Conwy & the Coast
Where the mountains meet the sea. Medieval Conwy sits behind the most complete town walls in Britain; Llandudno curves beneath the limestone whale-back of the Great Orme; and inland, Bodnant Garden and the plunging Aber Falls mark the northern edge of Eryri. An easy, family-friendly coast with proper history on it.
7 places covered · 2 towns to stay.
🗿 Ancient sites
🏰 Castles & history
🥾 Walks & hills
🛶 Lakes & paddling
💧 Waterfalls & views
Making the most of the coast
Conwy is the star: you can walk the complete circuit of the medieval town walls for free, squeeze into the Smallest House in Great Britain on the quay, and pay to explore the World Heritage castle itself. Llandudno, next door, is the grand Victorian resort — a mile-long promenade, a proper pier, and the Great Orme above it, reached by the historic tramway, the cable car, or the Marine Drive toll road.
Inland, the coast softens into gardens and waterfalls. Bodnant Garden is at its best in late May and June when the laburnum arch drips gold; Aber Falls (Rhaeadr Fawr) is a gentle mile-and-a-half walk to a 37-metre curtain of water on the northern rim of Eryri.
The A55 makes the whole coast quick to reach and easy to string together, which is why it's such good family country — but the honeypots (Conwy, Llandudno, Bodnant) are busy in summer, so start early and use the paid car parks rather than circling for a space.
Build a day out here
The free Explore Wales planner chains any of these into an itinerary with drive times, weather and campsite suggestions — and works offline once installed.