Five paid outings and what each costs Every attraction below sells tickets, and most change prices by season. Where a figure comes from a tourism listing rather than the operator, it says so. Prices are in euro. Atlantaquaria, Salthill The National Aquarium of Ireland has an ocean zone with sharks, a ray pool and an octopus. Online adult tickets are €15 and child tickets €10, while seniors and students pay €12.

Four evenings, four moods Rather than a single itinerary, here are four ways to spend an evening as a couple in Galway. Pick the mood that suits you. Prices are in euro. Mood one: golden hour Walk out onto the Long Walk, the row of coloured houses running along the river mouth beside the Spanish Arch. As the sun goes down, the bay turns gold and the Burren hills fade into outlines.

Sorting day trips by how you travel The question that decides a day trip from Galway is the transport, not the sight. Boats leave on a timetable, buses run few services, and cars give the most freedom. Prices are in euro. By ferry: the Aran Islands Rossaveel is the year-round port, roughly 37 km west of Galway. Aran Island Ferries runs a shuttle bus from Victoria Place; plan about 50 minutes for it and arrive 20 minutes before departure.

Choosing by weather first Galway weather changes fast, so families do best with a wet-day plan and a dry-day plan. Ages matter too. Costs are in euro. Wet days Galway Atlantaquaria (Salthill). Sharks, rays and an octopus among native species. Online it costs €15 for an adult, €10 for a child, and €12 for seniors and students. Family packages run €32 for one adult with two children, €36 for two adults with one child, and €45 for two adults with two children.

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.

Reading the city by date Galway’s landmarks span seven centuries, and sorting them by age makes the layout easier to follow. Visiting costs little, because most of these are free to see. 1300s: St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church Founded in 1320, it stands as Ireland’s largest medieval parish church still in regular use. Weekend traders fill the churchyard with a market. The stone window beside it on Market Street remembers a 1493 story about Mayor James Lynch FitzStephen; historians regard the tale as folklore.

A day built around the clock Galway’s attractions fall into natural time slots, and a few of them have fixed opening days, so it helps to plan by the hour. Everything here is in euro and within walking distance of Eyre Square unless noted. Morning (10:00 to 12:00) Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade. No admission charge. Doors open at 10:00 from Tuesday to Saturday. The building is a modern one dating from 2006.

Quick comparison Route Length of time Best for Quays and Claddagh loop About 2 hours First-time visitors Canal and cathedral circuit About 90 minutes Quiet river views Salthill seafront About 3 hours return Sea air and sunsets All three start near the Spanish Arch or Eyre Square. The old core is pedestrian, so expect street musicians and a few cyclists. 1. Quays and Claddagh loop Begin at Eyre Square, outside Ceannt Station.