Places to visit in North Wales

From classic seaside towns to the unique quirkiness of Portmeirion, there are so many interesting and unusual places to visit in North Wales that you might struggle to choose! Luckily, that’s where our local team come in – we’ve asked them to recommend the best North Wales has to offer and they’ve come back with some corkers, ranging from expansive beaches to the forests of Snowdonia.

Rhos-on-Sea / Colwyn Bay Beach

12-min drive from Bodelwyddan Castle, LL29 8ED

Nestled between Llandudno and Colwyn Bay, the harbour of Rhos-on-Sea is reminiscent of a traditional Welsh coastal village. The town is home to St Trillo’s Chapel, the smallest church in Britain with a capacity of 6, and the Harlequin Puppet Theatre, the only venue designed and built for puppets.

Portmeirion

1h 20-min drive from Bodelwyddan Castle, LL48 6ER

Perhaps most famous as the location of 1960’s TV show “The Prisoner”, Portmeirion was designed and built in the style of an Italian village between 1925 and 1975, and is now one of North Wales’ premier tourist destinations, with several cafés, tea rooms, and an Italian-style homemade gelato shop.

Betws-y-coed

34-min drive from Bodelwyddan Castle, LL26 0LS

Surrounded by the thick Gwydyr Forest, Betws-y-coed has an atmospheric alpine feel to it. The ‘Gateway to Snowdonia’ is surrounded by a network of hiking and cycling trails, some of North Wales’ most picturesque castles and some unique adrenaline activities, including the worlds fastest zip wire.