North Wales: Places to Explore

Elegant Beaumaris is on the Isle of Anglesey, the largest island directly off the shore of Wales and England. It's linked to the mainland by the Britannia road and rail bridge and by Thomas Telford's remarkable... Read more

The rivers Llugwy and Conwy meet at Betws-y-Coed, a popular village surrounded by woodland with excellent views of Snowdonia. It can be used as a base to explore the national park, although its diminutive... Read more

The still-authentic medieval town of Conwy grew up around its castle on the west bank of the River Conwy. A ring of ancient but well-preserved walls, built in the 13th century to protect the English merchants... Read more

This market town (market day is Wednesday) was much admired by the great English literary figure and lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-84). A walk along the riverbank at Lawnt (a village just south... Read more

This beautiful lake has a sense of tranquillity that doesn't entirely befit its history. Lake Vyrnwy was created in the 1880s to provide water for the people of Liverpool, 80 mi north. Unfortunately, this... Read more

Llanberis, like Betws-y-Coed, is a focal point for people visiting Snowdonia National Park.... Read more

This engagingly old-fashioned North Wales seaside resort has a wealth of well-preserved Victorian architecture and an ornate amusement pier with entertainments, shops, and places to eat. Grand-looking... Read more

Llangollen's setting in a deep valley carved by the River Dee gives it a typically Welsh appearance. The bridge over the Dee, a 14th-century stone structure, is named in a traditional Welsh folk song as... Read more

The little seaside town of Porthmadog, built as a harbor to export slate from nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog, stands at the gateway to the Llyn Peninsula, with its virtually unspoiled coastline and undulating... Read more

Once a stronghold of the rebel Welsh prince Owain Glyndwr (c. 1354-1416), Ruthin is a delightful market town with elegant shops, good inns, and a fascinating architectural mix of medieval, Tudor, and Georgian... Read more