Discover Wales in 1 Week: An Itinerary

We’ll begin in Cardiff as Wales’ vibrant capital and its most accessible city (direct trains from London to Cardiff take under two hours, while Cardiff International Airport receives a range of international flights)! One of the UK’s most underrated city destinations with a litany of hidden gems activities you could spend days and days mining, for a compact day-long itinerary we recommend beginning early at the Wes Anderson-esque Victorian arcades to make the most of its selection of independent coffee shops and cafes (Coffee Barker is our topic pick!) and to the shops and architecture before the crowds begin to descend. After getting your fuel for the day, head to the nearby Cardiff Markets to taste some Welsh delicacies - the traditionally-made Welsh cakes at Cardiff Bakestones make the perfect early-morning sweet-treat!

Now you’ve filled up for the morning, head to the must-see monument in the city, the iconic Cardiff Castle. Originally built by Norman invaders in the 11th century before being transformed into a fairy-tale folly by the Marquess of Bute, whose inherited industrial wealth made him the richest man in the world, in the late-nineteenth century. Take the extra time to go inside and be astounded by dream-like Victorian interiors which represent the pinnacle of contemporary decadence, or simply walk around the (free!) Castle Gardens and marvel at the medieval architecture of the exterior fortress.

Next up is the National Museum Cardiff, Wales’ biggest museum which contains the world’s largest collection of Impressionist art outside of continental Europe and whose galleries span five-hundred years of art history. Then, as evening falls, head to trendy Mermaid Quay for a spot to eat. The waterfront wharf is overflowing with bars and restaurants, however Demiro’s and Signor Valentino come with our recommendation. You can finally end your day with a digestive stroll along Cardiff Bay, the largest waterfront development in Europe with a mish-mash of buildings both old and new. One day in Cardiff will give you a comprehensive cross-section of Welsh history ready for the rest of your week, but for now wind down and get ready for tomorrow!

Wake up at your leisure to hop on the one-hour train to Swansea, Cardiff’s sister city and gateway to the Gower Peninsula, a slice of coast so breathtaking that it was made the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty back in 1956. Begin the day with an awakening stroll through sumptuous Clyne Gardens, an eclectic botanical park woven as a tapestry of different micro-biomes from fantasia rhododendron fields (800 species can be found in the park) to Japanese bamboo forests to fairytale bluebell woodland, then head to the Swansea Indoor Market - the largest in the country - to spoil yourself for culinary choices. Keep an eye out for laverbread, another Welsh delicacy made from local seaweed, for a true taste of the country.

By now, afternoon should have arrived, so we recommend hopping on a bus to spend the rest of your day in Mumbles, the bustling seaside village resplendent with artisan boutiques, luxury stores, and some of the best ice cream in the world! For dinner make sure you check out Gower Seafood Hut for a truly authentic taste of the peninsula’s oceanic bounties, then indulge yourself and grab a double portion of gelato from Joe’s and then Verdi’s to take your side on the age-old local debate of which is better. Watch the sunset over the almost Mediterranean waters before heading back to Swansea so that you can, if you have it in you, make the most of the bustling nightlife in one of the UK’s hottest student towns!

From Swansea it is less than two hours to Abergavenny, the foodie mecca at the gateway to Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. Gorge yourself at trendy Cwtch Cafe in the morning and stock up on pastries and other tasty treats at the Angel Bakery before setting off on your excursion into the seemingly-enchanted hills and moors of the national park, one of the most hauntingly beautiful wilds in the entire UK. Our recommended day’s route is the circular hike to and from Llanthony Priory, a spectral 12th-century Gothic monastery which now sits in plaintive ruin in the secluded Vale of Ewyas. The 22km (13.5 mi), six-hour route summits two mountains - The Skirrid and Hatterall Hill - from which you will have truly arresting views of the pastoral arcadia surrounding you proceeding along legendary Offa’s Dyke, through the medieval village of Llanvihangel Crucorney, before finally arriving at the priory, where you can treat yourself to a local ale and hearty, fireside meal at the Llanthony Priory Hotel which is actually built into the bones of the medieval structure.

After this odyssean return into Nature, treat yourself to a well-deserved, world-class meal at one of Abergavenny’s four Michelin Guide restaurants. The Gaff is a surprisingly reasonably-priced contemporary space whose small plates selection ranges from Welsh rarebit to tandoori monkfish; the Walnut Tree is a culinary icon serving nominally simple dishes with deeply complex flavours (the filet of beef will change how you see beef); the rustic Black Bear Inn has a rotating, classically British menu that changes each week but which always delivers the apex of gastro-pub grub; and the Bell at Skenfrith is an idyllic eatery with seasonal menus that feature garden-grown bounties and a peerless wine list. All offer something different and there’s no wrong choice, although reservations should definitely be made in advance!

On your fourth day, make the journey from Abergavenny to Aberystwyth and find yourself in rugged Mid Wales at the nexus point of the painting-perfect Ceredigion Coast and Bannau Brycheiniog. Aberystwyth is one of Wales’ most vibrant cities and a cultural powerhouse in its own right, boasting one of Wales’ largest art galleries in the Aberystwyth Arts Centre and one of Wales’ liveliest sea-fronts, complete with sand-and-shingle beaches and plenty of culinary delights. Michelin-starred SY23 is a short walk from Victorian pleasure pier and offers flavours distilled freshly from the coast, Ultracomida is a more moderately-priced option serving outstanding tapas with an unbeatable selection of wines and vermouth, and Starling Cloud is a Mediterranean-infused locals’-pick pub on the city’s main road.

Spend the day wandering Aberystwyth at your own pace (a climb up Constitution Hill promises a bit of bucolic retreat accompanied by a spectacular panorama of the city and the sea beyond it), or if you feel up for it take the day’s excursion to roaring Mynach Falls at the other end of the Vale of Rheidol Heritage Railway. Departing from Aberystwyth and taking you on a scenic hour-long amble along the Cambrian Mountains before arriving at Devil’s Bridge, you will be deposited within walking distance of the truly awe-inspiring 300ft (91m) tall waterfalls, a standout among Wales’ many natural wonder. And ‘awe-inspiring’ really is the word as the cascading waters have been a source of much artistic inspiration over the years. William Wordsworth was so stirred by it that he wrote a poetic ode to the waterfall, while J. M. W. Turner has depicted it in numerous watercolour paintings.

To start your fifth day, hop on the train from Aberystwyth to Porthmadog to find yourself installed at the mouth of North Wales’ opalescent Glaslyn Estuary, where the verdant slopes of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park meet scintillating Ceredigion Bay. A brisk morning can certainly be spent exploring the paradisal harbour town and its tantalising environs, whether that be the sweeping sands of Black Sands Beach or along The Cob, a Georgian sea-wall that bisects the Glaslyn Estuary; Big Rock Cafe is the perfect place for a hand-crafted breakfast with a North Welsh touch.

After spending an hour or two in the idyllic grey-dolerite and slate-stone townscape of Porthmadog, embark on a revitalising one-hour stroll that traces the estuary’s banks to find yourself suddenly transported to the Italian Riviera, a palm tree-lined coast populated by charismatic villas in harlequin pastel. No, this is not a trick of the eye. Rather, you have arrived at Portmeirion, the fairy-tale folly village erected by aesthete-cum-architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis as a sort of visual manifesto decrying the glum functionalism of post-war British architecture. He took as his inspiration the kaleidoscopic Ligurian fishing village of Portofino and used the town to give vestigial second-life to marvellous buildings left behind by the unforgiving March of Time: a 13th-century castle town upcycled into an Italianate campanile, a ‘Hercules Hall’ made from the reclaimed frescoes of a demolished stately home. Lose hours and hours wandering this psychedelia cityscape and the surrounding forest gardens equally resplendent with folly; Chinese gardens elide with rhododendrons brought to North Welsh shores from Himalayan slopes and monkey puzzle trees. Then, end the day with a meal at the contemporary Castell Deudraeth brasserie and retreat to the luxurious Portmeirion Hotel for a night of rest in the footsteps of John Lennon, Ingrid Bergman, and Frank Lloyd-Wright, to name a few.

When you wake on day six, drink a coffee on the hotel terrasse that overhangs the Glaslyn Estuary and enjoy Portmeirion’s early-morning calm before the midday touristic storm, then head back to Porthmadog for a journey into Eryri National Park, the Arthurian wild home to Wales’ tallest peak and some of the most sublime Nature that the UK has to offer. The UNESCO-designated Ffestiniog Heritage Railway, the oldest narrow-gauge railway in the world, is a former slate-hauling line connecting Porthmadog through patchwork mountain and forest landscapes to Blaenau Ffestiniog in the heart of ex-industrial Snowdonia. The journey is an idyllic hour’s ride (the train even has a bar serving award-winning local ales!) along one of Wales’ most spectacular heritage lines and deposits you at the mouth of Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Once a pillar of the local slate industry, this regenerated quarry now offers an eclectic selection of rush-inducing experiences, from tram-rides 500ft (150m) below the Earth’s surface and subterranean trampoline parks to Europe’s largest zip-lining course 1400ft (425m) in the sky!

Use the morning to get your adrenaline pumping at Llechwedd Slate Caverns before heading to Llanberis to prepare for an Odyssean ascent to the top of the world. Line your stomach in the postcard town’s 1085 Bistro, a modern Welsh eatery with a cosy atmosphere, then climb 1085m (3650ft) to the top of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Wales’ tallest mountain! The Llanberis Path, from the base-camp town to the mythical summit, is known as the ‘beginner’s route’ and passes through a tapestry of upland farms, sheer cliffs, glacial lakes, and miner’s ruins. The walk takes 3 to 3.5 hours up then about the same down so generally it may be better to reserve a whole day to the feat, however if you find yourself on more of a time crunch (or reluctant to attempt the climb - equally valid), the Snowdon Mountain Railway is another heritage line that scales Llanberis Path to the mountain’s peak in a little over an hour. From here you can enjoy the same sweeping views that, on clear days, unveils parts of Wales, England, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and even Ireland, as well as 24 counties, 29 lakes, 17 islands, and the mountains of the Peak District and South Pennines some 100 miles away. Enjoy a coffee at the mountain-top cafe then venture back down for dinner at Peak Restaurant, which serves pub favourites made with carefully-selected local ingredients.

Day seven signals the end of your journey across Wales. Take one last morning stroll through the formidable wilds of Eryri to reminisce on your adventures before embarking out of the country. And don’t forget to come back soon!