Galway Walking Tour Map and Top Attractions

Over 40 Things to do in Galway Ireland

Download the Galway Walking Tour Map and use the Attractions Guide to visit the top sites in Galway as part of the Galway Self Guided Walking Tour

Use the Galway Walking Tour Map below and the self guided walking tour attractions guide for top things to do in Galway. A complete guide to castles, galleries, square and shopping streets. Follow the walking route to explore central Galway in at your own place and spend a few hours or a full day. Visit all the sites or some of the sites based on your personal preference to create your own private Galway self guided walking tour.

The shaded orange area in the Galway walking tour map below outlines the Latin Quarter boundary and the pink shaded area is the outline of the Galway Saturday Market. Click on the arrow icon to the left of the title to display the legend with additional information, images and videos. Click on the Galway attractions map pins (blue pins) on the interactive Galway walking tour map below, or on the legend or the PDF Galway tourist map that you download for additional information including images of the attraction

Accompanying guide Galway Ireland Self Guided Walking Tour Map is HERE

Galway has a fascinating history, it’s cobblestone streets, street buskers, medieval fortified walls, markets, pubs and vibrant city life along the canal makes it a favorite local seaside destination. Galway City is a treat if you are visiting the west coast of Ireland

Instructions to download the interactive Galway Self guided walking tour map are at the end of the post

To download the PDF of the Galway Ireland Self Guided Walking Tour map click HERE

Galway Ireland Things to do using the walking tour map

If you do not have a lot of time in the city, experience the following Galway Ireland top things to do:

  • Use the map above and take the Galway Self Guided Walking Tour. Spend time in the central Latin Quarter
  • Galway Christmas Market
  • Stop by Spanish Arch and take the “Old Long Walk” along the harbour
  • Discover the Popular Galway Quay Street
  • Explore the medieval cobblestone street of Kirwan Lane
  • Experience the main square in Central Galway City; Galway Eyre Square
  • Tour Lynch Castle & Visit the Memorial Window
  • Shop at Shop Street
  • Grab a meal at one of the hundreds of pubs in Galway City
  • Take a ferry for a day trip to Aran Islands, check out the numerous Galway Ireland day trips below
Galway Walking Tour Map

Easy to use map of Galway Ireland Attractions. Use the map with the corresponding attractions guide for your personal self guided walking tour of Galway

Click on the Galway self guided PDF Map Image above for the Guide to the Galway walking tour map

Galway Ireland Day Trips

AS well as using the map and taking the Galway self guided walking tour, there are a number of day trips you can take from the city and they can easily be accessed by local bus from the main bus station at Eyre Square. Check the Galway Ireland Map above for the main Galway bus station that is part of the Irish Rail Station. The top Galway Ireland day trips include:

  • Drive, take a bus or a tour to the Cliffs of Moher (Bus Eireann #350 from Eyre Sqyare)
  • Combine a tour trip to Cliffs of Moher with a stop at the Burren
  • Explore the karst landscape of Burren (Bus #51 from Eyre Square) to Crusheen. Take a taxi from Crusheen to Burren National Park, the taxi fare will be about 30 euros one-way
  • Take the ferry or a tour to the Aran islands Ines Mór). The ferry ticket office is in Galway City close to the Spanish Arch. To get to the ferry port take bus #524 from Eyre Square which will take you to Rossaveal Port where you can catch the ferry to Ines Mór
  • Visit the quaint village of Doolin, then take a ferry from Doolin. To get to Doolin, take Bus #350 from Eyre Square. Catch the ferry from Doolin Pier to any of the Aran Islands or Walk the Cliffs of Moher from Doolin
  • Lahinch is a popular surfing beach with the locals. From Doolin take Bus #350 (if you are in Galway you can catch it from Eyre Square) to Lahinch. The Lanhich bus stop is just past the village of Doolin. Lahinch Beach is a 1 min walk from the bus stop
  • Take a tour or drive to Connemara National Park. Take bus #419 from Eyre Square towards Letterfrack/Veldons. It is a 3 hour journey that will drop you about 1km (15min walk) from the Connemara Park Visitor Center
  • Visit Killary Fjord, take Bus #419 from Eyre Square to Leenaun. Take a taxi to Nancy’s point, it should cost about 10 eruos and take 5 minute (3 km’s away)
  • Climb Croag Patrick Mountain, Ireland’s holiest mountain dedicated to St Patrick who lived on the mountain as a slave from the age of 16 to 22
  • Take a trip to the seaside town of Westport
  • Visit some of the picturesque villages nearby including Cong, Leenaun, Kenmare, or Adare
  • Take a trip to Kylemore Abbey (Bus Eireann #419)
  • Stop by the Galway Tourist Office at Forster St, Galway, H91 C9Y3, Ireland for additional information or details

Best Time to Visit Galway Ireland

The best time to visit is between June and September when its warm and many of the outdoor attractions are open. This is the peak tourist season where prices are high and activity is at its peak. The Galway self guided walking tour map can be used year-round however some key activities between June and September include:
– The fun-filled Galway Food Festival is in April
– Galway International Arts Festival in July
– Galway Film Festival in July
– Summer Festival – Galway Races in July / August
– The very popular Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival in September
– The Galway Christmas market will be open in November and December

From November to January it gets colder and temperatures can drop to below freezing however it rarely snows. February to May is the spring season where temperatures warm up from 40’s in February to 60’s (fahrenheit) in May

Quick Facts about Galway Ireland

  1. Galway is the second most popular destination in Ireland with 2.027 million visitors in 2018
  2. With a population of over 75,000 it is the third largest city in Ireland
  3. Galway City is the origin of the world famous Claddagh ring symbolizing love and friendship
  4. The Galway Hooker is a special boat to counter the strong winds, it was developed in Galway and you may see these docked at Galway Bay
  5. The famous Aran Sweaters are brought to Galway from the Aran Islands which lie 30 miles off the coast
  6. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, is a graduate of the National University of Ireland
  7. 10% of Irish speaking citizens live in Galway, it is the “Cultural Heart of Ireland”
  8. Featured in songs by Bing Crosby (Galway Bay) and Ed Sheeran (Galway Girl)
  9. It is the birthplace of Peter O’Toole born in Connemara, his birth name is Peter Seamus Lorcan O’Toole (Star of Lawrence of Arabia)

Use the map to complete the Galway walking tour, then visit additional attractions around Galway

Attractions around Ireland

If you travel from Galway to Dublin, these three walking tour map and guide will help you explore central Dublin on foot:

  1. Self Guided Walk Tour Walk 1 – Top 18 Attractions, guide to Dublin City Center, North of the River Liffey Dublin
  2. Dublin Self Guided Walking Tour Walk 2 – Top 16 attractions, guide to attractions South of the River Liffey, including the Temple Bar Region,
  3. Dublin Self Guided Walking Tour Walk 3 – Top 16 attractions, guide to Historic Dublin

Public Transportation from Galway to Dublin

  • Train
    • Use Irish Rail and take the train from Galway Cleannt Station in Eyre Square, to Dublin Heuston station in Dublin to central Galway, it takes about 2.5 hours and has 8 stops along the way
  • Bus
    • From Galway to Central Dublin or to Dublin Airport using either:
      • City Links – City Links website has a travel planner and you can purchase your ticket online
      • Bus Éireann – Expressway bus number 20X on Bus Éireann, book and purchase online
  • The journey planner is a great tool to assist with public transportation routes across Ireland The planner will give you rail and bus options or a combination for travel in Ireland

Ireland Highlights:

Complete list below.

  • Getting around Ireland – Using Public Transportation in Ireland
  • Cliffs of Moher – A very popular tour, a complete guide to the 16 attractions along the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk
  • Doolin – A quaint popular village in County Clare. Stop overnight and walk to the Cliffs of Moher from Doolin or enjoy the many other attractions in and around Doolin
  • The Ring of Kerry – A spectacular 111 mile scenic route on the Iveragh Peninsula. Start at either Kenmare or Killarney for a circular route of three hours without stops. Jaw dropping views of the Atlantic ocean, charming villages and wild sweeping mountains makes this a popular must see attraction in Ireland. Use the map and attractions for the complete self guided tour of the Ring of Kerry
  • The Dingle Peninsula – It is a 30 mile long clockwise loop that takes about 4 hours to complete. The area is the bedrock of Irish culture with signs in many villages and towns indicating that Irish is the predominant language in the area. The picturesque landscape includes rolling hills, craggy shorelines and sandy beaches. The PDF map and attractions guide explores the attractions of the Dingle Peninsula
  • The Ring of Beara – An 85 mile circular route, similar to Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula, however it is far less travelled. In that sense, it is a better drive as there are far less cars on the road. I found the Ring of Beara far more dramatic than either the Ring of Kerry or the Dingle Peninsula. It is not as popular because the tourist buses are not able to navigate the narrow roads with hairpin bends or the Healey Pass.
  • Dublin: Explore central Dublin on foot with these three self guided walking tours and map:
    • Dublin Walk 1 – Top 18 Attractions, guide to Dublin City Center, North of the River Liffey Dublin
    • Dublin Walk 2 – Top 16 attractions, guide to attractions South of the River Liffey, including the Temple Bar Region
      • The Book of Kells and Trinity College in Dublin. Trinity College is the oldest university in Ireland with the historic Long Room,and the old library with over 200,000 of the very old books. It is the most impressive library in the world
      • In Dublin visit the Little Museum of Dublin, Grafton Street, St Stephens Green and Kilmainham Goal (the prison where many rebels from the Easter Rising were held before their execution)
    • Dublin Walk 3 – Top 16 attractions, guide to Historic Old Dublin
  • Galway – Use the Galway Ireland guide for a flexible and personal tour of over 40 attractions Galway City
  • Aran Islands – For a truly authentic Irish experience visit the Aran Islands. They are located at the mouth of Galway Bay. You can catch a ferry from either Doolin or Rosseeval port (Shuttle from Galway to Rosseeval ferry port)
  • The Glens of Antrim – Driving route for the nine Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland. The guide includes options for public transportation, walking trails in The Glens and Game of Thrones Attractions
  • Over 100 Northern Ireland Attractions – Visit over 100 attractions along the east and north coast of Ireland along the Antrim and Causeway Coastal Route. Travel by car or public transport from the Mourne Mountains to Londonderry. Includes game of thrones sites, castles and walks along the route
  • The Burren – Explore the karst moonscape bedrock of The Burren located in the southwest region and close to the Cliffs of Moher. Attractions in the Burren include ancient tombs, underground caves, walks on an unusual landscape and The Burren National Park

Instructions to download the interactive map to a smart phone:

Take the Map with you when you travel:

Instructions on:

  • Using it offline
  • Using it online – We bring one of our older smart phones when we travel and buy a local SIM card. You can purchase a local tourist SIM card from one of the main local providers, they are usually pretty inexpensive. You may need your passport to purchase as its a tourist SIM if you are an international tourist. You should have them put it in your old smartphone and check that it works before leaving the store. Use it to follow the map online, its the best way to explore

Sign into google using your Gmail account on your smart phone and be connected to the internet. If you do not sign in, this process will not work. You will be downloading this map to save it. You will be saving it in google maps in two places:

  1. Save in “Your Places” for online use and
  2. Save in “Offline map” for offline use
  3. Youtube instructions on link as follows:
    https://youtu.be/_6j9koieMsU

Instructions to save above map:

  1. Click on the rectangle on the top right hand side of the above map [ ] – if you move your mouse to it, it will say “view larger map”
  2. It will take you into google maps on your smartphone and it will automatically save this map. You must be already be signed into google maps with your Gmail account, if you are not signed into google maps then the map will not be saved
  3. In google maps, click on the menu which is the three horizontal lines on the top left of the google map (it is to the left of the search box)
  4. From the menu, click on “Your Places”. This will take you to another screen with a menu at the top. From the top menu bar select “maps”. A list of your maps will be displayed including the map that was just saved. Select the map you just saved
  5. Make sure the map is still onscreen; do not close out of it as you will be downloading this map and it has to be onscreen to download. While the map is onscreen, click on menu again (three horizontal lines top left hand corner)
  6. Select “Offline maps” then select “custom map”
  7. Once you select “custom map”, the onscreen map will be displayed; select the area you want downloaded (zoom in or out to get all the data points into the blue square outline; pinch fingers for zooming)
  8. Click on “download” – this will save the map in an offline area that you can use when you are not connected to the internet
The map is now saved in two places. To see this, click on the menu (three horizontal line on top right hand corner) in google maps:
  1. Click on “Your Places” from the menu, then select “Custom Map”. The map will be listed and you can use the map while connected to the internet
  2. Click on “Offline Maps” from the menu. The map will be listed to use the map offline ie: not connected to the internet (make sure location services is turned on and your will see the blue dot indicating your location as you navigate with the offline map)
  3. After you download a map, use the Google Maps app just like you normally would. If your Internet connection is slow or absent, or if you are in “airplane mode” Google Maps will automatically use your offline maps to give you directions