GUIDE Best tips for traveling and visiting North Wales

when they tell you Croeso, you have to know that they are giving you the welcome to wales, and this word in language galelic You will find it on many store signs in the aforementioned region of the island of Britain.

My first trip outside of Spain, already soooo many years, its main destination Britain, And in the travel by car that on that occasion I made it to Edinburgh and, on my way back to the south, I passed through Cardiff.

Since then, Britain It is the country that I have visited the most times…but I had not returned Wales.

A couple of summers ago I had the opportunity to do a North Wales trip, an area that I understood is the most attractive from a tourist point of view.

For a few summers now I had written down in my travel diary the goal of visit Conwy, a medieval town on the north coast that I myself had recommended to my friend and travel companion to visit Bill.

He visited him during the last trip through scotland, when we were going to take the plane back to Spain from Liverpool since due to scheduling issues I had several more hours in the United Kingdom.

After knowing ConwyHe told me that he loved it.

How to get from Spain to North Wales

Therefore, when it comes to giving you these Tips for your sightseeing trip to North Wales, the first thing you should keep in mind is that you can get there very quickly from airports that are very well connected to Spain.

In this regard you have airline flights low cost that take you to the aforementioned city Liverpool or to the nearby Manchester.

On my trip I flew to Manchester, and after rent a car to explore Wales, I arrived at Conwy in just under an hour.

What language do they speak in Wales?

From the first moment you will realize that el Welsh is first language of this region exponent of the celtic culture.

All signs in cities and roads, or commercial establishments, are written first in Welsh and, only later, in English.

What's more, in the conversations I had with local people during the trip, they emphasized that, firstly, they were Welsh, and secondly, British.

And the vast majority use the aforementioned language as their first language. Welsh.

When considering the North Wales trip I was looking to see castles and pretty towns, as well as enjoying beautiful landscapes.

Therefore, the first surprise was to reach Llandudno (At Welsh pronounces Gandudno) on a splendid sunny day, and find a very attractive holiday village on the coast, which had a great summer tourism animation.

But, obviously, the best example of those beautiful towns and castles that I was looking for is found precisely in the aforementioned Conwy, a walled town next to the mouth of a river.

The great monument of this town is its big castle.

What castles to see in North Wales

El conwy castle It is one of the four most important fortifications built by the English king Edward I during the conquest of Wales in the 13th century, which I was able to visit during the trip.

But Conwy You also find a good sample of the Elizabethan architecture, Plas Mawr house, and a curiosity, which is announced as the smallest house in Britain.

The one of Conwy is the most imposing along with the Caernarfon Castle, another beautiful medieval town where you can see a similar configuration: a large castle on the seashore, from which a large fortification extends, which safeguards the original town.

El Beaumaris castle It is smaller, and you find it in another vacation town.

And the harlech castle, for its part, will catch your attention due to its majestic location at the top of a hill, at the foot of which a small town lies.

Snowdonia, best landscapes in North Wales

Next to the castles, you North Wales route must have as its main protagonist the snowdonia national park, where the highest mountain in Great Britain is located, not counting Scotland.

With its 1.085 meters high, climbing the Mount Snowdon It is a very special tourist attraction, because you can do it in a historic train with a wooden wagon pushed by a steam engine.

This train departs from one of the most touristic points of the park, the town of Llanberis, and there are many visitors who later return hiking.

This love of historic steam trains has another sample in the Llangollen train, another beautiful and very lively holiday town that you find very close to the border between Wales and England.

Most beautiful towns in Wales

Other towns that I have discovered during the trip, whose streets are worth walking to see their beautiful black stone houses of slate, they are Dolgellau y Beddgelert, the latter, in full snowdonia park.

Finally, you sightseeing trip to North GaleIt will be incomplete if you do not visit the most surprising place you will find.

Is Portmeirion, a very curious small coastal town of Snowdonia which was built during the last century as if it were a Mediterranean town, specifically inspired by a town in the Italian Riviera, Portofino.

To complete these tips for your trip to Wales, I will tell you that you must be especially careful when driving.

Tips for driving in Wales

Since you won't be used to drive with the steering wheel on the right, it will be more difficult for you to manage compromised situations, specifically, the numerous stretches of road that you are going to encounter.

If you have had the opportunity to drive through scotland You will remember that there are very narrow stretches of road, with space only for one car.

In successive sections of the road, places open up so you can stop (passing place) and thus be able to let another car pass.

I warn you that in Wales you have to be careful to know when you should stop when you see a car arriving in front of you, since those are not available. passing places and you won't have enough space for two cars to pass each other.

And, be careful, in towns it is common for cars to park on the road, thus limiting passage to a single vehicle.

Also, on this trip you will have the opportunity to stay in hotels with real charm, both in coastal towns like the aforementioned Llandudno, as in the rustic inland areas, where you find old mansions.

Chateau Rhianfa, charming hotel in North Wales

But in this regard, can you imagine staying in a hotel that occupies a castle mansion with a splendid decoration, which has had among its guests members of the british royalty?

You can do that in the Isle of Anglesey, very close to the aforementioned town of Conwy.

This is the Chateau Rhianfa found in Beaumaris, small coastal town where you can visit one of the famous castles built by the King Edward I of England during his campaigns of conquest in Wales, in the 13th century.

The building is a large family mansion that was built in 1849 in the image and likeness of a gothic style french castle.

Its previous name was Plas RhianfaWell, I remind you that in the Welsh language Lake It means home, and during your trip through Wales you will see this word used in hospitality establishments and in many other places.

Now when you get to Chateau Rhianfa You will not have the feeling that you are entering a hotel, but rather a house, or rather, a large mansion.

El Chateau Rhianfa It opened in 2012 as a hotel, since until then it housed apartments.

With a large garden on the seashore, in the strait that forms the Isle of Anglesey with the continent, the Chateau Rhianfa It has huge and cozy rooms with sumptuous decoration, but with the most modern bathroom equipment.

If you like minimalist decoration, this is not your hotel, but if you want to have the feeling, at least for a day, of being the owner of a large Victorian mansion in Great Britain, do not hesitate, give yourself that pleasure.

Enjoy its numerous summer, winter and game rooms, decorated with large mirrors, paintings, rugs, tapestries and painted ceilings.

Or dine in its cozy dining room that takes the place of the original chapel.

For the latter you can sign up for their exclusive dinners, a very special experience that begins with a glass of champagne in one of its rooms, where you will be introduced to the other diners.

After a talk, you will all have dinner together in the living room where there is a large dining table.

And the best thing is that it is not a totally inaccessible pleasure, since the price of a double room varies depending on the time of year between 120 and 195 pounds.

Enjoy your North Wales trip!