- Totally customisable
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup & dropoff
This day is a mix of roads less travelled and a hidden but not a secret masterpiece. We begin by travelling through the south of the county of Gwynedd through quiet coastal villages and into Harlech where the fourth of the Iron Ring of Edwardian castles still rises majestically above the shore. Like the other three, the castle is well preserved. However, its quieter location means you are often able to let your imagination run wild and imagine yourself defending an outpost in dangerous territory.
Moving back along the coast we cross over the estuary to Portmeirion. The ultimate fantasy village, the fruition of architect Clough Williams Ellis’s vivid imagination, is a real showstopper. Made famous in the classic TV series, The Prisoner, the whole composition is a Technicolor assault on the senses. As well as new and recreated buildings, Williams Ellis used the natural environment to enhance the wow factor by creating vistas of coast and mountains through the unexpected turns of the streets.
We can include visits to
- Portmeirion
- Harlech Castle
- Criccieth Castle
- Porthmadog
- Nant Gwrtheyrn
- North coast of the Llyn
Touring Information

Portmeirion
Portmeirion was created by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 to 1976. He wanted to show how a naturally beautiful site could be developed without spoiling it. Aside from its iconic architecture, scenic surroundings and vast woodland gardens, it has a hotel, restaurant and shops.
Clough Williams-Ellis had conceived of a tightly grouped coastal village on some romantic clifftop site, perhaps on an island or a remote estuary. This idea stayed with him for about 20 years until in 1925 he found the Aber Iâ estate on the Dwyryd estuary near his home. It was more or less exactly what he had been hoping for, and it was for sale - he bought it for what is said to be around £5,000. He was then able to fulfil his dream and it's a must visit.

Harlech Castle
'Men of Harlech.' The nation’s unofficial anthem, loved by rugby fans and regimental bands alike, is said to describe the siege which took place here during the War of the Roses, wherein a handful of men held out against a besieging army of thousands. Edward’s tried and tested ‘walls within walls’ model was put together in super-fast time between 1283 and 1295 by an army of nearly a thousand skilled craftsmen and labourers.

North coast of the Llyn
Along this coast are a cluster of small ports and hidden coves. In earlier times, they were busy with fishing boats and ships carrying minerals from local mines and quarries. Now they are simply beautiful quiet spots to enjoy the sea and scenery. History hangs heavily here - look around and you see an abandoned village repurposed as a language centre and an Iron Age hill fort.

A hidden village
Nant Gwrtheyrn is a Welsh Language and Heritage Centre, located near the village of Llithfaen on the northern coast of the Llŷn Peninsula, Gwynedd, in northwest Wales.
It is sometimes referred to as 'the Nant' and is named after the valley where it was located, Nant Gwrtheyrn ("Vortigern's Creek"), which lies in isolation by the sea at the foot of Yr Eifl. The centre is built within the structures of the former quarrying village Porth y Nant, which was abandoned midway through World War II after the cessation of quarrying.

Criccieth & Castle
Built originally by Llywelyn the Great, this very Welsh of princes included a very English style of a gatehouse. Edward I’s forces took the castle some 50 years later, undertook their own improvements and remodelled a tower for stone-throwing engines. Not as much fun for those at the bottom as it sounds for those at the top!
Owain Glyn Dŵr sealed Criccieth’s fate when his troops captured and burnt the castle in the early years of the 15th century. This was to be the last major Welsh rebellion against the English.

Porthmadog
A busy harbour town with a good range of shops and attractions with two famous railways.
The Ffestiniog Railway is the world's oldest narrow gauge railway with almost 200 years of history, taking you on a 13½-mile journey from the harbour in Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.
The Welsh Highland Railway is the UK's longest heritage railway and runs for 25 miles from Caernarfon, past the foot of Snowdon and the picture postcard village of Beddgelert, then through the stunning Aberglaslyn Pass and on to Porthmadog.
Tour Information
Yes, all our tours are fully customisable
Included
Your knowledgeable local guide & experienced driver • Pick up and drop off at your hotel
Not included
Admission fees to sights and attractions, where payable
To help you enjoy the day
Please wear sensible footwear for some light walking and bring a rain jacket (just in case!) As we tour, we will make suggestions for eating places that our guests have enjoyed visiting
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Clients love this tour!
Such a beautiful tour of North Wales. We had always wanted to see Portmeirion and I had heard North Wales was beautiful. We were absolutely blown away by the bespoke tour Alwyn worked out for us! We had one full day where I requested castles, scenery, and charming villages with a good place to eat. He also picked us up at the train the day before where we had a delightful introduction to our journey.
Sidney B Savannah, Georgia, United States