Main high street in Galway City, Ireland (Von Michaella - Adobe Stock)
I’ve put together a comprehensive 10-day itinerary for you based on my own Ireland trip featuring things to do, where we ate and where we stayed. If a day doesn’t include a breakfast or dinner suggestion, it’s either because I got coffee from the local Starbucks or I simply forgot the name of the restaurant and searching of Google Maps proved fruitless. You can see the condensed 10-day itinerary here.
This list consists of days seven and eight of the trip during which the car was very much needed to drive from Dingle to Limerick to the Cliff and finally to Galway. Once in Galway, we were able to park the car and walk around.
Cliffs of Moher on a very cold and cloudy day (Tamala Malerk)
Day Seven
Breakfast at Pig and Leaf in Dingle.
I recommend: Caramel Cappuccino and the Tart of the Day. They also have prints by local artists and, of course, we bought one. Prints make for great souvenirs because they are flat and fit easily into suitcases.
King John’s Castle in Limerick
Fun Fact: King John never actually came to the castle.
My favorite part was walking to the top of the castle and getting a beautiful view of the city.
The indoor exhibition was closed, but the building was open for about a half-hour, so we were able to use the restroom and shop the gift store. It was also free to visit because we didn’t do the indoor exhibition.
I don’t feel like I missed much not seeing the indoor exhibition because the cliffs themselves were a breathtaking experience.
You can also access the cliffs for free at the southern end of the trail near the Moher Tower at Hag’s Head. Cheap paid parking is nearby at the “Liscannor Walk Parking.” Be sure to check for potential trail closings ahead of time.
Drive to Galway: Check in at hotel: Eyre Square Hotel
Dinner at Murty Rabbitts Pub
I recommend the Cottage Pie; however, this is a lot of potatoes and a filling hearty dish. Nonetheless, it did not stop me from finishing off with the Crème Brulee.
Carrots potatoes and brocolli in a bowl next to a bowl of ground beef and gravy topped with mashed potatoes with melted cheese (Tamala Malerk)
Day Eight
Galway City Museum (WAS CLOSED DUE TO A ONCE-IN-30-YEAR STORM HITTING IRELAND THE NIGHT BEFORE). You should be good to visit when you go.
Thankfully, there was no damage in our area; however almost a million Irish people were left without power, and we saw a lot of branches and some powerlines down on our drive to Dublin on day nine.
This is worth checking out for the unique stained glass windows. Yes, they are beautiful, but some also depict some violent imagery.
Exploring the Latin Quarter
The shops opened between 12 and 1 p.m. that day; however, they should be open their regular hours when you visit.
Dinner at The Quays
Okay, so this is really all day at the Quays. My husband spent about seven-and-a-half uninterrupted hours there. I came in and out. I spent a couple of hours exploring the Latin Quarter.
We ate lunch in the bar area, but food stops being served there around 5 p.m.
Live music starts at 6 p.m. but we had to move downstairs around 7:30 p.m. because we got hungry for dinner. We then moved back into the bar area right after eating and watched the live music until 10 p.m.
We had a fun day chatting, hearing the stories from locals, challenging each other to UNO and Connect Four on our smartphones and enjoying the live music once it started. I never thought I would hear “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places,” performed at an Irish pub.
I recommend: The Beef and Guinness Stew and Strawberry Daiquiri (not to be consumed together).
Exterior of the The Quays pub in Galway (Tamala Malerk)
Click here for days nine and ten, along with some places I wish we had time to make it to.
Stained glass window inside of Galway Cathedral (Tamala Malerk)
