A few months ago, I wrote about my experience on this Connemara Day Tour from Galway.
It turns out that it was pretty popular and there’s a substantial number of people choosing to make Galway their base on a trip to Ireland, thanks to the great options for day tours from Galway: the Aran Islands, Cliffs of Moher, Connemara to name a few.
I spent 2 months in Ireland and while I didn’t go on all of these tours, I did spend a significant amount of time in County Galway and County Clare and thsee are the day trips from Galway or day tours from Galway that I think are worth adding to your itinerary.
Cliffs of Moher
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The best tours from Galway City
Galway
The best thing about these tours are that they can be incorporated into your Ireland itinerary whether you’re travelling independently or part of an organised group.
The benefit of tours is the local knowledge that’s provided by the guides. Even though we had a car and were independently exploring Ireland, it was a welcome break to self-driving Ireland and refreshing to hear a local’s knowledge and stories on these tours.
Galway Connemara Tour
Connemara National Park
Connemara National Park is one of those places that a lot of people have never heard of in Ireland, but it quickly became one of my favourite places in the country and a big part of that was thanks to this tour.
You can read about my full tour experience here as well as some interesting facts about Connemara National Park.
On this tour you’ll visit Cong village and Abbey as well as Killary Fjord which is Ireland’s only ture fjord. You’ll also visit the picturesque Kylemore Abbey and learn fascinating information from your guide about Connemara, its unique natural habitat, Stone Age history in the area, the potato blight, famine roads and more.
If this tour is fully booked for your dates, this Connemara tour is really similar and also very highly reviewed.
Another alternative if you prefer a more independent style of travel, is this Galway to Connemara tour which gives you plenty of free time to explore the area and hike the famous Diamond Hill for spectacular views over the National Park.
Day tour from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher
Of course, no trip to Ireland would be complete without a visit to the Cliffs of Moher.
Located in neighbouring County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher are just 1.5 hours drive from Galway City.
This Cliffs of Moher tour is not only highly rated but it also takes you to several other stops along the way, including:
Dunguaire Castle
Corcomroe Abbey
Doolin
Lisdoonvarna
And entry to the Cliffs of Moher is included in the tour price.
Aran Islands day tours out of Galway
Aran Island
Without a doubt, my favourite Ireland day trip during my two months in the Emerald Isle was to the Aran Islands.
Located a short boat trip off the Wild Atlantic Way coastline in Galway Bay, the Aran Islands are made up of three islands - Inis Mór (big island), Inis Meáin (middle island) and Inis Oírr (small island).
Ferries leave Galway Harbour seasonally (April - September) and the boat trip takes around 1.5 hours. So please bear this in mind when booking your tours as some options may not be available if you travel outside the peak season.
If you’re interested in visiting the big island of Inis Mor, I highly recommend this Aran Islands tour which gives you 4.5 hours of free time to roam the island.
If you’re more interested in visiting the smaller island of Inis Oirr, I recommend this Aran Island tour option, which first takes a bus from Galway to Doolin, then the ferry from Doolin to Inis Oirr which is about 40 minutes.
BOTH of these Aran Island tours include a Cliffs of Moher cruise where you’ll have the chance to see the dramatic 214m cliffs towering above you from the Atlantic Ocean as you cruise along the coast.
Galway coach tours to The Burren
Dunguaire Castle
You’d be forgiven for never having heard of The Burren - I hadn’t either until my trip to Ireland.
Located in County Clare, around 1 hours drive from Galway, this unique National Park is so breathtaking, it’s no wonder than it’s a designated UNESCO Global Geopark.
The Burren is home to a lunar-like landscape, 330 million years of geological history, flora and fauna diversity that rivals most other locations in Ireland and fossils and archeological sites that honestly just blew my mind!
The Burren borders the Atlantic (where the Cliffs of Moher are located) and is also home to thousands of seabirds, puffins and marine wildlife.
If this sounds right up your alley, I highly recommend this tour of the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher.
The tour includes:
Dunguaire Castle
The Burren
Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb
Cliffs of Moher
the 5,800-year-old Poulnabrone Dolmen
Doolin
Lisdoonvarna
Summary: the best day tours from Galway City
Hopefully these Galway day tours have given you some inspiration for the best day trips to take from Galway during your time in the city and County Galway itself.
I highly recommend all four of these locations: Connemara, Aran Islands, Cliffs of Moher and the Burren - whether you choose to travel as part of a tour or independently.
Pin this image for later to help you plan your future trip!
