Dublin vs Galway: Which Irish city is better

Are you planning a trip to Ireland and wondering if Dublin or Galway is the better city to visit? In this guide we do a side by side comparison on everything you need to know including costs, attractions, safety, and much more. So here is a complete guide to Dublin vs Galway.

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Dublin vs Galway: Some background

Before we get into the whole Dublin vs Galway debate, here is some background on each city.

DUBLIN

Dublin is the capital of the Republic or Ireland, and is also the largest city on the island of Ireland. The city is famous for it’s cultural scene, being the birthplace of many famous writers and entertainers. The population in the metropolitan area is around 1,270,000. On top of that you get about 5.9 million tourists in the city each year.

Are you wondering if Dublin is worth visiting? Here is a handy guide.

GALWAY

Galway is a much smaller city than Dublin. It’s located on the west coast of Ireland, and is a harbour city, where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. Galway is filled with cobbled streets, winding lanes and the remains of some medieval city walls. It is located in County Galway, which itself has 689 kilometres of coastline. This forms part of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for accommodation

Choosing your accommodation is an important part of any trip. Here we look at Dublin and Galway to determine which one has the better accommodation options.

DUBLIN

There is no way to sugar coat this, so I will just say it. Accommodation in Dublin is expensive. Like ridiculously expensive. And that’s just on a normal day, add a public holiday or a festival on top of that and it’s worse.

To put things into perspective we paid €260 per night for a 4 star hotel in Dublin city centre. We booked the accommodation well in advance, and to be honest we were lucky to even get it at that price! The room was modern and clean, but really small.

On the plus side, with accommodation in Dublin you do get a lot of choice. From hostels to luxury hotels, there is something for everyone. If you want to be close to the action you should look at staying around Temple Bar, or Stephen’s Green. Otherwise if you want to save some money no matter how small, look at staying further out of the centre.

GALWAY

If you are planning to spend time in Galway you are best off staying close to the city centre. The best spots are the Latin Quarter, or the Docks. Both areas are close to lots of pubs and restaurants, and are also close to a number of tourist attractions.

Accommodation ranges between €180 and above for a 4 star hotel near the city centre. Just make sure you book early to get the best deals.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin has a lot more choice when it comes to accommodation, but Galway in a lot cheaper.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for attractions

If you are wondering if Dublin or Galway is better for attractions here are some of the top things to do in each location.

DUBLIN

Here are our top picks for things to do in Dublin.

The Guinness Storehouse

Let’s face it Guinness is pretty synonymous with Dublin. For this reason the Guinness Storehouse is one of the most popular tourist sites in Dublin and is great if you want to try a pint for yourself.

Trinity College

Trinity College is one of the top universities in Europe and kind of conjures up this mix of Hogwarts and Dead Poets Society vibe. It’s a beautiful place to visit if you like history and architecture.

The Book of Kells

And whilst we are discussing Trinity College, another really cool thing to do here is see the Book of Kells and Old College Library. It’s honestly a book lovers dream.

Temple Bar

Sometimes known as Dublin’s cultural quarter is Temple Bar. It’s full of cobbled streets, and a number of atmospheric pubs and restaurants. One of the most visited places is of course the ‘Temple Bar’ pub. If you can find a seat it’s great for live music and pints. It’s also one of the best photo spots in Dublin.

Kilmainham Gaol

History buffs will definitely be interested in visiting Kilmainham Gaol. It’s about 3.5 km out of Dublin centre, and such an important part of Irish history. Many Irish revolutionaries were imprisoned and executed here by order of the UK government. This is a great place to brush up on Irish history.

Phoenix Park

The park is a stones throw away from Dublin centre, and is essentially a 7km green space that has a zoo, wild deer, and some beautiful gardens.

Irish Whiskey Museum

Apart from Guinness, Ireland is of course very much known for its Whiskey. The museum will teach you all about how whiskey is made, but most importantly gives you the chance to do some tasting.

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle until 1922 was the centre of UK government rule in Ireland. Since then it has become a major tourist attraction and is used for state dinners as well as the inauguration of presidents in Ireland.

Ha’penny Bridge

Built in 1816 over the River Liffey, this scenic bridge is not only a symbol of the city, but also one of the first pedestrian bridges over the River Liffey.

GALWAY

And here are some of the best things to do when visiting Galway.

Listen to the buskers

One of the must dos in Galway is visiting Quay Street. Here you will find lots of buskers playing different types of music. It’s one of the things that Galway is famous for so you have to stop by.

Aran Islands

The Aran Islands, whilst not technically in Galway, are one of the best day trips to do from the city. If you are travelling from Galway to the Aran Islands, then you will need to make your way to Rosaveel which is just under an hour away from the centre of Galway. From Rosaveel you then need to hop on a ferry that will take you to Inis Mór.

The Galway Cathedral

The Galway Cathedral is one of the newer buildings in the city. It was built in 1965 and has since become one of the iconic parts of the city skyline.

Visit Salthill

Salthill is one of the lovely beach areas in Galway. I know that the country isn’t really famous for sunning yourself on the beach, but it does have some gorgeous coastal spots.

Connemara National Park

Connemara National Park is located in the north western part of County Galway. It’s one of the most beautiful national parks in the country and there is so much to see and do. One of our favourite things though are the hiking trails with boardwalks that you can follow.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin is the bigger city and therefore there is a lot more to see and do here.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is prettier

You might be wondering if Dublin or Galway is the more picturesque place to visit. Here are our thoughts.

DUBLIN

Dublin has its good and bad points when it comes to scenery. That being said you do get some lovely spaces like St Stephen’s Green, but the prettiest part of the city is around temple Bar. There are tons of bars and cobbled streets to explore, and the atmosphere is great too. The county itself does have some nice spots, particularly around Howth, but not as beautiful as other parts of the country.

GALWAY

If the words of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats are anything to go by then it is fair to say Galway is a beautiful place. He once described it as the ‘Venice of the West’ and while that might be a bold statement, it certainly does make you realise how picturesque it is.

The city itself is incredibly colourful, with a friendly atmosphere. It’s western seaboard location also makes it a prime spot for incredibly scenery and rugged landscapes.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Galway is definitely the prettier of the two places. Particularly if you venture out and explore County Galway with its national park, and stunning coastal areas.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is easier to get to

Getting to a city will obviously play a large part in your decision to visit. But is Dublin or Galway easier to get to?

DUBLIN

Dublin is an easy place to get to. It’s the gateway to Ireland, with several flights a day arriving from around the world. Ryanair is also headquartered in Dublin which means lots of cheap flights, and travel routes.

From the airport you can get a taxi into town, although this will set you back around €30. You also have the option of getting the Aircoach. It departs every 15 minutes and takes you straight to the centre of Dublin for half the price of a taxi.

GALWAY

Galway doesn’t have it’s own airport, but you can fly into Knock or Shannon which are the closest. Galway is about an hours drive from both airports. You can also fly into Dublin and get the train over to Galway.

If you are coming from Dublin, then the best way to get to Galway is via train. There is a train that goes between Dublin and Galway that takes around 2.5 hours. It also takes a similar amount of time to drive from Dublin to Galway.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin is definitely the easiest city to get to. It’s well connected with various train, and ferry routes, as well as a major international airport.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is easier to get around

Ease of getting around in a city is a big thing especially when it comes to choosing your next vacation spot. Here is a breakdown of Dublin and Galway in terms of getting around.

DUBLIN

Public transport in Dublin is easy to use although you may not necessarily need to use it. A lot of the main tourist attractions are close to each other, but there are some a little out of the way.

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is ideal for getting out of the centre, and it is also one of the most beautiful public transport systems as it travels along the Irish Sea Coast for a lot of its journey.

For getting around in the city you also have the Luas, which is the tram service.

If you think you will be using a lot of public transport you can purchase a Leap Card, for about €10 for 1 day, and this will cover you for Luas services, and buses.

GALWAY

Galway is a small city, so you won’t need to worry about using public transport unless you head out further into the county. In which case there is a solid bus network taking you to places like Rosaveel for example, frequently.

Realistically if you are wanting to see more of County Galway, you will need a car, as public transport can take a long time to get from a to b.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Galway is a smaller place so in that sense it is easier to get around. On the flip side though Dublin is way more connected, and using public transport is efficient and easy.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for beaches

Planning a beach holiday? You might then be wondering if Dublin or Galway is the better choice.

DUBLIN

Let’s be honest Dublin isn’t really synonymous with beaches and sunbathing. But you might be surprised that it does have a bit of choice when it comes to seaside locations. Sunbathing might not be ideal, it is Ireland after all, but the beaches are definitely an option. Howth is one of the best beach spots, with fish and chips, and a beautiful cliff walk, you will quickly forget that you were even in the busy Dublin city centre.

GALWAY

Considering Galway has 689 kilometres of coastline it’s fair to say that it has some decent beaches. One of the closest beaches to the city is Salthill which is an incredibly popular tourist spot.

In summer you will find people strolling along the sand, or diving into the water. There is a promenade here that kind of reminds us a lot of an old school beach resort. There are lots of shops selling random knick knacks and some pretty good ice cream too.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

While Dublin does have a few beach options, Galway is the better choice as the beaches are a lot more scenic.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for food

If you love visiting a city for its food you might be wondering if you should choose Dublin or Galway.

DUBLIN

In the last few years Dublin has well and truly surprised us when it comes to food. It used to be very pub food focussed but these days you will find lots of really great different places to eat.

If you are after traditional Irish food you can try one of our favourites The Boxty House in Temple Bar. Apart from this you have so many great places serving modern Irish and international food. And you have to try some Dublin Bay Prawns at one of the many seafood restaurants in the city.

GALWAY

Galway is a foodies paradise, and considering it is so close to the sea, it’s no surprise seafood is all the rage here.

If you want to make the most of your time in Galway we recommend doing a food tour which is a good idea for getting to grips with the culinary delights in the city.

If you don’t want to do a food tour our recommendations are the Quay Street Kitchen for some hearty meals at decent prices. Or if you are after seafood McDonagh’s is a good shout. It’s very casual and reasonably priced too.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

We prefer Galway when it comes to food. There tends to be a bigger focus on seafood, and organic dishes which is always a good thing.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for nightlife

If you want to party until the sun comes up, you might be questioning if Dublin or Galway is better.

DUBLIN

Dublin is a fantastic place to go for a night out. Temple Bar is the main part of the city that tourists flock to for a night out. The atmosphere is incredible, especially in the evenings. But there is so much more to nightlife in Dublin than just Temple Bar.

Dublin also has some really great cocktail bars and speakeasies, so if you aren’t into pubs there are a number of really cool bars you can explore. Some of our favourites are Vintage Cocktail Club and Bar 1661.

GALWAY

Galway has some amazing nightlife and honestly the real charm of this city is it’s thriving entertainment scene. The Latin Quarter is one of the best places to enjoy this. There are so many cool traditional type pubs in the area. A lot of them also have trad music sessions which is a real treat.

The Quays is one of the best places to go especially for live music. The atmosphere is incredible, and it will give you a real taste of Irish culture. Or for something a little cosier try Tig Cóilí who do daily trad sessions.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin and Galway both have a lot to offer when it comes to nightlife. We do prefer Dublin but that’s just because there are more cocktail bars. Galway is better if you want a traditional Irish pub experience, or if you are wanting to catch a trad session.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for culture

If you are a lover of culture, you might be wondering if Dublin or Galway is the better destination for you.

DUBLIN

Dublin is a great place to go for Irish culture. You’ve got the world famous Guinness Factory here, as well as museums dedicated to writers, immigration, and so much more. Dublin also has a long history of being synonymous with Irish writers and poets.

GALWAY

Galway has often been referred to as the cultural centre of Ireland. Spend 5 minutes here and it is easy to understand why. The city has a number of festivals held here each year, and it’s located on the doorstep of the Irish speaking Aran Islands. You will also encounter a number of buskers and trad sessions across the city.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin and Galway are both good spots for culture. Dublin is great for museums, and literature, but Galway is better for music.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for safety

Safety is of course an important factor to consider when visiting a new place. But is Dublin or Galway safer?

DUBLIN

The first thing to keep in mind when discussing safety in Dublin is that it is a huge city. And like all European capitals there are things you need to be aware of. There are certain parts of Dublin that you may want to avoid particularly at night. One example is around Connolly Station. If in doubt get a taxi instead of walking.

Overall though despite what you may see on the news Dublin is relatively safe. We have never encountered any major problems and have never felt in danger either.

Crimes like petty theft and pickpocketing are common though. I had my phone stolen out of my handbag while enjoying a drink at Temple Bar, so I know firsthand how easy it can be to fall victim to this. Just keep an eye on your belongings, and take precautions.

GALWAY

Galway is a small city, and there are no major issues when it comes to safety. You should have your wits about you when you travel anywhere, but you don’t need to take excessive precautions in Galway.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Galway is a lot safer than Dublin. But do keep in mind it is a lot smaller.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for couples

If you are planning on travelling as a couple you might be wondering if Dublin or Galway is the better choice.

DUBLIN

Dublin has some really great places to explore as a couple. For instance you can walk around the romantic setting of Trinity College, enjoy the parks, or stroll around Temple Bar. There are also some very cool cocktail lounges like the Vintage Cocktail Club and the Blind Pig where you can enjoy a romantic evening.

GALWAY

Galway has a very cosy and romantic atmosphere that is felt just by walking around the streets of the Latin Quarter. There are some great pubs and restaurants in the city that make for a great date night too.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Both cities are great for a couples break, it just depends if you want to spend time in a big city, or a quieter one.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for solo travel

Planning to travel alone? You might be wondering is Dublin or Galway better.

DUBLIN

Dublin is a big city with so much to do particularly if you are travelling alone. There are also tons of tours you can join if you are wanting to do a pub crawl or if you are looking to interact with other travellers. It’s easy to get around Dublin too which is great if you are visiting by yourself.

GALWAY

Galway is a lot smaller than Dublin and there isn’t as much to see. That being said it’s a very safe city so you won’t have any issue walking around alone. You should definitely take precautions especially if you are walking around alone late at night, or planning to visit a pub alone.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin is the better option for solo traveller just because there is a lot more to see and do.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better for a budget holiday

Costs are a big deal when travelling, and so you might be wondering if Dublin or Galway is cheaper.

DUBLIN

Dublin is known for being an expensive city. The city centre, and tourist spots are notorious for charging a fortune for things like food and drink. For instance the Temple Bar charges about €8 for a pint of Guinness from memory. If you want to save a bit of money, our advice is to avoid the tourist traps like Temple Bar and try and go where the locals do.

GALWAY

Because Galway is a smaller city, it tends to be a lot cheaper than Dublin. That pint of Guinness that costs €8 in Dublin will probably cost around €6 or €7 in Galway. The city centre, can still be costly but the smaller towns in county Galway are certainly a lot cheaper.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Ireland as a whole can be quite expensive, but Dublin is one of the more costly cities for sure. So if you want to save a bit of money Galway is a great option.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better in summer

If you are planning to visit Dublin or Galway in the summer months you might be wondering which one is better.

DUBLIN

Summer is peak travel time in Dublin. The weather is the best it can be with some sunshine and way less rain than winter. Temperatures are pretty mild though and range between 9 – 20 degrees Celsius.

It does get busy with tourists, and hotels are more expensive in the summer months than other times of the year. That being said there is a reason why people visit at this time of year. It’s really beautiful and you get a chance to explore the parks and gardens, especially if you are lucky enough to get a clear day.

GALWAY

Summer in Galway is a fantastic time to visit. The temperatures average at around 25°C during the day. Rain is common in the summer months, although you do get some lovely sunny days. The day are long, with the sunrising at around 4am and setting at around 10pm-11pm depending on the month. Summer is the best time to visit Galway to take advantage of the beaches and enjoy the outdoors. It’s also an excellent time to visit the Aran Islands too.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Personally we think Galway is the better option for summer especially if you are planning on enjoying a bit of nature. You have so many beautiful spots like the Aran Islands and Connemara National Park close by that you have to take advantage.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is better in winter

If winter is more your thing you might be wondering if Dublin or Galway is the better option.

DUBLIN

Honestly Dublin and actually Ireland as a whole can be pretty miserable in the winter months. For starters daylight hours are limited, and temperatures range between 2°C and 10°C. Rain is common which again is a great excuse to tuck yourself into a pub and enjoy some comfort food and a drink. If you don’t mind the cold or if you plan to visit a lot of museums then winter in Dublin is manageable.

GALWAY

Winter in Galway averages between 3°C and 9°C. Snow is rare but rain in very common. Daylight hours are short. It’s usually light between 8.30am to 5pm. If you are visiting at this time of year you want to focus more on indoor activities like getting cosy in a pub or visiting a museum.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

There is a lot more to do in Dublin during the winter months compared to Galway. That being said Galway does have a lot of pubs so you can definitely keep warm inside.

Are you planning on visiting Ireland in March? Here is a helpful guide.

Dublin vs Galway: which one is for me

So you have made it to the end of this article and hopefully by now you have your own winner in the battle of Dublin vs Galway. But here is a final recap if not.

DUBLIN

Dublin is exciting and vibrant. There is no shortage of things to see and do in Dublin. From the Guinness factory, to the book of Kells there is something for everyone here. It’s a really fun city, the people are welcoming, and you get a fantastic taste of what the country of Ireland has to offer.

GALWAY

Galway is a truly magical place to visit. It’s creative, vibrant, and so much fun. The food and drink scene here is very diverse, and the people are incredibly friendly. You will get a much more creative and authentically Irish experience here.

DUBLIN OR GALWAY

Dublin and Galway are both fantastic cities to visit. And honestly if you can visit both we highly recommend you do.

Dublin is great because there is so much to see and do. It’s a tourist favourite, and it is definitely one of the most vibrant cities in Ireland. If you want a busy city break, or to visit museums and the Guinness Factory head to Dublin.

Galway on the other hand is less touristy, so you get to mingle with the locals and experience the real Ireland. Galway is also great for nature, and there are so many beautiful places to visit in the County where you can experience this.

We hope that this guide to Dublin vs Galway has been useful for you. Don’t forget you can pin it for later below.

And if you are wondering if Ireland is worth visiting here is a useful guide.

Happy Travels!