The Best of Wales Tour

Our Wales tour from Cardiff begins by departing the city centre and travelling north to our first stop, Big Pit National Coal Museum. Big Pit is a celebration of the Coal Industry in South Wales and one of the leading mining museums in Britain. There’s a lot to see and do, and we’ll have ample time to take-in the exhibitions which tell the the history of Wales’ industrial past and the option to take an underground tour into one of the actual mines. Next, absorb the beautiful scenery as we journey across Brecon Beacons National Park, with the Black mountains to the east, as we make our way to the traditional market town of Brecon, where we’ll stop for lunch. This afternoon we continue north through the heart of Wales towards the Elan Valley, an area of spectacular landscapes and Victorian engineering.  We’ll stop in at the isolated visitor centre and enjoy a terrain is defined by magnificent dams and beautiful wilderness which shows off Wales at its best. Then we’ll travel through the Cambrian hills before descending into the picturesque seaside town of Aberystwyth; the ‘capital’ of Welsh-speaking Wales, where we will spend the next two nights.

NIGHT ONE: Aberystwyth

Today is all about absorbing the history and beauty of Snowdonia National Park; home to some of the most stunning scenery in Britain. This morning we travel north through the Welsh countryside and it won’t be long before we cross into Snowdonia itself. Covering 823 square miles, this is Wales’ largest National Park, home to mountains, valleys and charming villages. It is area that provides the sights and sounds of ‘real’ Wales; more than half of the local population in this region speak Welsh. We’ll spend the day travelling through the heart of Snowdonia, with a number of photo-stops along the way and we’ll travel to the coast, where we’ll stop in at Harlech Castle, one of Edward I’s ring of magnificent 13^th Century medieval fortresses around North Wales. By late afternoon we’ll return to Aberystwyth with time to explore the seaside town; take a stroll along the sea-front and the Victorian promenade. We’ll spend a second night in Aberystwyth.

NIGHT TWO: Aberystwyth

Our adventure continues and today we’ll explore the south-westernmost corner of Wales. Departing Aberystwyth we’ll begin by travelling along the coast towards the tiny harbour town of New Quay. With it’s multi-coloured cottages and sandy beaches, the town has connections with Dylan Thomas, probably Wales’ most famous 20^th century poet, and from the quay here you can often spot pods of Dolphins. Next, we continue south, passing the Presili Hills into Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, before arriving in Britain’s smallest city; St Davids. Despite its size the city is home to a magnificent cathedral, sited next to the Bishop’s Palace which was founded by Wales’ patron saint, St David. Inside the cathedral are the tombs of many influential medieval knights, as well as a shrine to St David himself. Departing the city we’ll pass Pembroke; a town dominated by one of the largest and most important castles in Anglo-Welsh history, as we make the short journey to the popular seaside town of Tenby. We’ll arrive by mid-afternoon, with the rest of the day free to explore the charming harbour and sea-front. This is where we’ll spend the final night of the tour.

NIGHT THREE: Tenby

This morning we depart Tenby and travel to St Fagans National Museum of History, a fantastic, free open-air museum which captures a huge range of Welsh history in one place. We’ll have plenty of time here as there is much to do and see. Set in 100-acres of parkland in the grounds of St Fagans Castle, there are more than fifty original re-constructed buildings from across Wales, showing different periods of Welsh architecture. There are also beautiful gardens, native breeds of livestock in the fields, workshops where craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills and much more. After ample time at St Fagans, we’ll make the short journey back to Cardiff, where the tour concludes by mid-afternoon.

This activity ends back at the meeting point by approximately 5.30pm. (If you wish to travel to London following the tour, please contact us to arrange this add-on).