A Local’s Guide to Exploring the Cities of Wales
It’s easy to pick the best cities in Wales as there are only seven to choose from! Wales’ cities vary in size, from the capital of Cardiff to Britain’s smallest city, St Davids.
Wrexham is the newest city in Wales, only gaining city status in 2022! City status in Britain is still quite an archaic affair and is awarded by the Monarch. Historically, a place was only granted this status if it had a Cathedral but nowadays, city status may be awarded for a range of reasons.
As a local, I’ll tell you some highlights of each of Wales’ seven cities to help you plan your trip. Some of the best things to do in Wales are in and near Welsh cities, so you’ll have a great time exploring!
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7 Best Welsh Cities
Cardiff (Caerdydd)
Wales’ answer to a bustling metropolis is a small and friendly coastal city.
🏠 Population: 362,400 | 📍 Google Maps | Visit Cardiff Website | Best Places to Stain Cardify
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and is the largest city in the country. There are lots of amazing things to do here; my favourites include visiting Cardiff Castle and taking a boat trip from Bute Park to Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff’s docklands were once at the centre of global coal trading but have since been redeveloped into a trendy waterfront area. Head to Cardiff Bay to see the impressive Wales Millennium Centre and get a bite to eat in a waterfront restaurant in Mermaid Quay.
There are decent public transport links from Cardiff across Wales and Britain. Cardiff is a city for everyone and is a great base for exploring South Wales. I recommend staying in the city long enough to check out some of the best day trips from Cardiff.
Swansea (Abertawe)
This vibrant waterfront city is just a stone’s throw from gorgeous sandy beaches.
🏠 Population: 251,300 | 📍 Google Maps | Visit Swansea Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Swansea on Booking
Swansea is the second largest city in Wales and offers the best of both worlds: a vibrant city centre full of culture and history and calm beaches.
Swansea is a popular place to visit in South Wales. Party animals will enjoy the renowned nightlife, families will love the attractions, and beach lovers can hit the waves!
The city centre hosts a range of engaging attractions, from the National Waterfront Museum to the Dylan Thomas Museum and Theatre. To get some sea air, head along Swansea Promenade, an accessible path by Swansea Beach, to the popular seaside resort of Mumbles.
You can travel by train and bus to many destinations from Swansea, including the nearby beaches on the Gower Peninsula such as Rhossili Bay. To reach secluded areas, travel by car or hike on the Wales Coast Path!
St Davids (Tyddewi)
Britain’s smallest city is steeped in history and legends and situated on the spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast.
🏠 Population: 1,348 | 📍 Google Maps | St Davids Peninsula Website | 👉 Browse Hotels St Davids on Booking
The UK’s smallest city feels more like a village, so don’t expect big city lights! What St Davids lacks in skyscrapers, it makes up for with spectacular scenery in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. St Davids is a great destination for visitors wanting to combine a quiet city break with a beach holiday.
St Davids hosts regular markets and is home to charming independent art galleries, shops, and eateries. Try The Really Wild Emporium to sample foraged and local ingredients!
You won’t miss the awe-inspiring St Davids Cathedral, an ancient Cathedral settlement. Head to the idyllic St Non’s Chapel on the coast to see where St David, the Patron Saint of Wales, was born.
St Davids has some good local bus connections and is near a train station in Haverfordwest, but many rural areas and secluded beaches are only accessible by car or on foot.
Bangor
This charming university city has easy access to Eryri, Wales’ largest National Park.
🏠 Population: 15,060 | 📍 Google Maps | Visit Snowdonia Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Bangor on Booking
Bangor is Wales’ oldest city and is home to the ancient Bangor Cathedral, a charming Victorian Pier, and the imposing Penrhyn Castle.
The small university city in North Wales is surrounded by stunning scenery. You can easily reach Wales’ largest National Park, Eryri (Snowdonia), and the Llŷn Peninsula National Landscape.
Cross the impressive Menai Suspension Bridge from Bangor for epic views and to explore the beautiful and historic Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn).
Bangor is an ideal destination for visitors seeking a city base for outdoor activities like hiking and watersports. Don’t miss the fastest zip line in the world at the nearby Zip World Summit site in Penrhyn Quarry!
Bangor has a train station and good bus connections, making it possible to travel around on public transport. Although you can get to more remote areas and travel flexibly by car.
Wrexham (Wrecsam)
Wales’ newest city is bursting with culture, independent shopping destinations, and football fever.
🏠 Population: 135,100 | 📍 Google Maps | This is Wrexham Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Wrexham on Booking
It has been an exciting few years for Wrexham, a small city in North East Wales. Wrexham was awarded city status in 2022 and has recently gained fame and popularity for a unique reason. In 2020, Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham A.F.C, Wales’ oldest football club!
Sports fans will love soaking up this football fever and should visit Wrexham A.F.C.’s home, The STōK Cae Ras (The Racecourse Ground). Football aside, Wrexham has a wealth of culture on offer.
You can enjoy browsing the independent high street traders and markets. The monthly street festivals and Xplore! Science Discovery Centre are great for all the family. Don’t miss a visit to the nearby Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal! Wrexham is well located for visitors traveling to or from destinations in the North of England, such as Manchester and North Wales. There are two train stations in the city and several bus connections.
Newport (Casnewydd)
From Victorian architecture to Edwardian engineering, this unassuming city has some interesting sights.
🏠 Population: 159,600 | 📍 Google Maps | City of Newport | 👉 Browse Hotels in Newport on Booking
Newport is the third largest city in Wales and has a rich history and a wealth of culture. Despite being a little run-down in parts, the city has changed drastically in recent years.
I enjoy visits to the trendy food hall in Newport Market, as there is always a great selection of food! There is also a lively music scene in the city in several independent venues, such asthe Corn Exchange Newport. Check out the Newport Transporter Bridge, a feat of Edwardian engineering over the River Usk.
Head to the outskirts of Newport to visit Tredegar House, a beautiful 17th-century mansion, and Caerleon, a former Roman site. Newport has a busy train station and good bus connections, making it a good base for exploring other destinations. Newport is less than an hour from Cardiff, Bristol, and the Wye Valley National Landscape.
St Asaph (Llanelwy)
This small city with a small Cathedral has some big accolades, a big heart and breathtaking scenery.
🏠 Population: 3,485 | 📍 Google Maps | St Asaph Website
St Asaph on the River Elwy is the second smallest city in Britain and was awarded city status in 2012. St Asaph Cathedral is the smallest in Britain. It is home to the William Morgan bible, the first bible to be translated in full into Welsh from Greek and Hebrew.
You can explore the banks of the River Elwy on Roe Plas, a riverside parkland notable for its Black Poplars, a native tree with a dark bark.
You can visit nearby nature across North Wales from this small city, but public transport is quite scarce. If traveling by car, St Asaph is a good base for exploring North East Wales. You can reach the nearby coastal resort of Rhyl, and destinations in North West England such as Manchester and Liverpool, in a short drive.
Don’t miss the North Wales Music Festival for some inspiring Classical music, held every autumn!
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Each of Wales’ cities has a lot to offer! Check out my article on when to visit Wales to help plan the best time for your trip.
You are awesome Ruthie! Thank you so much!
We decided we didn’t have enough time to do both Snowdonia and Brecon. So we’re going to skip Brecon and stay 3 nights in Snowdonia. I really can’t decide where to stay around the park. My 3 choices are Betws-y-Coed or Llanberis or Caernarfon. Thoughts?
Hi Betty, It sounds like a good plan to stay in Snowdonia (Eryri) for three nights. It would be a shame to go there and feel like you have to rush your trip to such a beautiful destination. Brecon will always be there for another visit 🙂
You can’t go wrong with any of those three choices, they’re all beautiful and have decent accommodation and transport options. Caernarfon, Llanberis and Betws-y-Coed are all connected on one bus route anyway, and the whole route only takes 1hr 15 minutes. So wherever you stay, you’ll be able to get a flavour of Eryri and travel to other destinations! Just always check the buses in advance as they aren’t super regular and don’t run that late.
I’d say it mainly comes down to what sort of experience you want to have, how confident you are travelling in rural destinations, and what accommodation options take your fancy.
– Llanberis: Great if you want to be in a small village in the middle of the mountains, and are happy travelling in rural destinations. Llanberis is very scenic and you can visit lakes, Castell Dolbadarn and The National Slate Museum. Llanberis is a good starting point for summiting Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) by foot or on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. There isn’t a train station here and the choice of shops and eateries etc is pretty limited.
-Betws-y-Coed: Great if you want to be surrounded by beautiful scenery but would like to have both bus and train travel options available. In Betws-y-Coed, you can visit Swallow Falls, Zip World and do lots of hikes. The village is quite geared to welcoming visitors and there is a decent visitor centre with lots of information.
-Caernarfon: Great if you want to do a couple of day trips into more rural destinations but feel happier staying in a slightly bigger town. In Caernarfon, you can visit the impressive castle and castle walls. There are bus and train connections and more restaurants, pubs, shops etc than the smaller villages.
-Practical tip: Check what accommodation options are available and pay attention to where they are located. Look out for information on how to reach the accommodation and what people say in the reviews. If you’re travelling without a car, I recommend sticking to accommodation that is within easy walking distance from bus and train stations.
I hope you have a lovely trip!
I’m sure it will help! Thank you so much Ruthie!
So I’m assuming once you get to Brecon they have buses that can take you to the park?
Thanks Ruthie! Good info. Can I ask another question please? After Snowdonia we’re going to Brecon. We don’t have car. Are there trains we can take to get to Brecon? How would we get there?
Hi Betty,
Brecon is a great choice! The journey is definitely do-able but you’ll need to plan a little bit as there isn’t a train station in Brecon and there are only a few towns with train stations around Eryri. The best option is to take a direct train from Conwy or Bangor in North Wales to Abergavenny. Conwy is under an hour from Betws-y-Coed by bus, and Bangor is under an hour from Caernarfon by bus.
From Abergavenny, you’ll need to get the X43 bus to Brecon which takes around 45 minutes – it’s a scenic route! The best site for checking up-to-date bus routes and timetables in Wales is TrawsCymru. For trains, use Transport for Wales – note that it’s much cheaper to book trains in advance. I recommend leaving plenty of buffer time between connections incase there are any delays.
Conwy and Abergavenny also happen to be two of my favourite towns in Wales, so are worth checking out if you have time!
You’ll find more tips for travelling round Wales in my 7-day itinerary for Wales and where to stay in Wales guide. Hope that helps!
Hi Ruthie- where would you stay if going to Snowdonia National Park? Someone mentioned to me to stay in Betws-Y-Coed and then there would be a bus that goes into the park. What are your thoughts?
Hi Betty,
Thanks for your question! Betws-y-Coed is a great option if you’re looking to stay somewhere in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park with good bus and train connections. I’d recommend it if your focus is outdoor activity and nature. The village is very picturesque and has many beautiful walks on the doorstep.
I would also recommend Caernarfon, a town that is well-connected for trips around Eryri (Snowdonia). From Caernarfon, you can visit Llanberis, a small village known as the gateway to Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest mountain in Wales.
Caernarfon offers good accommodation options and things to do if you’re unlucky with the weather and can’t spend all day hiking. I’d recommend Caernarfon if you want to be based somewhere with a few more options for activities and have a day trip or two around Eryri. I talk more about Caernarfon in my where to stay in Wales article.
If you’re travelling without a car, I definitely recommend staying in one of the towns or villages with good public transport connections. The Sherpa’r Wyddfa is a great bus service across Eryri (Snowdonia), so any of the main places (in bold) on this route would make for a good place to stay.
I hope that helps!
I have visited all the cities in Wales except Newport and they are all beautiful but the very best by far is Bangor. With easy access to the mountains, all the beaches of Anglesey and not forgetting the 3 main castles of Wales, Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Conwy
Hi Glenys, Thank you for your comment – it’s nice to hear your views on Welsh cities! Bangor is indeed a very well-located city with easy access to many destinations across North Wales.
Check out my article on the best towns in Wales , which features Conwy and Caernarfon! Personally, I love that there are so many interesting towns in Wales as well as a number of cities.