Seaside Resorts in Wales - Tourist Destinations in Wales

Tourist Destinations in Wales

Many towns and cities in Wales are popular with tourists, including:

• Cardiff is the capital and largest city. The city has three major performing arts venues: the Wales Millennium Centre, St David's Hall and New Theatre. Other tourist attractions include Cardiff Castle, Millennium Stadium, SWALEC Stadium, National Museum Cardiff, Museum of Welsh Life, Llandaff Cathedral, Castell Coch, St. David's and in Cardiff Bay, Techniquest, Cardiff International Pool, Cardiff International White Water, the Senedd and the Pierhead Building.
• Swansea is the second-largest city. Attractions here include the National Waterfront Museum, Dylan Thomas Centre, Plantasia, Oystermouth Castle, Mumbles Pier and the beach and promenade along Swansea Bay and the adjoining Gower Peninsula. The Swansea Valley, which runs north towards Brecon is home to the National Showcaves for Wales, Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary and Craig-y-Nos Castle.
• Newport is the third-largest city in Wales. An influx of visitors occurred in 2010 when the city hosted golf's Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort. Attractions include Tredegar House and Gardens, the Transporter Bridge, the ancient Roman fortress at Caerleon, and St. Woolos Cathedral. The Big Pit National Coal Museum is at Blaenavon, 15 miles to the north.
• Merthyr Tydfil was the location for the world's first locomotive-hauled railway journey, on 21 February 1804 on the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks. Merthyr Tydfil is set among forests and hills.
• St David's in Pembrokeshire is arguably the UK's smallest city; it is the resting place of St David and a gateway to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Pembrokeshire Coast Path which also runs through the seaside towns of Tenby and Saundersfoot.
• Bangor is between the mountains of Snowdonia and the Menai Strait and close to Anglesey. Bangor lies at the western end of the North Wales Path, a 60 mile long-distance coastal walking route, and is close to the Menai Suspension Bridge, one of the first modern suspension bridges in the world.
• Barry is a seaside town 9 miles SW of Cardiff. Its seaside resort, Barry Island, is known for its beach and Barry Island Pleasure Park.
• Hay on Wye, the "town of books" famed for its numerous second hand bookshops and its Festival.

Many features of the Welsh landscape that are popular with visitors, include:

• Snowdon in Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales and a popular mountaineering destination.
• Pen y Fan is the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons in South Wales.
• Wye Valley AONB includes Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle.
• Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath on the English border in the historic Welsh Marches.
• Taff Trail is a foot and cycle path running along the River Taff through the city and countryside, from Cardiff Bay to Brecon.
• Glyndŵr's Way is a long-distance trail between Knighton and Welshpool in Powys.
• The Gower Peninsula was the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in 1956. Gower has a number of castles and sandy beaches.
• The Vale of Neath stretching from the town of Neath to the foothills of the Brecon Beacons National Park has several waterfall attractions along the length of the valley and contains the historic Neath Canal.
• The Wales Coast Path, an 870 mile long-distance footpath which follows the whole of the coastline of Wales.

There are several independent attractions that are popular with visitors:

• Oakwood Theme Park, Pembrokeshire
• National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire
• Great Little Trains of Wales
• Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo
• Brecon Mountain Railway