Leisure activities:

Galway is a city, a county, and an experience to be savoured and remembered. The historic City of the Tribes dances to a beat uniquely it's own while the peripheral villages of Oranmore, Claregalway, Barna, Furbo and Spiddal offer a more rural experience if you want some peace and quiet while still being close to the city itself.

There is a certain chemistry and vibrancy to this friendly university city, which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres combine to make this an amazing place to experience. Galway is famous for it's lively street entertainment and every summer the streets are alive with buskers and various street entertainers.

Galway city is unique among Irish cities because of the strength of its Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions - it is often referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland'. The Irish language can be heard in use by locals and is visible on the city streets and in the outlying villages.

The Aran Islands are easily accessible from Galway City by air or by ferry. Inis Mór or Árainn is the largest and most developed of the three, criss-crossed by a maze of stone walls and rich in language, culture and heritage. The middle island, Inis Meáin, is considered the most tranquil of the three and perfect for walking with plenty of way-marked trails and quiet sandy beaches. The eastern island, Inis Oírr, is the smallest and regarded by many as the most beautiful with a barren and rugged landscape perfect for quiet contemplation and relaxed walks.

A vast array of festivals take place in Galway City each year - Amongst which are the world famous Galway Races, the Galway Arts festival, The Galway Film Fleadh and The Galway Oyster Festival.