Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips

This is the Classic Trips chapter from Lonely Planet’s Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips guidebook.

Catch the very best of Ireland’s west along these classic routes. Drive from Sligo around stunning coastal scenery, past loughs and rivers from Galway, linking villages, mythical sites and bags of history.

• ride around County Clare’s hottest trad music spots
• maps
• take a windswept trip along North Mayo & Sligo’s rugged coastline
• restaurants & accommodation
• meander along lakes and rivers from County Galway to Mayo

Coverage includes: Musical Landscapes, North Mayo & Sligo, Loughs of the West, County Clare.

This is the Counties Mayo & Sligo chapter from Lonely Planet’s Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips guidebook.

Despite their natural wonders and languid charm, Counties Mayo and Sligo remain a well-kept secret, offering all of Ireland’s wild, romantic beauty but without the crowds. Mayo is the more rugged of the two, whereas Sligo is more pastoral.

• snap a zillion photos in the picturesque Georgian town of Westport
• maps
• find soaring cliffs and sheltered sandy beaches at Achill Island
• restaurants & accommodation
• explore the megalithic tombs and Stone Age monuments at Ballycastle

Coverage includes: County Mayo, Cong, Westport, Achill Island, Ballina, County Sligo, Sligo Town.

This is the County Clare chapter from Lonely Planet’s Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips guidebook.

County Clare combines spectacular windswept landscapes and vibrant Irish culture. Right along the coast, the pounding waves are a magnet for surfers, and surf schools set up on many of Clare’s beaches in summer.

• admire the view from the spectacular cliffs of the Loop Head Peninsula
• maps
• catch some traditional music in Miltown Malbay
• restaurants & accommodation
• be stunned by the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher

Coverage includes: Ennis, Southwestern & Western Clare, Kilrush, Loop Head Peninsula, Ennistimon, Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna.

This is the County Clare chapter from Lonely Planet’s Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips guidebook.

County Galway’s exuberant namesake city is a swirl of colourful shop-lined streets, enticing old pubs, and an increasingly sophisticated food scene that celebrates local produce. And some of Ireland’s most picturesque scenery fans out from Galway’s city limits.

• pick a pub in Galway for a lively night of music
• maps
• find hidden beaches and seaside hamlets in Connemara
• restaurants & accommodation
• explore ruins, historic sites and Father Ted in the Aran Islands

Coverage includes: Galway City, Aran Islands, Inishmore, Inishmaan, In-isheer, Connemara, Inishbofin, Letterfrack & Around.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Galway & the West of Ireland, Galway & the West of Ireland Map, Galway & the West of Ireland Highlights, Galway City Guide, and Need to Know chapters from Lonely Planet’s Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips guidebook.

Your journey to Galway & the West of Ireland Road Trips starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, and how much to budget.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about Galway City
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Galway & the West of Ireland, Galway & the West of Ireland Map, Galway & the West of Ireland Highlights, Galway City Guide, and Need to Know.