Ireland Itinerary: Galway & Dublin Guys Trip
Galway & Dublin, Ireland · 4 days · Guys trip · 2025
Shared by Andrew C.
Tags: food & wine, culture, adventure
What We Loved
Sean's Bar was a great stop — opens at 10:30am and was a great way to start an Ireland trip. Bowe's consistently pours the best pint in Dublin. The trad session at the Crane Bar in Galway was really fun. Mister S for dinner in Dublin was outstanding — best steak tartare I’ve ever had. Universal Bar in Galway exceeded all expectations. Stonybatter pubs were a real pleasant surprise and filled with local crowds.
What We'd Do Next Time
Galway is great but next time would swap one night for a smaller charming town — Westport, Killarney or Doolin. The Cliffs of Moher day trip was worth it but committed half our group to an early morning.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive → Sean's Bar → Galway
- Land Dublin Airport — Pick up Sixt rental. Drive on the left.
- Sean's Bar, Athlone — Oldest pub in Ireland. First pint of the trip. Non-negotiable stop on the drive west.
- Drive Athlone → Galway (~1hr) — Drop bags at The Residence Hotel.
- Tigh Neachtain — lunch pints — First Galway pub. Corner spot, great atmosphere.
- Check in — The Residence Hotel — Shower and regroup before the evening.
- Pub flow: MP Walsh → Taaffes → Crane Bar — All walkable. Build gradually. Crane Bar for the trad session — arrive early for a good spot.
- Dinner — Universal Bar — Outstanding food. First choice.
- Late night: Munch Haven or Charcoal Grill — Open till 3am. Essential if the night runs long.
Galway Full Day
- Optional: Cliffs of Moher (split group) — Leave by 8am, back by 1pm. The rest: sleep in, coffee, slow morning.
- Lunch — Ard Bia at Nimmos — Ard Bia for atmosphere.
- Afternoon stroll — Spanish Arch, Cathedral, Shop Street — Galway at its best in the afternoon.
- Pub flow: Blue Note → O'Connells → Garavans → Tig Coili — Build gradually. Blue Note for early trad, Tig Coili to finish the Galway circuit.
- Late option: Hughes Bar — As energy allows.
Galway → Dublin
- Matt's Sandwiches before leaving Galway — Best road food decision of the trip.
- Drive Galway → Dublin (~2.5hrs) — Arrive 11am-12pm. Return car — Uber everywhere in Dublin.
- Gravediggers (John Kavanagh's) — Uber out to Glasnevin. One of Dublin's truly great pubs.
- Check in — Trinity City Hotel — Uber back from Gravediggers. Drop bags, regroup.
- Bowe's — best pint in Dublin — Anchor the early Dublin evening here.
- Dinner — Mister S — Booked reservation. Outstanding. Do not be late.
- Post-dinner: Long Hall → Kehoe's — Pick 1-2. All classics.
- End of night: Zaytoon — Parliament Street. The Dublin closer.
Dublin → Departure
- Coffee and light bite — Easy morning. Repack, check out.
- Gravediggers — opening pint — Opens 12:30pm Sunday. The perfect last pint of the trip.
- Leave for Dublin Airport — Airport by 1:30pm. Allow 2.5hrs minimum.