If you’re looking for a gorgeous seaside resort in a beautiful bay, with beautiful Victorian-style houses, then you’ve come to the right place: Llandudno definitely has the “wow” factor!
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Intro and travel report
It is February when we take the ferry from Dublin in Ireland to Holyhead in Wales to travel to Germany via Wales and England (we have our second home in Ireland).
It’s only a stone’s throw from Holyhead to the pretty town of Beaumaris. I’ll link you to the article below. From Beaumaris, it’s another stone’s throw to Llandudno, where we had already booked an overnight stay.
The drive along the bay of the Menai Strait is a highlight in itself. The Menai Strait is a strait that separates the island of Anglesey from the Welsh mainland.
Spectacularly beautiful, high mountains rise up to the right. These are the foothills of the Eryri National Park or Snowdonia National Park. And to the left, this marvellous bay stretches out until it opens into the Irish Sea.
We follow the winding coastal road around a headland and reach Llandudno in the late afternoon. Now, in February, it’s still getting dark early and it’s already well into dusk when we reach our hotel right on the seafront. We check in, take a few quick snaps along the promenade and then the will to survive drives us into the centre beyond – we’re hungry!
The streets are well-lit and the Victorian façades with their pretty canopies are a feast for the eyes. There are plenty of restaurants and bars and after a few turns we happily find our dinner.
Unfortunately, the following night was not very pleasant because the hotel’s air conditioning and heating system was not under control and we had to change rooms in the middle of the night – it was unbearable in the sauna. Well, bad luck, it happens when you’re travelling.
The next morning, we still have some time for a stroll along this incredible beach promenade and out to sea on the seemingly endless pier (or sea bridge).
The weather is kind to us today. It’s dry and mild and the sun occasionally peeks through the clouds. These houses! I can’t get enough of them. As the morning progresses, the town fills with life and people go about their business or enjoy a stroll along the promenade and pier – just like us…
What to see and do in and near Llandudno
An absolute highlight is the Victorian waterfront in Llandudno with its beautiful pier, a sea bridge that juts out into the sea.
If you’re here a little longer, you can take a nice tour on the Great Orme Tramway, a historic tram from 1902 that runs through the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve. That’s the green hill at the top of the headland. See: https://greatormetramway.co.uk.
There you will also find the Great Orme Mines. These are thousands of years old copper mines that you can visit on a tour. See: https://www.greatormemines.info/tour/.
If you take one of the bridges across the strait (you could mistake it for a river in some places), then take the bridge in the small town of Conwy. Right next to it is Conwy Castle, one of the most beautiful castles and most important sights in Wales. See: https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/castell-conwy.
The National Park of Snowdonia, or Eryri National Park, is not very far away. From the small town of Llanberis, you can take a mountain railway up to the 1085 metre high Mount Snowdon. See also: https://snowdonrailway.co.uk.
Betws-y-Coed, just a short drive from Llandudno, is a small town in Snowdonia National Park that we really liked – picturesque location and beautiful old dark stone houses. It’s also a good base for all kinds of walks in Eryri National Park. See also: https://www.visitbetwsycoed.co.uk.
You will also find beautiful sandy beaches in and around Llandudno, for example North Shore Beach on the seafront, West Shore Beach on the western shore of the headland and Colwyn Bay Beach, a little further east.
Beaumaris is a very nice place on Anglesey, on the other side of the strait that separates Anglesey from the Welsh mainland (easily accessible by bridge). You’ll also find the pretty Beaumaris Castle there. I have linked my article about it below. See also: https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/beaumaris-castle.
And also in this direction is the small town of Bangor with Penrhyn Castle, which is well worth a visit. See: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/penrhyn-castle-and-garden.
Brief background to Llandudno
Llandudo has just over 20,000 inhabitants, making it the largest and most important seaside resort in Wales, even a little bigger than Aberystwyth (I’ll link you to the article under this one).
The town is located in the north of Wales in a bay with a beach, framed by two mountains around 200 metres high. A cable car leads up one of them.
The town was settled around 4000 years ago, in the Bronze Age, and there are still dolmens in the area that bear stone witness to this period. Continuous settlement over the millennia eventually led to the founding of a town.
In the 19th century, the town was at a crossroads – whether it should be developed into a seaport for maritime trade or a seaside resort. A severe storm finally made the decision, as it destroyed the existing harbour.
And so Llandudno was developed into a seaside resort – in Victorian times, in the beautiful Victorian style that still characterises the beautiful seaside resort today.
Practical travel tips to Llandudno
The town is expensive, especially the accommodation, even in February when most of the rooms are empty. You just accept that, or you can explore Llandudno as a day trip and stay overnight outside.
A few kilometres inland, the prices are much better than in the touristy coastal towns. Incidentally, this tip works almost everywhere on the Irish or British Isles.
On the other hand, it’s great to take a stroll from the hotel for dinner, perhaps go shopping in the city centre, or take a walk by the sea – that’s great too!
If you’re travelling from Holyhead ferry port via North Wales to the North of England, Llandudno is on your way. But even if you want to continue via South Wales to the south of England, Llandudno is not a big diversions and a few extra kilometres are definitely worth it!
And if you’re spending a multi-day holiday in Wales, Llandudno is definitely a town you should include in your itinerary.
Conclusion
Plymouth is a modern harbour city with a long and interesting history. Much of this can be found in and around the old and beautiful harbour.
Shopping, eating and drinking? No problem, because there are plenty of opportunities in Plymouth. And the surrounding area also has some great activities to offer.
If, like us, you’re on your way to Cornwall, you can easily spend a double night here in Plymouth and take a day off, as we did. But even just a short stopover at the old harbour is highly recommended.
More interesting articles for you
A trip through the north and west of Wales
Aberystwyth: Lively west coast (of Wales)
Beaumaris: French charm on the island of Anglesey in Wales
Touring Cornwall
Title image: Llandudno at night (photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
