The best-known national park in Wales features historical monuments amid some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.
Visit Snowdonia National Park to hike up snow-capped mountains and across untamed coasts. Walk through wild woodlands alongside bubbling rivers. Explore ancient castles and underground caverns. Relax in some of the most picturesque towns in Wales.
Head to the Mawddach Estuary, a river surrounded by forests, wetlands and mountains. Enjoy several walks in the area, where the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds maintains two nature reserves.
Dinas Oleu is the first property ever donated to the National Trust. Take one of the trails to its 5-acre (2-hectare) cliff top, such as the Panorama Walk, or follow the streets of Barmouth as they scale the hillside.
Stroll along the shores of Llyn Tegid, the largest natural body of water in Wales. Relax with a fishing rod and look for the gwyniad, an ice age fish found nowhere else in the world. Enjoy kayaking, sailing and swimming in the lake, a popular recreation spot.
Visit the ruins of Harlech Castle, the southernmost fortress in King Edward I’s Iron Ring. The fortress perches on a huge outcropping of rock, giving you commanding views of the surrounding area. Cross the drawbridge and explore the gatehouse, walls and remaining ramparts.
Travel to the village of Llanberis and visit the National Slate Museum. See exhibits including old Victorian workshops, a working water wheel and a number of worker’s cottages. Each cottage is furnished in a different way, reflecting the different time periods through the history of the quarries.
Descend one of the U.K.’s steepest mining cable railways into the Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Take a tour of the Victorian mines and learn about the difficult conditions miners faced in those times. See the exhibits on display, have lunch at the café and buy a genuine slate product as a souvenir.
Reach Snowdonia National Park by car, train or bus. The airports at Manchester and Liverpool are also nearby. Most of the towns and villages have accommodations options to suit a range of budgets.
