Day 11 was a travel day from Cork to Galway.
On the way, we stopped at Kilkee and had a sunny tea/coffee break overlooking the beaches and cliffs. We traveled the spectacular “Wild Atlantic Way” which was rainy, moody, and definitely WILD!
We stopped for lunch at a rural Irish pub known by our tour guide for its good food, and it did not disappoint! However, the toothless, drunk who gave our guide Deborah a kiss on the hand upon our arrival could have been missed! We hit the road again towards Galway, later arriving at our contemporary, traditional hotel The Galmont.
Kylemore Abby is 1.5 hours from Galway City, but was completely stunning and definitely worth the drive on Day 12.
It made for a full day with the gardens, the castle, and stopping at an amazing historic hunting lodge on the way back for some whiskey and a bite. It really felt like we had gone back in time!
In the evening (after a rest) we explored the Salthill Promenade along the beach, and ended the night at Ed Sheeran’s Irish Pub.
On Day 13 we had a quick car tour of Galway and then stopped off at the medieval Latin Quarter.
The Quarter is a pedestrian walkway area which left everyone awe-struck when the sun came out and music started playing in the streets. Live music is a regular occurrence here, and starts in the pubs and bars around 5:30pm. Although it’s a medieval city, the cobblestones were very doable in a wheelchair.
We ate dinner at Lime Restaurant, which was right on the waterfront and a delicious, vegan find. The remainder of the evening was spent on Salthill Promenade at O’Connor’s Irish Pub, where Ed Sheeran made his “Galway Girl” music video. The owner gave us a reserved table right in front of the music stage and close to the bar. It was a perfect ending to our Galway experience, and tomorrow we head back to Dublin after we view the Cliffs of Moher.
Day 14 was spent traveling back to Dublin for our departure.
We stopped at the Cliffs of Moher on the way and enjoyed the breathtaking views.