Spiddal – Beaches, Crafts and Galway Bay

Beaches on two sides of the village

Spiddal offers different sides to a coastal stay: beaches, crafts and views of Galway Bay. Céibh an Spidéal Beach lies on the shore of Galway Bay in the village and is about 180 metres long. On the west side of the village, the beach near the pier is accessible via the road. It is one of two designated bathing areas in An Spidéal and holds a Blue Flag award from An Taisce for quality. Its location and approximate length give you concrete details to consider if you want to include beach time in your holiday.

On the east side of the village, Trá na mBan lies opposite Spiddal Craft and Design Village. Together with the west-side location of Céibh an Spidéal Beach, this information helps you get your bearings for beach days: the two beaches are on different sides of Spiddal. This gives you a clear starting point for deciding which side of the village interests you for your trip.

Crafts and a café break

The work of ten craftspeople is on display at Ceardlann Spiddal Craft Village and Café. The studios produce basketry, acrylic painting, stained glass, ceramics, screen printing, woven work and Celtic jewellery. The selection ranges from woven and basketry pieces to paintings, ceramics and jewellery. If you would like to discover craftwork as well as the coast on your trip, you’ll find a range of techniques and materials in one place here.

All shops at Ceardlann Spiddal Craft Village and Café are fully wheelchair accessible. The Builín Blasta Café at Spiddal Craft Village serves homemade dishes and desserts. You can include both crafts and a café break in your excursion plans. This gives a travel group with varied interests a reason to explore the studio work, as well as a café offering savoury dishes and sweet treats.

Views, water activities and local history

Seanchéibh an Spidéil offers a viewpoint overlooking Galway Bay and the village of Spiddal. From the pier, you can watch sailing, windsurfing and coastal fishing. If you’re interested in activities on the water, you can make the pier a stopping point in your day; the viewpoint also offers views of the bay and the village. These coastal experiences add a different perspective on life by the water to the beach locations.

The Wild Atlantic Way also gives Spiddal a distinctive connection to Ireland’s west coast. An Spidéal is home to a Discovery Point on this 2,500-kilometre coastal route along Ireland’s west coast. If you’re planning a trip along the west coast, you can consider Spiddal as a place with a Discovery Point. This connection to the route complements the specific experiences in the village: its two beach locations, the viewpoint and the activities you can watch on the water.

Another facet is Cill Éinde, an early 20th-century site and part of the Wonder Wander in An Spidéal. If you’d like to include a historical connection in your trip alongside coastal experiences, you can visit this site as part of the Wonder Wander. Together with the crafts at Ceardlann and the Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way, it offers a range of options for different interests that you can take into account when planning your stay in Spiddal.

Discover more places

If you’d like to broaden your search to include more places: Tuam, Recess, Castlerea, Cloghbrack, Salthill, Carraroe, Clarinbridge and Galway.

Back to the main travel overview: Galway.