Welcome to Galway

Welcome to the vibrant city of festivals, Galway. Known for its food, culture and history this romantic capital of the West captures a piece of everyone's heart and all who visit leave with a warm sense that they have found their home away from home.

Also known as the City of the Tribes, you can discover why by walking down the same narrow and winding cobbled stoned pedestrian streets the fabled 14 tribes of the 12th century did as they made Galway the best seaport in Western Europe as well as one of the finest cities.

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Galway is a city that never stops celebrating culture, art, literature, and learning. Galway City has year round festivals. In November 2012 the festivals to watch out for are International Festival of Visual Art Tulca and Spirit of Voice Festival, a cultural celebration of song and spoken word.

Though Galway is the third largest city in the country, it has earned the title of the Cultural Capital of Ireland for its year round festivals, theatre companies, music and more.

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Experience the Broadway and globally renowned Druid theatre company in the tiny and intimate theatre where all their exceptional work still begins on Druid Lane.

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Be part of the hush that descends over the crowd at a traditional Irish music session when a singer is invited to take the floor. For the best of traditional music sessions try The Crane Bar, Tigh Coili or Taaffees.

Pick up the ‘cupla focal' (a few words) of Irish from a friendly local and test it out at the bar in the Irish language pub in Club Áras na nGael.

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If you are feeling frisky, try out some of the world's best surf off magnificent Atlantic beaches, open all year round thanks to the availability of wetsuits or lessons. Or try a kayak along the river.Take a stroll around the city's premier pedestrian highway, the Salthill promenade,challenge yourself to some breezy golf, feel your heart beat race at Connacht or Corinthians rugby match or try a flutter at the Greyhound track.

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For lazy days, stroll from the city's park Eyre Square through Shop Street, visit one of the city's oldest shops McCambridges for a coffee or whiskey ice-creammake your way to the city's Latin Quarter and on to the West End and catch all the street performers in-between.

Pop into one of the many pubs in the Latin Quarter to sample locally brewed beers while enjoying some music and chat.

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Get a tasty afternoon bag of fish and chips in McDonaghs and take the coastal walk to Salthill, treating yourself to tea and buns in one of the many local tea rooms and bakerys.

The City's restaurants pride themselves on using the best locally sourced foods, providing your dinner from the shores of Galway Bay to local farms.

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Outside of the city centre, explore the beautiful landscape of rivers, lakes, mountains, coastline and open countryside of Connemara. Take a boat or fly to the wilds of the Aran Islands to wonder at the stone age fortress perched on top of some of Europe's highest cliffs with the wild Atlantic below. To find out more on what tours are available, click here.

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Watch videos of Galway made by locals and which feature on Galway.com and of Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell's adventures in Galway and along the West coast.

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For more information on what's happening in Galway and the surrounding area and on things to do and see, visit the Galway section on Discover Ireland.