Pile of colorful fresh vegetables, red and white onions in Galway food market, Ireland.

Getty Images

Galway Market

Galway City


Galway's bohemian spirit comes alive at its street market, which has set up in this spot for centuries. Saturdays are the standout for food, when farmers sell fresh produce alongside stalls selling arts, crafts and ready-to-eat dishes. Additional markets take place from noon to 6pm on bank holidays, Fridays in July and August and every day during the Galway International Arts Festival. Buskers add to the festive atmosphere.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Galway City attractions

1. Lynch Memorial Window

0.03 MILES

James Lynch Fitzstephen was the mayor and magistrate of Galway in 1493. So the story goes, when his son was condemned for the murder of a romantic rival…

3. Lynch's Castle

0.05 MILES

Now an AIB Bank, this excellent example of a town castle was built around 1500 (the exact date is unknown). The facade's stonework includes ghoulish…

4. Oscar Wilde & Eduard Vilde Statue

0.09 MILES

An earnest conversation takes place between Irish writer Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) and Estonian writer Eduard Vilde (1856–1933), sitting on a granite bench,…

5. Hall of the Red Earl

0.12 MILES

In the 13th century, when the de Burgo family ruled Galway, Richard – the Red Earl – erected a large hall as a seat of power, where locals would arrive to…

6. Browne Doorway

0.2 MILES

Guarding the upper side of Eyre Square, this out-of-context doorway (1627) is an imposing, if forlorn, fragment from the home of one of the city's…

7. Eyre Square

0.21 MILES

Galway's central public square is busy in all but the harshest weather. A welcoming open green space with sculptures and pathways, its lawns are formally…

8. Spanish Arch

0.21 MILES

The Spanish Arch is thought to be an extension of Galway's medieval city walls, designed to protect ships moored at the nearby quay while they unloaded…