Welcome back to beautiful Wales!
Today, I’m sharing our favorite part of our trip and Wales…and one of my favorite spots in the world. When I planned our Wales trip, I noticed that the country was filled with national parks, so I just picked a few for us to explore.
After we trekked through Cardiff and Brecon Beacons, we went north to the Snowdonia National Park aka paradise. I was amazed by all of the different landscapes here. From forests of tall, skinny trees to New Zealand-esque (or Lord of the Rings-esque) rocky hills to green fields covered in sheep, this part of Wales has it all. Oh and incredible landmarks within miles of each other, even some that you’ll only have to share with a few other tourists.
SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK
Penmachno
I found the cutest Airbnb in this tiny town near a slightly larger tourist town, Betws y Coed. I’m still not even sure how to pronounce that, but it’s at the top of my favorite towns!
Our host had even left us some Welsh cakes and strawberry jam for our breakfast. The best! We found the Welsh people to be so friendly, too.
Olif
We ate dinner at this tapas spot on our first night in Snowdonia, and we enjoyed the modern flavors and the “spicy potatoes,” which were anything but which I thought was adorable. Everything in Wales is more adorable, let’s face it. We enjoyed our drinks and nibbles, and even met an American couple at the table next to us.
Conwy Falls
This was one of those amazing landmarks that was less than 5 minutes down the road from our Airbnb. All you do is put 1 pound per person in a machine and then you can take one of the many trails that leads to a gorgeous waterfall.
Llyn Ogwen
Have you ever been to a place that is so special that you take a mental picture of everything, the view, the air, the feeling of being there, so you can return there in your mind? This gorgeous lake and mountains was one of those places. After being there for about 5 minutes, it became one of my husband and my favorite nature spots ever.
We sat on a rock and took in all of the beauty on the sunny day and savored life (oh and drank a bit of Welsh whiskey). There are several walks up the mountains and around the lake here, too.
Hangin’ Pizzeria
After being on a cloud from visiting the lake spot above, we took the recommendation of the American couple we met the night before and checked out the local pizza place. Oh my goodness! This was some of the best brick oven pizza I’ve ever had. Was it the beautiful weather and views and splitting a bottle of wine that influenced that?! Possibly.
But anyway, we relished our flatbread then goat cheese and stilton pizza. It was fresh, cheap and delicious. There were also several cute gift shops nearby, too.
Dolwyddelan Castle
Once again, we loved the landmarks in Wales because they were never crowded (usually only us and a few other people) and they’re set right in the middle of gorgeous landscapes. For this castle, you walk up a hill, ring a bell to pay the landowners an entrance fee, then hike up to the remains of this stunning old (early 13th century) castle.
The views from the top were worth the price for sure.
The Ugly House Tea Room
This was another place where I felt like I was in a dream being there. This historic “ugly house” that wasn’t ugly, but quite quaint, housed a little indoor/outdoor tea room.
Our sweets and tea-packed treat was only like $15, and we enjoyed a giant slice of Victoria sponge cake, Welsh tea cakes, barbarit sweet bread, scones, jam and the best clotted cream ever. The weather was a perfect 70 degrees, so we sat outside and enjoyed every second of it.
Betws Y Coed Pottery
I love running across local pottery shops when I’m traveling, so I can bring home a piece of my travels with me. Thankfully, this shop had a few bowls and pitchers that I could still fit in my suitcase.
Tyddyn Llan
Before we left Wales, we had to have one more mind-blowing meal, right? Well, Tyddyn Llan definitely delivered. It was about an hour from where we stayed in Wales, but it was worth the trip for a Michelin-star lunch. I’m talking rose and amuse bouche on the patio, then a delicious three-course meal complete with amazing fish and Yorkshire rhubarb.
Oh, Wales, how wonderful you were/are. We’re already planning our next trip back!
Taking a trip to the UK?
I loved using a saved Google Map on our trip to save spots and then to see what was close when we were there. So, I’m letting you see access my map, too, to make your trip planning simple!
*You can get my entire UK Google Map (including England, Wales and Scotland) for only $15. PayPal me and I’ll share this map with you that has more than 90 restaurants, bakeries, landmarks and more already pinned for you!
*Check back in a few weeks for my Scotland recs!