Galway Multi-day Planner for 2 to 5 Nights

November 5, 2026

Nights, not days

A multi-day trip works best when you decide where you sleep. Galway city is the default base, and Doolin or Inis Mór are alternatives. Costs are in euro.

Reaching Galway

Scheduled airline service at Galway Airport ended in 2011, so Shannon (about 85 km south), Ireland West Knock (about 85 km north) and Dublin (about 215 km east) are the real gateways. Direct coaches connect Dublin and Shannon, and trains from Dublin Heuston to Ceannt Station take about 2 hours 20 minutes.

Night 1: the city

Spend the first evening on the quays. Walk from the Spanish Arch along the Long Walk, and drop into the free Galway City Museum if it is open (Tuesday to Saturday). Finish with a session at Taaffe’s or the Crane Bar.

Night 2: the island option

Take the shuttle bus from Victoria Place to Rossaveel and the 40 minute ferry (€34 return for an adult, €10 return for the bus). Aran Island Ferries also offers an overnight tour on its seasonal Galway City Docks service. Guests staying overnight in participating Inis Mór accommodation get free entry to Dún Aonghasa, which otherwise costs €5. Allow extra time, because sea conditions can shift schedules.

Night 3: Connemara

Drive or take Citylink 923 to Letterfrack. Connemara National Park is free. Kylemore Abbey is a few kilometres away, with adult tickets listed at about €18. The Diamond Hill upper loop is about 6.2 km, climbing 400 m, and it is strenuous in poor weather.

Night 4: Clare and the Burren

The Cliffs of Moher lie 1.5 to 2 hours south. Entry includes parking, and the 2026 gate price is €15 for adults. The Hag’s Head path is closed and Doolin has no walking route to the visitor experience. Poulnabrone portal tomb is a free stop on the Burren.

Night 5: Killary and the Sky Road

A Killary Fjord cruise leaves Nancy’s Point from April to October for about 90 minutes. Afterwards the Sky Road near Clifden and the village of Roundstone fill an easy afternoon.

Shorter and longer versions

2 nights: city plus Inis Mór.
3 nights: add Connemara.
5 nights: add Clare and Killary.

Seasonal notes

The Galway City Docks sailings ran from 3 April to 27 September in 2026, and the 2027 season is listed from 26 March to 3 October.

Stays: Galway accommodation on Booking.com

Official fares: Aran Island Ferries rates