Overview
The short version of North Wales, with each of its three parts given a whole day: the mountains, the island and the Conwy Valley.
You drive through the passes under Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, walk into a 5,000-year-old burial chamber on Anglesey and look down on the seabird cliffs at South Stack. There are Edward I's castles at Caernarfon and Conwy, and the fantasy Norman one at Penrhyn that slate paid for.
It ends where the Victorians' North Wales began, on the promenade at Llandudno.
- Duration
- 3 days
- Group size
- Up to 7 guests
- Vehicle
- Mercedes V-Class
Includes
- Expert bilingual local guide
- Travel in a Mercedes V-Class
- Daily pick-ups & drop offs
- Fully customisable
Excludes
- Flights, transfers and accommodation
- Food and drink
- Entry fees to attractions
- Castles
- Heritage & culture
- Coast & beaches
- Mountains & lakes
Itinerary
Day 1 Eryri (Snowdonia)
From the stone bridges of Betws-y-Coed and Swallow Falls, the road climbs to Pen-y-Pass, where the Snowdon paths begin, and drops down the Llanberis Pass to the slate village below. Beddgelert and the grave of Gelert in the afternoon, and Caernarfon Castle on the strait to finish.
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Victorian resort village of stone bridges and riverside woodland walks
A gem of a village and the gateway to Snowdonia, Betws-y-Coed has been a popular holiday destination since the Victorian era. Situated in a picturesque valley at the confluence of the River Conwy and River Llugwy, the village offers charming stone bridges, woodland walks, and a wonderful selection of outdoor shops and cafes. -
Snowdonia's most popular waterfall, a short way from Betws-y-Coed
A series of falls on the Afon Llugwy two miles above Betws-y-Coed, the most visited waterfall in Snowdonia since the Victorians came by train. The Welsh name, Rhaeadr Ewynnol, means the foaming fall; 'ewynnol' sounds like 'y wennol', the swallow, and the English name stuck. -
Mountain pass high in Snowdonia, a classic start for Snowdon walks
A mountain pass at the top of the Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia, offering dramatic views of the surrounding peaks. A popular starting point for walks up Snowdon and a stunning drive-through experience. -
Working quarry workshops and machinery telling the slate story
(Closed for redevelopment until summer 2027.) The National Slate Museum occupies the Victorian workshops of the Dinorwig quarry, under Elidir mountain in Llanberis, kept as though the quarrymen and engineers had just put down their tools and gone home: a foundry, a forge, the joiners' shop and the great water wheel that drove them all. Craftsmen split slate by hand in demonstrations through the day, and a row of quarrymen's cottages moved here from Blaenau Ffestiniog shows how the families lived. -
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, and famed for ice cream
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, where the Glaslyn meets the Colwyn under the mountains. The name means Gelert's grave, and the story of the prince who killed his faithful hound by mistake is told at the grave a short walk downstream. Parts of the village date from the 12th century; it grew on copper mining in the 18th and 19th. Famous for its ice cream, and for the National Trust's Tŷ Isaf shop in a late 17th-century house in the centre. -
Edward I's mightiest fortress, guarding the Menai Strait since 1283
Edward I's fortress palace at the mouth of the Seiont, begun in 1283, its banded masonry and polygonal towers modelled on the walls of Constantinople. The first English Prince of Wales was born here in 1284, and the investiture of Prince Charles took place here in 1969. A World Heritage Site with its walled town, and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.
Day 2 Ynys Môn (Anglesey)
Across Telford's 1826 suspension bridge to the island. Llanfairpwll's famous name, then Bryn Celli Ddu, a burial mound you can walk inside, and Beaumaris with its unfinished castle. At Penmon the lighthouse looks across to Puffin Island, and the day finishes on the far side of Anglesey, at the cliffs of South Stack.
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Telford's 1826 span, the world's first major suspension bridge
Thomas Telford's suspension bridge of 1826, the first major one in the world, crossing the Menai Strait where the ferries used to run. The small town on the Anglesey bank takes its name from it, with a waterfront walk to Church Island, and shops and restaurants near the bridge. -
The village with Europe's longest name, and the photo to prove it
The village with the longest place name in Europe, 58 letters, stretched to that length in the 1860s as a stunt to bring visitors to the new railway station. It still works: everyone stops to be photographed under the station sign. The name means roughly 'St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near the rapid whirlpool and St Tysilio's church by the red cave'. -
A 5,000-year-old Neolithic burial chamber, remarkably well preserved
The Mound in the Dark Grove: a Neolithic passage tomb on Anglesey, around 5,000 years old, built on top of an earlier henge, so that it is two monuments in one, tracing a change in belief. You can walk into the chamber, where a stone carved with spirals stands. The passage is aligned so that the rising midsummer sun lights the chamber. -
Elegant Georgian seaside town with its World Heritage castle and cafes
A small Georgian town on the Menai Strait, laid out beside the last of Edward I's castles, which sits in its moat at the top of the main street. The Victorian pier looks across the water to Snowdonia and up the strait to Puffin Island. Independent cafes, restaurants, gift shops and galleries, and the old courthouse and gaol to visit. -
Headland views across to Puffin Island and the mainland coast
A scenic headland on Anglesey offering panoramic views of the Menai Strait, Puffin Island, and the coast of mainland Wales. The area is home to historic landmarks including Penmon Priory, a 12th-century priory, and Penmon Lighthouse, built in 1838 and still in operation today. -
Clifftop seabird colonies around one of Wales's most photographed spots
A lighthouse of 1809 on a rock off the west coast of Holy Island, reached down 400 steps and across a bridge: an island off an island off an island. The cliffs hold thousands of guillemots, razorbills and puffins in early summer, and choughs all year, and the RSPB's rare-breed sheep graze the heath above. Above the car park are the Iron Age hut circles of Tŷ Mawr.
Day 3 Conwy and the Conwy Valley
Conwy's castle and town walls, still whole after seven centuries. Then up the valley to Bodnant's terraces and the old bridge at Llanrwst, into the mountains at Cwm Idwal, and back to the coast by way of Penrhyn Castle. Llandudno's pier and promenade are the last stop.
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Edward I's exceptionally preserved fortress on the River Conwy
Built for Edward I by Master James of St George from 1283, on a rock at the mouth of the Conwy: eight towers, two barbicans and a great hall in one long ring, with no need for the concentric walls of his other castles because the rock did that work. It cost about £15,000, the most Edward spent so quickly on any Welsh castle, and it is the best preserved of them all. A World Heritage Site together with the town walls, which still run unbroken round the old town. -
Eighty acres of terraced gardens with views to the Snowdonia range
Eighty acres above the River Conwy, sloping west with Snowdonia across the valley. Formal Italianate terraces and a rose garden run down into the Dell, a wooded valley of streams and glades planted with seeds and cuttings brought back by plant-hunting expeditions more than a century ago. Something is at its best in every season: daffodils and magnolias in spring, the laburnum arch in late May, summer meadows, autumn colour and frost on the terraces in winter. There are record-breaking trees among the two-hundred-year-old ones. -
A Conwy Valley market town beside the 17th-century Pont Fawr
A small market town on the River Conwy. Pont Fawr, the three-arched bridge of 1636, is attributed by tradition to Inigo Jones, and Tŷ Hwnt i'r Bont beside it is a 15th-century house, now the ivy-covered tearoom in every photograph of the town. Gwydir Castle, the Wynn family's Tudor house, is across the river. -
Wales's oldest nature reserve, a dramatic hanging valley and lake
A hanging valley and lake under the cliffs of Glyder Fawr, Wales's first National Nature Reserve, where Darwin came in 1831 and only later realised he had been looking at the work of glaciers. The legend is darker: Idwal, a prince's son, was drowned in the lake by his guardian, and no bird, they say, has flown over it since. The circuit of the lake is about three miles from the Ogwen car park. -
Vast Victorian fantasy castle of slate and sugar wealth, near Bangor
Penrhyn Castle as we see it today was built near Bangor between 1822 and 1837 by Thomas Hopper, who created a fantasy Norman castle around a medieval fortified house, glimpses of which can still be seen. His client, George Dawkins Pennant, had inherited a fortune made from sugar in the Caribbean and slate from Snowdonia. The interiors are strikingly rich, with a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, and the Victorian kitchens below stairs. The stable block holds a railway museum of the quarry's industrial locomotives, and the grounds run to 45 acres of parkland, walled garden and exotic trees. National Trust. -
Victorian seaside resort with a grand promenade, pier and bay
A popular seaside resort town located on the north coast of Wales, known for its Victorian-era charm and architecture. It gained popularity as a holiday destination during the 19th century and has retained much of its original Victorian character. The town's elegant promenade, pier, and crescent-shaped bay contribute to its nostalgic appeal.
What guests say
We recently booked a 3-day tour of Wales and had the most incredible experience, all thanks to our guide, John. From the very beginning to the end, John went above and beyond to ensure our trip was smooth, comfortable, and deeply memorable. Everything about the tour was top-tier. We traveled in a luxurious Mercedes vehicle that made long drives really comfortable. He expertly planned our daily itineraries to cover different areas in Wales, and smartly adapted to the diverse and changing weather conditions. He took the time to understand our preferences and gave us valuable, personalised advice. He shared fascinating insights on Welsh culture and history, while being genuinely curious and open to learning about our own culture.
He is warm, friendly, incredibly cooperative, and truly knows how to showcase the absolute best of Wales in a short span of time. If you are planning a trip to Wales, I highly recommend booking this tour!
We had an amazing 2-week trip, and special shout-out to John. My parents were visiting me from Qatar for my graduation, so I wanted to take them all around the UK. We started from London, then went to Wales, where I had booked a 3-day trip with John. He took us to the best places in Wales - Snowdonia, various castles, the aqueduct, Penmon Point, and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, among others.
By the end of the third day, my parents and I had grown so close to John and felt very comfortable, so I asked him if he could accompany us for the entire trip in his Mercedes, for a good deal. He immediately agreed, and from there, we went to Manchester, the Lake District, Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, and, finally, the major highlight of the trip was going to Northern Ireland on a ferry. It was an amazing experience. To be honest, we enjoyed the trip completely only because of John. If he hadn’t been there, the trip would’ve sucked. So guys, if you are planning a trip, don’t think twice, just call John!
Frequently asked questions
- Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. Every tour we run is customised, so treat this itinerary as a starting point. Tell us what interests you and we will build the days around it.
- What time do we start and finish?
Usually around 9am to 5pm, but we are flexible. What matters most is that you have a good time, so if starting earlier or finishing later makes for a better day, that is what we will do.
- How many of us can come?
Up to 7 guests, travelling together in our Mercedes V-Class. For a party of 8 or more, get in touch and we will make special arrangements.
- Can children come?
Children over 12 years old are welcome. Not every tour suits children, so tell us their ages when you get in touch and we will plan the day around them. We are not able to accommodate infants and babies.
- Can this tour be combined with other tours, or made longer or shorter?
Yes. A day tour can be built into a multi-day tour, and a multi-day tour can be shortened, extended or joined to another. Tell us how many days you have and we will plan around them.
- Are admission fees included?
No. Entry to castles, gardens and other attractions is paid on the day, where a fee applies. Most of the castles are maintained by Cadw, part of the Welsh Government. Please visit cadw.gov.wales. We can advise you on the best deals when you book your tour with us.
- Is food included?
No. As we tour we will suggest eating places that our guests have enjoyed.
- What should we wear and bring?
Sensible footwear for some light walking, and a rain jacket, just in case.
- How much walking is involved?
Some, and none of it strenuous: the walk from the car to a castle gate or a viewpoint. If walking is a concern, tell us and we will plan the stops accordingly.
- Where should we stay?
Somewhere central, so that touring time is not spent driving to the start. Our accommodation advice lists places our guests have used, and we are happy to suggest a base for your tour.
