Begin your journey at the Galway City Museum, where you’ll get a crash course in the city’s history, from archaeology to medieval life. Then, head to the Latin Quarter, a lively area filled with cobbled lanes, music and old stone buildings.

Pause for a tea or coffee like a local, and receive your Claddagh ring, with the story behind it fresh in your mind. Continue to the Claddagh, where Galway feels most “edge-of-the-Atlantic,” with river water tightening and quickening as it runs into the bay.

Next, stroll down Quay Street, a medieval lane filled with pubs, cafés, buskers, and independent shops, where the city’s trading past and artsy present meet. Finally, visit Lynch’s Castle, one of Ireland’s best-preserved medieval townhouses, famous for its carved stonework and still in everyday use as a bank.