Wales Travel Tips and Insider Guides
Click a city or region to browse our insider travel tips and guides about Wales.Our Insider's Articles about Wales
The 870-mile Wales Coast Path is the first of its kind–a continuous path following the entire Welsh coastline from Queensferry... [Read the full story]
With such literary sites as Dylan Thomas’s Boathouse, the National Library of Wales, the bookshops of Hay-on-Wye, and... [Read the full story]
You don’t have to be a religious person to appreciate the majesty of Britain’s many cathedrals. All of them are significant... [Read the full story]
Wales offers families many great summer and fall outdoor activities. Here are four of my family’s favorites: playing on the... [Read the full story]
The poet, William Wordsworth, first visited the Wye Valley of Wales as a young man of 23, in 1793. He returned five years... [Read the full story]
The fairytale turrets of Castell Coch As the car drives up the steep hillside and I glimpse the rounded turrets of a castle... [Read the full story]
During our last trip to Wales, my family and I bundled up to explore four cool winter gardens: Chirk Castle, Penrhyn Castle, the... [Read the full story]
As a book lover, I’m giddy when my husband and I drive into the small yet charming town of Hay-on-Wye, mid-Wales. Also known... [Read the full story]
Mining was part of my family’s heritage. Most of the men (and some of the women) were coalminers in the coal-pits of Wales.... [Read the full story]
The view from the summit of Mt. Snowdon is a vista of yellow-brown hills and intensely green meadows. Far below the precipitously... [Read the full story]
It’s a warm summer day when my husband guides our motorized canal boat into Llangollen, Denbighshire North Wales. A small... [Read the full story]
Two of North Wales’ most impressive castles, Conwy and Caernarfon, are close by and both are listed as UNESCO World Heritage... [Read the full story]
Under the pale light of a full moon, I stand below the great stone ramparts of Caerphilly Castle. Will I see her tonight; the... [Read the full story]
Set amid one of the most picturesque areas in the UK, Bluestone Resort is located in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and is... [Read the full story]
About Wales
The Welsh have kept their Celtic heritage, and after a trip into the verdant countryside, you too might find yourself attached to the country. From the limestone cliffs of the Gower Peninsula to the hundreds of castles and cathedrals built among the rugged hills, the landscape is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts as well as history buffs. Driving from top to bottom takes less than six hours, but Wales’s is surprisingly diverse, and there’s nothing like renting a car, booking a few nights in inns and B&Bs, and finding your own favorite spots. Here are tips to help guide you on your trip to Wales. Wales is part of the United Kingdom, and it shares a border with England to the east. The English cities of Liverpool and Bristol are near the Welsh border.
Southern Wales is the most develop part of the country, home to the capital, Cardiff, as well as the popular beach-resort towns of Swansea and Tenby. Cardiff is a bustling city with fascinating art and history museums. Don’t miss The Museum of Welsh Life, which uses historical buildings to show visitors what country life was once like.
Brecon Beacons National Park, a wonderland of waterfalls and steep green hills, is just north of Cardiff. Just west of Cardiff is one of most beautiful stretches of coastline in the whole country: the Gower Peninsula. This unique portion of Wales has gigantic beaches, limestone cliffs, and stunning rock formations.
In southwestern Wales, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Park teems not only with immaculate, cliffy coastline, but megalithic monuments, some of which resemble Stonehen Northern Wales has retained its Celtic heritage more than the south, and Welsh is still commonly spoken alongside English. The city of Conway is a highlight, with its beautiful harbor, castle, and pub-saturated center.
If you’re interested in beaching in northern Wales, Llandudno is a very popular Victorian beach town. In Llandudno, you might feel as though you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole: Lewis Carroll got much of his inspiration for Alice in Wonderland there, and a statue of the White Rabbit celebrates the author. On of the best hiking spots in northern Wales is Snowdon National Park, where Snowdon, a 3,560-ft mountain, rises up from crystal clear lakes.
As of September 2011, U.S. travelers do not need a visa to visit Wales for 90 days or less. The official currency is the pound sterling. It is easy to get around Wales by bus or train, but renting a car will allow you to experience the countryside at your own pace.
