Day 1: Best Things to Do in Galway, Ireland
This itinerary mostly focuses on the day trips that we can do from Galway so it’s limited to spending just a single day in Galway city. It’s a bit of a whirlwind visit to the city but you can see many of the top sights of Galway in a day.
1) Spanish Arch and Latin Quarter
After arriving to Galway, head to the Spanish Arch and Latin Quarter. The streets here are definitely quite touristy, but they are nice pedestrian streets. This area is probably the most beautiful in the city.
The Spanish Arch is a leftover from the medieval walls around Galway. It’s not the most picturesque arch I’ve seen but it has a bit of interesting history. In 1755 it was partially damaged from the resulting tsunami from the Lisbon earthquake.
Before exploring the Latin Quarter, you may want to walk outside of the Spanish Arch and across the bridge to get the iconic picture of Galway Harbour. The houses alongside the street known as The Long Walk make for a beautiful photo but you need to be across the River Corrib to really get a good one. There’s a pedestrian walking area just off of Father Griffin Rd that gives you the perfect photo opportunity for this.
The Latin Quarter is the place to shop if you are looking for a Claddagh ring. Galway is home to the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, where the ring originated from. It’s been produced in Galway since 1700 and is now mostly worn by people to celebrate their Irish heritage. The hands, heart, and crown on the ring symbolize friendship, love, and loyalty.
2) Galway Cathedral
From the Latin Quarter, walk to the Galway Cathedral. On the walk, you can see the river and maybe even some salmon if you’re there at the right time of year. You will also see the Salmon Weir Bridge, the oldest surviving bridge across the River Corrib. It was built in 1818 and was built to link the courthouse with the jail, where the cathedral now stands. 
The Galway Cathedral is right near the River Corrib and is an imposing building. It’s not to everyone’s taste though as the outside of the building has been called ugly by some of it’s critics. It’s the newest stone cathedral in Europe, it was only completed in 1965. It’s worth taking a look inside. Galway Cathedral has some really beautiful paintings and mosaics. 
3) Galway University
If we still have time, a short walk from the Galway Cathedral is the National University of Ireland Galway. It really does look like something out of Harry Potter. The Quadrangle with the Great Hall (Aula Maxima) is a replica of Christ Church college at Oxford and is the oldest part of the university.
We will end our day by enjoying some Irish food and walking along the Salthill Promenade.