Galway City (Ireland) > Reviews > Galway - not all it's craiced up to be

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around

Advantages:	Lots of pubs and restaurants .
Disadvantages:	It's just another small town  -  and dodgy accounting .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I've just come home from a two week holiday touring around the West of Ireland - Clare, Mayo and Galway - spending a night or two in B&Bs all over, with the last few spent in Galway.
We wanted to see Galway as it has a good repuation for being a lively and lovely city, but after having seen all the natural beauty that the region has to offer, the city was a bit of a let down.
If you're after somewhere to enjoy the pubs, restaurants and nightlife then you are spoilt for choice and sure to find something to your taste. The main shopping streets through the city are heaving with people at all hours so make sure you book early for a table in a restaurant. (Check your bill carefully as well. Both restaurants we ate in during our two days had the bill wrong, with items we hadn't ordered appearing on them).
Whatever you do, don't go on the open top bus tour of the city which runs from the Tourist Office, unless you want a tour of Galway's housing estates. The bus spends about 10 minutes in the city, then goes up through council estates to a hill in the outskirts, stopping for a further 10 minutes so you can enjoy the panoramic views of the rooftops, then back along the seafront of Salthill into Galway.
So, use Galway as a base for your evening entertainment, but don't waste time in it during the day when all the natural beauty of the region is on your doorstep.