Where to Go in Wales

Populous South Wales incorporates the capital Cardiff, the cities of Swansea and Newport, Carmarthen Bay and two national parks, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons. The Cambrian Mountains and the attractive coastal resorts of Cardigan Bay are highlights of mid-Wales, while the North has popular seaside resorts like Llandudno and Rhyl, the island of Anglesey and the scenic delights of Snowdonia National Park.
Wales is an historic land of castles and mountains, sweeping beaches and strong national identity dating back to pre-Norman times. There is an industrial heritage, primarily in the Valleys of the south. It is also famous for its narrow-gauge railways (see Rail in the Travel section).

South Wales
Cardiff (Caerdydd)
The modern city has two parts: the original center and Cardiff Bay, which is now the focus of much leisure and tourism development, as well as home of the Welsh National Assembly.
In the city center, parts of Cardiff Castle, despite extensive rebuilding in the 19th century, date back to the Middle Ages. The National Museum and Gallery, with Welsh archaeology, arts and crafts, as well as European paintings, is another highlight, as are the many attractive Victorian shopping arcades. The Millennium Stadium, new home of Welsh Rugby Union, is an imposing attraction open for guided tours on non-matchdays.
The Cardiff Bay area, about 2km (1.5 miles) south of the center, offers diverse activities ranging from boat trips to the impressive Barrage (which now seals the Bay off from the open sea), to the Techniquest Science Discovery Center.
About 8km (5 miles) west of Cardiff is St Fagans with its open-air Museum of Welsh Life.

Swansea (Abertawe)
The country’s second city has over 45 parks, is a popular seaside resort, and is conveniently close to the Gower Peninsula. However, it is probably best known as the birthplace of Dylan Thomas (1914-1953). A city center walking trail begins at the Dylan Thomas Center, and leads visitors around sites associated with the poet and playwright. Elsewhere in the city, the Swansea Museum dates from the 1830s. The Egypt Center Museum specializes, as its name suggests, in Egyptology, while pottery, porcelain and modern art feature at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. At Parc Tawe, Plantasia is a high-tech tropical hothouse with plants from all over the world. A new Arts Wing was recently opened in Swansea’s Grand Theater, the city’s main show venue. Mumbles, a suburb of Swansea, is also an important resort.

Elsewhere
Chepstow, whose castle and town walls date from medieval times, straddles the English/Welsh border. Nearby Caerwent is rich in Roman remains. Between Cardiff and the English border is Newport, Wales’ third-largest town, which has a 15th-century cathedral. South Wales’ biggest inland draw is the Brecon Beacons National Park, whose main touring bases are Brecon and Abergavenny. The narrow-gauge Brecon Mountain Railway runs through the hills from Merthyr Tydfil.
In the Valleys, Blaenafon (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) offers industrial heritage attractions in the shape of Big Pit Mining Museum and the Ironworks. Caerphilly has a massive castle, and at nearby Treharris is Llancaiach Fawr Living History Museum.
Numerous resorts line the coast between Cardiff and Swansea, including Aberavon, Barry and Porthcawl. Others, along the Gower Peninsula, include Oxwich and Port Eynon.
The former county of Pembrokeshire, in the west, has many castles as well as the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The best-known religious building in the area is the cathedral of St David’s, Britain’s smallest city.

Mid-Wales
Aberystwyth
A university town midway round Cardigan Bay, and a popular resort. It is the base for visits to Devil’s Bridge Waterfalls, one of Britain’s most notable beauty spots, linked to the town by the Vale of Rheidol narrow-gauge steam railway. There are two other similar railways close by; the Tal-y-Llyn Railway, which runs for about 10km (16 miles) from Abergynolwyn through beautiful countryside to Tywyn; and the Fairbourne Railway linking Fairbourne with the Barmouth Ferry. Aberystwyth also has Britain’s longest electric cliff railway, and the Ceredigion Local History Museum.

Machynlleth
Celtica is a major visitor attraction here, focusing on Wales’ Celtic heritage, while underground boat trips and spectacular showcaves feature at King Arthur’s Labyrinth. The town also boasts the Center for Alternative Technology, which highlights environmental issues and sustainable energy use; Senedd-Dy Owain Glyndwr (the 15th-century Welsh parliament building) and the Y Tabernael modern art gallery.

Welshpool
To the east of the region, near the English border, this is an attractive town with many Georgian buildings and the Welshpool and Llanfair narrow-gauge railway. The Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture is popular, as are cruises on the Montgomery Canal. South of the town is the splendid Powis Castle, built in the 13th century and modernized 300 years later.

Elsewhere
Cardigan, at the southern end of Cardigan Bay (Bae Ceredigion), is a pleasant market town and a good starting point for exploring western parts of Mid-Wales. Along the bay there are many small resort towns and villages, rocky coves and sandy beaches.
Barmouth was once one of the most popular resorts in the British Isles, frequented by such luminaries as Darwin and Tennyson. There are good beaches, both in the town and near Dyffryn Ardudwy to the north.
Towns of interest inland include Builth Wells, an important cattle-trading town; Strata Florida Abbey; Lampeter and Tregaron on the River Teifi; and Llandrindod Wells, Wales’ foremost spa resort in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
On the northern tip of Cardigan Bay is Harlech, famous for both its castle that overlooks the peaks of Snowdonia, and for the stirring song, ‘Men of Harlech’, referring to the 15th-century defense of the castle. South of Harlech is Llanbedr, a popular yachting center.

North Wales
Caernarfon
Facing the Isle of Anglesey across the Menai Strait is Caernarfon, whose 13th-century castle and walls dominate the town. Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales took place here in 1969. The Segontium Roman Fort is another attraction. Work is currently under way on a 40km- (25 mile-) extension to the narrow-gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which will ultimately connect Caernarfon with Porthmadog.

Conwy
With its mighty castle and complete medieval town walls, Conwy is an important historic center. It also offers the tropical Butterfly Jungle and riverbus cruises along the Conwy River. The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art is also in the town, whose Visitor Center presents a multimedia show about the area. Nearby are the superb Bodnant Gardens.

Llandudno
Beneath Great Orme Head lies one of the country’s busiest resorts. It has almost every possible amenity, as well as being within striking distance of the beautiful hinterland, which includes the Snowdonia National Park. The town’s attractions include the Great Orme Mines, the world’s largest prehistoric site of its type, the Llandudno Cable Car, which climbs to the summit of Great Orme, and the North Wales Theater, a major arts venue.

Rhyl
A town with a 5km- (3 mile-) promenade and extensive leisure and recreation facilities. It is a good base for excursions to St Asaph, a city with the smallest medieval cathedral in Britain. Major attractions in Rhyl include the Sea Life Aquarium, the Rhyl Museum and Art Gallery, as well as the Pavilion Theater.

Wrexham
Close to the English border, Wrexham is the largest town in North Wales. Attractions such as the Arts Center, the nearby Minera Lead Mines and Bersham Ironworks Heritage Center are the main points of interest in an otherwise industrial town. A kilometer south lies Erddig, a 17th-century squire’s house containing much of the traditional furniture and with many of the outbuildings still in their original condition and in working order.

Elsewhere
One of the longest established tourist areas in the British Isles, north coast beach resorts like Llandudno, Prestatyn and Rhyl still remain popular with holidaymakers. The chain of resorts continues almost unbroken for miles; Abergele, Colwyn Bay (location of the Welsh Mountain Zoo), Prestatyn and Rhos-on-Sea all have good beaches. Further east lie Bagillt and Flint, former capital of Flintshire (the modern capital of which is Mold).
Porthmadog on Tremadog Bay is another resort town – close to here is the village of Portmeirion, location for the 1960s Prisoner TV series and home of Portmeirion china. The world’s oldest independent narrow-gauge railway, the Ffestiniog Railway, carries thousands of visitors from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog each year, many of whom go to see the Llechwedd Slate Caverns. West from Porthmadog is the Lleyn Peninsula, with its many good beaches, particularly on the south coast, at towns such as Criccieth (home of the Lloyd George Museum), Pwllheli, Abersoch, Aberdaron and, on the northern coast, Nefyn and Clynnog-Fawr. Anglesey, known as Ynys Môn locally, is notable for the remarkable Menai Bridge, the Anglesey Sea Zoo at Brynsiencyn, and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (commonly called Llanfair PG), which boasts the UK’s longest place name. The town of Beaumaris has a castle built by Edward I and the Museum of Childhood Memories.
Back on the mainland is the university and cathedral city of Bangor; its attractions include a huge doll collection housed in Penrhyn Castle.
Snowdonia National Park is 2200 sq km (840 sq miles) in size, containing some of Britain’s finest scenery, and 14 peaks over 915m (3000ft), the highest of which is Mount Snowdon (1085m, 3556ft). The Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs from Llanberis to the summit. Other attractions in the region include Betws-y-Coed, in the Gwydyr Forest; Bethesda, southeast of Bangor; Bala Lake, which also has a narrow-gauge railway; and Beddgelert, location of the Sygun Copper Mine. In the east of the region is Chirk Castle, a 14th-century Marcher fortress built to guard the frontier, which it straddles. It stands in an area of great natural beauty, including the forests of Ceiriog, Dyfnant and Penllyn. Llangollen, set in forested landscape, overlooks the salmon-rich River Dee and a masterpiece of medieval bridge building. Nearby are the 13th-century Vale Crucis Abbey and the spectacular road across the Horseshoe Pass.


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