Weekend trips are an integral part of the study abroad experience. Going into my semester in London, I wanted to be really intentional about my weekends. The goal was to balance weekends in London and nearby cities with weekends outside of the country. My non-London weekend trips were to Bath, Oxford, Manchester, Galway, Edinburgh, Ypres, and Lisbon.
I spent 14 weeks fully committed to my pledge: Say yes to everything. Even months later, I continue to look back on my trip to Galway very fondly. Because cool girls don’t gatekeep, I’m about to break down my perfect three days in Galway.
Day 1: The Cliffs of Moher and Galway City
I flew into Shannon Airport from London Stansted, landing at around 9 a.m. Once outside the airport, I began figuring out how to get from Shannon to the Cliffs of Moher, which sit about halfway between Shannon and Galway. Renting a car isn’t necessary; the public transportation will take you there!
Something important to note is that, while transportation in London is entirely contactless (I used Apple Pay religiously), you need to pay for buses in Ireland using either cash or the TFI Leap Card. Luckily, there’s an ATM in the airport. I withdrew €100 and waited patiently for the bus, which came within half an hour. Something else that’s important to note is that the bus lines do not run as frequently in Ireland as in other countries. If you miss a bus, you can easily find yourself waiting two hours for the next one.
Once on board, I fought the urge to doze off, knowing I would have to switch buses in about an hour. From start to finish, you’ll take Bus 343 from Shannon airport to Ennis, then Bus 350 from Ennis (same bus station) to the Cliffs of Moher. Be careful not to get off a stop too early, as I did, or you’ll find yourself sprinting about a mile through a small Irish town with all your stuff to make sure you don’t miss the only connecting bus for the next few hours. I wish I were joking, but I actually had shin splints for days after that.
Anyways, the connecting bus dropped me off right at the entrance to the Cliffs of Moher. I then spent about two hours walking around and taking in the beautiful scenery. Seeing the cliffs in photos is one thing, but experiencing them for yourself is genuinely breathtaking. The grass is this deep, rich shade of green you only ever see in paintings, and the air is crisp and pure. The surrounding hills are alive with birds and cows. The water is an incredible, intense shade of turquoise as it crashes against the black cliff ridges. I was mesmerized.
I also got lucky, as the weather was perfectly clear when I went — no rain or fog — but I can’t promise you’ll get the same. After exploring the gift shops and buying some postcards, I waited for the bus to Galway.
Galway is a very small city, far smaller than I expected. It’s charming and quaint, being one of those cities where everyone knows each other. The first thing I did was check into my hostel, Galway City Hostel, which was directly across the street from the bus station. I paid about €60 a night to stay there, and I can’t recommend it enough. Aside from the accommodation being excellent, the staff and other travelers I met there were so warm and welcoming. After all, the people make the place.
After settling into my room, I forced myself out of bed for fear of knocking out cold, and hit the town instead. Ravenous, I wandered the streets until settling on Meltd, a sandwich shop. Once satisfied, I headed back to the hostel, where I lingered in the common room until some girls my age walked in. We made small talk before deciding to go out as a group that night. Most of us were quite tired from our long days of travel, but we still managed a pleasant little bar crawl and were in bed by midnight.
Day 2. Connemara National Park and Nightlife
For my second day in Galway, I chose to book a full-day bus trip through Lally Tours. If you want to book any day trips through a company, do it at least a few days before you travel. Popular tours tend to sell out.
I love bus trips because you get to see and explore a multitude of places in one day while simultaneously learning so much from your guide/driver. For €40, I visited Killary Harbour (Ireland’s only fjord), Connemara National Park, and Spiddal (an adorable beachside craft town), as well as numerous brief scenic stops. I loved hiking part of the Diamond Hill Loop at Connemara, especially with the view getting better the higher I climbed. The whole excursion lasted about 6-7 hours, returning us to Galway around 5:30 pm.
After grabbing a quick dinner, I reconvened with my new friends at the hostel. We did some scheming and recruiting before roping hostel staff into helping us orchestrate the perfect bar crawl. That night ended up being one of the most beautiful and memorable of my entire study abroad experience. After hanging around a beer garden, we moved on to The Crane Bar, where we got to enjoy live traditional Irish music. We changed locations a few times, eventually landing at a bar (the name has escaped me) where The Byrne Brothers were playing. What ensued was an absolutely electric hour of singing, dancing, and soaking in each moment.
After The Byrne Brothers’ set finished, we headed off to a few other miscellaneous bars, ending our night at The Front Door with a group of Irish friends we made in the street. By that point, the group from the hostel had dwindled to me and my new friend Carley, a talented and effortlessly cool hairstylist from Florida. Eventually, Carley and I headed back to the hostel to catch some z’s.
There were a few things I really loved about Ireland that I experienced that night. For one, the Irish love music. Every bar we went to had music and people dancing to it without a care in the world. Even outside of bars, musicians were busking in the city and around the Cliffs of Moher — pockets of culture and artistry existing everywhere you look. Something else I loved was how incredibly approachable the Irish are. Everyone I spoke to was so friendly and talkative, and, as an extrovert, my perfect night is one in which I meet lots of new people. It’s so refreshing to have that reciprocated.
Day 3: Salthill Promenade and The Latin Quarter
I was determined to make the most of my last day in Ireland. I woke up bright and early, heading out after a quick breakfast at the hostel. My main goal was to walk the Salthill Promenade, a 2 km beachside walking trail that ends at the Blackrock Diving Tower, where walkers are encouraged to tap/kick a specific wall for good luck. My walk was whimsical and contemplative, as I took in the beautiful beaches and reflected on my marvelous night. I made sure to kick the wall at the end before turning back towards the main city.
I spent the rest of my time exploring the Latin Quarter, which was bursting with activity and life that Sunday morning. I checked out the market, appreciated the musicians and street performers, and did some more shopping. I stopped at Murphy’s for some ice cream, then reluctantly made my way back to the hostel to pack my things and leave for the airport.
My solo trip to Ireland was so cathartic. I think about it all the time. I miss the people, the art and music, the food, and the beautiful scenery. I miss the rolling green hills dotted with sheep, the freshness and smell of the air, and the humming feeling of being the youngest I will ever be.
If you’re looking for ideas for a Galway itinerary, consider mine.
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