Experience in Galway, Ireland by Alan

What is it like to live in Galway? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Galway is the best city in Ireland for students. It has all the benefits of a big city like Dublin but none of the disadvantages. I would recommend it to anyone and I can say from my experience, most Erasmus students who go there never want to leave!

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What is the student lifestyle like in Galway?

The student lifestyle in Galway is very, very laid back. The city is a perfect size; not too big, not too small. There are no problems with traffic jams or having to get buses everywhere as you can walk pretty much everywhere. If you go to Galway, you will get to experience the authentic Irish way of life. Dublin is fine but it is too large and touristic. Galway is a taste of the real Ireland.

Galway is a real student city as there are over 20, 000 students throughout the different universities, which is a huge amount considering how small the city is. There is always something going on for students and the different universities have vast Society & Club networks. NUI Galway has societies for everything from Harry Potter to Knitting!

Galway is definitely the number 1 student city in the entire country and this is obvious as you will always meet groups of students from other cities that come to the city for an event or just to go partying all the time.

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How much does it cost to live in Galway?

Galway is not that expensive to live in a city in Ireland and especially when compared to larger cities like Dublin, Cork or Belfast. The prices of rent can be 2-3 times less expensive than in Dublin and Cork so Galway is probably one of the cheapest Erasmus destinations between any of the more developed EU countries. I would say that the average rent would be between €250-€450 but it is quite common to find nice places to rent for around €300-€350.

Food is probably more expensive in Ireland than in many of EU countries but there are always good deals in the supermarkets and you will usually get much better quality products than in other countries. There are lots of different supermarkets to choose from so you can shop around to get the best deals.

You probably won't have any transport costs in the city as it is quite small so walking is possible pretty much everywhere unless you find a place a bit out of the city. A bike is a perfect investment as it will get you around much, much quicker.

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Is it difficult to find accommodation in Galway? Is there any advice you can give?

It is not too difficult to find accommodation in Galway. The "On-Campus" accommodation is quite difficult to get and it is very expensive for quite low-quality accommodation. I would not recommend the student residencies to be honest. The best option is to rent a house with other room-mates, either from your own country, or even better with local or other Erasmus students. A lot of students arrive without accommodation and then go on to find a place once they arrive.

The accommodation department at the university is very helpful so I would suggest going to see them as soon as possible. There are a few other websites in which you can search online. I would not recommend taking a place before you arrive unless you know someone in Galway who can check it out for you. You don't want to find out that the place you have taken is a 30-minute walk from the university or the city.

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What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Ireland doesn't really have too many speciality dishes. We are known for having tasty food but it tends to be quite simple stuff, nothing fancy. An Irish fry-up for breakfast is a must try as well as a good Irish stew if you want to have probably the two most famous Irish dishes.

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What places would you recommend visiting in Galway?

There's plenty of places in the city to visit like Eyre Square, Shop Street and the Spanish Arch. There are loads of other places to visit around the county of Galway too. The Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands are the two most popular destinations and they are definitely worth it!

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Is it good to eat out in Galway? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

As a student I didn't get to eat out anywhere fancy but the best restaurant I ate out it would be a French restaurant called Rouge. There is also a very nice French café called Javas that does great Crepes and Galettes (Hollywood star Zachary Quinto worked there while on his Year Abroad! ). Also if you want the best Fish & Chips you've ever had then I would recommend a visit to the famous McDonagh's on Quay street.

As you will probably drink a lot you will be glad to know that there are more than enough fine fast food takeaway places in Galway. Vinnies would be my personal favourite. You will be guaranteed to spend many hours in the infamous SuperMac's in Eyre Square!

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Is the nightlife good in Galway? Where is good to go?

Galway has the best night life of any of the student cities in Ireland. There's something for you whether you prefer clubbing or bars. For live music, I would recommend The Quays or the Rosin Dubh (The Rosin Dubh also do great silent disco nights). The Cellar, The Front Door and Kelly's are just some of the other great pubs.

There are also loads of different clubs to choose from as well. They are all a little different so I would leave it up to you to decide which one you like best.

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What advice would you give future students heading to Galway?

• Bring lots of warm/dry clothes.
• Buy a bike.
• Go to McDonagh's.
• Always have your ID when buying Booze/Going out.
• Bring a jacket!
• Join a Society.
• Bring a second jacket!

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