Car free in Connemara!

There are loads of coach tours taking adventurers from cities all around the island of Ireland out into the wilds of Connemara. In Galway city, a well-known family-run company called Lally Tours has been showing people this beautiful part of the world since 1988.

Their coach will collect you just 300 metres from Eyre Square – a landmark square in the heart of Galway – and take you on a full-day trip from Galway to Connemara with entrance to Kylemore Abbey and the Walled Garden included in the fare. There’s also the option to be picked up from your hotel if you arrange this in advance.

Your guide will introduce themselves and get the conversation started in your group. You’ll quickly realise that inciteful commentary, witty jokes and interesting anecdotes on the world outside the window are your guide’s speciality as you swap bustling city streets for countryside paths, rolling hills and silver lakes such as Ballycuirke Lough and Lough Corrib, both of which are great fishing spots.

You’ll pass through Oughterard – known as the gateway to Connemara – and drive by a section of Ireland’s primeval oak forest which locals say was once so dense that a squirrel could travel across the island without touching the ground! The coach stops every 30 minutes or so allowing you to get out, stretch your legs and take pictures of the sights – a favourite being the waters of Lough Bofin with cottages speckled on its shore.

Soon, you’ll approach Leenane with its background of the Mweelrea and Maumturk mountain ranges. The coach stops for approximately 30 minutes here in what is a quaint yet lively village perched on the shore of Killary Fjord. Grab a coffee or a snack at the quirky Purple Door Café, or visit Gaynor’s Bar, a traditional pub which happens to be a great place for a chat with the locals. Our favourite thing to do here is to visit the Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre. They maintain the tradition of turning raw fleece into yarn using spinning wheels and looms. Pick up a memento from your trip in their gift shop, such as a handcrafted scarf, yarn or even a book on the local history.

A two-hour stop at Kylemore Abbey gives you plenty of time to explore the abbey, neo-Gothic Church and Victorian Walled Garden. In 1868, successful financier Mitchell Henry created Kylemore overlooking the sparkling waters of Connemara Lake for his wife Margaret after she fell in love with the area in the 1850s. However, the course of love never did run smooth and Margaret died in 1874 leaving Mitchell to live here without her for a further 20 years. He eventually passed Kylemore Abbey over to the nuns who run it today.

Learn the history of Kylemore Abbey with a self-guided interactive tour, avail of one of the History Talks, or simply wander the grounds, admiring the beauty that Margaret saw. The Victorian Gardens are 6 acres split in two by a mountain stream. Vegetable gardens, gorgeous flowers and a shaded fernery are to be enjoyed here. The gardens are a 20-minute walk away, or accessible via a seasonal shuttle bus.

Before you hop back on the coach and begin your return journey towards Galway city, be sure to stop in at Mitchell’s Café for lunch. They make tasty traditional Irish dishes here using recipes from the Benedictine nuns and fresh ingredients from the Walled Garden.

There are lots of gorgeous landscapes to gaze at on the next route of the journey, including Lough Inagh and the much-photographed Pine Island, which looks as though it’s floating on Derryclare Lough, as well as the hauntingly beautiful Twelve Bens Mountain Range, part of the Connemara National Park. You’re on your way to the last significant stop before you return to Galway city.

Welcome to Spiddal (An Spidéal). This village is roughly 19km away from Galway city on the shore of Galway Bay, and is a Gaeltacht area, which means that people speak Irish here! Don’t worry, the locals will speak English too, but it’s a great opportunity for you to learn a few words and try them out in conversation in one of the local pubs such as the lively Cois Cuain or the cosy An Droighneán Donn.

We recommend a visit to Spiddal Craft Village and Café (Ceardlann An Spidéil) where you can meet crafters from the local area and find lots of lovely traditional craft shops with handcrafted items such as pottery, woven baskets and jewellery. They make the perfect gifts to bring home from your trip to the island of Ireland.

Your adventure shouldn’t stop just because the coach tour is over!

Galway city itself is worth spending a bit of time in. There are many places to stay, great cafés, bars and restaurants, and an exciting traditional music scene. Check out 9 of our favourite things to do there. 

Galway is also a great base to explore this region of the Wild Atlantic Way. With big attractions like the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands just a day trip away and coach tours or public transport easily accessible here, you won’t find yourself stuck for something incredible to do.