From Dublin: Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Killary Fjord & Galway

About This Tour

Connemara is the kind of landscape that stays with you - lakes, mountains, and bogland as far as you can see, with old traditions still woven into daily life. This full-day tour from Dublin takes you right into it. You’ll cruise Ireland’s only fjord, stop for photos at Kylemore Abbey, and finish with free time in Galway city.

What’s Included

• Transport by air-conditioned coach
• Killary Fjord boat cruise
• Wifi on selected coaches
• Free time in Galway City
• Driver guide

What’s Not Included

• Lunch
• Entrance to Kylemore Abbey (castle)

Itinerary

1. Departure from Dublin - Meet at the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street. Your route west takes you through Oughterard, the gateway into Connemara, and past a string of small towns before the landscape opens up and tells you you’ve arrived. Connemara National Park has no signposts or boundaries marking it out - you’ll know you’re there from the scenery. (5 min)
2. Killary Fjord boat cruise - Ireland has only one fjord, and this tour goes straight to it. The cruise takes you around Killary Harbour past thriving mussel beds, with Mweelrea - the highest mountain on the west coast - rising up ahead of you. (90 min)
3. Kylemore Abbey - A photo stop at one of Ireland’s most romantic buildings. Lunch is available here at your own expense - note that entrance to the castle itself is also not included. (50 min)
4. Galway City - Bohemian, young, and always lively. Galway pulls people in from all over Ireland and beyond, and its streets are full of musicians and street performers. You’ll have two hours to explore at your own pace. (120 min)
5. Return to Dublin - Back into the city after a long day in the west. (5 min)

Meeting point: Please be there 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time at the Molly Malone Statue, Suffolk Street.

Good to Know

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transport is available nearby
• Specialised infant seats available on request
• Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries
• Suitable for all fitness levels
• Maximum group size of 45
• Tour operates in English

Local Tips

The route out of Dublin passes through Oughterard on the western shore of Lough Corrib - the last town before Connemara proper opens up. Oughterard is where the farming country stops and the bog roads begin. If you get a clear day, you can see the Twelve Bens across the water from around here.

Your 90-minute boat cruise on Killary Fjord is the centrepiece of the day. The fjord is narrow - Ireland’s only one - and the cruise takes you past working mussel beds with Mweelrea rising directly ahead. Dress for the water: even in summer the fjord runs cold and the boat is exposed.

At Kylemore Abbey you have 50 minutes. Entrance to the castle interior is not included, but the walled Victorian garden and the lakeside setting reward the photo stop on their own. Lunch is available on-site at your own cost - eat here rather than waiting for Galway if you’re hungry, as your two hours in the city go quickly.

Letterfrack is the village right beside Kylemore. It’s where Connemara National Park keeps its headquarters and visitor centre, and Diamond Hill - a 7km loop to a 442m summit - starts from the car park here. If you want to come back and properly walk this end of Connemara, Letterfrack is the base. Gaynor’s pub in the village is the local option for a pint and a sandwich after the hill.

Galway ends the day. The medieval core is a fifteen-minute walk from most drop points - Eyre Square to Shop Street to Quay Street and then left into the lanes. Tigh Coili on Mainguard Street and the Crane Bar on Sea Road both run trad sessions most evenings. For a quick bite in the two-hour window, the Gourmet Tart Company on Shop Street is reliable - fast counter service, good coffee, sandwiches made that morning. If you want a proper sit-down, Ard Bia at Nimmo on Quay Street is the local choice.

Nearby on IrelandMe

• Oughterard - angling village on Lough Corrib where the road to Connemara starts, with Aughnanure Castle on the shore and brown trout in the river
• Letterfrack - the village beside Kylemore Abbey and the gateway to Connemara National Park, where Diamond Hill’s 7km loop starts from the visitor centre car park
• Galway - a medieval city with 70+ pubs, a real trad session most nights, and laneways narrow enough that the coaches can’t follow you in