Why Wales? - Stay in a Pub

History

Wales is a country rich in culture and heritage from various periods in history. With magnificent castles built by the Normans and the birthplace of the Tudor dynasty, Wales has so much to offer those visiting the country.

Wales is a country packed full of castles from 10^th Century to 18^th Century with some restored and others left to fascinating ruins. With over 500 castles, Wales has the most castles in Europe! Some of Wales’ most impressive castles include Caerphilly Castle which is the largest Castle in Wales; Caernarfon Castle which is one of the most immense castles in Wales and Conwy Castle which is amongst the finest surviving medieval fortifications in Britain.

Underground Attractions

Big Pit: National Coal Museum: Go 300 feet underground with a real miner to discover what life was like on the coal face. With facilities to educate and entertain all ages, Big Pit is an exciting and informative day out.

Sygun Copper Mine: Discover the 19th-century methods of ore extraction and processing. With a self-guided tour explore the winding tunnels, large colorful chambers, and magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations. You can also see copper ore veins which contain traces of gold, silver, and other precious metals.

Dolaucothi Gold Mines: Pan for gold, head underground and hear about the workings of these unique mines overlooking the Cothi Valley. Guided tours take visitors through the Roman and the more recent working areas of this 2,000-year-old site.

Museum & Galleries

Wales is steeped in history and to tell the story has several of its own National Museums. Museums and galleries in Wales showcase art, history, the environment, and language as well as national and international artists. Tour a coal mine with a real miner and hear tales of the industrial past.

Museums and galleries worth a visit include:

The National Museum of Art, Cardiff which showcases five centuries of work by world-renowned artists from all over the world, covering Impressionist and Modern Art, Historic Art and Applied Art.

The Museum of Modern Art Wales which exhibits Modern Welsh Art, featuring leading artists from Wales.

St Fagans: National History Museum which is one of Europe’s foremost open-air museums and Wales’ most-visited heritage attraction.

National Waterfront Museum showcases Wales’ vast industrial and maritime heritage.

Walking

If you have come to Wales to discover the vast countryside, rolling fields and coast you won’t be disappointed. There’s plenty of trails, footpaths, and bridleways to explore. Why not walk the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path; hike through Snowdonia National Park or walk with the wildlife in the Brecon Beacons National Park? There is so much to discover!

Climbing

Wales is home to some of the UK’s highest mountains making it a haven for extreme sports fans. The Snowdonia range in North Wales is an incredible place to visit and is home to Wales’ highest peak, Snowdon at 1,085 meters.

To the south, is the Brecon Beacons, a mountain range which includes the highest peak in Southern Britain, Pen y Fan. The Brecon Beacons is great for walkers and mountain bikers but you can do so much else in the park such as kayaking and rock climbing.

Cycling & Mountain Biking

If you want to discover Wales’ countryside but at a bit more of a pace than walking, Wales has over 331 miles of traffic-free rides, and routes for cyclists. Many of these routes are accessible and safe for all including children.

^{(Photo: ©VisitBritain)}