Britnee JohnstonTWO DAYS IN GALWAY AND CLIFFS OF MOHER Britnee Johnston May 1 Europe, Ireland, Travel As part of our week-long trip in Ireland, my sisters and I spent two days in Galway, one of which was spent as a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher. We were fortunate to have sunny days the whole time we were there, making this a beautiful part of our trip. A highlight was hiking along the cliffside at Cliffs of Moher to “Hag’s Head”, which ended up being one of my most favorite hikes I’ve ever done. As I quickly learned, nothing can beat the Irish sea views! Below are the top five things we did in Galway and Cliffs of Moher. Visit the Galway Cathedral The Galway Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, is an impressive stone cathedral built in 1965. As soon as we entered the cathedral, I quickly noticed the difference in the look of the stoned walls that went from floor to ceiling and encasing stained glass art throughout the building, compared to other cathedrals I have been in. It definitely has a different majestic style to it. This is a wonderful site to stop by to admire the architectural beauty and escape the bustling of the Galway streets. It is located just a short walk away from the city center on the west bank of the River Corrib. Cost: Free (but €2 donation is recommended) Visit the Official Galway Cathedral Website Explore the Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter of Galway is a lively group of medieval streets with rows of shops, restaurants, and bars. It is located between the Spanish Arch to O’Brien’s Bridge to St. Nicholas’ Church and Middle Street. There is so much to see as you’re walking through the streets, that it’ll be hard to catch it all on your first pass-by. My favorite were the bookshops, of course, with a couple located within the Latin Quarter. You’ll also likely hear talented buskers and performers playing out in the streets as well, adding to the liveliness of the area. Cost: Free Visit the Official Latin Quarter – Galway Website Stay in the Residence Hotel We chose to stay in the Latin Quarter for our accommodation and so it would be easy to explore the area from our hotel. We stayed at the Residence Hotel with staff that were very welcoming and with rooms that were very comfortable. What makes this hotel unique is definitely the edgy art, as pictured above. Surprisingly, we were still able to sleep soundly even with this woman on the wall staring at us. 😉 The hotel was in the perfect location and would love to stay there again. The total cost was $349 for two nights for a triple bedroom. View and book the Residence Hotel on booking.com. Visit the top of O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher When you first arrive to the Cliffs of Moher entrance, I recommend going to the O’Brien’s Tower first before the crowds start coming in. We took the city bus (Bus Eireann) from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher. We bought our bus tickets in advance online and it was fairly easy to find the bus stop at the main bus station in Galway. The bus dropped us off in front of the Cliffs of Moher entrance and we were among the first to arrive since we took a morning bus to get there. We bought our Cliffs of Moher tickets on site when we arrived and headed straight to the O’Brien’s Tower first, so we had the place mostly to ourselves. This meant that we even had time for one of us to be at the bottom of the tower, while the other person was at the top to take photos of them below with the amazing Cliffs of Moher view behind them and no one else in sight, as pictured below. This tower was built in 1835 by Sir Cornellius O’Brien and sits on the highest part of the cliffs, providing a 360 view of the surrounding sites. It’s only a 10-minute walk from the visitors center. Photo tip: Take a photo from the top of O’Brien’s Tower looking down at your travel partner on the ground level outside for an amazing view of them with the Cliffs of Moher. (See below photo.) Costs: €10 adult ticket to Cliffs of Moher (purchased on-site as of April 2022) €25 round-trip bus ticket from Galway (as of April 2022) Visit the Official Cliffs of Moher Website. Visit the Bus Eireann Website. Hike to the Hag’s Head at the Cliffs of Moher I’ve hiked a lot and in many various parts of the world, so I surprised myself when I hiked at Cliffs of Moher to come out of it saying that it was one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever done. We had probably the most perfect weather you could ever get at the Cliffs of Moher, which I’m sure played a part in how amazing the views were on the hike. Our hiking route followed the coastal cliffside from the O’Brien Tower to the Moher Tower at Hag’s Head and back, which ended up being around 2.7 miles each way. It was a stunning hike featuring different views of the cliffs, sounds of sea birds, and beautiful blue skies and waters. Just be sure to watch your step as the coastal walk often is near the edge of the cliffs without any protective barriers. Costs: €10 adult ticket to Cliffs of Moher (purchased on-site as of April 2022) €25 round-trip bus ticket from Galway (as of April 2022) Visit the Official Cliffs of Moher Website. Visit the Bus Eireann Website.
