Travellers are attracted to Wales because of its beautiful landscape, including the mountains and coast of its stunning national parks, the wealth of history and large number of imposing castles. Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Wales is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Rugged mountain ranges, lush valleys, unspoiled coastlines, UNESCO-listed beaches, medieval castles and old-fashioned market towns - these are just a few things to expect when you travel to Wales. If you are planning to visit Wales you will find lots of travel inspiration as well as tips and resources on this page. That this product of the English public-school system should become such a force of working-class cohesion across the border remains a mystery. All of the above. For sightseeing thrills and diversity, North Wales is Britain's most interesting slice of the Celtic crescent. Yes. Take 30 men with maybe 20 necks between them, divide them into two teams and have them chase an oddly shaped pigskin down a field, and what do you have? For the more experienced Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and offers ideal hiking opportunities and Pen y Fan , is the highest mountain in South Wales , situated in the Brecon Beacons is 886 m (2,907 ft) high. For a glimpse into the very soul of Wales, catch a live match at Principality Stadium. Monmouthshire, Wales’s easternmost county, abuts the English border and contains the bucolic charms of the River Wye and Tintern Abbey. Once you could only get views this good if you were a hunk of slate on your way to the port. ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | People living in Wales cannot travel to areas of high prevalence within the UK (including tier three areas in England, areas of Scotland in level three or above and Northern Ireland) for a holiday. I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. Famous in Britain for its beaches and coastal walks, Pembrokeshire is a small sampler of all that Wales has to offer. The transformation of stinky Cardiff Bay into the shiny architectural showcase of today is a textbook example of urban renewal at its best. It comes to a worthy coda with the long sandy miles abutting Rhossili Bay, affording blissful solitude for surfers and beach strollers alike. WALES DESTINATION GUIDE. Artfully decaying ruins in remote locations have been attracting romantic souls to Wales for hundreds of years, and it's in places like Carreg Cennen that they reach their apotheosis. It seems like you're barely out of Swansea when the Gower's beauty starts to assert itself. Lonely Planet: The world’s leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Wales is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. All rights reserved. Oh the Victorians, they really did like to be beside the seaside, and Llandudno is one of the few places where you can still stroll along the prom and have a reasonable chance of hearing a brass band playing 'tiddely-om-pom-pom'. ▲ Portmeirion Oddball, flower-filled faux-Italian-Riviera resort nestled between Snowdonia National Park and the sea. Here are the best spots for a memorable (and self-distancing) outdoor dip in the UK and Ireland for cold-water connoisseurs. From Friday 4 December, there are new guidelines on visiting places in Wales.. You are allowed to go on holiday within Wales if you live here. Open your ears to the sound of Welsh, one of Europe's oldest languages still spoken. Tiny Wales — jutting out of the west coast of the Isle of Britain — is largely covered in green, sheep-dotted pastures that end at 750 miles of scenically windswept coastline overhanging the Irish Sea. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. Elsewhere in Snowdonia's rugged mountains are rarely trodden areas perfect for off-the-beaten-track exploration. Read More April 15, 2016 October 21, 2019 The unreal might shift gears into the surreal if you happen upon a Prisoner convention, where fans of the cult television series, filmed here in the 1960s, indulge in dress-ups and human chess tournaments. Wales Travel Guide: Things to Do in Wales in 7 Days [PDF] 7-Day Detailed Travel Itinerary Plan for Wales [PDF Guide] We have designed an hour-by-hour detailed travel itinerary with all information on what to do in Wales in 7 days , so that you can enjoy Wales at its best. Wales Tourism: Tripadvisor has 2,364,664 reviews of Wales Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Wales resource. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. The roads narrow, the houses fall away and suddenly you're in verdant farmland between windswept hills and the glittering sea. Clamber over a castle, eat a leek, count sheep in a field, catch a rugby match, or share a pint of bitter with a baritone. Wales often doesn’t get as much attention as its Celtic cousins of Ireland and Scotland. Not as wild as Snowdonia nor as spectacular as the Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales' third national park manages quite a feat – and that's to be simultaneously bleak and beautiful. Wales . Walk the Wales Coast Path, explore Conwy Castle, or take a trip on the Welsh Highland Railway; all with your trusted travel companion. The busiest part is around Snowdon itself, where hordes hike to the summit and many more take the less strenuous cog railway from Llanberis. Hay is like a bizarro world version of tabloid culture, where intellectuals are admired, poets are praised and librarians are the new Kardashians. Steeped in history and local lore, and with miles of rugged beaches, North Wales is one of the UK's must-see destinations. Contrary to common perceptions, Wales isn’t really all that wet, at least not compared to the rest of the British Isles. Whether you come armed with hiking boots, a bucket and spade, or a surfboard, Wales' western extremity won't disappoint. Walkers will delight in its unpopulated moors and bald hills, while history buffs can seek out hill forts and barrows, and the enigmatic ruins of abbeys and castles. Wales Travel Guide The country of Wales is one of the four countries composing the United Kingdom, is a breathtakingly beautiful country with a living Celtic culture which diverges greatly from the national identity found in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Travel Tester takes you on an underground tour of the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Wales and shows you what the life of a coal miner was really like. Wales Travel Guide Part of the United Kingdom, Wales is a stunning and historically and culturally rich destination situated on the western peninsula of Great Britain. Wales Travel Guide. Download Wales Travel Guide with Offline City Street Map and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. To the west and north, although the coal mines no longer operate, the world-famous Valleys retain their tight-knit towns and a rich working-class heritage, and some excellent museums and colliery tours, including Big Pit at Blaenafon and the Rhondda Heritage Park … The best stretches take in the Gower's beautiful beaches, Pembrokeshire's multicoloured cliffs and limestone arches, the remote edges of the Llŷn Peninsula and the ancient … The oldest rocks in the world, 427 castles, and a village from the Iron Age are just three reasons to visit England's western neighbor. SPECIAL FEATURES - STOP CARRYING BOOK GUIDES!!! Tiny Wales — jutting out of the west coast of the Isle of Britain — is largely covered in green, sheep-dotted pastures that end at 750 miles of scenically windswept coastline overhanging the Irish Sea. ▲▲▲ Conwy Strollable coastal town surrounded by the best medieval walls in Britain, cradling a handful of fun sights, and crowned by Wales' best castle — one of the most purely delightful towns of its size. Come to switch off, and explore untouched valleys and sleepy villages. Wales Travel Guide Cardiff, and capital of Wales, is an enticing destination with a modern feel. Once voted one of the most beautiful countries by Rough Guides readers, Wales has something for everyone. Wales’ best drives Wye Valley. A highlight is the Doctor Who Experience, right next to BBC Wales' flash studio complex. Sure, the long robes and stone-circle ceremonies can seem a little silly, but if anyone has a claim to the traditions of ancient Britain, it's the Welsh. Yes, it's cut off from the city centre and there are still abandoned buildings on its fringes, but Cardiff Bay is a worthy testament to the rebirth of an ancient nation as a modern democratic country, increasingly in control of its own destiny. With towering mountains melting into lakes, and ancient castles on the golden coastline, Wales is impossible not to fall in love with - and the Welsh know it. Even today it's an awe-inspiring sight. Inside Lonely Planet Wales Travel Guide: Full-colour maps and images throughout The coastlines and rivers of Wales attract a multitude of fascinating creatures and wildlife wonders All you need to know about coasteering Adventure guide Jon Haylock explains why Wales remains the heartland for coasteering. However, the country offers a diverse landscape, interesting history and rich culture. No matter where you visit, make time to connect with Welsh culture. Wales Coast Path. Whether you come seeking salvation in the surf, hoping to commune with the whales in the Celtic Deep, or genuinely wishing to embrace the grace of Wales' patron saint, St Davids is a strangely affecting place. As the world leader in travel experiences since 1947, we connect you to the real Wales in a way like no other. ▲▲ St. Fagans National History Museum Expansive open-air folk-life museum just outside Cardiff with more than 40 reconstructed houses welcoming visitors to immerse themselves in bygone Welsh ways. But treat Wales as an after thought and you’ll be missing a trick. ▲▲ Caerphilly Town just north of Cardiff with Britain's second-largest castle (and the best in South Wales), featuring a leaning tower inhabited by a heartbroken ghost. The short trip from London should be the deal-maker. In these circumstances, travel out of Wales is only allowed under limited … Wales may have a reputation for being rainy, but don't let that stop you. Walk the Wales Coast Path, explore Conwy Castle, or take a trip on the Welsh Highland Railway -all with your trusted travel companion. The towns within the park's confines are some of Wales' most endearingly idiosyncratic, including Hay-on-Wye and Abergavenny – hallowed names for book lovers and food fans respectively. As a hefty chunk of Wales is properly remote wilderness, it’s easy to give the crowds the slip in this country of lonely moors and mountains. When a former US president describes your annual festival as the 'Woodstock of the mind', you know you're doing something right. This unselfconsciously pretty border town has assumed near mythic proportions among both the worldwide literati and lit-loving Brits as the most book-imbued place in the world. Wales is a land of dramatic national parks, plunging, unspoiled coastlines, and awe-inspiring medieval castles. The castle still stretches out its enfolding arms to enclose the historic town in a stony embrace, originally designed to keep a tiny English colony safe from the populace they displaced. Wales' top historical, cultural, and natural wonders are found in its north. A good excuse to sing and drink beer? Glorious under the summer sun and even better under a blanket of snow, Snowdonia is one of Wales' absolute treasures. The Ffestiniog Railway heads to the former industrial heartland of Blaenau Ffestiniog, where you can take a whistle stop to delve into the depths of the slate caverns. Add to that wildlife reserves, cute villages and an ancient cathedral, and all bases are covered. The south, with a less-rugged topography, is where two-thirds of the people live (and its best sights are conveniently near Bath and the Cotswolds). From hulking Mount Snowdon to lush forests to desolate moor country, North Wales is a poem written in landscape. The south, with a less-rugged topography, is where two-thirds of the people live (and its best sights are conveniently near Bath and the Cotswolds). The golden age of castle building happened to coincide with the golden age of 'let's show the Welsh what's what'. It's not Wales' most beautiful beach but Llandudno has lashings of old-fashioned charm. Walk for two months or for two days – there's no rule that you have to do it all in one go. Many fine restaurants have sprung up in the Welsh countryside, such as the Whitebrook in Monmouthshire, namedropping their farmers, butchers and other suppliers as if they were rock stars. Pembroke has one of Britain's finest Norman castles, and there are smaller versions at nearby Tenby, Manorbier, Carew and Haverfordwest. But when the scenery is as lush and green as this, we say let it rain. Walking in Wales, either small hikes or the long distance paths such as the Wales Coast Path following the entire coastline of Wales or Offa's Dyke Path near the border of Wales and England. When it gets too genteel, escape up the Great Orme for a wilderness fix. It's this strange combination of accessibility and remoteness that makes the Gower Peninsula unique, but it's the gorgeous beaches that make it truly special. The best stretches take in the Gower's beautiful beaches, Pembrokeshire's multicoloured cliffs and limestone arches, the remote edges of the Llŷn Peninsula and the ancient vistas of Anglesey. Officially a city but more like a large village, the peaceful home of Wales' patron saint has attracted the spiritually minded for centuries. The hilltop setting, within the western reaches of Brecon Beacon National Park, is bleak and barren, moody and mysterious. Wales. Wales on a Budget Although it’s difficult to find inexpensive accommodations in some cities — like Cardiff, for example — travelers can often find more reasonable rates on the outskirts. There are restrictions in place for travel out of Wales. Rich in history and natural beauty, Wales has a living Celtic culture distinct to the rest of the UK. Get to the heart of Wales and begin your journey now! Travel advice, foreign travel and returning home, guidance for transport operators. There's barely a town in Wales of any note that doesn't have a castle towering over it. Oh, and there's good beer and food to be had, too. Terms of Service | Privacy, Go Left, Young Man: Driving in Great Britain and Ireland, The Queen’s English: Brilliant and Baffling, Top Sights Where ‘Harry Potter’ Was Filmed, O’er the Ramparts: Castles in Great Britain, Welsh Revival: Cardiff Sheds Rust-Belt Past for Glossy Future, Celts of Wales and Scotland National Geographic Complete National Parks of Europe: 460 Parks, Including Flora and Fauna, Hist… Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal World Heritage Site, Take the plunge: the best wild swimming spots in the UK and Ireland, Why North Wales is the UK’s new must-visit destination. Skip to main content GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. Both the National Eisteddfod and the youth version ping-pong between North and South Wales annually, but Llangollen's International Musical Eisteddfod is a permanent fixture. So you won’t be short of things to do when you visit Wales. Gospel Pass. More than a mere arts festival or song contest, the eisteddfod is the way in which the nation hooks into its ancient past. Wales inspired the Autumn/Winter 2020 … Wales travel guide. With epic coastlines, hidden coves, misty mountains and everything in between, here are the top natural wonders in the UK. The rugged northwest corner of the country has rocky mountain peaks, glacier-hewn valleys and lakes, sinuous ridges, sparkling rivers and charm-infused villages in abundance. The waterfront area, redeveloped from the 1990s onwards, is home to hotels, restaurants, and shops making it a nice area to visit. Walk for two months or for two days – there's no rule that you have to do it all in one go. This country is made up of looming mountains, lush green valleys, gorgeous beaches and over 600 castles. Since 2012, all of Wales' famously beautiful coastal paths have been linked up in one continuous 870-mile route. Where else can you watch Mr Punch squabbling with fellow puppets over sausages and then head into a chintzy hotel for high tea? ▲▲ Snowdonia National Park Home to hobbit-cute villages (Beddgelert, Betws-y-Coed), the excellent National Slate Museum and a tourable working slate mine, several historical railways, the dramatically set Harlech Castle, and tall-by-British-standards Mount Snowden. Wales is located in the South West shoulder of Great Britain and is home to some of the most striking landscapes in the UK. A national obsession? Some places have a presence all of their own, and that's certainly true of precious little St Davids. It may be small, but Wales is resourceful, squeezing in green hills, bustling cities and colourful seaside villages, fronted by UNESCO-listed beaches. None has a more symbiotic relationship with its settlement than Conwy. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. People living in Wales cannot travel to areas of England in tier three, areas of Scotland in level three or above or Northern Ireland. Since 2012, all of Wales' famously beautiful coastal paths have been linked up in one continuous 870-mile route. see our FAQ. ▲▲ Cardiff Rejuvenated capital city with a sumptuous medieval castle complex and a people-friendly harborfront brimming with striking architecture and fun dining and nightlife options. With 2 official languages (English and Welsh) and a strong Celtic tradition Wales has a population of around 3 million. With its windswept coastline, jagged mountain peaks, and storybook countryside, it's easy to see why Wales has been the muse of poets and writers for centuries, but it is often overlooked by travelers in favor of England and Scotland.This might be changing as the fashion world and the entertainment industry shine a spotlight on the country. Fundamentally, it's a chance for the Welsh people to simply sit (eistedd) and be (bod). ▲▲ Caernarfon Salty, scruffy town worth visiting just to explore Wales' most famous castle. Wales (or Cymru in Welsh) is famous for its rugged coastline (over 2,700 kms of it), beautiful National Parks, castles and mountainous landscapes. (45:34), Arriving from US to Manchester, UK then needing to head directly to Wales. It's in the provision of top-notch produce that Wales has found its culinary niche, chanting the mantra 'local, sustainable and organic' all the way. Ruthin Low-key, untouristy market town that's appealing in its ordinary Welshness. ▲▲ Llangollen Picturesque red-brick village perched just over a rushing river gorge and featuring the fascinating 18th-century manor home of Plas Newydd. One man's devotion to the power of architecture to enhance the environment is encapsulated in Portmeirion, a fanciful slice of baroque Italy clinging to the North Welsh coast. The Preseli Hills offer upland walking and ancient standing stones. This twin set of narrow-gauge train lines now shuttles rail enthusiasts from Porthmadog up into the mountains of Snowdonia, with the Welsh Highland Railway slicing right past Snowdon to the coast at Caernarfon. Take the narrow road over the roof of the Black Mountains from Abergavenny past Llanthony Priory to... Elan … Here are some of the best things to do there in winter. Walk the Wales Coast Path, explore Conwy Castle, or take a trip on the Welsh Highland Railway; all with your trusted travel companion. As you edge nearer along country lanes and the castle looms into view in the distance, it's easy to make the mental trade-in of your rental car for a fine steed, galloping bravely towards unknown danger. But the more distant north Welsh coast has the country's highest concentration of castles, natural beauty, and attractions. Though Wales forms an integral part of the United Kingdom, it often sits in the shadows of its high-achieving neighbours. Some classics have never gone away – pass us another Welsh cake, will you? A thing of beauty? For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, Insight Guides Great Breaks Snowdonia & North Wales (Travel Guide with Free eBook) 8.7 8.2 8.8 6: Take the Slow Road: England and Wales: Inspirational Journeys Round England and Wales For a place with such exciting landscapes – from snow-capped peaks to wild coastline – Wales is compact and neighbourly. Local craft breweries supply the better local pubs, while Penderyn Distillery has brought whisky, that nectar of the Celts, back to this once teetotal land. Wye Valley Lush, mellow land along the English border and surrounding the evocative ruins of ▲▲ Tintern Abbey, with the bustling market town of Monmouth at its north, and the historic castle burg of Chepstow at its mouth. Immerse yourself in the fantasy by booking into one of the scaled-down mansions or cutesy cottages facing the piazza. The phrase 'good things come in small packages' may be a cliché, but in the case of Wales it's undeniably true. Savour the wooded gorge of the River Wye on a journey from Monmouth past Tintern Abbey to Chepstow. © 2020 Lonely Planet. Beaumaris Charming workaday town on the Isle of Anglesey boasting a never-finished moat-ringed medieval castle. And if you link it up with Offa's Dyke Path, you can circle the entire country! The short trip from London should be the deal-maker striking landscapes in the case of Wales ' most countries... See our FAQ such exciting landscapes – from snow-capped peaks to wild –! Wales of any note that does n't have a reputation for being rainy, but in UK. To work festival as wales travel guide world leader in travel experiences since 1947, we connect to! Though Wales forms an integral part of the River Wye on a journey Monmouth... 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