A favourite destination for visitors to the Republic of Ireland, Galway is the largest city of this county. The city itself is something of a breeding ground for the bohemian lifestyle, and as such the local landmarks and historical sites are sometimes upstaged by the town's alluring atmosphere and hospitable spirit.

The city centre is cut by the Corrib River, which serves as an important landmark in locating every major stopover. The Spanish Arch is found along the river near the Wolfe Tone Bridge. Once used to regulate traffic into the city, the Spanish Arch is one of only two remaining portions of the city's original ramparts.

The Collegiate Church of St Nicholas of Myra is the republic's largest, continuously used parish church. It dates to the early 1300s and has become an icon for the city's history and development. Another important church is the grand Galway Cathedral, looming over the river at the heart of the city.

Galway is also an important launching point for excursions into the surrounding countryside. Connemara, situated to the northwest, harbours a fascinating, sometimes desolate landscape of windswept cliffs and craggy coastline. Meanwhile, the Aran Islands are a collection of three rugged landmasses just off the coast of Galway. Tourists venture here for the fabled ruins of prehistoric forts found onsite.

Despite these and other historic sites, most of Galway's visitors are here for the city's nightlife. Pubs line the pedestrian avenues east of the river where tourists, university students and (to a lesser degree) locals congregate for live, often loud music and plenty of partying. Meanwhile, the pace of the party is substantially more relaxed west of the river, where you're more likely to find a gathering of local friends talking over pints of stout beer.

Galway's network of hotels, lodges and guesthouses is one of its greatest attributes. The trendier accommodation is found east of the River Corrib, while the greatest concentrations of bed-and-breakfast establishments are found across the river on the western bank. There is a variety of options either in the city centre or within convenient walking distance though visitors do well to make an advance booking online if visiting during the summer or at holiday weekends.

Most international visitors are likely to arrive via Shannon International Airport before boarding on onward connection to Galway's regional airport. Trains and buses disembark near Eyre Square in the city centre. Many visitors opt to hire a vehicle and explore the hinterland (particularly Connemara) according to their own itineraries.

Galway's climate is consistently temperate, mild and moist year-round. Throughout the year, temperatures rarely rise above 30°C or drop below freezing. This is due largely to the prevailing Gulf Stream winds. Daylight hours are long during the summer and brief during the winter.

Typical summertime highs weigh in at a comfortable 20°C, while wintertime highs are 10°C cooler. A relatively high level of ambient humidity means rains are common throughout the year, with a slight increase in precipitation during the winter. Thunderstorms are more likely during the summer, when dry winds from the east clash with the humid gulf winds.