Galway is a culturally-rich and vibrant community of 70,000 people which sits on the west coast of Ireland and overlooks beautiful Galway Bay. It is Ireland's fastest growing city — and for good reason. With its ubiquitous music, renowned theaters and galleries, and wide variety of excellent restaurants and pubs, the city radiates with energy. In fact, Galway has earned distinction as the "Cultural Capital of Ireland."
Galway also offers an assortment of lively cultural festivals. Some of the largest ones include the Galway Film Fleadh (which features new Irish films and cutting edge international cinema), the Galway Arts Festival (which is a monumental celebration of Irish and international visual and performing arts), the Galway Races (which features premier equine racing and Irish song and storytelling), and the Oyster Festival (which features delicious seafood and nonstop entertainment).
There is no doubt that Galway and its surrounding area will endlessly fascinate you. It's easy to navigate the city by foot, and within Galway's precincts you'll find tangible traces of its storied past — from the remains of a 16th-century fortress to an Irish Gothic castle that was once the home of Galway's most powerful family. Outside the city, you'll be dazzled by some of Ireland's most scenic landscapes from the rocky mountains of Connemara to the weathered shores of the Gaelic-speaking Aran Islands.