10 Best Things to Do in Wales

Snowdonia is a beautiful and iconic national park in the northwest corner of Wales and is where you’ll find Snowdon, 1 of the tallest mountains in the UK. There are 13 other peaks over 3,000 feet (914 metres) high in the massive 823 sq mile (2,132 sq km) park, making it an outdoor adventurer’s paradise.

Snowdonia is listed among the most popular places for hiking and climbing in Britain, though there is also the Snowdon Mountain Railway for those who want the view without the walk. The rugged landscape is bathed in history and legend, featuring in the tales of King Arthur.

Some areas of the Brecon Beacons National Park are so bleak and mountainous that they are famously used as a training ground for the UK’s elite soldiers. Covering 520 sq miles (1,347 sq km), the rest of this expansive national park is among Wales' most beautiful landscapes.

The park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering an abundance of great hiking routes. Visitors can also discover stunning waterfalls, explore mysterious caves and encounter wild ponies, along with a diverse array of other wildlife. 

Portmeirion village is a little taste of Italy on Wales’ west coast. Built over most of the 20th century, the beautiful gardens, colourful buildings, fountains and church closely resemble a Mediterranean coast village. You can enjoy pizzas, gelato and coffee on the terrace, or explore the 70 acres (28 hectares) of woodland gardens, which are home to unusual imported trees like Californian coast redwoods, Chilean maiten trees and a New Zealand dancing tree.

If it sounds a little like a theme park, you’re not far from wrong. There’s a fee to the village and it has limited opening hours.

Among over 640 castles in Wales, Caernarfon Castle really stands out. Since its construction in 1283, it has been besieged, captured and retaken several times, yet remains among the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. It was still playing an important role in national history as recently as 1969, when it hosted Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales.

The castle itself is a formidable structure, featuring many multi-sided towers along its walls, though the buildings within have long-since disappeared. The charming historical town around the castle is also fun to explore, and is home to plenty of good cafés, pubs and restaurants.

Of the resort destinations along the North Wales coast, Llandudno is probably the largest and most popular. Known as the 'Queen of the Welsh Resorts', the town is nestled beneath The Great Orme. An attraction in itself, there’s a tramway leading up to the top, from where you get spectacular views of the town and its pier. You’ll also find a cable car and an artificial ski slope nearby.

The town itself has a good selection of hotels, cafés and restaurants. If you’re in Wales around the May bank holiday weekend, don’t miss the Victorian Extravaganza, a fun Victorian-themed carnival in Llandudno.

Cardiff Castle has stood since the Roman era in Britain, evolving continuously over the centuries to become a fascinating tapestry of historical architecture. The Norman keep stands atop a small hill, surrounded by impressive defensive walls which were used as air raid shelters during the Second World War. There’s a Georgian mansion in one corner and a museum of Welsh army regiments in another.

Cardiff Castle is a very convenient and interesting place to explore, being just north of the city centre, and has a guide app for Android and iOS. The Clock Tower is especially worth visiting, but tours are only available in summer. The Animal Wall along Castle Street is also worth a photo.

The tiny riverside village of Hay-on-Wye, right on the Welsh-English border, is certainly very charming and pretty. It’s also a book-lover’s paradise. It is home to numerous second-hand book stores and the annual Hay Festival, which has rapidly grown from a tiny village fete to one of the biggest literary events of the year. The festival attracts big-name authors and readers by the thousands for the 10-day event around the end of May.

The village itself has a beautiful rustic, rural look and is the perfect example of a typical Welsh village, with a small historical castle and a few local pubs.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, or Llanfairpwllgwyngyll for 'short', holds the undisputed title of the longest name in the UK and one of the longest in the world. The village itself is extremely unremarkable, being little more than a collection of houses, a couple of pubs, a post office and a train station. It’s fun to visit anyway, just for a selfie by the ludicrously long road signs.

There’s also an old church, which gives the village its remarkable name. The translation from Welsh is: 'St Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool of Llantysilio of the red cave.' Usefully, the train station sign shows the 58-letter name written phonetically, so you can try pronouncing it yourself.

Originally known as the Millennium Stadium, Principality Stadium is among the UK’s best and most modern stadiums. As the national stadium of Wales, it is more known for its rugby matches than football. It has also hosted boxing, motorsport, concerts and conventions and has even been a film set a few times.

As you can imagine, the atmosphere in the stands during a match, among well over 70,000 other people, is breathtaking. The stadium is conveniently right next to Cardiff Central train station, making it very easy to get to.

The delight of Welsh cuisine mostly comes from the use of the freshest and tastiest ingredients, which you'll find in abundance at Swansea Market. There are various farmers’ markets around the country, but Swansea Market is one of the biggest and the best.

The most noticeable smell, as you wander around the giant indoor market, will be the fresh Welsh cockles and fish. Look out for the fresh meats, especially the Welsh lamb, as well as the bakers selling Welsh cakes. The market also contains a few clothing, jewellery and electrical stalls, for when you’ve eaten your fill.