Welcome to our guide to over 30 of the best places to visit in North Wales.
Some parts of North Wales have been well-known to generations of visitors. We cover these, but also relative hidden gems off the beaten track.
I’m from near Cardiff in South Wales, but have to say that North Wales has always captured the biggest part of my heart. I have been privileged to have visited the region hundreds of times. Yet I still get the same tingle of anticipation when first glimpsing the mountains as the first time I saw them in 1982.
North Wales is breathtaking. The landscape of Snowdonia is compelling, these relatively small peaks full of drama, never to be underestimated. The beaches of North Wales never cease to astound me, and the same goes for the many people I’ve shown around them.
Most of the places we write about are in north-west Wales, and are within the counties of Gwynedd and Anglesey. Some are just to the east of Gwynedd in the county of Conwy, with more in Denbighshire, Wrexham and Powys. Most of the Snowdonia National Park is within Gwynedd, with the eastern fringe in Conwy.
North Wales also has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including four stupendous Castles among the greatest of the Middle Ages. It’s Britain – and Europe – at its best, so make yourself a coffee or tea, scroll down and start to dream a little.
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN NORTH WALES
Climb Mount Snowdon
Snowdon – Yr Wyddfa – is the highest mountain in Wales, at 1.085 metres (3,560 feet) above sea level. It’s become heavily over-touristed in recent years, attracting more visitors than all the other mountains in the area put together. You might not escape the crowds, but with a good forecast and an alarm clock, you can still enjoy this amazing mountain.
There are six paths up the mountain, ranging from the steady climb of the Llanberis Path to the knife-edge ridge of the Crib Goch arete on the Pyg track.
During the season (usually April or May to October) you can also ascend the mountain on the stunning Snowdon Mountain Railway. The rack-and-pinion railway is one of the best narrow-gauge railways in Wales. At the top, if you’re fortunate with the weather, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views. I’ve seen the Isle of Man, 50 miles to the north, from there, and on a good day you can also see Ireland.
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle is one of the greatest castles in North Wales, a colossus of a fortress guarding the southern end of the Menai Strait.
It is the most imposing of Welsh castles, its sturdy polygonal towers a formidable deterrent to anyone with the temerity to attack it. The area above the entrance has just been opened for the first time in a great many years, and you can also explore the wall walk and towers.
Caernarfon Castle’s defences were augmented by its small but fine set of town walls. The whole defensive complex was inspired by the massive Theodosian Walls in Constantinople, and this undertaking helped put Edward I out of pocket.
See Also: Things To Do In Caernarfon
Portmeirion
The fairytale fantasy village of Portmeirion is unique in Wales. It’s a collection of salvaged buildings with some Italian-style buildings, the project of architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.
Sir Clough was inspired by a visit to Portofino on the Italian Riviera, and he set out to create an idyllic holiday village. He found a plot of land above the Dwyryd estuary a few miles from Porthmadog, and spent much of his life fulfilling his dream.
Most people visit Portmeirion on a day trip (it’s £12 per adult) but oie of the best things to do in Portmeirion is to stay there overnight. There are two hotels, including Castell Deudraeth, one of the best castles to stay in Wales. And every cottage and house in the village is accommodation for visitors.
It’s magical when the crowds have gone for the day, and you can wander the grounds almost alone. Portmeirion was the setting for the 1960s TV series The Prisoner, and if you’re staying in the village you’ll have time to explore the many locations used there.
Llanddwyn Island
Llanddwyn Island – Ynys Llanddwyn – is a small tidal island off the south-west coast of Anglesey, reached by a 2-mile (3 km) walk along glorious Newborough Sands.
I’ve considered it one of the best places to visit in North Wales since first venturing there in 1984. It’s one of the most beautiful islands in Europe, with two beaches at its seaward end, each with a small white lighthouse. The view from there, to the peaks of Snowdonia and the Llŷn Peninsula, are astounding.
Llanddwyn is one of the most famous Welsh islands because it was the home of Santes Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers. She had a sadly thwarted love life, with her father wanting to marry one man while she loved another. The story goes that the man she loved turned to ice. She retreated to Llanddwyn Island, where she prayed that true lovers everywhere would find happiness, and of course that the poor so-and-so she couldn’t be with would thaw out.
Dydd Santes Dwynwen – St Dwynwen’s Day – has become more popular in recent years, with lovers exchanging cards and gifts on her feast day, January 25th.
Llanbedrog Beach
This sheltered beach on the south coast of the Llŷn Peninsula is a perfect slice of paradise (except for the £5 car park fee!).
It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales, and one of the best beaches for kids in North Wales. The headland next to the beach shields Llanbedrog from the prevailing winds, so the sea here tends to gently lap the shore, ideal for kids wanting a paddle.
You reach the beach via a shaded lane from the car park, and there’s a great little bistro on the right as you arrive. A small stream gurgles its way down to the shore, and to the left a sweep of beautiful bright beach huts add glorious colour to an already wonderful scene.
There is also a footpath up past the lone white house to the right which leads up to the top of the hill for superb views of the beach, coast and hills.
Anglesey Coastal Path
The Wales Coast Path covers all 870 miles of the coast of Wales, and the 125-mile Anglesey stretch is one of the best in the country (along with Gower, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion).
I’ve been enjoying some Anglesey walks since the 1980s, and one of the things I love about the island is the variety of coastline.
There are some long, flat sandy stretches of coast path, such as the stretch along Newborough Sands to Llanddwyn Island and beyond. These contrast with the dramatic clifftop heights around South Stack lighthouse and Holy Island, and along the north Anglesey coast between Llanbadrig and Bull Bay.
It would take around 10 days to complete the entire path, and if you do so you receive a badge to celebrate the feat.
Conwy and Conwy Castle
Conwy is one of the best towns to visit in North Wales. It’s best known for its tremendous Castle and town walls, but there are plenty more things to do in Conwy besides.
The 13th century castle is, for many, the best castle in Wales, and it’s one of the most beautiful castles in Europe. Its eight towers dominate the view from across the river, with the foothills of Snowdonia behind.
You can climb most of the towers and walk most of the town walls, and the streets within also have plenty to reveal. Plas Mawr is possibly the best-preserved late 16th century house in Britain, and the older Aberconwy House is also well worth a brief visit.
A minute’s walk downhill on Conwy Quay you’ll find the Smallest House in Great Britain, a des res for an elf perhaps but not the 6’ 3’’ fellow that once lived there. The Quay is a great place to enjoy a summer sunset with unforgettable views of the Castle.
Llandudno
Llandudno, on the North Wales coast, has long been known as the Queen of Welsh Seaside Resorts. The town, between the Great Orme and Little Orme headlands, grew in the 19th century and it does feel like you’re stepping back to the 19th century when you visit Llandudno.
Llandudno is one of the best places to stay in North Wales if you intend to explore the coast, Anglesey and the Conwy Valley, but it’s not ideal if you’re exploring the mountains of Snowdonia. Many of the best hotels in Llandudno are along the elegant Victorian Promenade.
Llandudno is renowned as the place where Lewis Carroll met Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. There are some Alice-themed sights around the town, and plenty of nostalgic things to see in Llandudno. These include the fine wrought-iron Pier, the seafront Punch and Judy shows and the Great Orme tramway to the top of the headland overlooking the town. One of the best places to visit in North Wales for a family holiday.
Barmouth
Barmouth is one of the best seaside towns in Wales. There’s nowhere quite like it. One minute you’re indulging in traditional British seaside treats like candy floss or funfair rides. A short walk away and you’re looking over one of the most beautiful estuaries in the world, the sublime Mawddach. Or you could walk up the steep cobbled streets above the town, and you’re in another world again.
There have been enough things to do in Barmouth to draw me back for over 30 years. Many make the short trip across the border from the English Midlands every year, some for even longer than I have.
Barmouth beach is superb, a Blue Flag beauty with a huge expanse of sand, and dunes and the magical estuary view at the southern end. You can cross the estuary on foot or by train on the 19th century wooden viaduct which carries the Cambrian Coast Line.
The small town also has some great places to eat, particularly the Last Inn, a short walk from the Bridge.
Barmouth is also a rarity in rural Wales in that you can use it as a base for exploring the region by public transport. It has good rail (it’s on the Shrewsbury to Pwllheli line) and bus connections (with buses running via Dolgellau to Llangollen and Wrexham).
Llŷn Peninsula Coastal Path
Pen Llŷn, the finger of land pointing into the Irish Sea, is one of the most beautiful parts of Wales. It’s a rugged landscape of patchwork fields, rocky hills and stunning coastline, with a mixture of long, wide sandy beaches and smaller sandy coves.
Walking the Llŷn section of the Wales Coast Path is a delight. Some opt to follow the north coast route, following one of the most important pilgrimages in Wales to Bardsey Island via Aberdaron. The route from Caernarfon would take several days.
There is always the option of walking short sections on day walks. The coast south from the beach at Dinas Dinlle is amazing, with the climb to Tre’r Ceiri and the descent to the coast via Pistyll. I also recommend the stretch south of Porth Dinllaen, passing the likes of Traeth Penllech and Porth Iago, two of the best Llyn Peninsula beaches, before reaching Aberdaron.
Blaenau Ffestiniog
The slate quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog makes a powerful impression, and I’ve never seen anywhere else like it. Its intimate Welsh terraces are tiny beneath the sheer rock faces of the Moelwyn mountains and vast heaps of slate spoil.
At first sight – especially during the rain – it can appear grey and grim, but hearing the stories of the quarrymen and their families, and venturing into the hills around the town left me with very different feelings about the town.
There are so many more things to do in Blaenau Ffestiniog now than fifteen years ago. Hair-raising zipwire rides whizz above the slate heaps and mountains. Mountain bikes negotiate the high-end steep descents of the mountains, something I’ll not try to emulate!
Blaenau Ffestiniog has also recently gained UNESCO World Heritage status as part of the Welsh Slate Landscape of north-west Wales. The Site includes the remarkable Llechwedd Slate Caverns, which you visit on a train through the old quarries. You can also traverse some of the caverns by zip lines or trampoline underground to your heart’s content at Bounce Below.
Lovers of industrial heritage would also enjoy the hike up to Cwmorthin Quarry, and further to Rhosydd, a remarkable mountain-top site where many workers lived in the 19th century. I worked on the early stages of the Bid for World Heritage status, and also recommend the excellent National Slate Museum in Llanberis.
Pen y Gwryd Hotel
The Pen y Gwryd Hotel – sometimes abbreviated to PYG – is one of the best hotels in Snowdonia. This remote former farmhouse has an incredible location, metres away from the road up to the Llanberis Pass and Snowdon, and a short drive from some of the most beautiful lakes in Wales – Llynnau Mymbyr in one direction, Llyn Gwynant in the other.
Originally a farmhouse, built in 1810, the building later became an inn. In the early 1950s it hosted the mountaineers who became the first to conquer Mount Everest as they trained on the forbidding peaks of Snowdonia. The hotel now has a collection of memorabilia from the Everest team.
Staying at Pen-y-Gwryd is a real experience, which starts long before you even arrive. No website booking here, likewise no affiliation to any other hotel booking sites. If you want to stay, you need to call them. And they bang a gong to announce when dinner is served. Definitely one of the best places to visit in North Wales.
Ogwen Valley Snowdonia
The Ogwen Valley is one of the most spectacular parts of Snowdonia, with the Glyderau range on one side and the Carneddau on the other.
Thomas Telford’s historic A5 passes through the valley, climbing from Capel Curig and passing through the astonishing scenery. Tryfan, the most challenging mountain in Snowdonia, looms high to the left, while Y Garn is reflected in the waters of Llyn Ogwen lake below.
At the end of the lake, you can turn off to Idwal Cottage, and begin the climb up Cwm Idwal and the Devil’s Kitchen. You eventually reach the broad summit area of Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach, a landscape of shattered rocks and pinnacles.
Below Llyn Idwal, the landscape changes dramatically to the gentler glacial U-shaped valley of Nant Ffrancon. The A5 continues down to Bethesda, another of the World Heritage towns of the Welsh Slate Landscape.
Llyn Gwynant, Snowdonia
Llyn Gwynant is one of the most beautiful lakes in Wales, indeed Europe. It lies in a deep valley below the Snowdon massif, in the picturesque Nantgwynant valley that leads to Beddgelert village.
The lake offers some of the best views in Snowdonia, whether from the top of the valley or by the lake shore. From the latter the peak of Yr Aran is reflected in the water of the lake, a captivating sight.
The rest of the valley is also wondrous. The next lake along the valley is Llyn Dinas, another stunning lake, which looks especially with the autumn colours.
Church Bay, Anglesey
Church Bay – Porth Swtan – has one of the best Anglesey beaches, with a stretch of golden sand and rockpools to explore for the kids.
It’s on the north-west coast of ‘mainland’ Anglesey, the most spectacular of a series of broad sandy beaches. There is also some great cliff scenery to the north, and more fine walking towards Carmel Head and, eventually, Cemlyn Bay Nature Reserve.
Church Bay village is tiny, but don’t miss the small Swtan thatched cottage museum (the last building of its kind on Anglesey). And we recommend the Lobster Pot restaurant for its excellent seafood.
Beaumaris Castle
Visiting Beaumaris Castle is one of the best things to do in Anglesey. It’s one of the four Castles and Town Walls of Edward I In Gwynedd UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the only one on Anglesey.
Beaumaris the smallest of Edward’s prinicipal castles in North-West Wales, but technically the most advanced. The Castle – overlooking the northern end of the Menai Strait which separates Anglesey from the Welsh mainland – was never completed. Edward spent vast sums on subjugating the Welsh, leaving him financially hamstrung.
The Castle, within sight of the sea, was surrounded by a moat and then concentric layers of defence. However it wasn’t impregnable – it fell to the forces of Welsh Prince Owain Glyndwr in 1403. It was then recaptured two years later.
South Stack Lighthouse
We rate South Stack one of the best places to visit in North Wales for the sheer drama of its location. It’s on a tiny, rocky island (Ynys Lawd) at the foot of forbidding 250-foot cliffs, and it’s a familiar landmark to visitors approaching nearby Holyhead on the ferry from Dublin.
You can visit the lighthouse, but be prepared for a 400-step descent and return ascent. The cliffs are also a major nesting site for seabirds, and during springtime the cacophony of squawking is a joy to hear. Even when I’ve visited in the off-season I’ve seen choughs there several times.
Porth Dinllaen
Tiny Porth Dinllaen, on the north coast of the Llŷn Peninsula, is one of the most beautiful villages in North Wales. It sits on the leeward side of a narrow peninsula, providing a natural harbour that was once considered as the port for ships to Ireland. Thank goodness that didn’t come about!
It’s only accessible via a path across a golf course, eventually reaching the small beach and hamlet of around ten houses. One of these happens to be the Tŷ Coch Inn, the pub a few metres from the beach which has been voted one of the best beach bars in the world. It certainly has one of the best views, up the coast to the peaks of Yr Eifl.
Aberdaron
The village of Aberdaron is the Land’s End of North Wales, the south-westernmost village on the Llŷn Peninsula. The village has a superb beach and the imposing church above it, St Hywyn’s, was built from donations from pilgrims travelling to nearby Bardsey Island.
The coastal scenery around Aberdaron is breathtaking, with fantastic walks and superb beaches including Porth Oer and, a little further north, the paradise of Porth Iago. In the opposite direction lies the remote surfers’ favourite Porth Neigwl (Hells Mouth) and the charming early 20th century house Plas yn Rhiw.
Tre’r Ceiri
Tre’r Ceiri – the Town of Giants – is the least-known of our best places to visit in North Wales. This mountain-top hideaway is an Iron Age fortress, with fortified walls and hut circles dating back over 2,000 years.
It’s on one of the three summits of Yr Eifl (The Rivals), the three peaks dominating the north coast of the Llŷn Peninsula. Near the village of Llanaelhaearn, it’s easy to miss. There are spaces for four or five cars to park and a footpath sign. But find this and you will be rewarded.
Depending on your fitness, it could take anything between 25 minutes and an hour to reach the top. You walk through the ancient entrance to this inhospitable place, past hundreds of hut circles. Eventually you reach the summit and ramparts, with staggering views up and down the coast. If you want to escape the crowds of Snowdon, this is one of the best places you can visit.
Ffestiniog Railway and Welsh Highland Railway
North-West Wales is famous for its narrow-gauge railways which grew up around the slate industry. These routes are among the very best. The Ffestiniog railway – which owns the Welsh Highland – runs from Porthmadog on the coast to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back. It chugs up above the Vale of Ffestiniog into the Moelwyn mountains, eventually stopping at Blaenau.
The Welsh Highland Railway has an even more scenic route, passing down the western side of the Snowdon massif. It then proceeds down the narrow Aberglaslyn Gorge south of Beddgelert before descending to lower terrain and Porthmadog.
Beddgelert
This gorgeous Snowdonia village is easily one of the best places to visit in North Wales. It’s smaller than Betws-y-Coed, and in the heart of the mountains, with Snowdon and Moel Hebog both close by.
Its architecture – a mixture of local stone and slate – is gorgeous, and there are several great places to stay including the Saracen’s Head and Tanronnen Inn.
Beddgelert means ‘grave of Gelert’. It’s supposedly named after a poor dog owned by Prince Llywelyn Fawr. Llywelyn heard his baby cry and then Gelert emerged covered in blood. He assumed that the dog had attacked his son, so killed the dog. It turned out that the blood came from a wolf which had tried to attack the baby – whom Gelert had saved.
Gelert’s Grave is just south of the village, on the path towards the beautiful Aberglaslyn Gorge.
Betws-y-Coed
Betws y Coed is the main gateway to Eryri, the Snowdonia National Park. It’s a quirky little village surrounded by forest unlike anywhere else in the area, and a place I’ve stayed in countless times.
Most people use Betws-y-Coed as a jumping-off point for the rest of Snowdonia, with the Ogwen Valley and Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) a short ten-mile drive away. It’s a great base for getting around Snowdonia, but also one of the best places to visit in North Wales.
Betws has plenty of its own charms, from its traditional tea rooms to the loud rapids of the Llugwy river and the picturesque Swallow Falls a couple of miles upstream.
There are enough things to do in Betws-y-Coed for a few days, with walks in the Gwydyr Forest including to the remote Llyn Elsi mountain lake. You can also follow trails to the lovely Fairy Glen, where the River Conwy squeezes through a narrow ravine. The same river also thunders down Conwy Falls a mile or so upriver.
Abersoch
The seaside village of Abersoch has a very different feel to the rest of the Llŷn Peninsula. The beaches are fantastic, the main one lined with higgledy-piggledy beach huts perched on the sand dunes. And the views across Cardigan Bay to Snowdonia are magnificent.
It differs from the rest of the Llŷn in price, with accommodation and restaurants higher than anywhere else. I’ve never been a big fan of the village, but love the surrounding area, including the beach at Porth Ceiriad. The sleepy inland villages of Llanengan and Llangian are a world away, and wild Porth Neigwl beach – also known as Hell’s Mouth – attracts surfers from over a hundred miles away across the border in England.
Harlech Castle and Beach
There are plenty of things to do in Harlech but most people visit for just two – its superb World Heritage castle and extraordinary beach.
Harlech Castle was originally built on a sea cliff, but the sea has retreated around a mile in the 700 years since it was built. It’s one of the best places to visit in North Wales, commanding extraordinary views along the coast and north to the peaks of Snowdonia.
Harlech Beach is a 4-mile (6 km) wide sweep of glorious golden sand, and from the hill above there’s an astounding view of the beach and Snowdonia. It’s no wonder locals call the spot where you’re greeted with this view Good God Corner.
One of the best Cardigan Bay beaches, it never gets anywhere near busy, the vast space easily absorbing the steady flow of visitors. Harlech is a great base for exploring this corner of North Wales, especially the unexplored Rhinog mountains in its hinterland.
Llangollen
This picture-perfect little town on the River Dee is the best possible introduction to the many charms of North East Wales.
It’s in the middle of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the romantic ruin of a medieval Welsh Castle, Castell Dinas Bran, on the conical hill above the town.
The scant remains of the castle overlook the more substantial and more romantic ruin of Valle Crucis Abbey in the valley below. The scenery around there is astonishing, and a drive up the Horseshoe Pass road or a hike up steep Coed Hyrddyn (Velvet Hill) reveal even more amazing views.
One of the best things to do in Llangollen is to visit the Tudor-style Plas Newydd house and gardens. The house – much of it exquisitely carved – is best known as the home of the famous Ladies of Llangollen. We don’t know whether the two Irish aristocratic ladies were lovers or ‘romantic friends’, but they attracted many famous visitors, including poets Byron, Shelley and Wordsworth.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Four miles down the Dee Valley from Llangollen, this remarkable construction by Thomas Telford became Wales’ third UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
It carries the Llangollen Canal 38 metres (126 feet) above the Dee Valley, between Froncysyllte on the south side and Trevor on the north. It’s the highest aqueduct in the world, and was built in the early 19th century.
You can walk across the Aqueduct, or cross it on a horse-drawn canal boat. You can also pilot a narrowboat across it yourself, but you’ll need a head for heights. There’s no rail on one side, just a sheer drop to the River Dee below.
Well worth a visit – and one of the great landmarks in Wales.
Lake Vyrnwy
This reservoir was created in the 1880s to supply water to the city of Liverpool. The Vyrnwy (Efyrnwy) river was dammed, flooding the valley and village of Llanwddyn, which was rebuilt a short distance away.
The Liverpool Corporation built what is now the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel in 1890, and after a few expansions it’s still going strong. It’s one of the best hotels in Wales, with astonishing views of the lake, especially around sunset in summer.
The surrounding area is full of amazing wildlife. One of my photographers and I once had the pleasure of a couple of hours in the company of wildlife and nature broadcaster Iolo Williams in the area. It was staggering how many birds he was able to see, just with the naked eye hundreds of metres away. Lake Vyrnwy makes a great base to explore this wild, remote upland country, so different to the human traffic jams on Snowdon summit.
NORTH WALES FAQ
Where Is North Wales
This guide to the best places to visit in North Wales covers the whole of the region, from the English border in the east to the Llŷn Peninsula in the west.
Most of the places to visit we mention are found in three counties – Gwynedd, Conwy and the Isle of Anglesey. We also include two North East Wales attractions, one in Denbighshire, the other in the County of Wrexham. We also mention another place to visit in the far north of Powys, Lake Vyrnwy.
North Wales is approximately a 2-hour drive from Manchester, 1 hour from Chester, and 1.5 hours from Liverpool. It is also 4 to 5 hours away from Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Birmingham is only a two-hour drive away via Shrewsbury.
David Angel is a veteran Welsh photographer, writer, and historian with over 30 years of experience exploring and capturing Europe’s awe-inspiring landscapes, hidden gems, and iconic sights. His work is regularly featured in worldwide media outlets including The Guardian, BBC, and Conde Nast Traveler.
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