Wales Tour From Cardiff

Our Highlights of 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. Traversing through the Cambrian hills, we’ll arrive at our next stop, Devil’s Bridge, where, if legend is to be believed, on his first visit to Wales the devil was outwitted by an old Welsh lady. Now it’s time to descend into the picturesque seaside town of Aberystwyth; the ‘capital’ of Welsh-speaking Wales, where we will spend the next two nights.

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 the region, with a number of stops along the way. In the foothills of Mount Snowdon, Wales’ highest peak, we’ll visit the picturesque village of Beddgelert, with its riverside craft, tea shops, and the ‘grave’ of the legendary hound ‘Gelert’ after which the village is named. We’ll also make the short journey 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. At the end of the afternoon following a full day exploring Snowdonia we’ll return to Aberystwyth for our second night in the town.

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. After exploring the city we’ll travel to Pembroke; a town dominated by one of the largest and most important castles in Anglo-Welsh history. Take a wander around the picturesque Castle Pond, but as you do beware of the infamous ‘Mr Nasty’ Swan who lives here. Now it’s time to make the short journey to the popular seaside town of Tenby. The evening is free to enjoy this charming harbour town, and this is where we’ll spend the final night of the tour.

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 to the modern area of Cardiff Bay, where we’ll have some lunch. Cardiff Bay was formerly the city docklands and once the largest coal-trading port in the world. Now regenerated, it is home to the Welsh parliament, the Millenium Centre, an international sports village and the BBC’s home of Doctor Who. By mid-afternoon we’ll travel into the centre of historic Cardiff, where you can wander through the streets of old Cardiff and perhaps visit the National Museum, Cardiff Castle or the Principality Stadium, sporting home of Wales’ national game, Rugby. At this point our adventure concludes.