- See
Kylemore Abbey
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
- See
Spanish Arch
The Spanish Arch is thought to be an extension of Galway's medieval city walls, designed to protect ships moored at the nearby quay while they unloaded…
- See
Dunguaire Castle
Erected around 1520 by the O'Hynes clan, Dunguaire Castle sits on the fringes of Kinvara on the former site of the 6th-century royal palace of Guaire…
- See
Patrick Pearse's Cottage
Pádraig Pearse (Patrick Pearse; 1879–1916) wrote some of his short stories and plays on the shore of a remote lake in this small thatched cottage, which…
- See
Dún Dúchathair
Many locals pick this ruined ancient fort, dating from the Iron Age or early medieval period, as their favourite Inishmore historic sight. It's…
