Wales

Wales combines mountain railways, castle country and long coastal walks; this guide helps you choose the right season and keep daily costs down.

Mountains, castles and coast in one compact trip

If you like trips that keep changing character, Wales is wonderfully easy to recommend. You can walk beneath the peaks of Eryri in the morning, then finish the day in a village pub with cawl, Welsh cakes and a rugby match on the television.

The coast has just as much pull. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path follows cliffs, coves and broad beaches, while summer boat trips to Skomer bring you close to thousands of puffins. Cardiff adds a castle, a lively bay and the Principality Stadium without needing a car for every outing.

This Wales travel guide brings together the useful things to know before going, plus ways to save money while getting more from the trip.

Good to know

Wales's national museums, including National Museum Cardiff and St Fagans, are free to enter. They make a good rainy-day plan that costs nothing.

Top tips

Currency: GBP (£)
Daily spend: 25–60 GBP per person
Hotels: 15–250 GBP per night
Plug: British 3-pin
Tipping: Welcomed
Timezone: GMT+0
Taxis: Uber / Veezu
Food: Just Eat / Deliveroo / Uber Eats

Best time to visit

Weather, prices, crowds and the events worth travelling for.

Spring

Good

Apr – May

Daffodils, lambs and the year's driest weather; beds and attractions cost less, with thin crowds.

Summer

Great

Jun – Aug

Warmest and driest, with highs of 20–25°C and long days; late-July school holidays raise prices and crowds.

Autumn

Good

Sep – Oct

Cooler days and parkland colour; September brings sharply smaller crowds and lower accommodation prices.

Winter

Good

Nov – Feb

Cold, wet weather at 3–9°C; beds are cheapest apart from Cardiff and Swansea Christmas markets and February rugby weekends.

Cost saving tips

Travel in April or May for lower accommodation and attraction prices before the summer rush.
Choose late September over a July or August weekend in Eryri or Pembrokeshire, when accommodation is usually cheaper.
Book rail tickets ahead instead of paying walk-up fares on the day, especially for longer journeys.

Top tips

A Wales itinerary pairing Cardiff with Eryri gives you the capital, castle country and mountain scenery without trying to cover the whole country.
Check a Cadw Explorer Pass before paying the entrance fee at several castles; it can suit a trip built around Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech.
Compare Uber with Veezu in Cardiff, where both apps offer rides and Veezu also takes cash.
Order local favourites such as cawl, Welsh lamb, bara brith and Welsh cakes, particularly in country pubs.
A Cardiff travel guide is most useful for the castle, bay and Principality Stadium; the centre is compact enough to explore on foot.