Tourist Places To Visit In Snowdonia National Park
Planning A Trip To Snowdonia National Park? Here's our list of top tourist places to visit in Snowdonia National Park
While Snowdon is the top of the lot in Wales and England, it is not the only one there! Yr Wyddfa, a visual treat of over 14 peaks towering over 3,000ft of the so-known Welsh Super Mountains, the site includes a variety of gushing rivers, mountain lakes and wooded valleys, in addition to the attractive shoreline by the Menai Strait and Llyn Peninsula’s northern gateway. Then, there’s Abergwyngregyn, a stunning village that opens doors to a gorgeous forested dell and one of the highest natural waterfalls in Wales, the Aber Falls. Of all the tourist places to visit when in Snowdonia, you can grab a ride on the railway, take a boat trip, visit an island, or tiptoe around an ancient village, all amidst a glorious natural setting, all year round. Here are some of the best places to see in Snowdonia.
Portmeirion
Photograph by https://visitwalesimages.thedms.co.uk
A tourist village in Gwynedd, Portmeirion was conceptualized and built by Sir Clough Williams Ellis and designed as an Italian village. It houses a couple of hotels, a group of ancient cottages, stylish stores, award-winning eateries, a spa, landmark architecture, exotic gardens, casual cafes and beautiful sandy beaches! Accessible daily between the hours of 9.30 am and 5.30 pm, Portmeirion is like a paradise with its architectural legacy, gorgeous setting and subtropical gardens. The white beaches of the Dwyryd Estuary are best ventured into to embark on a series of gullies, concealed caves and a burst of captivating foliage.
Bardsey Island
Photograph by https://www.snowdonia-society.org.uk
Situated about 1.9 miles off the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales and also known as the iconic Island of 20,000 saints, Bardsey Island is a significant religious site, given the construct of Saint Cadfan’s monastery in 516 and being considered a major center of pilgrimage. The island is away from the mainland by a 3km wide with a strong tidal race and it is now a major British bird sanctuary as well as a nature reserve.
Ogwen Valley
Photograph by https://images.ctfassets.net
A beautiful segment of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales, the Ogwen Valley is located in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. A wide glacial valley encompassed by spiraling mountains and characterized by placid lakes in addition to its industrial heritage and ancient towns, the Ogwen Valley is a perfect gateway to some of the best mountain hikes in Snowdonia and North Wales’ iconic tourist sites.
Tŷ Siamas
Photograph by https://live.staticflickr.com
The national center for folk music, located in Dolgellau, Tŷ Siamas opened up for the public in 2007 after an extensive round of refurbishment and development of the former market for the town, Neuadd Idris. Housed in one of the town’s most magnificent constructs, Tŷ Siamas has presented some of Wales’ most renowned artists through the decade, with a series of lessons on different musical instruments and recording facilities to produce two Welsh albums of the year by Candelas and Plu, bands in Wales.
Llechwedd Slate Caverns
Photograph by https://www.visitbritainshop.com
A site near Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd, Wales, Llechwedd Slate Caverns features the ancient past of slate mining in the town, more specifically the Llechwedd Quarry. Rich with a rugged landscape with a magnificent industrial legacy & amazing views, the Slate Mountain Glamping is an adventurous glamping site that’s open 7 days a week between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm and make for an interesting day’s visit of traveling deep through the mine with captivating views of Snowdonia. With the aid of cutting edge reality technology, the deep mine tour will introduce you to the lives of the men who built this glorious industry that’s topped the world.
Trefriw Woollen Mills
Photograph by http://www.visitllandudno.org.uk
A woolen mill in the Trefriw Village, Conwy, that’s been operational since 1825, Trefriw Woollen Mills is actually a family-owned business that manufactures Welsh tapestry patterns, bedspreads, tweeds and travel rugs from raw wool with the use of machines nearly 50 years old and powered by an ancient water turbine. You can buy products onsite made by the mill from an assortment of soft furnishings, accessories & garments in the realm of sheepskin goods, accessories & woolen knitwear. The Weaver’s Garden here includes plants that are known to provide soaps, textile tools, natural dyes and fibers.
Centre for Alternative Technology
Photograph by https://media.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
An eco-center located in Powys, Mid-Wales, the Centre for Alternative Technology is dedicated to representing and coaching sustainable development, inclusive of all aspects of environmental living. A renowned centre nestled in the beautiful Dyfi Biosphere, CAT has steep water balanced cliff railway to take you to the visitor centre & discover a stunning display of working models of renewable energy, experimental green constructs, lovely organic gardens and ecologically managed woodland locales. With ample opportunities to explore green life with family-centric trails, forager hunts, fun programs, workshops and more, CAT is a bundle of fun and learning for all kinds of visitors.
Caernarfon Castle
Photograph by https://www.northwalesholidaycottages.co.uk
Often referred to as Caernarvon or Carnarvon as well, the Caernarfon Castle is a medieval citadel in Caernarfon, looked after by Cadw, under the aegis of the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. A representative of bitter conflicts and legends, the castle is renowned as one of the most glorious constructs from the Middle Ages, built on the banks of the River Seiont. It is grouped with Edward I’s other fortresses at Harlech, Conwy and Beaumaris as a world heritage site.
With the exception of its architectural spectacle and sheer size of the castle, it stands alone, born out of a vicious war with a Welsh princess. Its multilateral towers, eagle figurines and multicolored stonework are quite subtle, despite its extensive curtain walls and imposing King’s Gate, which was designed to withstand the assault.
Bodnant Garden
Photograph by https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/
Nestled in the Snowdonian foothills, the Bodnant Garden is a garden for all seasons, forged by the Victorian dream of an extraordinary man called Henry Pochin. Spanning over 80 acres of manicured lawns, lively wildflower meadows, flower-laden balconies and shrub abundant clearings, with a variety of awe-inspiring basins of water gardens & tall trees, the Bodnant Garden was established in 1874 and is home to one of the earliest & most outstanding laburnum arches in addition to Britain’s first magnolia and the rare rhododendron hybrids.
Home to an assortment of exotic foliage right from the Himalayan Blue Poppy to Andes’ Fire Bush, and the 5 national collections of Bodnant Rhododendron Hybrids, Magnolia, Eucryphia, Embothrium and Rhododendron forrest, the Bodnant Garden also claims to have one of the largest ensembles of UK champion trees which make for a beautiful display all year round, inclusive of spring delights like camellias and daffodils, summery rose bushes, lily ponds, and herbaceous beds, as well as the rich leaf colored autumn medley and frosty winter landscape.