Destination Travel Guide to Wales
Wales is a small country with a big personality. Invaded and inhabited by England throughout history, Wales has kept a firm hold of its national identity.Traditionally Wales is renowned for stunning natural landscapes, medieval fortresses and an ancient Celtic language, however, with the emergence of Cardiff as “Europe’s youngest capital” this small and traditional country now offers a contemporary twist. One thing is for sure, with the vast majority of its visitors coming from within the UK, as a destination Wales remains an undiscovered treasure for the overseas visitor.
An ancient language of Celtic origin, Welsh is, in parts, still widely spoken today. When speaking English, it is usually with a distinct melodic lilt instantly recognisable to other Brits. Known as the “Land of Song” it is little wonder that Wales is passionate about music; indeed Wales’ world-famous male-voice choirs and hypnotising harpists (the harp being the national instrument), can be heard at the cultural “Eisteddfod” festivals where music is celebrated nationally.
Certainly Wales provides a disproportionate number of singers to the world stage including icons such as Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. Loud and Proud is how the welsh sing their national anthem at rugby matches; rugby is considered the national sport and is supported fiercely across the nation. In fact, the Welsh are unashamedly nationalistic and proud of their heritage and thus are enduringly welcoming to visitors to their small country; you will experience no greater hospitality, than in Wales.
Natural beauty pervades all areas of this tiny country with vast areas protected as National Parks. Two thirds of Wales’ modest population (of 3 million) live in the South, whilst the north remains largely untouched and there is no finer example of this than on the Llyn Peninsula, with its far-reaching sandy bays and lush green fields, more than 80% of the land here is considered to be of outstanding natural beauty. Also in the north is the tallest mountain in England and Wales, Snowdonia offers a glorious combination of barren peaks, deep river valleys and thick forests. Mid-Wales offers less dramatic but equally enigmatic landscapes in the sweeping moorlands of the Brecon Beacons National Park, whilst in the south the deep Valleys of Glamorgan offer lush grazing lands for the sheep which reputedly outnumber humans 10 to 1 in Wales. Providing some of Britain’s most spectacular coastline, the south West of Wales is home to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Renowned for its hundreds of miles of dramatic cliffs and coves, Pembrokeshire is a tranquil haven for those who appreciate the great outdoors.
As a small nation, Wales has relatively few centres of population. Europe’s youngest capital city (since just 1955) Cardiff is undoubtedly the hub of contemporary Welsh culture, commerce and politics. However, its modern reputation belies a long history and a cityscape dappled with historic architecture making it an absolute “must” for any visitor to Wales. Wales’ other 4 cities include, Newport (home of 2010’s Ryder Cup) and Swansea both in the south whilst in the north you’ll find just one city; historic Bangor where roughly half the population are still welsh speaking. Not to mention St Davids, namesake of the Welsh Patron Saint, this tiny village in Pembrokeshire was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II due to its glorious cathedral. Beyond Wales’ cities lies a host of lesser known gems; medieval market towns, remote rural communities, tiny fishing villages, glorious seaside resorts, monastic ruins and Britain’s most exquisite surviving historic castles.
To hear the sing-song of the Welsh language, to uncover an ancient Celtic culture, to travel from the peaks of Snowdonia to the Cliffs of Pembroke to the galleries of Cardiff, touring Wales is the ultimate journey of discovery.
