THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY · CLIFDEN, CONNEMARA

Explore Connemara
& Clifden

A spectacular landscape at the very edge of Europe

LAND · SEA · CULTURE · A TOWN TO COME HOME TO

EXPLORE THE WEST OF IRELAND

Connemara, in its own rhythm.

The region of Connemara lies west of Galway city in the territory of West Connacht / Iar Connaught.

It was traditionally divided into North and South Connemara by the mountains of the Twelve Bens and the Owenglin River, which flows into the sea at Clifden / An Clochan.

Woodland walk through a lush forest in Connemara, along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Scenic Connemara landscape with sheep, a winding country road, lake and mountains near Clifden on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Sunset over a calm ocean with a clear sky, some clouds, and a small landmass in the distance.

CHOOSE YOUR WAY THROUGH CONNEMARA · EXPLORE BY PLACE, LANDSCAPE & STORY

01 · THE CAPITAL OF CONNEMARA

Clifden

Clifden is known as the capital of Connemara, set between the Atlantic coast and the mountains in one of Ireland’s most distinctive landscapes.

Established in the early 1800s on Clifden Bay, the town still follows its original 19th-century plan, with three principal streets, a market square and historic buildings that reflect its beginnings as a planned coastal town.

Today, Clifden is a lively cultural hub and a natural base for exploring Connemara. Its colourful streets are home to independent shops, cafés and restaurants, traditional pubs, galleries, craft and gift shops, local food producers and a weekly market.

A small town with a lot going on.

Food, music, art and everyday local life all meet here — with the Wild Atlantic Way beginning again almost as soon as you leave the main street.

View of Clifden town in Connemara, with its church spires and the Owenglin River running through the town.

A panoramic view of Clifden town surrounded by lush green hills and mountains, with colorful buildings, a church, and winding roads.

Scenic view of Clifden in a valley with houses, a church, and rolling hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

EXPLORE CLIFDEN

Eat, browse & discover

Food, independent shops, art and everyday local life are all within a few minutes’ walk in the heart of Clifden.

EAT & DRINK

Food & Drink

Clifden has a lively food and pub scene, from relaxed cafés and local seafood to traditional pubs and restaurants.

Guys Bar Instagram

AROUND TOWN

Good to Know

Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, petrol stations and everyday essentials are all within Clifden’s compact town centre.

Everything close at hand

SHOP LOCAL

Independent Shopping

Discover Irish design, clothing, local food, crafts, gifts and interiors in Clifden’s independent shops.

OBG Connemara Hamper Millars Love Vintage Hehirs Whistlestop Joyce Craftshop Little Tin House Provenance

ART & CULTURE

Creative Clifden

Galleries, live music and local makers are woven into life in Clifden, alongside the annual Clifden Arts Festival.

Arts Festival Lavelle Gallery Mullarkey’s Connemara Blue Whitethorn Interface Sheep & Wool Connemara Carpets

Evening festival parade on Main Street in Clifden, Connemara, with colourful lights and crowds.

02 · THE LAND

Mountains, lakes & open roads

Beyond Clifden, Connemara opens into a landscape of mountains, lakes, bogland and quiet roads — wild, spacious and constantly changing with the Atlantic weather.

“It is as if, in the faery land of Connemara at the extreme end of Europe, the incongruous flowed together at last, and the sweet and the bitter blended. Behind me, islands and mountainous mainland share in a final reconciliation, at this, the world's end.”

— Oliver St. John Gogarty

EXPLORE THE LAND

Walk the Twelve Bens, explore Connemara National Park, cycle quiet country roads, fish the lakes, discover Derrigimlagh and Kylemore Abbey, or simply follow the landscape and see where the road takes you.

A vast plains landscape with small lakes, rolling hills, and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

People walking through a dense forest with tall trees and sunlight filtering through the canopy.

Donkeys in a grassy field in the Connemara countryside, surrounded by the rugged landscape of County Galway.

Horse racing on Omey Island beach in Connemara, County Galway, with jockeys competing along the shoreline.

INTO THE WILD

Mountains & Walking

From gentle trails to the rugged Twelve Bens, Connemara is a landscape made to be explored on foot.

Hiking & mountain climbing Twelve Bens Connemara National Park

PLACES & STORIES

Landmarks & Landscape

Discover places where Connemara’s landscape and history meet, from Derrigimlagh to Kylemore Abbey.

Derrigimlagh Kylemore Abbey

OUTDOORS

On the Water & Greens

Slow the pace with a day on the water, or head west for a round of golf beside the Atlantic.

Lake Fishing Connemara Golf Club

TAKE THE LONG WAY

Explore at Your Pace

Cycle quiet roads, follow the old railway route or discover one of the landscapes that gave the Connemara pony its name.

Cycling Connemara Greenway Connemara Ponies

03 · THE SEA

Atlantic days & wild water

The Connemara coastline is shaped by the Atlantic — miles of beautiful beaches, quiet strands, hidden coves and clear water, all within easy reach of Clifden.

Come for long beach days, coastal walks, swimming and sailing, or head further out for kayaking, fishing and island adventures.

And sometimes, simply find a quiet stretch of coast and do absolutely nothing.

Children in a small boat on calm water near a shoreline with other boats anchored in the distance under a clear blue sky.

Coastal landscape in Connemara, County Galway, with calm waters, green fields, traditional houses and mountains in the distance.

People standing on large rocks at the beach, during sunset, with the ocean visible in the background.

Picnic on the Connemara coast, overlooking the Atlantic with sandy dunes and the rugged County Galway landscape.

ATLANTIC DAYS

Beaches & Swimming

Miles of beaches, quiet strands and hidden coves lie within easy reach of Clifden — for long beach days, coastal walks and year-round Atlantic swims.

Beaches Clifden Boat Club

Kayaking with Real Adventures in Connemara

ON THE WATER

Sea Adventures

Take to the water by kayak, explore sea caves, learn to sail or head out from the coast for a day of Atlantic fishing.

Real Adventures Sailing Blue Water Fishing

Turbot Island Taxi off the Connemara coast

OUT TO SEA

Islands & Fjord

Take the ferry from Cleggan to Inishbofin, or travel north to Killary Harbour and see Connemara’s dramatic fjord landscape from the water.

Inishbofin Ferry Killary Fjord

Seaweed foraging at Renvyle in Connemara

WILD & WELL

Adventure & Wellbeing

Go all-in on an outdoor adventure day, or slow everything down with one of Connemara’s most Atlantic traditions — a warming seaweed bath.

Killary Adventure Delphi Seaweed Baths

04 · FOOD & DRINK

Local food, from land & sea

Connemara has a long and distinctive food tradition, shaped by the Atlantic and the landscape around it — fresh local seafood, Connemara lamb and produce from small local suppliers.

Clifden has an excellent choice of food shops, delicatessens, cafés, restaurants and pubs, as well as a Friday market selling fresh fish, fruit and vegetables and locally made produce.

Stay in and cook, arrange a private dinner at the house, pick up something prepared locally — or wander into town and let somebody else do the cooking.

A plate of assorted seafood and salad, including a cherry tomato, shredded crab meat, and leafy greens topped with microgreens, on a wooden table.

A skillet of baked pasta topped with green herbs, served with toasted bread slices and a glass of water in the background.

Two crabs on a dark surface with boats and a harbor in the blurred background.

Person holding a glass of dark beer with foam, with a plated dish of chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy garnished with a sprig of rosemary in front, and a plate of mussels in the background.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

Eat In

Cook at your own pace in a fully equipped kitchen, pick up fresh local ingredients in Clifden and settle in for dinner at home.

Local shops, delicatessens and the Friday market make it easy to bring a little of Connemara back to the table.

FROM LAND & SEA

Local Produce

Oysters, crab and Atlantic seafood, Connemara lamb and produce from local farms and makers — the landscape finds its way onto the table here.

Look out for local produce in Clifden’s independent food shops and Friday market.

AROUND CLIFDEN

Eat Out

Clifden packs plenty into a small town, with cafés, pubs and restaurants all within easy reach of our homes.

Coffee in the morning, seafood for lunch, dinner and a pint — all without going far.

OUR LOCAL

Guys Bar

Right in the heart of Clifden, Guys Bar brings together local food, fresh seafood, drinks and the easy atmosphere of a traditional Connemara pub.

Visit Guys Bar Instagram

05 · CULTURE

Stories, music & tradition

Connemara has a culture all its own — shaped by language, music, storytelling, the sea and generations of life on the western edge of Ireland. Tradition here is not something kept behind glass. You find it in live music, local festivals, boats on the water, art, conversation and the everyday life of the towns and villages. Clifden’s cultural calendar comes alive each year with the Clifden Arts Festival, bringing music, theatre, exhibitions, performances and its famous street parade to the town.

Some things are best discovered simply by being here.