Arty, bohemian Galway is one of Ireland’s most engaging cities, and famous for its culture-fuelled festivals, vibrant shopfronts, picturesque coastline and a music scene like no other.

Capital of Ireland’s Gaelic West – it’s the only city in the country where you might possibly hear Irish spoken on the streets – Galway draws young people from up and down the coast to study at the National University of Ireland at Galway, and the Institute of Technology.

In the summer holidays, however, its bohemian diversity becomes more overt, as hundreds of English-language students renew the city’s traditional maritime links with the Continent, while dozens of buskers from all over the world sing for their supper.

In medieval times, Galway was ruled by 14 merchant families or ‘tribes’, giving the city its nickname: “City of the Tribes”. Today, there are around 7,000 Irish speakers in Galway city, which is nearly 10 per cent of the population of the island of Ireland.

Regionally, county Galway was the first in Ireland to be awarded European Region of Gastronomy for 2018. The honour was hardly surprising, given events such as the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival, the oldest of its kind in the world, attracting seafood lovers the world over.

Then there’s Galway’s iconic Claddagh ring. Located in the heart of the city for centuries, Thomas Dillon’s Jewellers are the original makers of the famous band – they’re still handmade in store to this day.

Also, let’s not forget cinematic offerings… Galway is one of UNESCO’s Cities of Film, thanks to events like the Galway Film Fleadh and the creative spectacle that is the Galway International Arts Festival.

Meanwhile, forming a regular feature of Galway Bay, the iconic Hooker boats hold a long tradition as the handcrafted vessels of choice for local fishermen; with rust-red sails and black hulls, you can’t miss them.

Next comes gastronomy; with a history of delectable eats spanning centuries, visitors will find a huge variety of street food and handmade crafts at the Galway Market on Church lane by St Nicholas’ Church.

Finally, outside the city, lies the rugged region of Connemara, speckled in a wild wonderland of mountains, bogs, heathland and lakes. Shrouded in a history of romance, tragedy and sacred secrets, Kylemore Abbey lies in the heart of the Connemara Mountains in County Galway, and is now a Benedictine monastery.

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