The good news about the best places in Wales: there are a lot of them. The bad news: they’re spread far apart. I did not anticipate the driving times or the sheer number of sights Wales has before I visited. Now that I’ve experienced it myself, I can tell you how important it is to be selective about the places on your itinerary.
That’s because there are so many types of places in Wales to choose from. Coasts, mountains, castles, scenic drives, industrial history, hikes...Wales does not make it easy for indecisive travelers. That’s usually not a problem for me, but I spent 10 days in the country and still found it difficult to know what to prioritize.
But I did manage to whittle it all down to the top 21 places in Wales. I visited all of these places myself and can tell you exactly why each one is worth your time. And yes, in Wales, choosing 21 places is selective. I promise you that.
You’ll notice that Cardiff is missing. I skipped it because I prioritized the coast, nature, castles, and smaller towns. Cardiff, as the capital city, is better for travelers focused on cities, but I am not ranking a place I did not experience myself. The same goes for North East Wales.
Read more from my Wales travel blog.
Pembrokeshire Coast was the biggest surprise of my trip and one of the only places I wish I'd given more time. I would consider it the strongest region I saw. I originally planned to spend just a couple of days here, but I quickly realized there are so many worthwhile stops and coastal hikes in a relatively small amount of space. That’s super rare for a place in Wales.
In just a short drive, I was able to hike the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, visit Pembroke Castle, spot puffins and seals at Skomer Island off the coast, and explore outstanding natural beauty such as Bosherston Lily Ponds and Barafundle Bay. That’s 5 different things all in one short stretch.
Even though you don’t have to worry about ridiculous driving times here, I'd still recommend spending 4 days to explore it at a more relaxed pace instead of sprinting around like the madman I was.
As far as bases go, I chose Tenby and was very happy with it. Everything I wanted to see in Pembrokeshire was close by and I have no complaints. St Davids is another option, but I’d only choose it if you want something calmer. Otherwise, Tenby checked off all my boxes and then some.
I happened to visit Wales at the end of May, right in the heart of puffin season. AKA I got super lucky. If I’d visited in, say, September, I don’t know if I would rank Skomer Island as high. But I did, so here it is all the way up at number 2.
That’s not to say the puffins are the only good thing about Skomer Island. They’re not. But they gave it a certain specialness. Especially the little chicks. Go on, name something cuter than a baby puffin; I’ll wait.
Besides that, the island is spectacular itself with its cliffs. Very dramatic, very “I feel like I’m in the middle of some epic movie set.” For my girlfriend, it was the absolute pinnacle of the trip and a must-visit.
The epic views continue 2 miles away in Marloe Sands which, like Skomer Island, is also super dramatic with the coastline and golden sand. The pictures don’t really do it justice. It's much more theatrical in person, I can promise you that.
And yes, Skomer Island IS part of Pembrokeshire. So Honza, why are you ranking it twice? I’m not—I just loved it enough to give it its own separate spot on my list of places to visit in Wales. Sue me.
If you're only going to visit one mountain region in Wales, make it Eryri National Park. It's definitely the best place in Wales for mountains. But don't worry if they disappear into the clouds. I promise your outdoor adventures are still salvageable.
I know because that's what happened to me. The clouds decided to hang out with me during all four days of my Snowdonia visit, sitting at around 300-400 meters. AKA the worst hiking conditions I could have asked for. But somehow, Eryri still ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip.
The thing that surprised me the most was that...I ended up being kind of happy about the bad weather, if you can believe that. It made things even more dramatic. Particularly when I was driving through Llanberis Pass. The black mountains facing me under the black clouds were exactly how I had imagined Wales before coming here. So moody and gloomy in a beautiful way. I was almost expecting Dracula to emerge.
I also especially loved the walk around Cwm Idwal. The hike itself is a chill and friendly walk that gave me wild views as I went: towering cliffs, waterfalls, even a ridiculously dramatic mountain lake. Of course, my weather conditions were shit, but it kind of reminded me of the Norwegian fjords.
Yes, it's always better to explore mountains under clear blue skies. But my biggest advice for Eryri: if the weather is bad, don't freak out. Adapt. Eryri is a worthy place to visit in Wales even if the clouds decide to party crash.
So remember how I said that Wales is super spread out, and if you want to see coast, expect to spend a lot of time on the road? The Gower Peninsula solves that problem. It was compact enough for me to explore in just a couple of days, but that doesn’t mean it skimped on the drama.
The main highlight is Rhossili Bay, and it’s the obvious reason to come. This is nothing short of a world-class bay and one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. And it’s immense. It seemed to go on forever. I almost got scared I was never going to find my way out. But would that have been such a bad thing? If you're gonna get stuck somewhere, this is not a bad option.
But my biggest surprise was actually Three Cliffs Bay. The walk down isn't nearly as straightforward as it looks, so I'd definitely wear hiking boots. Once I reached the beach, though, I completely forgot about the effort. The cliffs are much more spectacular from below than above, and after days of hiking, walking barefoot on the fine sand felt like a foot massage.
I also thought Mumbles would be a quick stop. Nope. The promenade had a great atmosphere, and Swansea Beach turned out to be unbelievably dramatic since I've never seen such a deep tidal beach. And before I knew it a couple of hours had passed.
As far as bases go, Swansea is practical for plenty of hotels and restaurant options, while Mumbles is better for a less commercial and more classic seaside feel.
Eryri is the best region overall in Wales for mountains, but Brecon Beacons takes the cake for South Wales. Why? Low effort, high reward. I barely had to break a sweat to see some of the best views in the country.
The peaks aren’t as dramatic here as Eryri, granted, but the views open up almost immediately thanks to the low tree line. And it's really easy to combine mountain scenery with castles here. If you’re looking for somewhere you can hike without committing the whole day to it, Brecon Beacons is your place.
I also loved that the whole region has a really Scottish feel. More than once I caught myself thinking I could've been hiking somewhere around Glencoe or the Isle of Skye. But, yknow, with signs in unpronounceable Welsh instead.
Oh, and if you like stars—don't miss it here. This is one of the best places in Europe I’ve seen for stargazing. I’m not the kind of guy who can point at a constellation and tell you what it is, but now I want to be. Don't you just hate light pollution? Shame on you, humanity. This is what the sky should always look like.
When I say that Conwy is #6 on my places in Wales list, I mean Conwy itself. Not the castle. I enjoyed the city itself much, much more because I loved the atmosphere with the massive ancient walls surrounding the whole place.
And you can literally enter the wall walkways themselves and circumnavigate the town that way. How cool is that? Plus there’s a ton of pubs in the Old Town if you want to pub hop or have a nice evening stroll.
That’s not to shit on the castle. The castle is fine, just not somewhere I’d go back to a second time. It was kind of lacking in storytelling and size. (Not in pigeons, though. There were many, many pigeons.)
But Conway itself is beautiful with that mountainous backdrop. I’d gladly go back the next time I’m in Wales. Especially because it’s the ideal base for exploring North Wales. I’d stay here to see Snowdonia, Anglesey, and more of the coast.
Tenby is hands down the best base in Pembrokeshire. I was able to reach everything I wanted to see easily from there—St Davids, Pembrokeshire, all the beaches, everything.
There’s also the huge added plus that Tenby is worth seeing in its own right. It’s interesting enough that it deserves a half day, or an evening stroll at the very least if you don’t have the time. I have to admit that I underestimated it at first but was completely proven wrong.
With the bay and the colorful houses plus the dramatic cliff views, I was totally charmed. It’s a great combination of landscape, medieval architecture, sea, bay, and colors. What a great way to build a city. And the castle walls were a lot more prominent than I expected. I was so happy to spend 2 evenings here.
But like Conwy, don’t expect much of a castle. Tenby Castle isn’t even much of a castle, more like a rock tower. So again the city itself beats the castle.
St Davids isn’t much of a city, more like a cute little coastal town. But Honza, isn’t it technically a city? Yes, but it’s literally considered the UK's smallest city. So, city-ish at best.
But small doesn’t mean boring. It had many more things to do than I expected. I was there mainly for St Davids Cathedral, Evensong, and St Davids Bishop's Palace. (All named after the patron saint of Wales.) And none of them disappointed. Plus, it’s all surrounded by that gorgeous coastline Wales is known for. What more do you want?
The town itself is also really nice to just wander around in, with those pretty stone houses and laid-back vibe. I enjoyed my leisurely stroll. It also helped that this isn’t a very touristy area. Fellow tourists are annoying, am I right?
If for whatever reason you decide Tenby isn’t the base for you, St Davids is another great pick for accessing Pembrokeshire. I just prefer Tenby because it’s bigger and has more options for places to stay. But St Davids is a perfectly good base as well. Just a bit tamer.
Of course Elan Valley has to be in my top 10 places in Wales: it’s all about being on the road, and I love to drive. Especially when those drives are so ridiculously scenic that I had to keep reminding myself to pay attention to my lane.
It's in Mid Wales and far away from pretty much everywhere—at least a 2-hour drive from most of the places I visited—which somehow made the whole thing feel even more adventurous.
I got to drive past many epic reservoirs that reminded me of those lochs in Scotland with the deep black water. And every dam felt more dramatic than the one before. I'd call it a great day of "rental car hiking."Next time though, I definitely want to hit the bike paths.
And fair warning, don’t expect this to be some off-the-beaten-path place. Elan Valley is a major tourist destination, and it showed when I visited in the beginning of June. But because there are so many routes to choose from, I didn’t feel overcrowded or stuck in any traffic.
If you're only going to visit one castle in Wales, make it Caernarfon. And that’s saying something considering just how many castles there are in Wales. But of the four UNESCO castles, Caernarfon is the biggest, most complete, and my favorite by far.
I really appreciated that the experience wasn’t just wandering through empty ruins. The castle is full of fun facts, interactive exhibits, and videos unlike the other UNESCO castles, which I ran through quite quickly. There just wasn’t that much to see.
But I spent over an hour at Caernarfon and only left because it was closing. I mean, the place is ginormous. Between climbing the towers and exploring all the different sections, I was practically running by the end to see everything. You could easily spend two or three hours here without getting bored.
The setting is not as dramatic as Conwy or Beaumaris, but the castle itself more than makes up for it. It's unbelievably massive, and I don't think I fully appreciated just how huge it was until I saw it from across the river.
Llanberis isn't a destination I'd visit for the town itself. But I wouldn’t miss it if you have any interest in Wales’ mountains, since this is the gateway to Eryri National Park. With Llanberis Pass, Llyn Padarn, and the classic Wales dramatic landscapes everywhere, I found a lot to enjoy here. Even though the weather didn’t exactly cooperate. Damn you, clouds...
If you're hoping to hike Yr Wyddfa or just want to spend a few days with mountain views all around you, prioritize Llanberis. If castles, beaches, and historic towns are more your thing, I'd stay in Conwy instead.
Forget whatever you’re picturing when you hear “old coal mine” and replace it with something way cooler. I got to take the underground tour, where I learned the stories of the miners and the UNESCO industrial heritage in the mine itself. Okay, so maybe it’s “cool” only to a history nerd like me, but I still think it’s worth any visitor’s time.
I'd prioritize it if you're sick of castles (but if you get sick of castles, is Wales really the country for you?). Either way, Blaenavon is a great place to visit if you have any interest in Wales' industrial history. Which, again, you should have if you're visiting the country. It's one of the most important parts of Welsh culture and history.
Llandudno was a pleasant surprise. Coming off day after day of castles, mountains, and hiking, I appreciated the chance to slow down for a bit. It absolutely felt like a classic spa town with its great beach and nearby Great Orme cliff. I mean, the place with the longest pier in Wales is bound to have a laid-back vibe.
I'd prioritize Llandudno if you're looking for a more relaxed day by the sea instead of another hike or castle. I’m still happy I stayed in nearby Conwy, but Llandudno made a great stop for enjoying the coast and soaking up some British seaside atmosphere.
I'll be honest: I didn't expect much from Swansea Bay. But I ended up staying far longer than planned. There’s the city, Mumbles, and the enormous and dramatic beach connecting the two. The tidal range is absolutely ridiculous. The beach can feel completely different depending on when you visit.
Mumbles has the nicer atmosphere in my opinion. But Swansea has more hotels and restaurants, so it’s the more practical base for exploring the Gower Peninsula. And don’t miss a stroll; it’s excellent. Castle on one side, pier on the other.
Anglesey is more about the lighthouses and coast along the Irish Sea than anything else. Sure, there’s castles—yes, castles plural—but I ran through them far more quickly than I expected. So I’d say that Anglesey is a great half-day trip if you combine it with Conwy or Caernarfon.
This is a great place to go if you have bad weather and can’t hike in Snowdonia (which is very very possible, hell it happened to me). Which is a big upside, as most countries with great mountains have exactly nothing to do if there is bad weather.
Finally, we get to another place in Wales that’s all about the castle. Caerphilly is Wales’ biggest castle, and considering how many castles there are in this country, that’s really saying something. It took me 10 minutes just to do a loop around it.
Plus, the exhibit itself was so interactive and engaging that even kids could enjoy it. Instead of bombarding you with endless dates and historical trivia, it told stories that are actually fun to read. Don’t miss it if you’re a history nerd like me or if you just want to see a fun exhibit inside a stunning ancient castle.
Go to Pembroke for the castle, not the town itself. Pembroke Castle is not my favorite castle in Wales, but it’s still worth visiting because of how photogenic it is. It looks exactly how I imagine a medieval fortress should. Plus it’s one of Wales’ most historically significant castles as the birthplace of Henry VII.
Dunraven Bay and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast proved to me that South Wales can compete with Wales’ more famous coastlines. It's an easy stop that delivers some of the most impressive coastal scenery without Pembrokeshire’s annoying crowds. Plus it’s one of the best places in South Wales for rock pools.
Harlech itself is pretty, compact, and worth the walk, but the castle is the cherry on top. It gave me excellent views of the coast plus an engaging exhibit that brought out the history nerd in me. If you're already exploring North Wales, it combines perfectly with Eryri National Park and gave me a less crowded castle experience than some of the bigger, more touristy ones.
Penrhyn Castle calls itself a castle, but it feels more like an outrageously opulent 19th-century mansion built to show off its owners' wealth. And it does a very good job of it, with the lavish interiors, ginormous gardens, and views of the sea. I found it well worth visiting even if it's one of the country's more expensive attractions. But hey, for a place like this, it’s kind of fitting.
Beaches like this are my favorite: dramatic, deep, wide, and surrounded by cliffs. Three in this case, duh. The water was cold though, but nobody's perfect. The walk down isn't the easiest either, so I'd definitely bring hiking boots.
The dramatic cliffs, incredibly fine sand, and stunning views are every bit as spectacular as the photos suggest. Actually, I'd argue they're even better once you're standing on the beach instead of looking down from above. And of course there is a castle, like everywhere in Wales. But the beach is the best part.
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Hi, I’m Jan. I travel fast and intensely, whether I’m exploring the buzz of Tokyo in 3 days or road-tripping through mountains and beaches on a 3-week Thailand adventure. And no matter where I am, you’ll always find me in a comfortable hotel at night and eating the best food.
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I started this blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” never even visit the places they write about! On Next Level of Travel, you can count on my full honesty and insights drawn from my firsthand experiences.
Here’s the deal: not every destination is all superlatives and unicorns. I’ll let you know if a tourist attraction isn’t worth your time, like skipping overrated stops in my 2-week Spain itinerary. And when I find something truly special—like the perfect mix of culture and nature in Cape Town—you can trust that it’s worth adding to your itinerary.
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