If you've spent any time in Galway, you're accustomed to the rain. Luckily, the showery skies actually bring with them opportunities. Galway city provides a myriad of rainy day choices in a city steeped in culture, history, and art. You should have no issue brightening up a rainy day in Galway.
Whatever the weather, a break in Galway city is awash with ideas for things to do.
Take in a show or watch a movie
Róisín Dubh, The Skeff, The Quays, and Monroe's Tavern are go-to venues for live music. The two stages at the Róisín Dubh regularly feature a stellar line-up as the venue brings established names to Galway while also providing a platform for emerging artists. In its historic building, Monroe's Tavern presents free live music seven nights a week. The Skeff is a firm supporter of the arts and are happy to support some of Galway’s finest by giving them a stage to showcase their talents. Upstairs at The Quays is home to the fabulous The Music Hall. Every weekend bands from all over Ireland come to perform.
If you fancy an arthouse flick, there’s a gem in the heart of the Latin Quarter at Pálás Cinema. This three screen cinema is bursting with a mix of homegrown and international movies.
Explore Galway's history
A trip to the Galway City Museum by the Spanish Arch unlocks the city’s heritage through hundreds of evocative objects. Put yourself in the boots of an infantryman in the Great War or marvel at the MONUMENT exhibition as you get glimpses of everyday life at the iconic clifftop Dún Aonghasa fort.
Escape the drizzle at the National University of Ireland Galway and discover over 500 examples of creatures at The Zoology and Marine Biology Museum on the ground floor of the Ryan Institute. It is positively stuffed full of exotic animals from the four corners of the globe. The collection of mammals, birds, and fish includes specimens once owned by Charles Darwin.
Visit Galway Atlantaquaria and take a deep dive into the rivers, lakes and oceans. Located along the Salthill Promenade, it’s Ireland’s largest native species aquarium. Angel sharks, stingrays and porcelain crabs float, glide and scuttle through displays designed to reflect natural habitats.
Have some fun!
Get suited and booted to zoom around the 20,000 sq ft indoor racetrack at Galway City Karting. Your heart will be racing, your body will pulse with adrenaline and your rainy day will be sorted! There is also Virtual Reality World, a new dimension of entertainment that offers an immersive gaming experience for enthusiasts of all ages, skill levels, and interests.
If you like getting yourself locked into a room for 60 minutes with no way out except solving the clues, observing your surroundings and piecing together a puzzle, Galway’s Great Escape Rooms will be right up your alley. Located on Abbeygate Street, Galway's Great Escape Rooms is a fun-filled way to spend a rainy day.
Grab an umbrella and do a tour
Just because it is raining does not mean that the day is ruined. If walking in the rain is your thing, don your hooded jacket and comfortable shoes to take a stroll through Galway city on one of the numerous tours available around the city.
Learn about the rich history of the City of the Tribes and the impact of the Famine on the region as you are guided through the streets of Galway.
If history isn't your thing you can spice up your tour with a guided food tour, whiskey tasting, craft beer tasting, or cycling tour.
