At the hub of Galway City life is Eyre Square. Known as "the Square", this central plot was officially presented to the city in 1710 by Mayor Edward Eyre, from whom it took its name. Originally surrounded with a wooden fence, it was enclosed with iron railings in the late 1700s. These were removed in the 1960s, and subsequently re-erected around St Nicholas' Collegiate Church.

Fishing has been a central feature of the life of the city, and the Claddagh presents Galway City's fishing heritage for the visitor. The name for the area is based upon the Irish word "cladach", meaning a stony beach. People have been gathering seafood and fishing from here for millennia. Historically, its existence has been recorded since the arrival of Christianity in the 5th century. Throughout the centuries, the Claddagh people kept Galway City supplied with fish, which they sold on the square in front of the Spanish Arch. The area has been immortalised in the song "Galway Bay", and internationalised through its traditional jewellery, the Claddagh Ring, which is worn by people all over the world.

Galway Cathedral is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city. Built between 1958 and 1965, it stands on the site of the old city jail. The architecture of the Cathedral draws on many influences. The dome and pillars reflect a Renaissance style. Other features, including the rose windows and mosaics, echo the broad tradition of Christian art. The Cathedral dome, at a height of 145 ft, is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.