Experience adventure, culture and history in Wales

Wales may be small, but this UK nation is chockfull of attractions for travelers, including gorgeous wilderness areas, castles and beautiful beaches. Wales even has its own language which can be readily heard in the streets. Read on to find out the adventures on offer in this compact and diverse country.

Explore the wilderness

While Wales is small and compact, the range of scenery is wonderfully diverse giving much opportunity an adventurous expedition in nature. In fact, the country has more than 230 nature reserves to explore, including the Gower Peninsula in South Wales. This Area of Outstanding Beauty offers 270 miles of walking trails, heading through the high ridges overlooking Worm’s Head, all the way to the salt marshes of the Burry Inlet.

One of the undiscovered gems of Wales is the Llŷn Peninsula in the north, with its sheer black cliffs at Mynydd Mawr, along with fascinating hill forts dating back to the Iron Age. In the northeast, the Clwydian Range runs for 20 miles with undulating hills, open moorland and fertile farmland. Heading to the northwest, Anglesey offers a 125-mile coastal path passing some of the oldest rock formations in the UK, along with varied habitats that are perfect for birdwatchers.

The Wye Valley in Monmouthshire is another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with its gorgeous, lowland landscapes. However, for those who love mountains, Snowdonia National Park really stands out with Snowdon soaring above the landscapes of forests, lakes and picturesque villages like Betws-y-Coed and Beddgelert. Meanwhile, Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales offers breathtaking waterfalls, ancient woodlands and exciting caves to explore.

Castles of Wales

When exploring the Welsh landscape, it is clear that castles are everywhere. Some keep watch over mountain passes, others lie in ruins, while more, like Caernarfon Castle, stand in pride in the cities. Even more castles still have the original families living in them. Conwy Castle is extremely well-preserved, as is the gorgeous National Trust - Powis Castle and Garden in Welshpool.

However, the landscape also includes far older, enigmatic stones, including dolmens, stone circles and standing stones, erected long before histories were ever written.

Beaches of Wales

For those who love the beach, Wales offers an incredibly beautiful coastline of excellent beaches. Admittedly, the climate isn’t exactly tropical, but when the sun does shine, these are the perfect locations to relax on the sand, build sandcastles and splash around in the waves.

Even better, visitors can explore the Wales Coast Path, which runs the entire length of the country, giving access to all those gorgeous beaches.

Welsh hospitality

Besides the gorgeous scenery, the Welsh people are welcoming and friendly. While relaxing in the local cafes, you will often hear the locals chattering away in their ancient tongue. Cymraeg y Gymraeg is a Brittonic language of the Celtic language family, native to the Welsh people.

One of the words you will hear a lot in Wales is “hiraeth,” which refers to homesickness - a sense of longing for the green, green grass of home. After a visit to Wales, you might have that feeling of hiraeth yourself when you get home.