Galway Walking Routes Through the Old Town

November 5, 2026

Three routes, all on foot

Galway is easy to walk. These three routes start from Eyre Square or the Spanish Arch and none needs more than comfortable shoes and a waterproof jacket. Rain is frequent in any month.

Route 1: the old town and the Claddagh

Start at Eyre Square, beside Ceannt Station. Walk down Shop Street to Lynch’s Castle, a 16th-century townhouse that is now a bank branch. Continue to St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, founded in 1320 and the largest medieval parish church in Ireland still in regular use. Turn into Cross Street, then Quay Street, to reach the Spanish Arch, built in 1584. Cross the river by Wolfe Tone Bridge and follow the quay to the Claddagh basin, where swans gather. Allow about 2 hours with stops.

Add a stop at the free Galway City Museum on Spanish Parade, open Tuesday to Saturday.

Route 2: the Corrib and Nun’s Island

Begin again at the Spanish Arch. Follow the riverside path north past the quays to the Salmon Weir Bridge, built in 1818. In early summer salmon can be seen from the parapet. Keep to the path, because the Corrib runs fast and cold with weirs. The next stop is Galway Cathedral on Nun’s Island, finished in 1965 and open to visitors outside services. Finish at Woodquay, where the Corrib Princess cruise departs. This route takes about 1.5 hours.

Route 3: Salthill Promenade

Walk west from the Claddagh along the bay for about 3.2 km, passing Grattan Beach, to the Blackrock Diving Tower. Local custom is to kick the wall at the end before turning around. Along the way, Galway Atlantaquaria on Seapoint Promenade is a dry place to stop.

The tower has a middle and a top platform and locals swim here all year. The water is cold, depth changes with the tide and currents can be strong. Check conditions, swim only in calm weather and never jump in a storm. Allow about 1.5 hours each way at a stroll, or take a bus back.

Evening add-on

Finish any route with a trad session. Taaffe’s Bar on Shop Street plays at about 17:00 and 21:00 each day, and the Crane Bar on Sea Road has sessions seven nights a week.

Practical tips

Cobbles in the Latin Quarter are uneven in wet weather.
Wear layers, as Atlantic weather changes quickly.
The medieval core is pedestrian, so keep an eye on cyclists and buskers.