8 Reasons to visit the Galway International Arts Festival

Like your art festivals with a dose of history? Galway is full of tales from its past as a walled medieval city. Fourteen merchant families or "tribes" were once in charge here – which is why the city is known as the "city of tribes". Check out the Spanish Arch, once a 15th century bastion, and the 13th century St Nicholas’s Church (don’t miss the gargoyle waterspouts).

When you’re in Galway, you certainly won’t go hungry. Dine out on fresh seafood at Oscar’s Seafood Bistro, sweet treats in the Secret Garden Café, Burren Smokehouse mackerel salad in Ard Bia, and culinary masterpieces in the city’s two Michelin-starred restaurants – Aniar and Loam. As always in Ireland, toasted cheese and ham sandwiches in the nearest pub is a quick and tasty fix.

Galway city is bang in the middle of Wild Atlantic Way, and is surrounded by sleepy seaside villages, hidden coves and rugged landscapes. Take a beachside canter on a Connemara pony in Clifden, or go island-hopping around the three Aran Islands, famed for their traditional culture. Still got time to spare? Why not skip over to County Clare for a gander at the Cliffs of Moher and lunar-like landscape of the Burren.

The Galway Arts Festival packs in over 200 shows in 25+ locations over 14 days. Expect dance shows, musical performances, talks and more here. As for the venues, no space is left untouched: buzzing galleries, intimate theatres, outdoor location – even the pubs and National University of Ireland, Galway get in on the act. And, of course, there’s always the Big Top Tent.

You can expect an eclectic mix of artists coming together to put on a show of the traditional, the contemporary and the controversial. Past acts include The Pixies, Flaming Lips, Bell X1 and Two Door Cinema Club. Every year, you’ll find artists that you can bop along to, ones who’ll help take you to a trip down memory lane, or songs that you can’t help but sing your heart out to.

We’re not just talking about all the special performances you’ll see here, we’re also talking about death-defying stilt-walking stunts, surreal giant puppets and monsters in the sky. Around every corner and every cobbled street, there's something new to look at!

It’s not just performers that take centre stage at the festival – wordsmiths are also able to shine here, too! Galway goes all in for drama with powerful plays from some of Ireland (and the world’s) most renowned playwrights. Expect compelling performances, alongside thoughtful discussions on contemporary issues by experts in their fields. You can find most of these at the National University of Ireland, Galway, but others will be dotted around the city.

It’s a fact: it's the people who make a place great. Galway is a lively, buzzing city all year round – and so are its people. Friendly, laidback and charming, pull up a stool at any local bar and in no time you’ll be chatting with locals over a pint. Just in case you need some more reasons than that to visit, here’s a big one: the Wild Atlantic Way.