The House Hotel
Why we like it: Four-star boutique hotel on Spanish Parade, in the Latin Quarter, with 48 rooms, a café-bar and the Spanish Arch at the door.
Duration2 nights
From Dublin2 h 10–2 h 30 by train
Best timeMay – September
Budget€280–450 pp
MoherFrom €15 at the ticket office
Inis MórFerry and bus €44
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Dublin by train on Friday morning and return on Sunday afternoon, sleeping two nights in the Latin Quarter. For Moher, a hire car for a day or a tour bus from Galway; for Inis Mór, the bus and the Aran Island Ferries ferry.
Friday
- 107:35Train from Heuston
Intercity to Galway Ceannt, next to Eyre Square. Drop your bag at The House Hotel, on Spanish Parade.
- 211:00Latin Quarter and Spanish Arch
Walk down Shop Street and Quay Street to the River Corrib, and go into the city museum, which is free.
- 313:00Fish and chips at McDonagh's
On Quay Street since 1902.
Saturday
- 108:30Cliffs of Moher
Hire car for the day or a bus from Galway; arrive before 11:00, when the online ticket is cheaper and the coaches haven't arrived. Come back along the Burren coast.
- 219:00Dinner and a pub
Tigh Neachtain, on Cross Street, for a pint in a pub dating from 1894.
Sunday
- 109:00Inis Mór
Bus from Victoria Place to Rossaveel and a 40-minute ferry. Bike or minibus to the fort of Dún Aonghasa.
- 217:30Train back to Dublin
From Ceannt; the last one leaves at 22:25.
The Cliffs of Moher can be seen in a day from Dublin, but by coach you spend more hours on the road than on the edge of the Atlantic. With two nights in Galway, a little over two hours away by train, everything changes: you reach Moher first thing, before the groups, spend another day on the island of Inis Mór and the evenings belong to the Latin Quarter and its pubs.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin–Galway return train | Varies | Intercity from Heuston |
| Cliffs of Moher | €15 at the ticket office | Cheaper online at off-peak times; under 12s free |
| Ferry to Inis Mór and bus | €34 + €10 | Return, adult |
| City museum | Free | Suggested donation of €5 |
Where to stay
The House Hotel, on Spanish Parade, to have everything on foot. Kinlay Hostel, next to Eyre Square and the station, if you are after something inexpensive. The G Hotel, with a spa, if you are coming by car.
Where to eat
McDonagh's for fish and chips, every day. Tigh Neachtain for lunch, from 12:00 to 16:00, and for the evening pint.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Fly to Dublin and take the train to the west coast
For Galway and Moher, the usual way from Spain is to fly to Dublin, with direct flights from many cities, and cross the country by train (a little over two hours from Heuston) or by hire car (about two and a half hours on the M6 motorway). If you only have one day, the coach tour from Dublin does Moher and Galway and returns in the evening.
- Getting thereDublin Airport (DUB): Dublin Express…
- Getting aroundOn foot in Galway
- Where to sleepThe House Hotel, for the…
- ServicesGalway Ceannt station
Getting there
- Dublin Airport (DUB): Dublin Express to Heuston station
- Irish Rail Intercity from Heuston to Galway Ceannt
Getting around
- On foot in Galway
- Hire car for Moher and the Burren at your own pace
- Ferry to the Aran Islands from Rossaveel
Where to sleep
- The House Hotel, for the first night in the centre
- The G Hotel, if you arrive by car
Services
- Galway Ceannt station
Train to Galway and day trips from there
Galway can be done without a car: train from Dublin Heuston in a little over two hours, the centre on foot, and from there a ferry to the Aran Islands and tours or a bus to the Cliffs of Moher. If you only have one day, the coach tour from Dublin takes you to Moher and Galway and brings you back in the evening.
100–180 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepThe House Hotel, in the…
- Getting aroundIntercity Dublin Heuston–Galway Ceannt
- Where to eatMcDonagh's, fish and chips since…
- ServicesGalway Ceannt station
Where to sleep
- The House Hotel, in the Latin Quarter
- Kinlay Hostel, next to Eyre Square and the station
Getting around
- Intercity Dublin Heuston–Galway Ceannt
- Ferry to Inis Mór with a bus from Victoria Place
- Day trip from Dublin to Moher and Galway, from €75
Where to eat
- McDonagh's, fish and chips since 1902
- Tigh Neachtain, at lunchtime
Services
- Galway Ceannt station
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Kinlay Hostel Galway
Why we like it: Hostel on Merchants Road, next to Eyre Square and two minutes from the train and bus station, with free breakfast.
The G Hotel & Spa
Why we like it: Design hotel with a thermal spa in Wellpark, on the edge of the centre, with the GEO restaurant and the Grand Salon for afternoon tea.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Galway and the Cliffs of Moher
McDonagh's
What to order: the fish and chips from the counter, or the seafood of the day in the restaurant.
Closed 24 to 26 December
Tigh Neachtain
What to order: the lunch of the day, from 12:00 to 16:00, and a pint in the afternoon.
Food at lunchtime only, from 12:00 to 16:00
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If the sea cancels Sunday's ferry, swap the order: Inis Mór on Saturday and Moher on Sunday, or stay in Galway with the museum and a walk to Claddagh.
We'd skip it
Doing Moher, the Burren and Galway in a day from Dublin with small children: it is 12 or 13 hours, almost half of them on a coach.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car?
Not for Galway or Inis Mór. For Moher, a hire car for a day or a bus tour from Galway.
How much does the getaway cost?
With the train, two nights in a central hotel, tickets and ferry, about €280–450 per person depending on the accommodation.
What is the best time of year?
From May to September, with long days and a calmer sea for the ferry.