Charming European Towns Wales

Hikers, walkers, rock climbers, and explorers will find Beddgelert, a charming village in Snowdonia. It has quaint stone structures that highlight the mining and stone quarrying past of the area.

Betws-y-Coed is located not far from Conwy and serves as the gateway to Snowdonia National Park. This village feels like a mountain town popular with hikers, offering plenty of outdoor gear shops.

Nearby you will find hiking, ziplining, mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing, and the Snowdonia Mountain Railway.

The small town of Caernarfon is located on the northwest coast across from Anglesey Island.

The town is best known for Caernarfon Castle, a medieval fortress built by Edward I in the 13th century sitting on the banks of the River Seiont.

Visit the Royal Welch Fusiliers Regimental Museum with an exhibition about the Prince of Wales.

Visit Llanddwyn Island to see the Twr Mawr Lighthouse and Celtic cross.

See quaint Conwy and stroll along the harbor.

Conwy Castle is a fortification built by Edward I during his conquest of Wales between 1283 and 1287. 

A seaside town in Northwest Wales on the southern side of the Llyn Peninsula, Criccieth has colorful houses and lovely beaches.

Criccieth Castle is a ruined thirteenth-century castle in Criccieth, Gwynedd, Wales. It is located on a rocky headland overlooking Tremadog Bay and consists of an inner ward almost surrounded by an outer ward.

The town offers easy access to Snowdonia National Park. Snowdonia, or Eryri, is a mountainous region and national park in North Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales over 3,000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon, which is 1,085 meters tall.

Known as the “World’s First Book Town," Hay-on-Wye naturally attracts book lovers. However, visitors will also enjoy the quaint alleys lined with shops, booksellers, and cafes. Situated close to the English border, the town is just 1.5 hours from Cardiff, the capital.

Visit Hay Castle; for a thousand years, this remarkable structure has been part of the landscape. Part Norman, part Jacobean, and part Victorian, Hay Castle has been a home to invaders, a patriots' citadel, a country manor, and a world-famous bookshop.

The Honesty Bookshop is located in Hay Castle. This unique outdoor bookstore features shelves filled with second-hand books, allowing visitors to browse and purchase books on an honor system, where payment is made by placing money in an honesty box. It is situated along the boundary wall of Hay Castle, making it a charming spot for book lovers.

Portmeirion Village was built by Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 to 1973 as a way to showcase different styles of architecture and highlight the art of architecture. Portmeirion is a folly tourist village in Gwynedd, North Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Dwyryd in the community of Penrhyndeudraeth.

With just 1,800 residents, St. David is the smallest town in Britain and one of Wales’ most beautiful settlements.

Because of St. David’s Cathedral, housing the patron saint of Wales, it has been a pilgrimage site for centuries.

Enjoy nature walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

Visit Abereiddy Beach and see the well-liked swimming hole the Blue Lagoon.

Take Voyages of Discovery boat trips to Ramsey or other neighboring islands to see dolphins, whales, gannets, puffins, and porpoises.

Tenby is a lovely beach village on the South Wales coast. A medieval stone wall encircles it, but the pastel-painted Georgian townhouses have views of the harbor. The sheltered harbor is a well-liked tourist destination.

History lovers enjoy visiting Palmerston Fort, situated on the tidal St. Catherine’s Island.

You can enjoy excursions to Cobbey Island and watch seals play.