Hotels in Galway

Galway sits where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic on Ireland's west coast, and it has a reputation for music and atmosphere that outstrips its size. The Latin Quarter's painted shopfronts and pub sessions run most nights of the week, and buskers occupy Shop Street year-round.

The city itself is compact — the Spanish Arch, Galway Cathedral and the seaside promenade at Salthill are all within a walk of each other. What draws most visitors, though, is what lies beyond: the Cliffs of Moher and the limestone plateau of the Burren to the south, Connemara's bogs and mountains to the northwest, and the Irish-speaking Aran Islands out in the bay.

Summer brings a dense festival calendar including the Galway International Arts Festival and the Races, when accommodation fills months ahead. The weather is famously changeable in any season, so waterproofs matter more than a forecast.