These are hotels that will make you feel pampered and special and lucky in locations you are quite likely to visit on a tour of Ireland.
Naturally they all have the great accommodation, service and facilities but they also have that extra ‘something’ that makes a good hotel a truly great one.
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Galway is a compact city, easily explored by foot in half a day. This tour is a gentle amble through the city centre, with stops to visit places of interest.
At the end there is an optional walk along the edge of Galway Bay, which is ideal for working off lunch and will be especially enjoyed by bird watchers.
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Connemara is a place of mountains, lakes and spectacular views famed for the quality of the light. It’s also often overrun with tourists which takes a little from its serenity.
However it is definitely an area worth exploring, and this itinerary moves you quickly through the really busy areas and suggests some lesser known detours.
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An easy and interesting tour that is perfect for those arriving in Shannon and spending their first night in Galway.
The tour takes you to some relatively little visited places as well as very popular ones, and as much of the driving is on quiet roads it’ll help to become accustomed to driving on the left too!
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Though perhaps better known for its pubs than its restaurants, Galway has plenty of good places to eat too.
Being a university city means there are plenty of options for those on a tight budget and things have improved in the last few years at the upper end also.
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This is an event for serious party people, with gala events every evening, but during the day it’s all about the oyster.
At the center of proceedings is a hotly contested International Oyster Opening Championship, with music, food fairs and much Guinness involved also.
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Local lore has it that Christopher Columbus prayed in this church, located in Galway city centre, before leaving on the voyage that took him to America.
It’s been in both Protestant and Catholic hands at various times since it was established in 1320, but always at the heart of Galway life.
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This small tower in a secluded location was once home to the poet William Butler Yeats, who restored it as a home for his family.
Following his death it fell into disrepair (as he predicted) but has now been returned to the way it was when the Yeats family lived there in the early part of the 20th century.
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This modern cathedral, completed in 1965, is to say the least eclectic in design, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Moorish influences in a way that, somehow, works.
Inside there is some good church art and in particular lovely stained glass windows.
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Irish crystal is renowned for its quality and clarity as well as its beautiful design, and modern styles are now joining the traditional ones we all know.
Crystal is expensive, but its special and will last a long, long time so choosing what to buy and where to buy it is important.
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The ubiquitous stone walls or fences seen in Ireland are the object of much curiosity from visitors, particularly those built without mortar in the west and south.
They are however a practical and useful way to divide land, especially when money is scarce and land is poor. They are also historically interesting and geographically diverse, in fact a lot of Ireland’s history is in those stones.
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Used as a token of love and friendship this traditional Galway ring can be worn in several different ways to signify the status of the wearer – married/attached or free and looking?!
There are many stories about its origin, some fanciful though even the most likely contender is a tale of adventure and romance.
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