Wales Cardiff Castles and Coastline – 6 Days

Arriving in to Bristol (or London) cross the border from England in to Wales via the Severn Bridge. You may choose to stop at border town Chepstow to see the stunning medieval fortress at Chepstow Castle before following the beautiful Wye Valley where you can visit the magical ruins of Tintern Abbey. Pass the market towns of Monmouth and Abergavenny before arriving in the dramatic moorlands of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

• Accommodation: overnight in Brecon.
• Distance: 160 miles / 260 km, 3 hours (approx.), if starting at Heathrow Airport*.
• Highlights:  Chepstow Castle, Wye Valley, Tintern Abbey and Brecon Beacons.

DAY TWO – Carreg Cennen Castle and harbour town Tenby

Passing along the northern edge of the of the Beacons you enter the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire. Stop at one of Wales’ best kept secrets at the hilltop medieval fort of Cennen Carreg Castle before making your way to the Pembrokeshire town of Tenby, home to a bustling harbour, Norman Castle and city walls, a labyrinth of cobbled streets and flanked by stretching sandy bays.

• Accommodation: overnight in Pembrokeshire.
• Distance: 80 miles / 130 km, 1 hour 50 minutes (approx.)*.
• Highlights: Brecon Beacons, Carreg Cennen Castle and Tenby.

DAY THREE – Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and St David’s Cathedral

Today enjoy the breath-taking scenery of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park home to almost two hundred miles of protected coastline. Enjoy walking stretches of the famous coastal path across bays and cliffs as you spot the sea and bird life including dolphins, grey seals in the waters and Puffins nesting in the rock faces. Make your way to tiny town of St David’s which has city status due to its stunning cathedral and Bishop’s Palace.

• Accommodation: overnight in Pembrokeshire.
• Highlights: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and St Davids Cathedral.

DAY FOUR – Monorbier Castle, Laugharne and Swansea

This morning you may choose to visit some of the region’s historic forts including those at Manorbier Castle and Narbeth Castle before passing east to the tranquil village of Laugharne to visit the Boathouse visitor centre where welsh poet Dylan Thomas’s penned some of his greatest works. You may choose to visit more Dylan Thomas sites or the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, Wales’ second largest city. Continue to the Welsh Captial, Cardiff.

Accommodation: overnight in Cardiff.
Distance: 100 miles / 160 km, 2 hours (approx.)*.
Highlights: Laugharne and Swansea.

DAY FIVE – Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Bay

Spend today discovering Cardiff from the Edwardian baroque architecture of Cathays park, home to the national museum and gallery of Wales to the city’s stunning centrepiece at Cardiff Castle which combines Roman and Norman history with a gloriously lavish Victorian mansion. Explore the cosmopolitan Cardiff Bay area which is home to the National Assembly for Wales, the Millennium Centre and a host of waterfront bars and cafes.

Accommodation: overnight Cardiff.
Highlights: Caerphilly Castle and Cardiff Bay.

DAY SIX – Castle Coch and St Fagans Museum of Welsh Life

Enjoy Cardiff’s outlying areas today as you explore the St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh life, a living museum where you can experience Welsh life through the ages. Nearby is fairytale Victorian castle at Castel Coch whilst 13th century moated Caerphilly Castle complete with its famous leaning tower offers a stunning highlight on which to end your experience of South Wales. Return your vehicle.

• Distance: 160 miles / 260 km, 3 hours (approx.), if starting at Heathrow Airport*.
• Highlights:  Chepstow Castle, Wye Valley, Tintern Abbey and Brecon Beacons.

*Journey times and distances are estimates and are based on the direct route between the start location and end location for each day of the itinerary, where applicable. They do not include detours or stops for sightseeing.