Galway Private Walking Tour
Description
We love Galway and at the end of this tour you will too. Galway is a gem, history, culture and food. This walking tour helps you to uncover the best landmarks. Enjoy this private tour with your group of friends or family.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Eyre Square, in the heart of Galway City, is officially known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. The square has a rich history dating back to medieval times when markets took place on the green in front of the town gates. A memorial of the US President Kennedy, who was made a Freeman of the city, marks the spot where he made a speech to approximately 100,000 Galway people in 1963, on his last trip before his assassination.
Lynch’s Castle, it is a striking example of a medieval fortified house. The castle is four storeys high with embellished carved windows, gargoyles and ornamental mouldings and cornices. Built by the powerful Lynch family as a protection from raids, parts of the limestone building may date back to the 14th century but the bulk of it was built in the 16th century. The Lynches, of Anglo-Norman descent, were one of the powerful 14 tribes who ruled Galway.
The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas is the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use as a place of worship at the heart of Galway’s life.
One the finest medieval laneways in Galway, Kirwan’s Lane, located in what is now referred to as The Latin Quarter. It is at the centre of the area that was originally within the city walls, and is named after the Kirwan’s, one of Galway's fourteen “tribes”. The area has been significantly restored over the years and has rejuvenated the heart of Galway’s historical town centre.
Thomas Dillons Claddagh Gold, is the oldest purveyor of the original Claddagh ring. They’ve been creating the rings in silver and gold since 1750.
13th century archaeological remains of the Hall of the Red Earl, the oldest building to be excavated within Galway's medieval walls.
The Spanish Arch is one of Galway's historical gems, dating back to pre-medieval times. It housed soldiers who kept watch and manned cannons on the roof.
The Westend is the part of Galway that visitors are delighted to discover. Off the beaten track and a little further out of the centre of the city, its bohemian and eccentric character with friendly locals make it one of the most appealing places in Galway.
Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city. The cathedral dome, at a height of 44.2 metres (145 ft), is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.
1845, that was the year Queen’s College Galway was founded. Following construction of the iconic Quadrangle building, the University opened its doors four years later to the first cohort of just 68 students.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(101)
Wow.....learned so much about Galway on our walking tour. My family enjoyed it and I would recommend this for any first time visitors. Arthur was an amazing tour guide and was so kind to my family.
Thank you so much, Barbara, for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed discovering Galway and learned so much during the walking tour. It’s especially lovely to know that the experience was both informative and welcoming for your family. Thank you for choosing **Travelling Ireland** and for recommending the tour to first-time visitors to Galway. We hope to welcome you and your family back to Ireland again! — The Travelling Ireland Team
Fantastic walking tour. Highly recommended. Arthur was full of information and fun to have as our tour guide
Thank you, Julia, for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the walking tour and had such a great experience with Arthur. His knowledge and fun personality really do make the tour special. Thank you for choosing Travelling Ireland and for recommending us. We hope to welcome you back again in the future! — The Travelling Ireland Team
Great tour of Galway… Arthur is really a great guide. Interesting and stimulating to discover his city. Good pace and inspiring to look at the details at the right height 😉 Bravo
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed discovering Galway with Arthur. It’s fantastic to know that his engaging style, great pace, and attention to detail made the tour both interesting and inspiring. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him! Warm regards, The Travelling Ireland Team
Our guide Arthur has a wealth of information to share about Galway and he made history come alive! Instead of us trying to find historical landmarks by ourselves, Arthur led us to cool sites and gave us awesome background info! As a native of Galway, Arthur has great inside info on Galway's history and he made learning fun for our 13 year old son!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Arthur brought Galway’s history to life and made the tour enjoyable for the whole family, especially your son. His local knowledge and passion for the city are truly special. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Galway again! Warm regards, The Travelling Ireland Team
Our guide Clare was on time, prepared, and very knowledgeable. Her route for our Galway tour was logical and inclusive of historical references while taking advantage of conveniences such as transportation hubs, pharmacies, restaurants and entertainment venues. She was concise without being dry. We felt our money was well spent and would highly recommend Clare to our friends who travel to Ireland
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review of our Galway Private Walking Tour! We’re delighted that Clare’s knowledge, thoughtful route, and engaging style made the experience so valuable. It’s wonderful to hear that she combined Galway’s fascinating history with helpful local information about transport, pharmacies, restaurants, and entertainment. We truly appreciate your recommendation and will be sure to share your kind words with Clare! Warm regards, The Travelling Ireland Team
Arthur was an amazing tour guide - he has so much knowledge about the city and is so excited to share it with you! Not only did he teach us so much about the city but we also got to learn a lot about him and his life growing up there! I would recommend Arthur 1,000 times to anyone looking to explore Galway! My parents said it was definitely a highlight of our entire 10 day trip! Also - Arthur knows everyone! It was so nice to experience Gallway and all the locals with him
Thank you so much for this incredible 5-star review of our Galway Private Walking Tour! We’re thrilled that Arthur’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and personal stories made your experience so memorable. It’s wonderful to hear that exploring Galway with him and meeting locals along the way became a highlight of your family’s 10-day trip. We truly appreciate your amazing recommendation and will be delighted to share your kind words with Arthur! Warm regards, The Travelling Ireland Team
A fantastic experience! Arthur has so much personal knowledge about Galway and that was exactly what we hoped to learn.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted that you enjoyed discovering Galway through such personal local knowledge and that the tour was exactly what you hoped for. Thank you for booking with Travelling Ireland!
We enjoyed our experience with Clare and learned about the tribes of Galway. She pointed out many historic markers that we would not have noticed and told us stories that made Galway come alive. Clare was more than willing to answer all our questions.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted that Clare helped bring Galway’s history to life through its stories, historic markers, and the fascinating history of the Tribes of Galway. Thank you for booking with Travelling Ireland!
This was an excellent tour. I lived in Galway for years and was genuinely blown away by how much history I knew nothing about. Arthur knows the city inside out and was able to answer every question that came up. He is personable, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable, and I learned so much. I came away with a much greater appreciation for this wonderful city. So many locals stopped to greet Arthur along the way, which made the whole experience feel even more authentic. You can also tell how much he enjoys what he does, and that enthusiasm really comes through throughout the tour. I would absolutely recommend this as a must-do for anyone visiting (or living in!) Galway City, including people who think they already know the place!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We’re delighted that Arthur helped you discover a new side of Galway and brought the city’s history to life with such knowledge and enthusiasm. It’s especially lovely to hear that the tour felt authentic and rewarding even for someone who had lived in Galway for years. Thank you for booking with Travelling Ireland and for recommending the tour!
My adult daughters and I had a lovely tour with guide Arthur! We learned so much about Galway history, as well as suggestions on other things to do and see in the city. I will say that Arthur is somewhat of a celebrity in town - we were stopped by several lovely Galway locals for a greeting and bit of a humor! Arthur is a gem - we highly recommend the tour with him! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted that you and your daughters enjoyed discovering Galway’s history, local character, and recommendations for the rest of your visit. It sounds like Arthur made the experience especially memorable! Thank you for booking with Travelling Ireland!
