Connemara or the Cliffs of Moher: Which Day from Galway?
The short answer. Choose Connemara for mountains, loughs, a fjord and a walk. Choose the Cliffs of Moher for one great sea cliff and the Atlantic. They lie on opposite sides of Galway, Connemara to the west and the Cliffs south in County Clare, so a shared day from Galway usually goes to one of them. To see both, give each its own day, or book a private vehicle or a multi-day tour.
The real question behind this choice is time. You have one free day in Galway, and the two places pull you in opposite directions. Here is how they differ in road, cost and feel, who each one suits, and the ways to fit in both. If you settle on Connemara, the Connemara day tours from Galway set out every day, from coach to trail.
The two days side by side
| Connemara | The Cliffs of Moher | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction from Galway | West, on the N59 or the coast road | South, into County Clare and the Burren |
| What you see | Mountains, bog, loughs, a fjord, a Gaeltacht coast | Sea cliffs up to 214 m, running almost 14 km |
| What costs money | Kylemore Abbey, if you go in; the park is free | The Cliffs admission: adult EUR 15 at the gate, cheaper online |
| The long stop | 2 or 3 hours at Kylemore or in the park | The cliff-top path and O'Brien's Tower |
| Best for | Walkers, first-timers, anyone after the wild west | Seabirds, sea views, a single famous sight |
Cliffs prices are the attraction's own, as of September 2026. Children under 12 go free, and online tickets are sold in morning, peak and evening bands.
The case for Connemara
Connemara is a whole region, not one view. In a day you cross blanket bog, pass under the Twelve Bens, stand at the head of Killary Harbour and see Kylemore across its lough. You can walk, too: the national park is free, and its red trail climbs to the summit of Diamond Hill. If you want to hear Irish spoken, the coast road runs through the Gaeltacht.
Choose Connemara if you like to walk, if you want variety over one big sight, or if the abbey is on your list. The national park day trip gives you three hours on the trails from $57 a seat. The Leenane and Kylemore day puts the abbey ticket in your fare. Things to do in Connemara covers each stop.
The case for the Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs are one sight, and a big one. They rise to 214 m at their highest point, just north of O'Brien's Tower, and run for almost 14 km along the Clare coast. Sir Cornelius O'Brien built the tower in 1835 as a lookout, and entry is in the admission. The Cliffs are part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, and the road from Galway crosses the Burren on the way.
Choose the Cliffs if one famous view matters more than a day of roads, or if you are in Ireland in May or June, when the puffins nest there. They also suit anyone who would rather stand still than climb.
Opening hours and the time of year
Neither place is open all hours, and the season changes both. The Cliffs of Moher open 08:00 to 21:00 from May to August, and 08:00 to 19:00 in spring and autumn. From November to February they open 09:00 to 17:00. Kylemore Abbey opens at 10:00 all year and closes at 18:00 in summer, 17:00 in winter. Both close on 24, 25 and 26 December.
The national park's trails are open all year and cost nothing. Its visitor centre opens Wednesday to Sunday, so a Monday or Tuesday in Connemara is a trails-only day. In winter, short daylight favours the Cliffs, where one stop is the whole point. In summer, the long evenings suit a Connemara day with a walk.
What a family pays at the gate
- The Cliffs of Moher: EUR 30 for two adults and two children at the gate, and children under 12 go free with an adult.
- Connemara National Park: nothing, for entry or parking.
- Aughnanure Castle: EUR 13 for a family, if your day stops there.
- Kylemore Abbey: the abbey sets its own price; check it before you go.
How to do both
A shared coach day rarely fits both, but there are three ways round it.
- Two days from Galway. Spend one day in Connemara and one at the Cliffs. It is the simplest plan, and each place gets a full day.
- A private vehicle for one long day. John King's minibus hire lists two hours at the Cliffs of Moher, two in the Burren, two in Connemara and two at Kylemore across ten hours, for up to fifteen. It is a long day, and every stop is short.
- A multi-day tour from Dublin. Rabbie's 3-day tour puts the Cliffs ticket in the fare, spends a night in Galway, and gives day two to Cong, Kylemore and the national park. The Connemara tours from Dublin have the details.
Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours' private chauffeur day lets you pick one route or the other: the Burren and the Cliffs, or Connemara. That suits a small group choosing between them. The getting to Connemara page shows the two roads west, and the Connemara map places Galway between the two.
Which to choose, by who you are
- If you like to walk, choose Connemara and three hours on the park trails.
- If you have one day and want one famous sight, choose the Cliffs of Moher.
- If Kylemore is on your list, choose Connemara and a day with the ticket in the fare.
- If you travel with young children, choose a private car to Connemara; see Connemara with kids.
- If you have two days, do both, one each day.
Still weighing the Connemara side? How to visit Connemara covers what is free and what costs money, and Connemara weather shows which months are driest.
Three ways to put Connemara and the Cliffs together
3-Day West Coast Explorer from Dublin Including Admission
Three days from Dublin with the Cliffs of Moher ticket in the fare, a night in Galway, then Cong, Kylemore Abbey and the national park on day two.
From $1,001 per person
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Minibus tour hire galway Ireland groups up to 15 passengers
A minibus for up to fifteen from any Galway address: the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Connemara and Kylemore on one ten-hour route you can change.
From $936 per group, up to 15
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Chauffeur Tours from Galway
Your own car for up to six from any Galway address, on a Connemara route or a Burren route to the Cliffs of Moher; non-refundable once booked.
From $780 per group, up to 6
Check AvailabilityNext: decide between a walking day and a sea-cliff day, then book the one that fits. Every fare sits side by side on Connemara Tours.