Tourist Attractions & Monuments Wales

It was built by Llywelyn the Great. This castle is quite different from the others in Llywelyn: it might even have been inspired by an English castle to make the plans! It was probably built between 1230 and 1240, then conquered by the English King Edward I in 1283. The latter considerably fortified the castle. He adapted the towers to catapult throwing. It was not until more than a century later that it fell into Welsh hands, those of the mythical hero, Owain Glyndwr, who seized the castle in 1404 during the Welsh Revolution.

Superb Victorian manor house with Gothic influences, built for Lady Elizabeth Love Jones Parry. Lady Elizabeth's ghost is said to haunt the premises. The manor house was opened to the public in 1896 by a Cardiff family. At the time, it was linked to Pwllheli by a tramway, and the public came to watch concerts and dance performances. In the 1970s, the mansion was acquired by a Welsh artist, Gwyneth ap Tomos and her husband. Today, in addition to exhibitions, it is possible to take art courses here, while staying on site.

An opportunity to discover the island of Bardsey, Welsh for "tidal island", renowned for its wildlife (especially seabirds), flora and religious history. During the crossing, our knowledgeable staff will inform you about many of the island's features. Depending on weather conditions, tours may be cancelled: if in doubt, call ahead. The parking lot is a ten-minute walk from the pier, so don't hesitate to contact them if you have reduced mobility. They can adapt and help you.

To the south of the village, overlooking the Irish Sea, you can visit this church dating back to the ^6th century. Saxons, soldiers of the ^12th-century Welsh prince Gruffydd ap Rhys, as well as Cromwell's soldiers during the Civil War, are said to have taken refuge here. Even today, religious expeditions to the island of Bardsey (considered the "Rome of Wales" in the ^12th century) set off from this church. You can also visit the cemetery, where some tombs date back to the ^6th century. For further information, visit the website.

Follow the path to the western tip of Wales, Mynydd Mawr, from where you can see the island of Bardsey (about 10 km). You can get there by car or by foot. Take the road from Aberdaron and park after the livestock pass. The trail leads you to the end of the tip. Grandiose!

This long sandy beach belongs to the National Trust. The alignment of its small coloured huts immediately draws attention.

A Visitor Centre helps you organize your excursion to one of the wildest mountain ranges in Snowdonia, Cwm Idwal, which dates back to the Ice Age. Professional guides are on hand to give you advice. One of the most popular routes from this destination is the one to the Idwal Lake (Llyn Idwal). It's probably one of the most impressive in the country. It is located at the foot of a dark massif, a kind of impressive "burnt mountain" called the "Devil's Kitchen". About four hours for five miles.

Built between 1820 and 1830 by the miners with money from the slate quarries, for the benefit of their boss George Dawkins-Pennant, this small palace with its 300 rooms is considered by the Welsh as a mark of oppression of the rich English bosses. Nevertheless, just for the size of the castle and its excellent state of preservation, a visit is well worthwhile. It is also possible to visit only those gardens that are worth the detour, especially in winter when the castle is closed. Or the summer if you want to cut back a little bit.

The Victorian society was crazy about exotic plants, bringing them from Australia and New Zealand. Here is a good example of an exotic garden, one of the three classified as part of the country's heritage. A few aesthetic surprises await you: artificial waterfalls, lakes, mill... So many "follies" imagined by Lord Newborough to entertain his friends at social functions. There is even a small amphitheatre in the heart of nature! If, in the middle of the park, you want to take a break to enjoy it, head to the Black Cat café.

You'll learn everything here on the Welsh slate! The workshop was founded in 1861 to supply schools at a time when students were not using paper! When paper became commonplace, the landlord knew that the material had another function, since he made electrical panels! It was a real little revolution for the local economy! Videos, geological exhibition and documents retrace the history of the slate industry. You can take home a slate that you engrave. For young and old!

Small museum that traces the history of boat building in the region. There are models of sailing ships and navigational tools. Pictures of the old port are also on display, at a time when shipbuilding was in full swing. A video also retraces the history of the place. If Porthmadog was the port from which the slate left, the sailboats also fetched salt from Spain to bring it to North America. If the museum is quiet, the cashier can give you a guided tour if you ask him nicely!

In an old house reconfigured into several spacious galleries, painter Rob Piercy exhibits his watercolor landscapes, the motifs of which he approached during his mountain expeditions. An experienced mountaineer and member of the Alpine Club of Great Britain, he is constantly inspired by Snowdonia's distinctive peaks and lights. You can also buy one of his books on site: Portmeiron (published in 2012) or The Snowdonia Collection (published in 2008); as well as beautiful postcards, in pastel tones.

This chapel is located in a nice overhanging corner. During the last French invasion (22-24 February 1797), the French established their headquarters in a neighbouring farmhouse. A 1620 Welsh Bible, the oldest in the country, damaged by occupants using it to start a fire, was found there in the 1990s. It is kept at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. The site is a good starting point for a walk along the coast to Carmaeg Wasta Point (9 km round trip).

This tapestry, created in 1997, traces the events that took place during the last "attempt" of French invasion of British territory in 1797. The tapestry illustrates the arrival of the French army consisting of three ships of 1,400 soldiers recruited from French prisons. It is by landing on February 22, 1797 on the beach of Carreg Wastad, that the French thought they would conquer Great Britain! They were blown off the island in three days!

Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, a circle of stones in a field overlooking the valley, three stones support a five-metre-long boulder thought to weigh almost sixteen tonnes. As its name suggests, this is an ancient burial chamber dating back to 3500 BC. One of the most beautiful phenomena of its kind. We still don't know how the men of the megalithic period managed to gather and lift all this! Awe-inspiring!

North of Lamphey, (Llandyfái in Welsh); you can visit the ruins of Bishop's Palace (Lamphey Palace), dating from the 13th century, which was used as a second residence by the bishops of St. David's. Ruins with the appearance of a crypt, lost in the green moss and mist.... which testify to the opulence in which these holy men lived. It is a very beautiful visit, both for the ruins and for the environment in which they are located, which offers a very special atmosphere. And in addition, admission is free.

The castle tour is well organized and includes an explanatory brochure. This is one of the strangest and most fascinating castles in the south of the country. Built between 1280 and 1310, it was considerably enlarged in the ^15th century, as evidenced by its Tudor-style windows. The cashier at the entrance is sure to tell you about the many visitors who have seen the ghosts of Sir Roland Rhys, one of the castle's tenants, and his monkey, come to haunt the northwest tower where they lived.

It is one of the castles built by the Normans in the south of the country. The fortification built on the top of a hill was naturally protected by water. This impregnable fortress never fell under Welsh control and so Pembroke won the title of capital of Little England beyond Wales. Today, the castle still has an impressive atmosphere. The towers are intact - especially the one where Henry VII was born in 1457 - and we pass from large rooms, to oak beams, to dark and biscornus corridors..

Overlooking Jack Sound, the park was once designed to shelter deer, hence its name. A wall was built in the 18th century to define a zone for the protection of animals that were never introduced.

Today, the park is very popular with walkers and leads to superb views such as Wooltack Point, where seals and sometimes porpoises as well as seabirds can often be seen. In the southern part of the route, also don't miss the Iron Age fort at Watery Bay.

Since 2002, VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY has been offering sea trips to discover caves, and seal and migratory bird watching around Ramsey Island. Aboard the Viking Challenger, you can try out the trips to Grassholme, where dolphins and whales can sometimes be spotted. Grassholme is also a wonderful trip for birdwatchers, with a large colony of gannets. You can also see shearwaters, another bird species closely related to albatrosses.

You can also leave the city centre and explore WhitesandsBay (Porth Mawr in Welsh). It is ideal for swimming, and is also the starting point for splendid walks along the coast. Detailed itineraries can be found at St. David's Tourist Centre.

Archaeological sites and Celtic shrines along the way recall the passage of Irish settlers along the coast. There are remains of the chapel of St. Patrick, who went to preach the divine word on the Green Island; the Warrior's Dyke, a defensive rampart dating from the Iron Age (750 BC to 100 AD); the Coetan Arthur, a Neolithic burial chamber and two other cromlechs at the top of Carn Llidi, at an altitude of 181 metres. From the volcanic promontory of St. David's Head, there are superb views of Ramsey Island.

The beginning of the trail starts at the end of Porkington Terrace. For the less courageous, Panorama Walk has the advantage of leading to a beautiful viewpoint only a few meters from the main street. About ten minutes, and bang! A classic at Barmouth, since the Victorian era!

It was the first piece of land to become the property of the National Trust in 1895, and the people of Barmouth are very proud of it. From the top, you can admire Cardigan Bay, the Caernarfon Hills and even Bardsey Island. The trail runs along the cliff for 5 km and offers an impressive panorama of the town, the estuary and Cader Idris.

It's accessed by a path on the High Street. You will come face to face with "the Frenchman's grave" where Auguste Guyard, a Frenchman who lived in Barmouth, a great friend of Victor Hugo, is buried.

The Sailor's Institute is a nice little free museum. The reading room has hardly been touched since the opening of the premises, which retain their Victorian atmosphere. A collection of paintings and model ships is on display. The museum is housed in one of the oldest houses in the village, built in 1460, and also exhibits pieces from the wreck of a galleon found by divers in the summer of 1978, including a beautiful engraved bronze bell and precious marbles from Italy!

An amazing museum for a confidential community, the Quaker community. Many villagers converted to this religion after its founder, George Fox, visited the village in 1657. In total opposition to the Anglicans and their attachment to dogma, the Quaker movement, which was very independent, insisted on the mystical notion of "inner light", which made the followers suspect in the eyes of the local religious authorities. So they were forced to emigrate to Pennsylvania. A film and photographs trace the life of this community.

Possibility of getting there on foot (3 km): head northeast on High Street towards Feidr Fawr, then continue on the B4546. A vast white-sand beach at the mouth of the Teifi estuary, absolutely impressive when at low tide and windswept! This beach, the most northerly in Pembrokeshire, marks the beginning, or end, of the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path. In the parking lot behind the dunes (a charge is made in summer), you'll find a small cafeteria serving ice creams and pasties.

The date of the same time as the abbey (th century) and would probably have been the property of the monks. The aeronautical engineer Michael Hall bought the ruins a few years ago to put it in operation! This is done today. The wheel rotates again in the small river and you sell flour and breads made from it.

We show you everything about the Y Felin machinery, one of Wales'last water mills, during a pleasant guided tour.

Next to the church stand the picturesque remains of an ancient abbey. It was built in 1115 by Robert Fitz Martin. In the nave of the ^13th-century abbey church, you can see the remains of medieval floor tiles.

Next door is Coach House, converted into a museum housing an exhibition of beautifully carved medieval stones and intriguing engraved Christian stones. The Sagranus stone, dating from the ^6th century, is the oldest and features inscriptions in Ogham, the ancient Irish alphabet.

From the impressive 13th century castle built by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, there are only two massive round towers left overlooking a gorge on the Teifi River. In 1215, the castle had been taken by Llywelyn the Great. Its superb location inspired many artists, including Turner in 1799. Cilgerran Castle offers very beautiful views when you climb up the tower, very easily accessible. Beautiful walks lead to the river from the castle. In summer, some activities are offered for children.

These two superb lakes, surrounded by mountains, are today a meeting place for trout fishermen. It's also an excellent spot for a leisurely stroll or picnic. The views from this 250-meter-high site are spectacular. This particularly beautiful site is now managed by the National Trust. The National Trust is a British charity dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the country's heritage. Today, it owns 250,000 hectares of land, 1,200 km of sides and 300 historic monuments.

Gold was found here by the Romans as early as the 6th century BC, and the mine remained in operation until the 19th century! A visitor centre, created by the National Trust, provides information on the techniques used by the Romans to extract the precious mineral from the rock and on the particular geology of the site, which has been declared of scientific interest. Accompanied by a guide, you can then discover the interior of the mines in the galleries dug by hand! This site is also magnificently located: there are splendid views over the Cothi valley.

Aberystwyth, Wales' first university city, has a recognised university, which opened in 1872 in a former seaside hotel. It was the first British university to accept women, and also the first in the world to open a faculty dedicated to international politics. It ranks fourth in the United Kingdom for the quality of its teaching. It is divided into several buildings and 18 departments. The most impressive is undoubtedly the one built facing the sea.

The city's School of Fine Arts is located in a superb Edwardian period classified building overlooking Cardigan Bay. It houses a museum open to the public with an impressive collection: there is an important collection of engravings, from the 15th century to the present day, drawings, watercolours and paintings by European artists. The museum also acquired two collections of photographs. The programming is always excellent. We recommend it to you!

The former chapel houses a museum of modern art whose purpose is to showcase the work of current Welsh painters through a series of temporary exhibitions. Every August, the Tabernacl Art Competition takes place, during which a prize is awarded to the best artists. Their paintings are then exhibited and sold. The building also houses concert halls, where the village's annual music festival takes place (usually in mid-August). Many events organized around art in general: books, music...

The Ynys-hir Nature Reserve belongs to the R.S.P.B. (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). 800 hectares of nature entirely devoted to the development of fauna and flora. What you see will of course depend a lot on the seasons. Spring is perhaps the ideal time, when the reserve is lined with flowers and the birdsong fills the air. Information is given on the birds present according to the seasons (with a photo to identify them). Feel free to bring a pair of binoculars with you!

Located on a former mine, the Alternative Technology Centre attracts convinced eco-lovers and curious people by the thousands every year. Originally, the C.A.T. was a community of idealists who decided to live in self-sufficiency. To do this, they had to produce their own electricity, recycle their waste, not use fertilizers, etc. The goal: to minimize its environmental impact. The experience almost immediately attracted the curiosity of ecologists from all over the world. More than 30 years after the foundation of this community, some of the idealists of the time still live at the C.A.T.

From now on, the Centre's vocation is to explain the basics of sustainable development by exposing the different ways of using renewable resources: the sun, wind, water; the funicular that runs on water provides an excellent illustration. The C.A.T. also tries to go further in its approach to promoting renewable energies: it offers, for example, courses explaining how to build a straw-based house or how to build panels using old radiators to heat water and your home... During these courses, you can be housed in the "eco-cabins" on site. You can also taste the specialities of the vegetarian tea room or buy organic products. It is really an exciting and worthwhile visit, to better understand the climate emergency and the challenges of global warming.

It is impossible not to notice this building, exuberant with its round towers with pointed roofs, elaborate windows, balconies and arches.

In 1864, when the city of Aberystwyth was connected to the national railway network, Thomas Savin bought the building and transformed it into a hotel. He asked the architect J.P. Seddon to give this Victorian building a more "Gothic Revival" look. Take the time to enter and discover the pretty circular balcony and the carved wooden ceiling. This strange architecture is a very successful mix of styles

A visit to the National Library of Wales is a must for anyone interested in the country's history. The oldest manuscript in Welsh, the Black Book of Carmarthen, is on display. The library also holds the only copy of the first book printed in Welsh, Yn y lhyvyr hwnn, dating from 1546. As you can see, the library houses a priceless heritage of Welsh and Celtic literary treasures.

On the A542, north of Llangollen, the road climbs up the green hillsides to the highest point at Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant in Welsh) at 417 metres above sea level, from where there is a magnificent view over the valley. At the top of the hill is The Ponderosa restaurant, open daily. From the car park, beacons mark the start of a 14km hike to Offa's Dyke Path, through the Dee Valley. It takes about six hours to walk around. We can stop at the restaurant or, in the summer, take the opportunity to have a picnic.

It is the largest camera obscura (darkroom) in the world. This Victorian period attraction has since benefited from technical advances in optics and allows a much clearer vision than it was at its origins. Today, more than 1,000 m² of landscapes are visible, and this in a very precise and detailed way. An impressive optical experience. To get there, you take a funicular to reach the hill. In the end, in addition to the camera obscura, we enjoy a superb view of the city of Aberystwyth.

Opened in 1896 to take tourists to the Luna Park amusement park, which was located at the top of the hill, the funicular now leads to a giant optical instrument, the camera obscura, accessible to the public, to the Y Consti restaurant and above all to a magnificent panorama. This 237-metre funicular line is one of the longest in the British Isles. Clearly an must if you are visiting Aberystwyth or nearby! Frequent departures but remember to check the dates and schedules carefully, especially in winter.

This entertaining and popular museum exhibits objects relating to everyday life in the 1900s. A section devoted to arts and crafts features watchmaking and silversmithing tools, among others.

Upstairs are landscape paintings and genre scenes depicting the lives of farmers and fishermen in the Aberystwyth and Cardigan Bay areas. The Bowen Gallery is devoted to the archaeology and geological formations of Cardigan Bay. Also on display are artefacts from excavations in the area, dating back to the Neolithic period.

It is a large and pleasant building, on several floors, where films are shown, shows are staged... Two contemporary art galleries present exhibitions all year round; one is exclusively reserved for photography. In another space, you can also discover the excellent collection of ceramics belonging to the university. The friendly and relaxed atmosphere, a British literature library and the surrounding park are just some of the reasons to visit. There is also a cafeteria on site.

This is a real contemporary art gallery with quality artists and a demanding program. The exhibition spaces are spacious and include paintings, videos and installations..

The gallery also has a friendly café, whose bay windows overlooking the hills are worth a look. At lunchtime, we serve baked potatoes, salads, quiches, tapas... And to combine the pleasures, we also find a good selection of beers and wines.

Built in 1260 atop a ridge, on the site of an ancient Norman fort, during the reign of Edward ^I, it's a beautiful castle to visit, quite unlike the fortified castles of the west or the ruins of the south. Originally built for military purposes to control the border with England, the castle has been a pleasure residence for several centuries. Powis Castle is in excellent condition, having been transformed into a grand Elizabethan manor house in 1587 by Sir Edward Herbert, first Lord of Cherbury.

Emblematic decor of Powis Castle. Measuring some 8,500 square meters, the Italianate terraced gardens are as impressive as the castle itself, and have hardly changed since the ^17th century. Among the most famous in Britain, these gardens are also among the few masterpieces of the period that have not been altered by the unusual landscape designer Capability Brown. Take the time to stroll through them.

Some of the trees here are almost seventeen metres tall. A thought for the gardeners who trim the hedges every year on a large cherry picker!

In the former billiard room. And don't forget to take time to explore the Clive Museum, with its fine collections by Robert Clive (1725-1774), son of the infamous "Clive of India", and its art objects from Karnataka in India.
Numerous events (temporary exhibitions, workshops) are organized. Don't hesitate to check the agenda in advance via their website.

Fauconnerie in operation since 2000 and which attracts many nature and animal lovers every year. After being familiar with birds of prey and falcons of all kinds, departure to fly and recover birds. Possibility to leave for a half-day or take a two-hour walk for more reasonable prices. Beautiful birds of prey, incredibly domesticated. A great opportunity to discover the intelligence of these birds! Photo workshops can be organized, prices on request.

Robert Owen is a particularly interesting political figure. He was not only a theorist, but also had the opportunity to put his ideas into practice in the factory he managed himself! This boss, anxious to ensure a better living environment for his workers by offering them evening classes and daycare for their children during the work, is really an historical exception! One can read the newspaper articles of the time, expressing the establishment's disdain for its work. A film recounts the life of this boss like no other.

The museum is housed in a large 19th century house. This weaving workshop was subdivided into six different dwellings where the employees' families were housed. This building is visited to discover the history of the wool industry, a major activity in Newtown in the 19th century. In some rooms, scenes with mannequins in costume and period utensils recompose the domestic interiors of the houses. In other rooms, garment workshops are completely reconstructed, with their large wooden weaving machines

A small documentary film showcases the history of dams and tanks. It also presents the richness of the valley fauna. The permanent exhibition provides additional information on both subjects.