Sabbatikos

We woke to Galway, a vibrant city, and cultural hub of students and tourists, with a rich history and lots of charm. We couldn’t wait to get out and explore.

Our hotel was conveniently located near Eyre Square a central gathering place surrounded by shops, restaurants, and pubs. It was a good place to orient ourselves to the city. From here we made our way down the bustling streets of Galway’s Latin Quarter (Shop St., High St., Quay St., Bridge St.,) and the many alleyways between them, popping into boutique shops, open-air markets, and Irish pubs in equal measure. This area is the heart of Galway’s shopping and entertainment scene. We spent a lot of our time outside a pub (or two) just people watching the passing tourists and street performers.

We wandered our way down to the Spanish Arch, a remnant of the city’s medieval walls. This arch dates back to the 16th century and is located on the banks of the River Corrib where it meets Galway Bay (not to be confused with Galway Bay Irish Pub in Ocean Shores, WA — where we spend many of our long weekends, and one of the reasons we chose to visit Galway on this trip).

One of our favorite parts of Galway was the simple walk along the River Corrib, where you can watch locals picnic in the park, fish in the river, step off the park path and enter historic sites like the Galway Cathedral of St. Nicholas, or neighborhoods like the Claddagh, a historic area known for its iconic Claddagh ring, symbolizing love, friendship, and loyalty. It’s a great spot to stroll.

It was here in Claddagh, on the banks of the River Corrib, we found an excellent restaurant, Il Vicolo and had our best meal in Ireland.

We took in the sunset with a nightcap at Sophie’s Rooftop Terrace Bar atop the trendy The Dean hotel and retired back to our hotel. We had to rise early for a morning drive back to Dublin and catch our same day flights back home. It was a nice way to end an epic and long anticipated trip to the lovely country of Ireland.