After quite the morning, we made it to our AirBnB. It was situated just a bit outside Galway, but had free parking – a win-win for us! We dropped off our bags and took a bus into the city. GALWAY IS SO CUTE. Seriously, if you are visiting Ireland, I could not recommend Galway enough. It is quintessential Europe. It has a cute little old town, that is quite colorful. Joseph and I just loved it. I wish I had planned a longer stay for us there to investigate more. This was our stop over for the Cliffs of Moher. But, we did try to make the most of our day there.
Photo Courtesy of Joseph 🙂
Galway is a charming city and super walkable! Our bus dropped us off in Eyre Square in the middle of Galway. In the middle is a fountain representing thee Galway Hooker. The Galway Hooker is not what you think – it is actually a traditional fishing boat used in Galway Bay.
Joseph and I walked around the square and into a little shopping mall before turning down a cobbled street into the cuteness of Galway. There is no other way to describe it, but cuteness, but officially it is called the Latin Quarter. Galway is known for being the epicenter of music in Ireland and these streets were filled with pubs and restaurants boasting live music every single night.
We were starving after driving, so we walked around looking for a place to eat. Believe me, you could never go hungry in Galway. There are loads of pubs and restaurants from French to Spanish to American! All of the places quaint and special in their own way. Prices can definitely vary from $ to $$$ and as this area is a bit more touristy, expect to shell out a bit more. We happened to come across an adorable little place called The Pie Maker.
Being a Pushing Daisies fan, I was instantly drawn to this place (and it had great reviews!) It is not a pizza place nor a fruit pie place, but a traditional British/Irish sweet and savory pie shop. This place is cozy and by cozy I also mean tiny, so it fills up fast! Luckily we got there at just the right time! I ordered the Beef & Galway Stout Pie with a side of mashed potatoes, mushy peas, and gravy – YUM. Joseph got the Chicken and Mushroom pie -also YUM! It was just what we needed.
Beef and Galway Stew Pie
Chicken and Mushroom Pie
After our delicious dinner we walked around a bit more. Joseph’s friend had been to Galway a couple weeks before us and told us to head to The King’s Head, a medieval pub. It’s a lovely, three-story bar with a definite medieval charm dating back to 800 years! It is probably the most famous pub in Galway and is named ‘The King’s Head’ because if was given to the executioner of King Charles 1. The pub is known for its drinks, live music, and comedy and also serves food. We popped in for an ice cold cider and it was fan-tast-ic!
Joseph and I decided it was time to head back to our AirBnB since we had a very early morning to get to the Cliffs of Moher the next day. We took a quick stop by the river for some photos, before continuing on. We planned to catch the bus again, but in a different stop. It never came. After 2o minutes or so after it was supposed to arrive, we hailed a cab. Like all of our other cab drivers, ours was just as nice and born and raised in Galway. Apparently his mom was Anjelica Huston’s nanny/nurse and they grew up together, or at least when she was in Galway. I have no idea if this guy was pulling our legs, but I choose to believe it!
Overall, Joseph and I just LOVED Galway. We wish we had a chance to stay longer!
Thanks for following along, lookout for our trip to the Cliffs of Moher, next on #ErinGoBroad!
