PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
L
Destinations
Home›Destinations›Loughrea
EuropeIrelandConnacht

Loughrea

Connacht, Ireland · Europe

About Loughrea

Loughrea is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Athenry, 35km from Burren National Park.

Loughrea is a town located in Connacht, Ireland. With a population of 5,556, it is an important destination in Europe.

On a road trip, Loughrea sits in Ireland, where you drive on the left. It's in the Europe/Dublin time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Loughrea to your route.

About Loughrea

Loughrea ( lokh-RAY; Irish: Baile Locha Riach, meaning 'town of the grey/speckled lake'), is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains and Lough Rea, the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the urban

Read more skyline. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name. The town increased in population in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Although Loughrea serves as a commuter town for the city of Galway, it remains an independent market town. Loughrea is the fourth most populous settlement in County Galway, with a population of 6,322 as of 2022.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Loughrea

Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.

Filter presets

Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.

Booking.comExpediaTripAdvisorHotels.comAgodaAirbnb

Compare before you book!

Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Loughrea.

Explore the Area

Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Loughrea.

Loading map...
Open in Google Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Loughrea?

Loughrea offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.

How do I plan a road trip to Loughrea?

Plan your road trip to Loughrea with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Loughrea as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Where is Loughrea located?

Loughrea is located in Connacht, Ireland, Europe. The coordinates are 53.1969 latitude, -8.5669 longitude.

What is the population of Loughrea?

Loughrea has a population of approximately 5,556 people, making it a town in Ireland.

Plan a Road Trip

Add to your itinerary

Start planning your road trip with Loughrea as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Start Road Trip

What's Nearby?

Discover destinations like Tinder

Swipe through stunning destinations near Loughrea. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.

Explore now

Quick Information

Population
5,556
Continent
Europe
Country
Ireland
Region
Connacht
Timezone
Europe/Dublin
Coordinates
53.1969, -8.5669

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in Ireland

Police
999
Ambulance
999
Fire
999
All emergencies
112
Driving side
left
Full driving guide for Ireland

Tags

EuropeIrelandConnachtTown

Worth the detour from Loughrea

7 notable places within an hour's drive.

cafe

Moran's Oyster Cottage

A thatched cottage restaurant on the shore of Kilcolgan estuary serving fresh oysters since 1760, a legendary detour on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.

20 km · about 25 min drive

coastal drive

Wild Atlantic Way

2,500 km coastal route along Ireland's rugged western seaboard

34 km · about 40 min drive

national park

Burren National Park

Protected area of the Burren's extraordinary limestone landscape, where rare orchids bloom between ancient dolmens and ring forts.

35 km · about 40 min drive

natural wonder

The Burren

Unique lunar-like karst landscape of 250 square kilometres where Mediterranean and Arctic-Alpine flowers grow side by side in limestone pavements.

37 km · about 45 min drive

ancient ruins

Clonmacnoise

Monastic city founded by St Ciarán in 544 on an esker above a bend of the Shannon: two round towers, a cathedral, high crosses and hundreds of early Christian grave slabs. Once one of Europe's great centres of learning.

41 km · about 45 min drive

ancient ruins

Poulnabrone Dolmen

A striking 5,000-year-old portal tomb standing stark against the limestone pavement of the Burren.

42 km · about 50 min drive

restaurant

Sean's Bar

Pub on the west bank of the Shannon in Athlone trading since around 900 AD: Guinness World Records lists it as Ireland's oldest. Excavated wattle-and-daub walls and centuries of coins are displayed inside; sawdust still on the floor.

48 km · about 55 min drive

Driving roads near Loughrea

  • 34 kmWild Atlantic Way2,500 km coastal route along Ireland's rugged western seaboard
  • 63 kmCliffs of Moher Viewing PlatformIreland's most visited natural attraction with 700-foot sea cliffs stretching for 8 miles along the Atlantic coast of County Clare.
  • 65 kmCliffs of Moher Coastal WalkDramatic 20km trail along the cliff edge from Hags Head to Doolin, offering ever-changing perspectives of Ireland's most famous sea cliffs.

Driving in Ireland

Drives on
the left
Petrol
~€1.78/litre
Motorway tolls
~€2.10/100km

When to drive here

April to October

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Loughrea.

Athenry

🇮🇪 Ireland

16 km awayPop. 4,445

Gort

🇮🇪 Ireland

22 km awayPop. 2,994

Oranmore

🇮🇪 Ireland

25 km awayPop. 4,990

Portumna

🇮🇪 Ireland

26 km awayPop. 1,450

Ballinasloe

🇮🇪 Ireland

27 km awayPop. 6,662

Claregalway

🇮🇪 Ireland

30 km awayPop. 1,248

Galway

🇮🇪 Ireland

33 km awayPop. 83,456

Banagher

🇮🇪 Ireland

39 km awayPop. 1,760

Plan a trip around Loughrea

Ireland road trip planner

Plan a Road Trip from Loughrea

Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.

Start Planning
PYRT

The ultimate road trip planning platform. Discover 150,000+ destinations worldwide, plan scenic routes, and create unforgettable adventures.

Inspiration

  • Discover Trips
  • Travel Guides
  • Community

The Product

  • Calendar Planner
  • Integrations
  • How It Works
  • Collaboration Mode
  • Get the App
  • Merchandise: PYRT Supply Co.
  • Become a Creator
  • Trip Marketplace

Plan Your Trip

  • Road Trip Planner
  • Famous Routes
  • Planners by Country
  • Best Road Trip Planner App
  • Discover Road Trips
  • Events
  • Travel Guides
  • How It Works
  • My Trips
  • Community Groups

Company

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

© 2026 Plan Your Road Trips. All rights reserved.

•[email protected]
Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence