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A Galway hostel is one of Europe's best deals for lodging in Europe, but with its population growing faster than any other city in Europe, it won't stay that way for long.

Galway was founded around a fort on the west coast of Ireland, where the city stands today. Ireland, like all good European countries, has unofficially proclaimed a "Cultural Capital," and in Ireland, Galway is it. Festooned with museums and theaters, Galway is also the home of the rebirth of the "Irish language." A recent census revealed that just over 50% of the country could speak the language and the young students and professionals that have migrated to Galway from around the country are now leading the resurgence in interest in the language and cultural events.

Galway is known for its festivals and cultural events and given its relatively small size, the city may seem something like an enchanted Irish village to the outsider just coming into town for one of these raucous festivals.

Events include the Galway Film Fleadh, Project06, the Galway Arts Festival, the Galway Races horse racing festival, and the Galway Gay Pride Festival. And that's just July and August!

Galway's hostels are affordable establishments, an average shared room running about 17 Euros. Prices for private rooms increase, however, a private room will be between 25 and 30 Euros. With Galway's progressive and young population, the backpacker journeying across the continent will probably fit right in. One of the best places to meet people in Galway, in fact, will probably be your hostel. Try camping out in the common room for an hour and see what kind of people you meet. There will be everyone from Asian travelers working their way around the world, to locals from Dublin just getting away for a weekend.

If you need a place to take your new foreign friends, Dominic Street is where the Galwegians hang out and you'll find more of the local scene there. If you're looking to all be tourists together, Quay Street is home to the loudest speakers and the brightest lights in the city.

One of the most enjoyable parts of Galway however, is its music scene. Local bands and artists perform on the street nightly and are also given stage time in the pubs around the city. Admission is often free to hear the show, but that usually means the musicians aren't being paid.

Some hostels in Galway are getting into the business of entertaining their guests as well as housing them for the night. For a small extra fee, hostels are beginning to host pub-crawls with deep discounts on drinks, as well as interpretive tours of the city at night and trips to popular sightseeing destinations.

If your hostel isn't offering events, don't be afraid to start your own, you'll be pleasantly surprised how many people are happy to join a sightseeing group for the day, especially if there are language barriers or a local promising to show you the "real" Galway.

Hostels in Ireland (Galway)