Photo of Rhayader
Photo of Rhayader

Nine Days in Wales

Anglesey and Eryri to the Pembrokeshire cliffs, the Marches and Cardiff

9 Day Tour

Overview

This is Wales without the rush: a whole day on Anglesey, two on the Pembrokeshire coast, and one in the border country most tours drive straight past.

You walk into a tomb on Anglesey whose passage lines up with the midsummer sunrise, stop on the Dyfi where ospreys nest in summer, and walk down the steps to St Govan's chapel, wedged into the cliff by a 6th-century hermit. In the Marches there's Hay's bookshops and the ruins of Tintern Abbey.

The last day is Caerphilly, one of the largest castles in Europe, then Cardiff, capital of Wales only since 1955.

Duration
9 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
  • Heritage & culture
  • Coast & beaches
  • Mountains & lakes

Itinerary

Day 1 Ynys Môn

Over Telford's bridge for a full day on the island: Bryn Celli Ddu's passage tomb, the Halen Môn salt works, and Aberffraw, where the kings of Gwynedd kept their court. Rhoscolyn's cliff paths and South Stack take you to the western edge, and Beaumaris, with its unfinished castle, closes the day.

  1. Menai Bridge

    Telford's 1826 span, the world's first major suspension bridge

  2. Bryn Celli Ddu

    A 5,000-year-old Neolithic burial chamber, remarkably well preserved

  3. Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt

    Artisan sea salt harvested from the Menai Strait, with tours and shop

  4. Aberffraw

    Former royal seat of Gwynedd's kings, near St Cwyfan's island church

  5. Rhoscolyn

    Quiet Anglesey village with a golden beach and clifftop walks

  6. South Stack Lighthouse

    Clifftop seabird colonies around one of Wales's most photographed spots

  7. Llanfairpwllgwyngyll

    The village with Europe's longest name, and the photo to prove it

  8. Beaumaris

    Elegant Georgian seaside town with its World Heritage castle and cafes

Day 2 The Dee Valley

Ruthin's square below the Clwydian hills, then Wrexham and the Dee. Walk across Pontcysyllte, wander Llangollen's riverside, and come back west past the Rhug estate to Betws-y-Coed and the old bridge at Llanrwst.

  1. Ruthin

    Denbighshire town of historic squares below the Clwydian Range

  2. Wrexham City

    Wales's newest city, with St Giles' tower and a famous football club

  3. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

    Telford's 1805 aqueduct, the highest navigable one in the world

  4. Llangollen

    Dee Valley town below the Berwyn Mountains and Castell Dinas Bran

  5. Rhug Farm Shop

    Organic estate farm shop, cafe and restaurant on the Rhug Estate

  6. Betws-y-Coed

    Victorian resort village of stone bridges and riverside woodland walks

  7. Llanrwst

    A Conwy Valley market town beside the 17th-century Pont Fawr

Day 3 Conwy, Eryri and Caernarfon

Conwy's walls in the morning, then up into the mountains to the hanging valley of Cwm Idwal. Caernarfon Castle and the Iron Age fort on the beach at Dinas Dinlle, then back into the heart of Snowdonia by Beddgelert and over Pen-y-Pass to Llanberis.

  1. Conwy

    Walled medieval town with a great castle and Britain's smallest house

  2. Cwm Idwal

    Wales's oldest nature reserve, a dramatic hanging valley and lake

  3. Caernarfon Castle

    Edward I's mightiest fortress, guarding the Menai Strait since 1283

  4. Dinas Dinlle

    Iron Age coastal hillfort with views across to the Llŷn Peninsula

  5. Beddgelert

    Often called the prettiest village in Wales, and famed for ice cream

  6. Pen-y-Pass

    Mountain pass high in Snowdonia, a classic start for Snowdon walks

  7. Llanberis

    Slate village at the foot of Snowdon, on the shore of Llyn Padarn

Day 4 The Cambrian coast to St Davids

Dolgellau and the Dyfi estuary, where ospreys nest from spring into late summer, then down the Ceredigion coast by Aberystwyth and the Georgian harbour at Aberaeron. It ends at St Davids, Britain's smallest city, at the cathedral built in a hollow out of sight of the sea.

  1. Dolgellau

    A stone-built market town, the gateway to southern Snowdonia

  2. Dyfi Osprey Project

    A hide and 360° tower over the Dyfi marsh, ospreys in season

  3. Aberystwyth

    Mid Wales seaside town and university city below a clifftop railway

  4. Aberaeron

    Georgian harbour town of painted houses, beaches and honey ice cream

  5. St Davids Cathedral

    Ancient cathedral at the heart of Britain's smallest city, entry free

Day 5 North Pembrokeshire

The looms at Melin Tregwynt, in a wooded valley since the 17th century, then Porthgain's brick-built harbour and the Atlantic surf at Whitesands. Solva's harbour and the galleries of Narberth bring you to Tenby's medieval walls for the evening.

  1. Melin Tregwynt

    17th-century woollen mill weaving Welsh blankets in a wooded valley

  2. Porthgain

    A tiny brick-hoppered quarry harbour on the Pembrokeshire coast

  3. Whitesands Beach

    Golden sands and Atlantic surf below the cliffs near St Davids

  4. Solva

    A Pembrokeshire harbour village of galleries, pubs and cafes

  5. Narberth

    Lively town of independent shops and galleries north of Tenby

  6. Tenby

    Walled harbour town of pastel houses and golden Pembrokeshire beaches

Day 6 The Pembrokeshire cliffs

A loop of the south coast from Tenby: the surf beach at Freshwater West, St Govan's hermit chapel in the cliff and the sea arch at the Green Bridge of Wales. West Angle's sheltered cove, Pembroke Castle where Henry VII was born, and the old coal harbour at Saundersfoot to finish.

  1. Tenby

    Walled harbour town of pastel houses and golden Pembrokeshire beaches

  2. Freshwater West

    A vast surf beach, and Shell Cottage in the Potter films

  3. St Govan's Chapel

    A tiny hermit's chapel built into the Pembrokeshire cliff face

  4. Green Bridge of Wales

    A spectacular natural limestone arch on the Pembrokeshire coast

  5. West Angle

    A sheltered horseshoe cove with rock pools and caves at low tide

  6. Pembroke Castle

    One of the largest castles in Wales, and Henry VII's birthplace

  7. Saundersfoot

    Sheltered harbour village and sandy beach north of Tenby

Day 7 Laugharne and the Bannau

East along the coast to Laugharne, where Dylan Thomas wrote in a shed above the estuary, and the great single-span glasshouse at the National Botanic Garden. Then up into Bannau Brycheiniog and over the hills to Hay-on-Wye, the Town of Books.

  1. Laugharne

    Estuary town of Dylan Thomas, with castle ruins and coastal walks

  2. National Botanic Garden of Wales

    Themed gardens, rare plants and the great single-span glasshouse

  3. Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

    Dramatic mountain scenery, waterfalls and valleys on a scenic drive

  4. Hay-on-Wye

    The Town of Books, with dozens of bookshops beside the River Wye

Day 8 The Marches and the Wye Valley

Along the border from Hay to Crickhowell, whose bridge has twelve arches on one side and thirteen on the other. Down the wooded Wye Valley to Tintern Abbey, founded by Cistercian monks in 1131, and on to the Roman legion's fortress at Caerleon.

  1. Hay-on-Wye

    The Town of Books, with dozens of bookshops beside the River Wye

  2. Crickhowell

    Market town on the Usk, with a many-arched bridge of 1706

  3. Wye Valley

    An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the England-Wales border

  4. Tintern Abbey

    Gothic ruins of a 1131 Cistercian abbey beside the River Wye

  5. Caerleon Roman Fortress

    Roman legionary fortress with amphitheatre, baths and museum

Day 9 Caerphilly and Cardiff

Caerphilly's castle, ringed by water, then St Fagans' open-air museum, with its farmhouses, chapel and Workmen's Institute brought from all over Wales. The tour ends in the capital, on the waterfront at Cardiff Bay and in the city centre.

  1. Caerphilly Castle

    One of Europe's largest castles, famed for its leaning tower

  2. St Fagans National Museum of History

    Over 50 historic Welsh buildings rebuilt in an open-air museum

  3. Cardiff Bay

    Redeveloped docklands waterfront, home to the Senedd and Pierhead

  4. Cardiff

    Wales's capital city, from Roman fort to castle and waterfront

What guests say

John devised an amazing immersive agenda for our 8 days in Wales, including dramatic scenery (Cwm Idwal National Park, Menai Bridge, Llanrwst, South Stack, Betws-y-coed..), neolithic burial sites (Bryn Celli Ddu), castles (!), St. David’s, Laugharne, the university at Aberystwyth, Brecon Beacons, Hay-on-Wye, Caerleon, and the Big Pit National Coal Museum. Highlight however was watching Wales Rugby in a pub in Tenby: Victory!

We spent a week exploring Wales with John and it was absolutely terrific. We've traveled a good bit and this is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. John is delightful and super professional. He has great pre-trip communications and worked with us on an itinerary that included two afternoons of golf for my husband. His love and enthusiasm for his native land really shines through and you get to see places that most tourists would never find on their own. We really appreciated not having to worry about driving and just sitting back and enjoying the spectacular scenery. He is so knowledgeable about history and the sites you visit...not to mention just great fun! We would definitely recommend you use John and Celticos if you are planning a trip to Wales. Diolch, John!!!

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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.