Welcome to our City Walking Tours

Galway is a city on Ireland’s western coast. It has about 85,910 residents, which makes it the fourth-largest city in the Republic of Ireland. It is a very old city with an interesting Historic and Bohemian background. Galway was named the European Region of Gastronomy in 2018 and the European Capital of Culture in 2022. The city is known for its tourism attractions including festivals and events like the Galway Arts Festival. It also has lively and colorful streets!

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Over the past number of years, our private and group Tour offerings of Galway have become very popular with visitors. We offer Guided tours of Galway and visitors greatly enjoy these tours. The city walks follow a route that’s clear and easy to follow. There are more than twenty points of interest (POI) along the way. These walking tours are hosted by professional and reliable Tour guides. There are banking, shopping and toilet facilities close to the route.

At our TripAdvisor marketplace, we have Group Offers on Family / Friends rates for groups of up to 12!

There are a few variations on our City Walking tours. Our Historic group Tours of Galway includes the small private Family and Friend Group tour. The duration of this tour choice is approximately 2 hours 20 minutes.  

Following are some tour highlights of our Galway Walking tours . . .

The meeting point for guests on Walking tours is at Eyre Square. It is a very attractive town square in the city center and the walk starts from here. Tour starts by giving you a brief history of the city. During the introductory talk, you discover why Galway is called the ‘City of Tribes’. You also learn why it became such a prosperous town by the mid-1600’s. We then move to John F Kennedy Park. A plaque stands there to honor former US President, John F Kennedy. He was the first US President to visit Ireland while in office. We’ll learn more about his historic visit to the city in 1963. This happened a short few months before his assassination in Dallas.

Lynch’s Castle is a 12th-century historic landmark once owned by the Lynch family. Irish gargoyles decorate the exterior walls, together with other unusual features.

The coat of arms of the Lynch family and the arms of King Henry VII and the Fitzgerald’s of Kildare are also on the walls. The stone molding around the windows is of high quality. Although it now operates as a bank, the ground floor has historical materials about its past.

We visit St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, founded in 1320 and one of the best-preserved of Ireland’s medieval town churches. The story of this 700-year old church is the story of Galway itself! It features gargoyles and many wall carvings on the exterior walls. Engaging attractions on the inside include a 400-year old Baptismal Font and a decorative Alter window. You will also find a sculpted and canopied Tomb of the Lynch clan. Lastly, there is an old Crusaders Tomb from the 13th century.

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The Lynch Memorial Window in Market Street is a popular visitor attraction. According to popular legend, this is where Mayor James Lynch, in 1493, sentenced his own son. He carried out a gruesome sentence on him. His son had confessed to murder.

The Latin Quarter takes its name from our shared maritime history with the Latin-speaking world. It’s mostly a pedestrian area. From here, you’ll explore the lively, pedestrianized Quay Street. It’s regarded as the cultural heart of the city and has some old historic landmarks and lanes. The area also boasts some of the best restaurants, music pubs, and craft-shops in the city. On a fine day, the vibe on the streets here is exciting with street buskers and artists.

The Spanish Arch is situated at the old port area. Once, French and Spanish galleon ships docked there with imported wines, silks and spices for Galway’s merchant traders. Legend has it that this arch was the last point of land contact for Columbus before discovering America

The Riverside Walk runs from the Weir to Mainguard Street. It can be quite invigorating early in the day. The river becomes quite turbulent here before it meets the sea. The walk provides a great vantage point for viewing the eel boxes. You can also see anglers fishing on the river below the Salmon Weir Bridge.

We visit Galway Cathedral with its huge octagonal dome, which is more reminiscent of Florence than the west of Ireland! The cathedral is located on the site of the old Galway Jail. It was the last major stone church built in Ireland and was completed in 1965. Its architecture and design is truly eclectic. You can explore the building outside of Cathedral Mass times Galway.

Other Historic city landmarks that we will explore include the Old Malt House, Courthouse Square, Kirwan’s Lane, Mayoralty House. The old Pro-Cathedral, the Hall of the Red Earl, and the Medieval Town Wall each have their own legends. They also have their own stories.