My Top Five of the Wales
So I might be stretching the list a little bit here, but since we only spent a few days in Wales we didn’t get the chance to see too much (though not from lack of effort!). The Welsh are so lucky; Wales is GORGEOUS! We would love to go back and spend more time travelling around, ogling everything in sight. Without further ado, here are my top picks for Wales! Also, check out Scotland and Ireland while you’re at it!
Conwy Castle
Every tower in Conwy Castle boasts a phenomenal view that won’t disappoint! Walking around the wall gives you a 360° panorama of the town of Conwy, the mountains, and the bay full of fishing and pleasure boats. A few quirky art pieces are thrown in as well, including ‘The Guard‘ and the ‘Llywelyn’s Coronet‘.
Conwy Town and Fortified Wall
I could have wandered around Conwy for days, it is so breathtakingly beautiful. The fortified wall surrounding the town is one of the most intact medieval walls in Europe, allowing you to walk almost the entire length around the town. We had fun checking out all the creative uses people had found for the interior of the towers, my favourites include a chicken coop and a barbecue patio. Just outside the walls of the town you can also see The Smallest House in Great Britain (it’s actually on google maps, check it out!), where Nathanael would never be able to let his guard down lest he get a concussion on a door frame.
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle is massive, you could literally spend hours wandering aimlessly through all the passageways, stairwells, and dark rooms. It’s easy to get turned around and even after a couple of hours of exploring I’m not convinced that we saw everything the castle had to offer. Fun fact: the towers are polygonal rather than round or square.
Beaumaris Castle
Beamaris Castle is smaller than Conwy or Caernarfon, but is still a must-see. The last of King Edward I’s castles in Wales (and one that he never saw finished), the symmetrical, walls within walls design is very different from Conwy or Caernarfon (both built by Kind Edward I as well, that busy, tyrannical bee). The castle is surrounded by a pretty little moat and the picturesque town that sits nearby. You can grab some lunch in town and hang out on the local beach with this pretty little castle as your backdrop!
Welsh Countryside
Honestly, it’s hard to describe how pretty the Welsh countryside is. Since we were short on time, most of our experience was through bus windows or from castle towers, but it still left an impression. I really hope we can return and take our time thoroughly exploring all the treasures Wales has to offer.